Gregorius XXXIII
| Gregorius XXXIII | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:King Gregorius XXXIII 2.jpg | |||||||||
| King of Aquila | |||||||||
| Reign | May 1 2005 - present | ||||||||
| Coronation | June 29 2005 | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Petrus XVI | ||||||||
| Heir | Gregorius | ||||||||
| Chancellor | Dux Clementus II de Ligaria Prince Ioannes de Aquila | ||||||||
| Born | 11 October 1980 St. Gregorius's Palace, Aquila, Aquila | ||||||||
| Spouse | |||||||||
| Issue | Crown Prince Gregorius of Aquila Prince Petrus of Aquila Princess Maria of Aquila Princess Theresa of Aquila Princess Cecilia of Aquila Prince Philipus of Aquila Prince Christophorus of Aquila Prince Pius of Aquila | ||||||||
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| House | Aquila | ||||||||
| Father | Petrus XVI | ||||||||
| Mother | Octavia de Ligaria | ||||||||
| Religion | Solarian Catholic Church | ||||||||
Gregorius XXXIII (Gregorius Iacobus Francescus Dominicus de Aquila, born October 11, 1980) is the one hundred and first King of Aquila and head of the House of Aquila. He was born in 1980, during the reign of his grandfather, King Ioannes XVII as the eldest child of then Crown-Prince Petrus de Aquila and his wife, Octavia de Ligaria and from birth was second-in-line to the throne. With his grandfather's death in 1982 and his father's coronation, Gregorius became the Crown Prince of Aquila. In 2005, after the death of his father, Gregorius ascended the throne at the age of 24 and took the regnal name of Gregorius XXXIII.
After receiving a private education in his youth, he would graduate will full honors from the University of Aquila with a degree of theology and history at age 18, and would earn a PhD of Political Philosophy at the University of Aquila as well. He would marry his childhood friend Cecilia de Cornelia in 1997, and the couple from the start would become known for their strong relationship. The couple would have eight children, seven of whom would survive infancy. He would serve briefly in the prestigious Legio I Aquila before leaving to ascend the throne at age 24.
Gregorius is well known and loved among the Aquilian people, having very high approval ratings due to his dual generosity yet his respect for tradition. He is a quiet, humble, pious, serious and reserved, but is gracious, charitable and wise. He speaks few words in public, but is known for being very intellectual. He enjoys reading, writing, and spending time with his family; he has published several works, mainly on history and the spiritual life. He also enjoys music, including singing and playing piano and cello.
Biography
Youth
Gregorius was born in the ancient St. Gregorius' Palace on October 11, 1980. His father was the Crown-Prince of Aquila, Petrus and his mother was Octavia de Ligaria, the Crown Princess of Aquila. He was the eldest child, and would end up being the oldest of five children Petrus and Octavia would have. Immediately after his birth, he was proclaimed Prince of Aquila and was solidified as second-in-line to the Throne of Aquila. He was born during the reign of his grandfather, Ioannes XVII. Two years later, King Ioannes died, and Petrus ascended to the throne and took the regal name of Petrus XVI. With this, the infant Gregorius was proclaimed Crown Prince of Aquila and thus became a nominal Knight in the Order of the Golden Eagle, although he was not officially inducted until April 16th 1985. From an early age, he would have an important role in public affairs as heir to the throne. Even from his earliest days, he was noted for his quiet and reserved personality. As per Aquilian custom, he was educated by a special tutor with a few other noble children. He would make firm friends with the siblings, Francescus and Cecilia de Cornelia. Of his few peers, he quickly distinguished himself and advanced rapidly in his studies. He quickly progressed so far that he could no longer be taught in a group setting but rather had a personal tutor to educate him. However, he would remain friends with Francescus and Cecilia.
Education
Now at age 7 with a personal private tutor, Gregorius advanced in his studies rapidly than those in normal school, completing his primary education by the age of 9. He would continue to advance rapidly, and increasingly became known for his intellectual abilities, completing his secondary education by the time he was 15. He applied and was accepted into the prestigious University of Aquila at the age of 16, and was accepted to study the two areas in which he enjoyed most- Theology and History. He would complete his degree and graduate with full honors in 1998. In 1997, he would marry his lifelong friend and the love of his life, Cecilia de Cornelia. The couple would go on to have seven living children. Gregorius would go on to complete a Master's and a Doctorate in Political Science and Philosophy by 2003, by the time he was 22 years old. Having completed his education, he joined the Legio I Aquila, Aquila's foremost military unit, and would spend the next two years in active military service until his father's death in 2005.
Reign
After his father's death in 2005, Gregorius would ascend to the throne as Gregorius XXXIII, and was crowned on June 29th, the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul by the Pope. He had prepared himself to rule for all his life, and thus was ready when God placed the responsibility on him at age 24. He quickly became involved with the government. He also continued the charitable work traditionally done by the Aquilian Monarchs to the poor and needy, and executed his duties with seriousness and solemnity. His work to keep the old traditions of Aquila alive yet continue to move forward have earned him a great deal of support from the people, increasing the already high approval rates of the Monarchy from 93% in 2005 to 96% in 2017. He is quite generous, giving nearly half his annual salary to the poor, the Church; and other charitable works, including international missions and to the preservation of historical sites.
