Maria of Latium
| Maria of Latium | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crown Princess of Dakmoor | |||||
 Maria at a charity event in Dakar, 2020 | |||||
| Born | 3 July 1990 Palatium Supranio, Adrianople, Latium | ||||
| Spouse | Martin, Crown Prince of Dakmoor (m. 2010) | ||||
| Issue | |||||
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| House | Claudia | ||||
| Father | Jason VI Augustus of Latium | ||||
| Mother | Stephania Pinaria | ||||
| Religion | Fabrian Catholic | ||||
| Latin Imperial Family |
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Extended imperial family |
Maria, Crown Princess of Dakmoor (Maria Claudia Christina Sophia Constantia; b. 3 July 1990) is the oldest child and daughter of Latin Emperor Jason VI Augustus and his first wife, Stephania Pinaria. She is currently Crown Princess of Dakmoor by virtue of her marriage to Martin, Crown Prince of Dakmoor.
Maria is a graduate of the Empress Alexandra College at University of Castellum Iohannes XIII, obtaining degrees in Sociology and Religious Studies. Maria first began to participate in Imperial duties in 2005, becoming the head of a number of charitable organizations based in Latium, and throughout Belisaria, including the National Imperial Foundation for Children. Maria is an accomplished equestrian and has participated in numerous domestic and international equestrian events and tournaments. In 2016, she earned a silver medal for the Latin national team in team eventing.
In 2010, Maria married Martin, Crown Prince of Dakmoor, they currently have six children.
Early Life
Maria Claudia Christina Sophia Constantia was born on 3 July 1990 at Palatium Supranio, in Adrianople, Latium as the eldest child of then Jason, Prince of Youth and his wife Stephania Pinaria. Maria was baptized 12 August 1990 at Sancta Sapientia, in Castellum, by Patriarch Flavius Hostillius of Alba. At her christening, her godparents were Prince Theodosius (her paternal uncle); Princess Isabella (her paternal aunt); Andreas Pinarius (her maternal uncle); and Anna Pinaria (her maternal aunt).
As the daughter of the Latin heir apparent, Maria was styled as ''Princess of Youth'' from her birth until her father's ascension to the throne in 1997. She was named Maria after her great-grandmother Marie Christine of Épernon. Her baptismal name, Christina, was chosen for her maternal grandmother Christina, Desponia of Mysia.
Hardly two weeks after her first birthday, Maria's mother, Stephanie, was killed in a car accident while visiting the city Heraclea on an official Imperial Family visit.
In 1992, Maria’s father re-married to Latin noblewoman Zoe Verrucosa. Maria and Zoe were reported to have a tense relationship throughout Zoe’s marriage to Jason, though Maria has avoided speaking publicly about her relationship with Zoe. From 1994 to 1997, Maria resided at Lauseion, Leonopolis, while her father served as Count of the East. Maria has spoken fondly of her time in Perateia, and cited the early exposure of different cultures as an “eye opening experience that has always stuck with me.”
Upon Maria’s return to Castellum, she was known for her cheerful attitude and politeness. She often held slumber parties at the Palace of Augustus, inviting friends and classmates. Her father married a third time, to Ghantish noblewoman Marsella Atmos in 2000. Maria and Marsella are said to have a strong relationship.
Education
Maria’s education began in Leonopolis while her father was Count of the East. In 1995, she was enrolled at Antony Studites. She would continue her education in Leonopolis until the death of her grandfather in 1997, when she and her family returned to Latium and resided in Castellum. Maria would complete the remainder of her primary schooling at St Michael's in suburban Castellum, and would later attend Lyceum St Michael for the remainder of her pre-tertiary education. Maria has stated that she enjoyed science and languages courses the most during secondary school.
During secondary school, Maria expressed interest in attending a number of universities, most notably University of Castellum Iohannes XIII, Arminium College, Imperial University of Lyncanestria, University of Haenna and University of Utica. She never explicitly stated which was her school of preference, but later enrolled at Empress Alexandra College, Castellum for fall 2007, forgoing a gap year.
