Alberto IV
| Alberto IV | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emperor of Cárinansia | |||||||||
 Official portrait | |||||||||
| Emperor of Cárinansia | |||||||||
| Emperor | 29 July 1899 - 11 June 1939 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Alberto III | ||||||||
| Successor | Alberto V | ||||||||
| Consul of Valorá | |||||||||
| Reign | 30 November 1919 - 31 December 1930 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Position created | ||||||||
| Successor | Lucián San Martín | ||||||||
| Prince of Eneas | |||||||||
| Reign | 1 December 1857 - 29 July 1899 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Alberto III | ||||||||
| Successor | Alberto V | ||||||||
| Born | 27 November 1857 Imperial Palace, São Alberto | ||||||||
| Died | 11 June 1939 (aged 86) Downtown São Lenoas, São Lenoas | ||||||||
| Burial | Imperial Mausoleum | ||||||||
| Empress | Alexa Marisol | ||||||||
| Issue |
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| House | House of Zendejas | ||||||||
| Father | Alberto III | ||||||||
| Mother | Empress Dowager Maria Augusta | ||||||||
Alberto IV was the Carinansian monarch from 1899 until his death almost 40 years later in 1939 when he was assassinated in downtown São Lenoas by a Valorán extremist, causing irreparable damage to the two countries relations. Throughout his reign, he imposed extensive religious reform by formalising the detachment from the Papacy, despite over two thirds of the country adhering to Godsinian catholicism. Given this disconnect, he banned all public displays of religion in any context, to enforce state secularism, maintaining that a distinct clergy and government was best for the administration of education. Outside of that, he allowed the church to take over on matters of waste collection and utilities, leading to the formation of church corporations throughout the country to administer these services, and causing the churches to become very wealthy as they expanded investments.
Born in 1852 to Alberto III as Prince Imperial Alberto, he became a national icon for his success as a matador and a fencing champion. Upon turning 18 he received the royal crown of Mangulak. He used some of the accrued wealth in the prosperous kingdom to finance the empire's second university as the Imperial College of Oligi, and build some free housing for the homeless in exchange for labour to pay off the cost and receive payment via the Labour Laws. He received the crowns of Lekeadia and La Plata over the years until his father's death on 29 July 1899.
Upon becoming emperor, he gave out food to the poor and condemned Catholic Godsinianism. In 1913 during the Suroikoian Front of the First Great War, substantial swathes of Cárinansian lands were occupied by Valorán forces following surprise bombings and attacks, which saw Valorán President Felipe Aguinaldo declare himself Emperor of Suroikoia. Fighting quickly saw Valorán soldiers reach the edges of the Vóclaria valley, but were repelled by Cárinansian forces led by Gen. Rodrigo Berganza and Alberto, Prince Imperial of Vóclaria as naval forces blockaded the Valorán coast. The north was liberated from foreign control in 1917, and the Empire of Suroikoia conditionally surrendered in 1919.
Alberto IV was appointed Consul of Valorá by the provisional governing committee as the closest living relative of the most recent noble Valorán monarch, Sebastian II, who died in 1872 and who’s death saw the beginnings of the second Valorán Civil War. As a republican consul of Valorá for 11 years, he was instrumental in the passage of civil rights reforms and emancipating reforms for women and indigenous people. This led to the 1929 Platencía Incident and 1930 San Esteban Agreement that saw the resignation of Alberto IV as consul of Valorá, in exchange for an alliance lasting fifty years and which could be renewed, complete Cárinansian sovereignty over the provinces of Vascara and La Senio, and three billion Imperial pesos in repayments for some of the state subsidies provided. However, the new dictator Consul Lucián San Martín orchestrated an assassination against him in 1939 which was ultimately successful, believing the terms to be overly harsh leading to the breakout of the Suroikoian Front of the Second Great War.
Early Life
Alberto IV, born Alberto Roberto Domingo Carlos Juan José Augusto on 27 November 1852, in the Imperial Palace in what was then-known as São Alberto, as the scion of the prestigious Carinansian Imperial family. He was the eldest son of Emperor Alberto III and Empress María Augusta de Montenegro.
Growing up in the opulence of the royal court, young Alberto received a comprehensive education, which included lessons in diplomacy, military strategy, and statecraft, alongside his academic pursuits. His upbringing was characterized by the expectations of royalty, yet he exhibited a remarkable penchant for athleticism and martial arts from a tender age.
Alberto's prowess as a matador and fencing champion became widely celebrated across Carinansia, endearing him to the public and earning him the moniker "El Imbatible." His sporting achievements not only brought him personal acclaim but also bolstered the morale of the populace, fostering a sense of national pride.
Upon attaining the age of majority, Alberto was invested with the royal crown of Mangulak, marking his formal entry into the realm of governance. His ascension was met with widespread enthusiasm, as his popularity transcended the confines of royalty, resonating with commoners and nobles alike.
In a testament to his commitment to education and social welfare, Prince Imperial Alberto utilized a portion of the State's prosperity to establish the Imperial College of Oligi, thereby expanding access to higher learning for aspiring scholars. Additionally, he initiated philanthropic endeavors such as the construction of free housing for the homeless, demonstrating a compassionate concern for the welfare of his subjects.
The untimely demise of Emperor Alberto III in July 1899 precipitated Alberto IV's assumption of the imperial mantle. With his accession to the throne, he embarked on a transformative journey, guided by a vision of modernization and progress for Carinansia.
Liberal Reforms
After nine years of absolute rule as the Emperor of the country, Alberto felt disillusioned with the traditional system which vested all power in the hands of one; thus, on 9 August 1908, he assented to the enactment of a new political constitution, the first in the history of the Imperial State. It established a parliamentary system of government divided into two houses, the leader being whoever could secure the support of a majority of both houses; though in later years, the involvement of the Imperial Senate massively declined. Members of the House of Deputies were elected via universal male suffrage and partial female suffrage within an electoral college system. The Imperial Senate was primarily composed of clergy and nobility, although a quarter of the seats were set aside for representatives of those who held land; excluding individuals who were also clergy or nobles.
Although the Legislature received substantial responsibilities such as managing national finances, the Emperor retained substantial legislative, executive, and judicial powers, still considered the nation's Chief Judge ex officio.
The first government was formed on 30 August 1908 by Matías Sarmiento, the Leader of the House of Deputies. It remained in power continuously until the outbreak of War with Valora in 1913, which saw the passage of the Emergency Government Act which allowed the Emperor to assume emergency powers until the crisis was over. He resigned these additional powers after the ratification of the Treaty of São Alberto in 1919. A new government was formed by December of that year, headed by conservative Lord Rolando Arboleda, but only lasted three months until he lost support and was replaced by liberal Franco Manzanedo. The Manzanedo government remained in power until 1930 when it was replaced by the Moderate Tejedor-Pausa Government, filled with moderate conservatives and liberals. This new government remained in power until 1936, when it was replaced by the Hurtado government, which remained in power until Alberto V assumed emergency powers in 1941.
In 1945, Alberto V formalised the dissolution of the 1908 constitution and reinstated himself as an absolute monarch, undoing most of his father's liberal reforms.