Leo of Ghant
| Prince Leo | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duke of Alba Prince of Ghant | |||||
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| Born | 31 August 1990 Empress Elena Hospital, Ghish, Ghant | ||||
| Spouse | Elissa of Dakmoor (m. 2019) | ||||
| Issue Detail |
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| House | Gentry | ||||
| Father | John IV of Ghant | ||||
| Mother | Isabella of Latium | ||||
| Religion | Church of Ghant | ||||
| Military career | |||||
| Allegiance |  Latium Ghant | ||||
| Service/ |  Latin Army Ghantish Army | ||||
| Years of service | 2009–2017 (end of active service) | ||||
| Rank | Tribunus (Latium) | ||||
| Unit | Legio IV Triumphalis | ||||
| Ghantish Imperial Family |
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Extended imperial family
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Prince Leo of Ghant, Duke of Alba (Leo John Robert Aurelius; b. 31 August 1990) commonly known as Prince Leo, is third child and second son of John IV of Ghant and Princess Isabella of Latium. At the time of his birth, Leo was third in line to the Obsidian Throne; he is currently fifth.
Born at Empress Elena Hospital, in Ghish, Leo was educated at Sanctus Michaelis, in Castellum, and later underwent officer training and university studies at Academia Militaris Olympia. While at Olympia, he studied international strategy and participated in the Leadership Development Program. Following his graduation he was commissioned as a Captain in the Ghantish Army, and served as a defense attaché at the Ghantish Embassy in Castellum. Later, Leo served alongside Latin Armed Forces, and the 4th legion, during Decurion, and before he took a leave of absence in 2017 held the honorary rank of Cataptan in the Latin Army. He was a key figure in the 2016 succession crisis in support of his cousin Emperor Constantine XX.
Leo previously served as Latin Master of Offices from December 2017 until his resignation in January 2018. In spring 2018, he was appointed Imperial Justiciar of Ghant. His tenure as Justiciar has seen increased investigation and prosecution into corruption among Ghantish imperial courtiers and officials.
Early Life
Leo was born at Empress Elena Hospital, in Ghish, Ghant on 31 August 1990. He is the third child of John IV of Ghant and Princess Isabella of Latium. He was named Leo for his grandfather Leo X Claudius and John for his father. His birth was celebrated in Ghant and in Latium. Leo was baptized into the Church of Ghant, on 20 January 1991. His godparents are X, Y; then Jason, Prince of Youth (his mother's brother); and Stephania Pinaria (Jason's wife). He and his siblings were raised at the Imperial Palace, in Ghish during the reign of his grandfather. At court, Leo was known as an active, lively, and willful child.
From 1998 to 2018, Leo spent most of his time in Latium under the supervision of his uncle Jason VI Augustus. Due to his father’s medical conditions, Leo and his family often spent much of winter in the Periclean region, including Montgisard, Gran Aligonia and the Latin island of Mariana.
Education
Initially, Leo's father hired tutors from both Ghant and Latium, particularly Perateia, to educate Leo and his siblings. The most prominent of which was Pankratios Anemas. In 1998, Leo and his sister Theodora were sent to Latium for their education. While in Latium, Leo was under the care of his uncle, Latin Emperor Jason VI, and resided at court.
Leo’s education in Latium began at Lyceum Sanctus Michaelis, where he was placed in the same class as his cousin Princess Maria of Latium. Due to his education, Leo is fluent in Latin, as well as his native Ghantish. He also received lessons on Arthuristan, Audonic, and Mysian.
He then attended Lyceum Sanctus Michaelis for secondary school, earning his bac in 2007. He chose to forgo a gap year, and joined the Ghantish Army, where he enrolled at Academia Militaris Olympia for officer training after being granted a foreign cadet exemption from his uncle. While at Olympia, he primarily studied international strategy and was a participant in the Leadership Development Science program. He graduated in 2010 with a commission as a Captain in the Ghantish Army.
Military Career
Leo received his military training at Academia Militaris Olympia, Latium’s main military service academy. He was first enrolled as a cadet in 2009, and during his first year participated in the Student Conference on Belisarian Affairs as his primary extracurricular activity. After undergoing training and schooling for three years at Olympia, Leo was commissioned on 1 June 2012 as a Decurion. Following his commission, Leo sought active service, but instead his brother assigned him to the Ghantish Embassy, in Castellum, as a defense attaché where he served as a liaison with Latin Imperial court. Serving in this role from 2010 to 2016, Leo was regularly at the Palace of Augustus, and worked in close cooperation with Latin officials on matters of Ghantish-Latin relations. In 2016, Leo was made a military tribune by his uncle – the first to either a foreign national or foreign-born prince in nearly 300 years.