Personal Life
Marriage and Family
Gregorius is married to his lifelong friend and companion, Cecilia de Cornelia. The two were initially educated together with other noble children in St. Gregorius's Palace. Gregorius made friends with Cecilia and her brother, Francescus, both children of Dux Francecus III de Cornelia. Even though Gregorius left to pursue other education, he maintained his friendship with the two. At the age of 15, he entered into courtship with Cecilia, a match approved by both families. Just over a year later, the two were married on June 14th 1997, with Crown Prince Gregorius being 16 years old and Cecilia being 17. The marriage, while approved, drew controversy from people in more modern countries, concerned that they were getting married too young.
However, the marriage proved to be a happy one. It is said that Cecilia is one of the few people Gregorius talks extensively to ashes. Gregorius and Cecilia would go on to have 8 children, four boys and four girls: Gregorius, Petrus, Maria, Theresa, Cecilia, Philipus, Christophorus, and Pius. Only seven of the children survived infancy, as Prince Philipus had a brain tumor and passed away just a few months old. The death of their son was hard for the parents, but they came through. Gregorius is a family man, and a devoted husband and father. He is often seen taking time from his duties to spend time with his wife and children. Besides his immediate family, he also takes his role as head of the House of Aquila seriously, and cares for and supervises the other family members.
Personality and Interests
Gregorius is a quiet and reserved man, serious and pious. As a youth, he was known to be shy and socially awkward, but as he as grown he has learned to be gracious and cordial. Still, he does not speak very often, preferring instead to listen instead. In this, he is said to be very respectful towards others. It is said that he does not become angry or anxious very often, and is reported to be calm and leveled headed. Even though he is in a great position of power, he is known for remaining humble and meek; he has written how he is not worthy for his position but that since God has called him to do it he will do his duty to the best of the ability. He takes his faith seriously, and goes to Mass daily, spending time before the Blessed Sacrament whenever possible, and leading his family in lives of faith. He is known for being traditionally minded, keen in preserving and upholding the traditions of the ancient Kingdom which he rules.
He is known for his great intellect, excelling in his education and earning a doctorate at the very young age of 22. He is passionate about history and theology; he also is well versed in Political Philosophy. Gregorius is and avid reader and writer; with the House of Aquila's library being one of the most extensive in the world, he has read a great deal. In candid remarks, he said that his favorite work was the Gospel of St. John. He himself has published several books, two works of history and his most notable work, Duty and Faith: Kingship in the Light of Christ the King, which explores theological and philosophical implications of leadership and also delves into his own personal spiritual journey through ruling. Another hobby he also enjoys is music. He is an fan of classical and choral works. He sings and plays piano, and is known to encourage his children to pursue music as well.
Controversy
Although well loved by his people, Gregorius is not without criticism by several Aquilians and many internationally. Within Aquila, the most progressive criticize him for upholding the traditional structures which they think are holding the Kingdom back; especially during the Progressive Party Scandal of 2018 where as highest judge he convicted 13 Progressive Party Senators for misdemeanors and misconduct. Internationally, many liberals view him with distaste because of his office, being the Monarch with the most political power and involvement in the world. This is not helped by the fact that Gregorius is known to be traditionally minded. Many secularists criticize him for his open Faith and support of the Catholic Church; some even criticize him for his large family.
At the time of his marriage, he drew media attention as many internationally thought that he was too young to get married, being only 16. Although known to be cordial and respectful to the King of Glytter Kenneth IV, none of the House of Aquila went to Kenneth's wedding. Neither the King or any minister gave any comment as to why, though it is commonly assumed that they disagreed in principle to the wedding. However, no sign has ever been shown of hatred or discrimination towards Kenneth, as Gregorius has met with him several more times and the two are reported to be on cordial terms. More international controversy came when he published his book Duty and Faith: Kingship in the Light of Christ the King in 2017 because it was the book supported monarchy and also was openly Catholic in nature. However, the book was well received within Catholic circles for its explanation of leadership.
Titles, Styles, and Honors
| Styles of King Gregorius XXXIII of Aquila | |
|---|---|
| File:Aquila Coat of Arms.png | |
| Reference style | His Most Catholic Majesty |
| Spoken style | Your Majesty |
| Alternative style | Your Grace |
Royal Titles and Styles
- 11 October, 1980 — 8 September 1982: His Highness The Prince of Aquila
- 8 September 1982 — 29 June 2005: His Royal Highness The Crown Prince of Aquila
- 29 June 2005 — Present: His Most Catholic Majesty The King of Aquila
Gregorius's full title is His Catholic Majesty Gregorius, Thirty-Third of His Name, by the Grace of God King of Aquila, Duke of Aquila, and Lord of Aquila.
National honours
- File:Aquilia Flag.png Aquila: Sovereign Grand Master of the Order of the Golden Eagle
- File:Aquilia Flag.png Aquila: Sovereign Grand Master of the Royal Order of Saint John
- File:Aquilia Flag.png Aquila: Sovereign Grand Master of the Royal Order of Saints Peter and Paul
- File:Aquilia Flag.png Aquila: Sovereign Grand Master of the Royal Order of the Oak
- File:Aquilia Flag.png Aquila: Sovereign Grand Master of the Order of the Silver Crown
- File:Aquilia Flag.png Aquila: Sovereign Grand Master of the Order of the Civic Crown