During her first year at Castellum, Maria moved to Velia House and invited a number of close friends and classmates to reside at the palace with her, including Antonia Antistia, Maria Verrucosa, Veronica Verrucosa, and Basilia Pollia. She focused her studies on sociology and religious studies.
Maria participated in a number of student activities throughout her time at Empress Alexandra College, primarily relating to community service and outreach. She was the president of the university's equestrian club during her final school year, and participated in equestrian events throughout Latium and Belisaria during this time.
She is fluent in Latin, and conversant to various degrees of competency in Hellenic, Ghantish, and Vardanan.
Imperial Duties
Princess Maria first began undertaking Imperial duties after finishing secondary school. However, her first official duty was in 2000 when she traveled to Sarpeta, Sydalon with her father for two millennia anniversary of the birth of Jesus. A month after her seventeenth birthday, Maria was appointed as a Count-in-aid of Council, allowing her to regularly attend international functions on behalf of her father. Maria has been involved in a number of charitable organizations since undertaking Imperial duties, serving as the president of no fewer than ten since 2010.
Maria has also served as a chairperson for numerous athletic events, including several marathons and even a brief stint as a chairperson for the Latin Football Federation.
Interests
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| Discipline | Eventing | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Maria is keen on sports and athletics, including personal participation and fandom. Her favorite sport is football and she is a supporter of PC Imperialis Ianiculum of the Latin Liga Premier, as well HC Alba Imperialis of Liga Magna. Since moving to Dakar, Maria has attended local sporting events, but has been spotted wearing Ianiculum and Alba jerseys at games.
She has also run marathons and other athletic events. Maria participated in the 2007 Alba Marathon, finishing the race at just under five hours.
During primary school, Maria briefly participated in ballet before later taking ballroom dancing lessons.
Equestrian career
Maria has participated in equestrian tournaments since she was 5 years old, and most notably in the equitation and eventing events during Ludi Circenses from 2009 through 2016. She qualified for the AEF World Championship in 2008 through 2010, though never finished above sixth in any given year. She often attends prominent equestrian events throughout the world, both to spectate and participate. Her highest placement at Ludi Circenses came in 2010, where she finished second in the eventing event. Her next highest finish was 2014 when she placed third in eventing and fifth in show jumping. She participates in a charity polo match put on by the Prince of Youth Foundation every year.
Maria qualified for Ludi Circenses from 2006 to 2011, and again in 2013, 2016, 2019. She did not participate in the intermediate games due to pregnancy, however she outright failed to qualify in 2017 and 2018. Maria once again competed in 2020, where she finished 21st in women's individual eventing.
Maria has ceased to compete for Latium internationally since her marriage, however she continues to compete in events on the Belisarian circuit, where she is sponsored by Atheltica Delpha. She has also organized various competitions and charity events in Dakmoor and Latium.
Maria established the Crown Princess Prize in 2013 to honor young horse riders and to encourage participation in Dakmoor. In 2018, the Crown Princess Prize also established a Latin branch.
Courtship
Like many members of her family, Maria's personal life has often been subject to considerable media coverage. Following a personal visit by her parents and other members of the Imperial family to Ghant in 1990, speculation was growing that talks had taken place to see a match between Maria with the then Prince Imperial, now Emperor Nathan IV of Ghant. These initial rumors ultimately amounted to nothing, with the vacation only culminating in the controversial relationship between her aunt, Princess Isabella of Latium, and John, Crown Prince of Ghant.
Throughout her childhood, rumors persisted that a match between Maria and Nathan was being pursued, with Latin betting firms even placing odds on if a betrothal would occur. However, many insiders claimed that a match was "extremely unlikely" due to the chilly relations between the Latin Imperial household, particularly Leo, Prince Consort, and Ghantish Imperials Emperor Albert I and his wife Empress Grace. Relations would grow even worse during the reign of Maria's father, Jason VI, and Prince-Regent Albert in Ghant.
