Leo X Claudius
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| Leo X Claudius | |
|---|---|
| Duke of Adrianople | |
 Official photograph of Leo, taken in 1984 | |
| Latin Emperor (jure uxoris) | |
| Reign | 18 June 1952 – 1 September 1997 |
| Predecessor | Diana I Anicia |
| Successor | Jacobus VI Claudius |
| Co-monarch | Diana I Anicia |
| Born | Gaius Claudius Sabinius Leo Iacobus Petrus 30 March 1929 Casa Claudia, Tolosa, Garza |
| Died | 20 May 1997 (aged 68) St Gabriel Medical Centre, Oea, Latium |
| Burial | Imperial Crypt, Castellum ab Alba, Latium |
| Spouse | Diana I Anicia (m. 1952) |
| Issue see details... | |
| House | Claudius |
| Father | Jacobus Claudius, Duke of Adrianople |
| Mother | Isabella Martia |
| Religion | Fabrian Catholic |
Leo X Claudius (Gaius Claudius Sabinius Leo Iacobus Petrus; 30 March 1929 – 1 September 1997) was Latin Emperor by virtue of his marriage to Diana Augusta. He is considered among influential Latin rulers, and ranks among the top 50 most important Latins according to a 2014 RAL poll.
Leo was a member of the House of Claudius. He was born in Garza, 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 Diana I Anicia and joined court. In 1948, Leo joined the Imperial forces commanded by his father, and saw combat during the Battle of Ascanium.
Leo married Latin Empress Diana Augusta in 1952, two years after the wedding date set forth in the original betrothal agreement. Leo Emperor by right of his wife for 47 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 31 August 1997 at his grandson's birthday party. He died the following day.
Family and early life
Leo was born on 30 March 1929 at Casa Claudia, Tolosa, Garza, as the eldest son and third child of Jacobus Claudius, Duke of Adrianople and Sydalene princess Isabella Martia. He has two elder sisters, Maria and Jacinta, as well as a younger brother Isidorus and younger sister Theodora. 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 titles. His godparents were Michael Claudius (his father's brother) and Maria Ostia (Michael's wife).
Leo was born three months prior to his father's dismissal as Ambassador to Garza, 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 Tolosa, Garza.
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 was in discussions to betroth Leo and 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 Ascanium while his father was active in the Senate, Leo was regularly present on military bases where his father had been in command.
Leo joined the Latin Army at the age of 15, enrolling at Academia Militaris Olympia. Leo reportedly desired to have a naval career and preferred to attend either the Imperial Naval College at Pola or École Navale of Garza, 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 Ascanium, 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.
Reign
Royal house
Duties
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 Jacobus Claudius, 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.
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 Jacobus 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 Ascanium, 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 1960 that their first surviving child, Isabella was born. Their second child and eventual heir apparent, Jacobus was born in December of the same year.
Styles, titles, honors and arms
- 30 March 1929 – 18 June 1952: Lord Leo Claudius
- 18 June 1952 – 1 September 1997: His Imperial Majesty The Emperor
Issue
| Name | Date of birth | Date of death | Spouses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander, Prince of Youth | 4 June 1955 | 26 February 1956 (aged 0) | |
| Isabella, Princess Imperial | 13 January 1960 | eloped with John, Crown Prince of Ghant, and had issue. | |
| Jacobus VI Augustus | 15 December 1960 | 3 November 2017 (aged 56) | Married thrice. 1st: Stephania Pinaria (1964–1991), and had issue. 2nd: Zoe Verrucosa (b. 1975), and had issue. Marsella Atmos (b. 1966), had issue. |
| Prince Theodosius, Duke of Beroea | 2 September 1963 | Princess Nina of Gelonia (b. 1970), and had issue. | |
| Isadora, Electress of Turenne | 13 March 1966 | Alfonse II, Elector of Turenne (b. 1965), and had issue. | |
| Prince John, Duke of Aurunca | 2 June 1969 | Princess Diana of Dakmoor (b. 1971), and had issue. | |
| Princess Joanna, Duchess of Ravenna | 2 June 1969 | Prince Michael, Duke of Ravenna (b. 1960), and had issue. | |
| Eirene, Queen of Dakmoor | 27 November 1971 | Married twice. 1st: Desiderius I of Sydalon (1962–2015), and had issue. 2nd: Malibar I, King of Dakmoor, and had issue. |
Ancestry
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See Also
Leo X Claudius Born: 30 March 1929 Died: 1 September 1997
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| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Diana I Anicia as sole Empress |
Latin Emperor (jure uxoris) 1952–1997 with Diana Augusta |
Succeeded by Jacobus VI Claudius |
| Nobility of Latium | ||
| Preceded by Jacobus Claudius |
Duke of Adrianople 1976–1997 |
Succeeded by Jacobus VI Claudius |
| Garzan nobility | ||
| Preceded by Jacobus Claudius |
Duke of Tolosa 1976–1997 |
Succeeded by Jacobus VI Claudius |