Adalbert XX, Sunrosian monarch
| Adalbert XX | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Photograph of Adalbert XX, 1916 | |||||
| Emperor of Sunrosia | |||||
| Reign | 28 November 1905 – 25 December 1921 | ||||
| Predecessor | Adalbert XIX | ||||
| Successor | Louisa | ||||
| Born | 24 September 1894 Georgehaven, Kingdom of Selosia | ||||
| Died | 25 December 1921 (aged 27) Lellewarden, Kingdom of Selosia | ||||
| Burial | |||||
| Spouse | Sylviane of Gaullica (m. 1913) | ||||
| Issue | Louisa, Sunrosian Monarch | ||||
| |||||
| House | Windenheim-Treniotis | ||||
| Father | Adalbert XIX | ||||
| Mother | Georgiana of Estmere | ||||
| Religion | Solarian Catholicism | ||||
Adalbert XX (28 November 1905 – 25 December 1921), sometimes known as Adalbert the Melancholic (Adalbert der Melancholiker) was the penultimate Emperor of Sunrosia, reigning from 28 November 1905 until his death on 25 December 1921. His sixteen years long reign, the second longest rule under Adalbertine Monarchy, saw the Great Collapse, the Airdale War and most of the Swetanian Revolution that led to the eventual end of the Sunrosian Monarchy a month after his death.
The third son of Adalbert XIX and Georgiana of Estmere, the then Prince Ludwig Adalbert wasn't the heir apparent until the death of his elder brother Prince Adalbert George in 1899. He assumed the throne six years later at the age of eleven, under a regency led by his mother Queen Georgiana that lasted until his majority and subsequent inauguration in 1912. Collaborating with the Chartist Association dominant in the Imperial Assembly, the regency oversaw a rollback of the autocratic reforms from Adalbert XIX's later reign, and in foreign policy favoured rapproachement with Estmere. Both policies were maintained by Adalbert XX's following the beginning of his personal rule, and he was generally considered to have been a liberal monarch and an Estmerophile.
Despite his private wishes to marry his cousin the Countess Amalie of Acupis, foreign policy concerns prevailed and he married Sylviane of Gaullica in 1913. Later this year, the Great Collapse threw the thriving Sunrosian Monarchy into social and economic chaos, leading to the rise of the Salvation League. In spite of his pro-chartist tendencies, the worsening situation allowed the League to convince Adalbert to dismiss the elected government and appoint their leader Rudolf von Waldriek as an emergency measure in February 1915. The early successes of the League's policies allowed them to consolidate power in their hands as Adalbert became increasingly sidelined, being considered little more than a figurehead monarch by 1916.
The beginning of the Airdale War against the Kingdom of Estmere led by his cousin William III, heavily dismayed Adalbert and prompted loyalists to attempt a coup d'état to restore his powers. Following the coup failure, Adalbert became furthermore isolated from governmental matters and had to resolve himself to support the war effort about which he was lied to, repeatedly being promised a quick victory. He only played a secondary role in Waldriek's removal from power on 11 November 1921 and formally appointed Kaspar von Stenhofen as his successor. Being informed of his country's situation, now in the midst of the Swetanian Revolution, he became increasingly despondent and by December had to move to the small Selosian town of Lellewarden after the fall of Georgehaven.
On Nativity of 1921, Adalbert shot himself in an apparent suicide, leaving behind a suicide note in which he blamed himself for failing to see the threat posed by the Salvation League, and for the subsequent casualties both Estmerish and Sunrosian of the Airdale War. Despite nominating his cousin Prince Waldemar as heir in his note and explicitely against his wishes, he was succeeded as Sunrosian monarch by his seven-years old mute daughter Louisa, which would rule for only two weeks before the proclamation of the Panswetanian Council Republic.