Martin of Dakmoor
Most speculation regarding Maria’s courtship surrounded Martin, Crown Prince of Dakmoor – heir to the Kingdom of Dakmoor, in Ghant. Maria and Martin first met as children, due to visiting Maria’s half-sister Violant Claudia de Aultavilla who resided in Dakmoor for part of each year. Though Maria developed a close friendship with Sophia of Dakmoor, she was seen as near inseparable from Martin, and whether they were in Latium or Dakmoor, were often in each other’s company. She has often said that her earliest memory of Martin was him teaching her Ghantish words as children.
Maria’s relationship with Martin was subject to invasions of privacy since she was a teenager. In 2003, a paparazzi photograph of Maria kissing Martin at her birthday party was published in various Belisarian tabloids. Again in 2004, a photograph of the pair holding hands at the Alba Zoo in Castellum was published. The 2004 event resulted in multiple arrests and criminal charges, though ultimately charges were dropped following a steep citation and community service. During a 2009 interview following her engagement, Maria said that “[a]t the time, I hated them for ruining a special moment that Martin and I shared, but I hold no grudges now. And at the very least, I’m glad it turned out to be quite a lovely photograph of us.” The 2004 event prompted the Latin Imperial Family to offer regular updates of Maria, with her approval, to the press – there were few incidents following this.
Martin was Maria’s guest at the 2005 Christmas party at Palatium Supranio, hosted by Maria’s family. Immediately following the party, there were rumors that Maria and Martin’s relationship had abruptly ended. While previously, each visited Dakmoor or Latium multiple times a year, Maria did not visit Dakmoor throughout the following months. In June 2006, Martin visited Latium during the scheduled return of Maria’s sister Violant for the summer. During this trip, Maria was seen with Martin for the first time since Christmas 2005.
In August 2007, the Imperial Household announced a betrothal agreement between Maria and Martin. During this time, Martin continued to reside in Dakar, Dakmoor, while Maria was attending university. Maria moved into Velia House during this time, though when Martin enrolled in classes at the University of Castellum Iohannes XIII as a visiting student, Maria returned to the Palace of Augustus while Martin resided at Velia House. Their relationship became much more public during this period, and Maria commissioned a series of photographs of her and Martin following the betrothal.
Marriage
Martin formally proposed to Maria on 15 November 2009. Her engagement ring is the same ring that her father gave her mother when they became engaged in 1987. Their engagement was announced the following week. Maria was heavily involved in the wedding planning, despite being in the final year of her university studies. Plans were made for two ceremonies, one at Dakar Cathedral and another in Castellum, later determined to be Sancta Sapientia. While much of her preparations took place in Latium, Maria traveled to Dakar for her easter break to tour Dakar Cathedral. During an interview with RAL in April, Maria stated that she had no plans to convert from Catholicism to Ipargurutism, Martin’s faith. Maria remains Catholic today.
Following her graduation from university, Maria more frequently visited Dakar as the wedding date in July neared. On 3 July 2010, Maria and Martin married during a ceremony at Sancta Sapientia. The ceremony in Latium was presided over by the Patriarch of Alba. It was followed by a second ceremony a week later, on 10 July 2010 at Dakar Cathedral. Both ceremonies were attended by prominent members of Latin and Ghantish royalty and nobility, as well as prominent foreign dignitaries.
Maria moved to Dakar following the wedding and took up residence at Dakauregia with Martin. The Dakmooran Royal Family and Latin Imperial Family issued a joint birth announcement for Maria’s first pregnancy, in October 2010. On 29 April 2011, their first child, Prince Marcel was born. On 15 March 2013, a second child, Princess Stephania, was born. Maria gave birth to twins Princess Isabella and Princess Valencia, commonly referred to as the “Dusk Twins” due to the circumstances of their birth, on 30 May 2015, having been born during astronomical twilight. She later gave birth to Prince Jason on 15 June 2017, who was named for Maria’s father Emperor Jason VI, who passed away 7 months prior. Maria personally announced she was pregnant with her sixth child via her Filter account on August 2019; on 12 February 2020, Princess Marina was born.
