Leo X Claudius

Prince Leo
Prince Consort Duke of Adrianople
Official photograph of Leo, taken in 1984
Consort of the Latin monarch
Tenure	18 June 1952 – 20 May 1997
Born	30 March 1929 Xavier I Medical Centre, Saint–Nazaire, Vannois, Seredinia
Died	20 May 1997(1997-05-20) (aged 68) St Gabriel Medical Centre, Oea, Latium
Burial	Imperial Crypt, Castellum ab Alba, Latium
Spouse	Diana Augusta (m. 1952)
Issue see details...	Alexander, Prince of Youth Isabella, Princess Imperial Jason VI Augustus Prince Theodosius, Duke of Beroea Princess Isadora, Duchess of Courçon Prince John, Duke of Aurunca Princess Joanna, Countess of Ameria Eirene, Queen of Dakmoor
Full name Gaius Claudius Nero Leo Iasonis Petrus
House	Claudius
Father	Jason Claudius, Duke of Adrianople
Mother	Agnes Selicia
Religion	Fabrian Catholic

Leo, Prince Consort (Gaius Claudius Nero Leo Iasonis Petrus; 30 March 1929 – 20 May 1997) was Consort of the Latin monarch by virtue of his marriage to Diana Augusta. He is considered by many to be the most influential Latin consort ever, and ranks among the top 50 most important Latins according to a 2014 RAL poll. He is only one of two people to hold the title of Prince Consort.

Leo was a member of the House of Claudius. He was born in Vannois, and educated at Academia Militaris Olympia, where he also received military officer training. At the onset of the Social War in April 1945, he was betrothed to Latin Empress Diana and joined court. In 1948, Leo joined the Imperial forces commanded by his father, and saw combat during the Battle of Alexandria.

Leo married Latin Empress Diana Augusta in 1952, two years after the wedding date set forth in the original betrothal agreement. Leo was consort for 45 years, and after 1964 was widely regarded for his place of influence within court. One of the largest controversies surrounding Leo came when he took personal command of the 13th Legion during brief ultranationalist counterrevolution in 1955 and again during riots in Augusta Tolosa following the murder of a Gelonian girl by Latin ultranationalists in the same event.

Leo suffered a heart attack on 20 May 1997 while traveling from Adrianople to Castellum. He passed away en route to Saint Gabriel Medical Centre in Oea after an emergency landing.

Family and early life

Leo was born on 30 March 1929 at Xavier I Medical Centre in Saint–Nazaire, Vannois, as the eldest son and third child of Jason Claudius, Duke of Adrianople and Latin noblewoman Agnes Selicia. He has two elder sisters, Maria and Theodora, as well as a younger brother Isidorus. He was baptized into the Fabrian Catholic Church in April 1929, and was given the rank of Lord as a courtesy for being the second-in-line to his grandfather's peerage. His godparents were Michael Claudius (his father's brother) and Princess Françoise of Sydalon (Michael's wife).

Leo was born three months prior to his father's dismissal as Ambassador to Vannois, and returned to Latium with his mother not long after his birth. Prior to 1977, public record showed that Leo was born at his father's estate in Adrianople; however, a leak from within the Imperial Archives later revealed that Leo was born in Saint-Nazaire, Vannois.

Education

Leo's education was handled exclusively by private tutors and instructors. He also received a military education from his father and other prominent military figures in Latium. From an early age, Leo was instructed how to handle various weapons, including firearms and swords. For the first five years of his life, Leo remained in Adrianople and was raised by his mother and the household governess. On his sixth birthday, Leo was brought to the court of Constantine XIX, where he was presented to the Emperor, the Empress and their children, along with other prominent members of the court and Senate. This was the first instance where Leo met his future wife, Diana Augusta. In writings of his father, which were later published after his death, it was stated that he had been in discussions to betroth Leo with Princess Diana. Over the course of his childhood, Leo would spend time traveling throughout Latium with his father. While he would spend most of his time in Alexandria, Leo was regularly present on military bases where his father had been in command.

Leo enlisted in the Latin Army at the age of 16, enrolling at Academia Militaris Olympia before the required age of 17 due to his status as a member of the high nobility. Leo reportedly desired to have a naval career and preferred to attend either the Imperial Naval College at Pola or École Navale of Vannois, however he was dissuaded by his father and instead enrolled at Olympia. It was just before his second year at Olympia that the Social War began.

Social War

At the outbreak of the Social War and Palace massacre in Alexandria, Leo was a cadet at Olympia. The day following the 12 August Coup, Olympia was attacked by the Voluntarius Militia National Obequio (VMNO), a paramilitary wing of the newly declared Social Republic. A brief battle erupted between cadets and stationed officers against the VMNO, following a refusal by the Olympia's administration and Prefect John Iccius to pledge support to the Social Republic. The Battle of Olympia lasted two days, with Leo an active participant before reinforcements from the Imperial army, under the command of Thomas Vitruvius, 7th Count of Antium, relieved the cadets. Leo and all surviving cadets received the Medal of Valor for their efforts in support of Empress Diana at Olympia.

Marriage to Empress Diana

Betrothal

Leo's father had attempted to secure a betrothal between Leo and the then Princess Diana as early as 1935, when Leo was first presented to Emperor Constantine XIX and Empress Marie Christine. This information was later revealed in the posthumously published memoirs of Jason Claudius, 36th Duke of Adrianople. The Duke was initially unsuccessful in his attempts, most likely due to the youth of both Diana and her newborn brother Prince John. In 1940, the Duke's memoirs depict a second attempt to secure a match between Leo and Diana or between the Duke's youngest daughter Theodora and Prince John - heir to the throne.

