Nicholaus, Prince of Belfras

Prince Nicholaus
Last known photograph of Nicholaus, 1912.
Born	5 August 1883 Rosewards Castle, Belfras
Died	15 March 1912 (aged 30) Saktun Beach, Mutul
Issue	Georgio
Full name Nicholaus Philippos Michael
House	Dimitrios
Father	Philippos
Mother	Marina
Military career
Service/branch	Belfrasian Army
Years of service	1902 - 1912
Rank	Colonel
Unit	III Divisio Mechanicum
Commands held	Legio XXX Scorpius

Prince Nicholaus (KSA) (born Nicholaus Philippos Michael; 5 August 1883 - 15 March 1912) was a member of the Belfrasian royal family. He was the first child of Sovereign Prince Philippos, the first monarch of independent Belfras, and was a colonel in the Belfrasian Army until his death during the Belfro-Mutulese war of 1911.

Early life

Prince Nicholaus was born on 5 August 1883. He was given the name Nicholaus after his father's uncle, Philippos after his father, and Michael after his grandfather. His father was Sovereign Prince Philippos and his mother was Marina of Sydalon. He was the second child of his family, with his elder sister Anna, Princess of Belfras being two years older than him, and Princess Irene, Duchess of Pergamon being born five years later.

Later life

Nicholaus attended the Saint George College and as a member of it's soccer team. He was inducted into the Freemasons Society of Prince Albert on 5 August 1902 after graduating the Imperial War College of Belfras and entering the Army as a First Lieutenant. By the start of the Belfro-Mutulese war of 1911 he had risen to the rank of Major, and was posted to the War Office in Thessalona by his father to keep him away from the front-lines. However, with the approaching Xuman Campaign - an audacious invasion of Mutul - he was reassigned without his father's knowledge to III Divisio Mechanicum and promoted to the rank of colonel to function in it's headquarters unit.

Nicholaus, serving in III Divisio Mechanicum, was killed in action at Saktun Beach on 15 March 1912.

Two war diaries carried by the headquarters unit's staff states, "The first boats ashore were smashed by debris laid by the Mutulese and constant, unforgiving artillery fire. The second wave of boats, brought three hours later and after a hellish bombardment by the Navy, took only minimal losses in comparison. Colonel Nicholaus and his boat were directly hit by an artillery shell just as they made it to shore."

Word of Nicholaus' death was quickly reported to General Komnenos, commanding officer of III Divisio Mechanicum who was staying aboard a troop-ship during the landings. He in turn passed the news directly to the War Office, who in turn passed the news to Sovereign Prince Philippos two days after his death. The palace's own diary notes that Field Marshal Caecus was present and noted "[Prince] Nicholaus died while leading his boat to shore. He followed the Army's code of bravery to the very end. While he could have elected to remain on ship for the landings, he saw what was happening to the first wave and wanted to bolster the morale of the second wave, who cheered when they saw him boarding a landing boat."

The war office noted that the bodies of those aboard Nicholaus' boat could not be recovered. An empty coffin burial was conducted in Thessalona after the war on 5 February 1916.

Titles, styles, honors and arms

Styles of address

• 5 August 1883 - 1 January 1900: His Grace The Earl of Patra
• 1 January 1900 - 11 January 1903: His Royal Highness The Hereditary Prince
• 11 January 1903 – 15 March 1912: His Royal Highness The Hereditary Prince and Duke of Patrinos

Decorations and orders

• Belfras: Knight of the Order of Saint Andrews

Awards and medals

• Belfras: Good Conduct Medal - 12 August 1908
• Belfras: Purple Rose - 3 July 1912 †
• Belfras: Mutulese War Cross - 5 August 1920 †