Crown Princess of Dakmoor
Maria became Crown Princess of Dakmoor following her marriage to Martin, in 2010. She immediately took up residence at Dakauregia and became active in Dakmooran life. In her earliest days in Dakar, Maria shadowed then Queen Elizabeth and became active in supporting Elizabeth’s many charitable pursuits. In August 2011, Maria established her first charity, which was focused on aiding local orphans and children of single parents. Following Elizabeth’s death in 2013, Maria has gradually taken on roles within a number of charities originally founded by Elizabeth.
By May 2011, Maria recruited a number of Latin noblewomen and close friends to serve as her ladies-in-waiting, such as Antonia Antistia and Veronica Verrucosa, who joined Gabriella Pinaria and Beatrice of Rahdenburg. Maria has maintained a number of Latin-born ladies in waiting since becoming Crown Princess, but since 2013 has included a number of prominent Dakmooran ladies in her household, most recently including Serena Dain. As she has been visiting Dakmoor since childhood, Maria has a number of friends in the area, including her sister-in-law Sophia of Dakmoor. In addition, Maria’s half-sister Violant spent half the year in Dakar growing up, and frequents Dakar to spend time with Maria and their friends. Due to her friendships with Sophia and Violant, Maria was often in the company of Elissa of Dakmoor, who is Violant’s half-sister, and Sophia’s cousin Alazne Dain – Maria’s future sister-in-law.
Maria frequently travels throughout Dakmoor, both by herself and alongside Martin. She often visits with prominent lords and local government leaders. In 2013, following the announcement that Queen Elizabeth was diagnosed with cancer, Maria served as Lady of the Palace. She was hostess during the visit of local lords and lords from outside of Dakmoor. She continued to serve in this capacity following Elizabeth’s death later that year, and stepped aside in September 2014 after King Malibar married Maria’s paternal aunt Eirene of Latium.
Titles, styles, honors and arms
- 3 July 1990 – 20 May 1997: Her Imperial Highness Princess Maria of Youth
- 20 May 1997 – 3 July 2010: Her Imperial Highness The Princess Maria
- 3 July 2010 – present: Her Royal Highness The Crown Princess of Dakmoor
As a Latin princess and daughter of a Latin Emperor, Maria does not utilize a surname. If Maria were to utilize a surname, it is likely that she would take on the Claudia name; however, it is also possible that the surname for all children of the Emperor to simply be "of Latium". For ceremonial and formal purposes, all children of the Monarch - with exception to the heir apparent - are entitled to the rank of "prince" or "princess" after their Christian name followed by the territorial designation "of Latium." As such, Maria was styled as "Princess Maria of Latium" until her marriage to Martin of Dakmoor. While she remains a Latin princess, able to utilize the styles and title associated; however, since her marriage to Martin of Dakmoor, she utilizes his titles and styles as her primary titles.
Honors
Latium: Knight of the Order of the Winged Ram 
- Latium: Dame of the Ancient Equestrian Order
- Latium: Grand Cross of the Most Noble Order of St. Maria
Foreign Honors
House of Hazarasp: Dame of the Order of the Senmurv 
- File:Flag of Petra.svg Petra: Lady of the Order of the Holy Lance
Sydalon: Lady of the Honorable Order of St Philip 
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Issue
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| By Martin, Crown Prince of Dakmoor | |||
| Prince Marcel of Dakmoor | 29 April 2011 | ||
| Princess Stephanie of Dakmoor | 3 July 2013 | ||
| Princess Isabella of Dakmoor | 30 May 2015 | ||
| Princess Valencia of Dakmoor | 30 May 2015 | ||
| Prince Jason of Dakmoor | 15 June 2017 | ||
| Princess Marina of Dakmoor | 12 February 2020 | ||
Ancestry
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See also
Maria of Latium Born: 3 July 1990
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| Lines of succession | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Prince Philip of Latium |
Succession to the Latin throne 5th in line |
Followed by The Princess Selene |