Louis Ferdinand I of Schaumberg

Louis Ferdinand I
Duke of Rahdenburg-Lubke
File:P1162866 gross.jpg
Grand Duke of Polnitsa
Reign	27 December 2014 – 9 November 2015
Predecessor	Henry III
Successor	Charles I
Born	(1962-10-01) 1 October 1962 Imperial College Hospital, Ascanium, Latium
Spouses	Marie of Kostritz (m. 1979; died 1988) Princess Alexandra of Ravenna (m. 1990; div. 1996) Philippa of the Palatinate (m. 1999; div. 2010)
Issue Detail	Princess Louise Princess Alice Charles I, Duke of Kostriz Princess Beatrice Prince William Prince Reinhardt Princess Elizabeth Prince Louis
Full name Louis Ferdinand Henry Albert Michael
House	Rahdenburg-Kulmbach
Father	Henry III of Polnitsa
Mother	Princess Beatrice of Ghant
Religion	Fabrian Catholicism

Louis Ferdinand I of Polnitsa (Louis Ferdinand Henry Albert Michael; 1 October 1962) is a Latin-born Gariman nobleman and former Grand Duke of Polnitsa.

Early life and career

Louis Ferdinand was born on 1 October 1962 at University of Ascanium-Imperial Hospital, in Ascanium, Latium, to Heinrich, Duke of Rahdenburg-Lubke and Princess Beatrice of Ghant. He is the oldest of six children: Frederick, and Bathilda, Margarete, and Brunhilda. Louis Ferdinand was baptized into the Fabrian Church in January 1960, in Castellum.

He spent much of his time as a child in Latium, and was educated by private tutors and later attended Academia Sanctus Paul-Taphioia, near the Latin-Lihnidosi border. He briefly attended University College Loweport, in Arthurista, for his university education, but dropped out before earning a degree in favor of joining the Latin Armed Forces at his father's command. Louis Ferdinand then enrolled at Academia Militaris Olympia, which he has often described was "a hell on earth." While at Olympia, he was known simply as von Rahdenburg ("of Rahdenburg"). He was eventually commissioned into the Army, and served in the 11th Mountain Legion. He left the armed forces after three years of service and enrolled at Alba School of Economics and Business.

Louis Ferdinand is the chairman of the Rahdenburg Foundation, a charity he created in 1984 with his first wife, Princess Marie. The foundation has been accused of self-dealing practices, and has been investigated numerous times for fraud and ties to organized crime. In addition, he remains the owner of Kostritz Consulting, which was also established by his first wife.

Louis Ferdinand is fluent in Latin, Ghantish, Arthuristan, and Gariman.

Monarch of Polnitsa

Ascension and coronation controversy

Louis Ferdinand became the second post-restoration Grand Duke of Polnitsa following his father's death, on 27 December 2014, following the death of his father Grand Duke Henry III. He was not present in Polnitsa at the time of his father's death, and was in Ghish on a private retreat. Louis Ferdinand did not return to Polnitsa until a week later, after the new year. His first act as Grand Duke was announced from his vacation home in Ghant, where he issued an attainder against his daughter Beatrice of Rahdenburg for marrying without consent. The attainder resulted in Beatrice being stripped of all rank, titles, and styles. This attainder was later revoked by Grand Duke Charles I.

He was late to his father's funeral, and promptly organized a coronation committee. After announcing the committee, Louis Ferdinand called the planned coronation the "grandest event in Polnitsa's history." Plans for the coronation were leaked to the media, and were reported to be around $75 million solidii, prompting outrage among members of the Nationa Diet and public alike. Louis Ferdinand responded poorly to the public outcry against his expensive coronation plans, referring to those upset as "ignorant forest dwellers" in a subsequent leak from the Grand Ducal Office. Then Chancellor Adam Hospod denounced Louis Ferdinand's comments, leading to the first break in decorum between the Grand Duke and the Diet. Chancellor Hospod proposed a censure of Louis Ferdinand, which passed the Diet a week later by a vote of 51 in favor, 22 against, and 17 abstentions. Louis Ferdinand subsequently threatened to remove Hospod as Chancellor and appoint a new individual to the position.

The back and forth between Louis Ferdinand and the National Diet passed the point of no return when the National Diet passed legislation to de-fund the planned coronation and only provide financial support for a "basic" coronation held a week from the date the legislation was to enter effect. Louis Ferdinand promptly refused to consent to the legislation, which was then overturned and became the only piece of legislation in Polnitsan post-restoration history to become law without Grand Ducal assent after it was again voted on and approved by 2/3 of the Diet.