It wasn't until the Social War and the ascensions of Diana to Latin Empress regnant that she and her regent, Alexandra of Ghant, assented to a betrothal between the Diana and Leo. Familial documents show that it was agreed upon that Diana, who was only 13 at the time of her enthronement, would marry Leo once her regency ended at 17 years old. Leo's father, who had been a Catapan of Latin armed forces, was subsequently appointed supreme commander of all Imperial armed forces and Master of Offices and Count of the Chancery.

Prior to 1948, Leo and Diana remained in court together in Castellum under the care of Regent-Empress Mother Alexandra. As Diana was very active in public appearances, Leo often accompanied her and the two began their courting. Statements from former courtiers during the time period claim that Diana "didn't care for [Leo]" and "wanted little to do with [him]." However, these statements were never substantiated.

Sancta Sapientia in Castellum was the site of Leo and Diana's wedding.

Marriage

Leo and Diana had first been betrothed in 1945, with the first announcements being officially made in 1945 prior to his father's war-time Consulship. However, the two would not marry until 1952, two years after Diana's regency ended. This delay reportedly caused a temporary rift between Duke Jason and the Imperial Household, though it didn't result in as a marriage date was set for 18 June 1952, which was after a planned tour of Latium by Leo and Diana. The couple's tour of Latium ended in Alexandria, where they were wed on 18 June 1952 at Sancta Sapientia, in Castellum. Their wedding the cause of great fanfare throughout Latium, with numerous games and events put on by the Imperial household throughout the country in celebration of the marriage.

Outwardly, Leo and Diana appeared to all to be a happy couple, though occasionally reports would surface of arguments and numerous disagreements among the Imperial couple. It wasn't until a rare, joint television interview with the RAL in 1978 that they admitted their early marriage "was a struggle" and "not unlike most others." Their first child, Alexander was born in 1955, though died in infancy. It wasn't until January 1963 that their first surviving child, Isabella was born. Their second child and eventual heir apparent, Jason was born in December of the same year.

Styles, titles, honors and arms

• 30 March 1929 – 1 June 1930: Count of Corcyra
• 1 June 1930 – 11 September 1964: Marchis of Philadelphia
• 11 September 1964 – 20 May 1997: His Imperial Highness The Prince Consort
  • 31 October 1976 – 20 May 1997: His Imperial Highness The Duke of Adrianople

Issue

Name	Date of birth	Date of death	Spouses
Alexander, Prince of Youth	4 June 1955	26 February 1956(1956-02-26) (aged 0)
Isabella, Princess Imperial	(1963-01-13) 13 January 1963		eloped with John, Crown Prince of Ghant, and had issue.
Jason VI Augustus	15 December 1963	3 November 2017(2017-11-03) (aged 53)	Married thrice. 1st: Stephania Pinaria (1964–1991), and had issue. 2nd: Zoe Verrucosa (b. 1974), and had issue. Marsella Atmos (b. 1965), had issue.
Prince Theodosius, Duke of Beroea	(1966-09-02) 2 September 1966		Princess Marie-Antoinette of Vannois (b. 1975), and had issue.
Princess Isadora, Duchess of Courçon	(1968-03-13) 13 March 1968		Prince Rémy, Duke of Courçon (b. 1968), and had issue.
Prince John, Duke of Aurunca	(1970-06-02) 2 June 1970		Princess Gabrielle of Vannois (b. 1971), and had issue.
Princess Joanna, Countess of Ameria	(1970-06-02) 2 June 1970		Theodorus Aemelius, Count of Ameria (b. 1969), and had issue.
Eirene, Queen of Dakmoor	(1971-11-27) 27 November 1971		1st: Desiderius, Prince of Petra (1962–2015), and had issue. 2nd: Malibar, King of Dakmoor, and had issue.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Leo X Claudius

16. Isidorus Claudius, Duke of Adrianople 8. Peter Claudius, Duke of Adrianople 17. Theodora Caprenia 4. Theodosius Claudius, Duke of Adrianople 18. Romanus Tullius, Duke of Ardea 9. Leona Tullia 19. PLACEHOLDER 2. Jason Claudius, Duke of Adrianople 20. Galaran, King of Gaemar 10. Gwyddawg, King of Gaemar 21. Agnes, Princess Imperial 5. Princess Isobel of Gaemar 22. Zidore II, Prince of Montgisard 11. Princess Celeste of Montgisard 23. PLACEHOLDER 1. Leo, Prince Consort 24. Alexander Selicius, Lord of Pola 12. Constantine Selicius, Lord of Pola 25. Constania Claudia-Veturia 6. Leo Selicius, Lord of Pola 26. Andonicus Caetronius Orontes, Duke of Orontes 13. Sophia Caetronia Orontes 27. PLACEHOLDER 3. Agnes Selicia 28. Andreas Aemelius, Duke of Narona 14. Flavius Aemelius, Duke of Narona 29. PLACEHOLDER 7. Theodora Aemelia 30. Richard, Hereditary Prince of Adelon 15. Princess Sophia of Adelon 31. Henrietta of Melfi

See Also

• List of Latin consorts

Leo X Claudius House of Claudius Born: 30 March 1929 Died: 20 May 1997
Latin royalty
Preceded by Marie Christine of Épernon as Empress consort	Consort of the Latin monarch 1952–1997	Succeeded by Zoe Verrucosa as Empress consort
	Consort of Belfras 1952–1997
Nobility of Latium
New creation	Duke of Apennina 1964–1997	Succeeded by Jason VI Augustus
Preceded by Jason Claudius	Duke of Adrianople 1976–1997
Political offices
Preceded by The Duke of Rhenus	Master of Offices 1980–1996	Succeeded by The Lord Verrucosus of Gerasa
Preceded by The Duke of Adrianople	Count of the Chancery 1976–1996