From January 2015 until April 2015, Leo spent time with a cohort of the 7th legion along the Lyncanestrian-Skladafen border. Leo participated in numerous military exercises while stationed with the 4th Legion, including war games with Belisarian allies. In April 2015, Leo joined a detachment of 4th Legion, stationed in Kalymnos, outside of Leonopolis, in the Diocese of the East. While in Kalymnos, Leo assisted the 4h legion in providing aid and support to residents of Orestiada following an earthquake. Leo also served under Count Frederick, Duke of Rahdenburg as a temporary aide-de-camp. Leo was on hand for the unexpected arrival of his cousin Princess Leona - then Queen of Aretias - and, on 24 August, escorted her back to Castellum. He was put on leave in early January 2017, and remains a member of the army reserve.
2016 succession crisis
Master of Offices
Leo was appointed Master of Offices on 5 January 2017. The same day, Leo was made Propraetor of Falisca, and Ostia. Throughout his tenure as Master of Office, Leo managed the bureaucracy and Imperial Court as the youngest Master of Offices in nearly 150 years. A week after his . In July, he was the presiding officer of the 2017 Ludi Circenses. Along with his role at court, he also participated in state visits, and was deputized to oversee investitures when Emperor Constantine or Empress Alazne were unavailable.
Leo resigned as Master of Offices after he announced his paternity of an illegitimate child on 21 December 2017. He retained a seat on the council as an Aid-in-council.
Ghantish Privy Council
Imperial Justiciar
In spring 2018, Leo was appointed Imperial Justiciar of Ghant by his half-brother, Emperor Nathan IV. Prior to his appointment, he held a seat on the Ghantish Privy Council as an Adjunct since 2006. Since becoming Justiciar, Leo has removed many of his predecessor's appointments and installed his own subordinates. He has made an effort to target corruption in Ghantish imperial court, and has authorized the investigation and arrest of a number of court officials.
Despite prioritizing an anti-corruption agenda, he has numerous critics at court and in Ghant who have denounced his liberal use of Imperial Marshals to carry out arrests. The most notable of these critics is his cousin, Princess Cassandra, who has pardoned a number of those who have been arrested and prosecuted. These pardons are said to have caused an ever growing rift at court between the various factions. In 2019, reports circulated that Leo offered his resignation to his brother Emperor Nathan IV; however a spokesperson from the Justicar's office stated that the report was "unfounded."
Personal life
Little is known of Prince Leo's personal life. The most widely known fact of Leo's personal life is that he and Emperor Constantine XX are close friends; Leo was the best man at Constantine's wedding in December 2017. Leo is a known football fan, and is a fan of Liga Premier side FC Imperialis Ianiculum. Along with his military training, Leo is known to be trained at traditional arms, though his swordsmanship skills are largely unknown. He came into possession of the Arragaran steel sword Lokatz.
In February 2018, Leo came into ownership of Palatium Blachernae, in Blachernae, Latium. It is his primary residence in Latium, though he maintains an apartment at various Imperial residences, including the Palace of Augustus.
Courtships
Rumors of relationship between Leo and Anna Kinnamos, now a Latin Senator, extend as far back as secondary school. The first instance of this was when the pair attended end of the year formal together at Sanctus Michaelis in 2008 and 2009. Over the years, the two have been spotted together at numerous events, state functions, and even in the public sphere. In 2010, Leo briefly courted XXXX, and from 2011 to 2012 courted Antonia Antistia.
In summer 2014, Leo traveled to the Kingdom of Izotza, in Ghant, to court Queen Izolde I at the request of his brother. Leo knew little of Izolde at the time and according to those at Ghantish court, she was eager for Leo's arrival. Leo remained in Izotza for a week upon his first visit. Though he was still an active member of the Latin Army, Leo frequented Izotza between 2014 and 2016. In summer 2015, Izolde gave birth to a daughter, Edura, Crown Princess of Izotza. She has thus far refused to speak on her daughter's paternity, though Leo is believed to be Edura's father.
At the 2017 Ludi Circenses, Leo was photographed with Lyncanestrian noblewoman Caroline de Villeneuve at show jumping and chariot racing events. Speculation began to mount among the media and royal circles that the two had begun courting. It wasn't until October 2017 that spokespersons for both Leo and Caroline confirmed a relationship. In November 2017, Leo attended the Endowment for the Arts charity gala in Beaupré, which was hosted by Caroline. Though she attended the wedding of Emperor Constantine XX on Leo's personal invitation, Leo's acknowledgement of an illegitimate son with unnamed woman in late December 2017 is believed to have placed a strain on his relationship. The courtship ended in February 2018.