Abdication

On 9 November 2015, in what has become known as the Kostritz plot, Louis Ferdinand was forcibly removed from the throne as Grand Duke. The plot installed his eldest son, Charles I, Duke of Kostritz, as Grand Duke.

Marriages

In 1980, Louis Ferdinand became engaged to Marie of Kostritz, the eldest child of the eventual George IV, Duke of Kostriz. They married on 22 August 1981 at Schivenoglia Cathedral, in Fabria. The wedding was attended by members of the deposed Rahdenburg electoral family, as well as members of foreign and papal nobility. Due to the controversial nature of the marriage and forced exile of the House of Rahdenburg from Garima, Louis Ferdinand and his wife Marie primarily resided in Latium. Louis Ferdinand and Princess Marie had three children, Louise, whom was born in 1982, and Alice, born 1985, and Charles. Their marriage ended in 1988 after Marie died during the birth of their son Charles.

Louis Ferdinand married Alexandra of Ravenna on 4 April 1990. He and Alexandra were introduced by then Jacobus, Prince of Youth, and Jacobus' wife Stephania Pinaria, whom was a relative of Alexandra. He and Alexandra resided in Latium for the majority of their marriage, which was considered rocky at best to most that knew them. The pair had three children, Beatrice (b. 1990), William (b. 1992), and Reinhardt (b. 1995). The marriage was rumored to be plagued with affairs. In late 1995, Louis Ferdinand was arrested by Latin police in the city of Colonia Augusta after a domestic dispute between him and Alexandra.

An arrest warrant was issued against Louis Ferdinand on 9 January 1996 by Latin officials. Due to his status as a stateless individual at the time the warrant was issued, his diplomatic passport was revoked as well. His marriage to Alexandra ended in divorce on 17 June 1996. Both he and Alexandra have refused to speak publicly about the divorce.

Issue

Name	Date of birth	Date of death	Spouses
By Marie of Kostritz (1957–1988):
Louise of Rahdenburg	(1982-05-03) 3 May 1982		Married Prince Riordan of Roazhon; had issue.
Princess Alice	(1985-05-01) 1 May 1985		Married Frederick of the Palatinate; had issue.
Charles I of Polnitsa	(1988-09-09) 9 September 1988		Married Charlotte of Silingia-Marlburg; had issue.
By Princess Alexandra of Ravenna (b. 1966):
Princess Beatrice	(1990-12-30) 30 December 1990		Married Prince Benjamin of Dakmoor; had issue.
Prince Wilhelm	(1992-08-04) 4 August 1992		Married Duchess Audhild of Staalmark.
Prince Reinhardt	(1995-02-28) 28 February 1995		Not yet married
By Philippa of the Palatinate:
Princess Elizabeth	(2000-04-19) 19 April 2000		Not yet married
Princess Louis	(2003-06-09) 9 June 2003		Not yet married

Titles, styles and honors

Titles and styles

• 19 May 1993 – 27 December 2014: His Royal Highness The Hereditary Grand Duke of Polnitsa
• 27 December 2014 – 9 November 2015: His Grand Ducal Highness The Grand Duke of Polnitsa
  • 27 December 2014 – present: His Highness The Duke of Rahdenburg-Lubke

Honors

• House of Rahdenburg: Grand Master of the Order of [Name]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Louis Ferdinand I of Schaumberg

16. Heinrich V, Elector of Rahdenburg 8. William III, Elector of Rahdenburg 17. Princess Diana of Latium 4. George, Duke of Rahdenburg-Almasch 18. Otto X, Elector of Nyrundy 9. Adalinda of Nyrundy 19. Princess Louise of Schaumberg 2. Henry III of Polnitsa 20. Maximilian II Joseph of Polnitsa 10. Maximilian II of Polnitsa 21. PLACEHOLDER 5. Sophia I of Polnitsa 22. PLACEHOLDER 11. PLACEHOLDER 23. PLACEHOLDER 1. Louis Ferdinand I of Polnitsa 24. Nathan III of Ghant 12. Robert, Crown Prince of Ghant 25. Princess Edaalya of Onneria 6. Michael I of Ghant 26. Prince Michae, Duke of Alba 13. Princess Lucia of Alba 27. Princess Marie-Amélie of Prusson 3. Princess Beatrice of Ghant 28. Arthur Rouanti 14. Alan V of Gelonia 29. PLACEHOLDER 7. Princess Beladore of Gelonia 30. Eudes Courcouis 15. Sara Courcouia 31. PLACEHOLDER

See also

• House of Rahdenburg

Louis Ferdinand I of Schaumberg House of Rahdenburg Born: 1 October 1959
Regnal titles
Preceded by Henry III	Grand Duke of Polnitsa 2014–2015	Succeeded by Charles I