Marriage
The Ghantish imperial household announced the engagement of Leo and Princess Elissa of Dakmoor in October 2018. There was no known period of courtship between Leo and Elissa. They resided together at the Imperial Palace, in Ghish, following their engagement, during which Leo was serving as Imperial Justiciar. They were married on 1 February 2019, at the Pantheon, upon which Leo took over ownership of his mother's estate near Ghish.
Children
Their first child was born in November 2019; he was named Constantine after Constantine XX of Latium. In June 2020, they announced that Elissa was pregnant with their second child.
Leo is the father of one child, an illegitimate son, Felix who was born in August 2017. Leo was not made aware of Felix's birth until December, after purportedly being contacted by the mother. On 21 December 2017, Leo publicly acknowledged his paternity of Felix though refused to comment on the mother, claiming she desired to remain anonymous and out of the eye of the press.
Leo and Elissa have one child:
- Prince Constantine Baldakar John Adrasto, born 20 June 2020 at Empress Elisabeth Hospital in Ghish.
And Leo has one illegitimate child, whose mother is unknown:
- Felix Gentry, born 22 August 2017 in Ascanium, Latium.
Titles, styles, honors and arms
Titles and styles
| Styles of The Duke of Alba | |
|---|---|
| File:Coat of Arms of Leo of Ghant and Latium.png | |
| Reference style | His Imperial Highness |
| Spoken style | Your Highness |
| Alternative style | His Highness |
- 31 August 1990 – present: His Imperial Highness The Prince Leo
- 19 May 1997 – 8 November 2014: His Imperial Highness The Prince Imperial
- In Latium
- 31 January 2019 – present: His Imperial Highness The Duke of Alba
Leo is a Prince of Ghant by birth, based on his status as the second son of John IV of Ghant and a male-line member of the House of Gentry. While entitled to the rank of "prince" in Ghant. Due to his royal birth, Leo does not use a surname for everyday purposes. According to classmates at Olympia, Leo's cadet uniform listed his surname as "Ghanteko" (of Ghant)
Leo is also entitled to the rank of "prince" with the territorial designation "of Latium" due a posthumous award of the rank and title by his uncle Jason VI Augustus in his last will and testament. Leo will drop his Latin territorial designation after his marriage when he is to receive the Dukedom of Alba. He will be entitled to retain his Ghantish territorial designation, as will any of his descendants through the male line. This was the eighth creation of the Dukedom of Alba; the most recent holder of this title was Prince Michael, Duke of Alba, becoming extinct in 1897 when he died leaving no legitimate male issue.
He is a Knight of the Order of the Ram, and holds Knight Commander of the Ancient Equestrian Order and Grand Cross of the Sacred Order of Felix. He is also a recipient of the Medal for Valor and holds Membership in the Most Ancient Praetorian Order. He is a member of the Emperor's Council and a Personal aide-de-camp to the Emperor.
Honors
- Latium: Knight of the Order of the Winged Ram
- Latium: Knight of the Sacred Order of Golden Eagle
- Latium: Knight of the Ancient Equestrian Order
- Latium: Member of the Order of the Grass Crown
Medals
- Latium: Recipient of the Medal for Valor
Foreign honors
Gelonia: Knight of the Illustrious Order of the Red Hand 
Lyncanestria: Officer of the Order of the Golden Sceptre <imgur w="50">qn7pDc5.png</imgur> 19 November 2017
Sydalon: Knight of the Order of the Holy Lance 
30 June 2017
Issue
| Name | Birth | Death | Notes |
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| By Princess Elissa of Dakmoor | |||
| Prince Constantine | 20 June 2020 | ||
| By N.N. | |||
| Felix Gentry | 22 August 2017 | Illegitimate | |
Ancestry
| Ancestors of Leo of Ghant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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See also
Leo of Ghant Born: 31 August 1990
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| Lines of succession | ||
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| Preceded by Prince William of Ghant |
Succession to the Ghantish throne 5th in line |
Followed by Prince Constantine of Ghant |
| Nobility of Latium | ||
| Vacant 6th creation extinct in 1897 Title last held by The Prince Michael
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Duke of Alba 2019–present |
Incumbent Heir: Prince Constantine |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by The Dowager Empress |
Master of Offices 2017–2018 |
Succeeded by The Duke of Ossonoba |