Louis Ferdinand I of Schaumberg

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Louis Ferdinand I
Duke of Rahdenburg-Lubke
File:P1162866 gross.jpg
Prince of Schaumberg
Reign27 December 2014 – 9 November 2015
PredecessorHenry III
SuccessorCharles I
Born (1962-10-01) 1 October 1962 (age 61)
Imperial College Hospital, Ascanium, Latium
Spouses
Issue
Detail
Full name
Louis Ferdinand Henry Albert Michael
HouseRahdenburg-Kulmbach
FatherHenry III of Schaumberg
MotherPrincess Beatrice of Ghant
ReligionChurch of Schaumberg

Louis Ferdinand I of Schaumberg (Louis Ferdinand Henry Albert Michael; 1 October 1962) is a Latin-born Gariman nobleman and former Prince of Schaumberg.

Early life and career

Louis Ferdinand was born on 1 October 1962 at University of Ascanium-Imperial Hospital, in Ascanium, Latium, to Heinrich, Duke of Rahdenburg-Lubke and Princess Beatrice of Ghant. He is the oldest of six children: Frederick, and Bathilda, Margarete, and Brunhilda. Louis Ferdinand was baptized into the Church of Schaumberg in January 1963, in Castellum.

He spent much of his time as a child in Latium, and was educated by private tutors and later attended Academia Sanctus Paul-Taphioia, near the Latin-Lihnidosi border. He briefly attended University College Loweport, in Arthurista, for his university education, but dropped out before earning a degree in favor of joining the Latin Armed Forces at his father's command. Louis Ferdinand then enrolled at Academia Militaris Olympia, which he has often described was "a hell on earth." While at Olympia, he was known simply as von Rahdenburg ("of Rahdenburg"). He was eventually commissioned into the Army, and served in the 11th Mountain Legion. He left the armed forces after three years of service and enrolled at Alba School of Economics and Business.

Louis Ferdinand is the chairman of the Kostritz Foundation, a charity he created in 1984 with his first wife, Princess Marie. The foundation has been accused of self-dealing practices, and has been investigated numerous times for fraud and ties to organized crime. In addition, he remains the owner of Kostritz Consulting, which was also established by his first wife.

Louis Ferdinand is fluent in Latin, Ghantish, Arthuristan, and Gariman.

Monarch of Schaumberg

Ascension and coronation controversy

Louis Ferdinand became the second post-restoration Prince of Schaumberg following his father's death, on 27 December 2014, following the death of his father Prince Henry III. He was not present in Schaumberg at the time of his father's death, and was in Ghish on a private retreat. Louis Ferdinand did not return to Schaumberg until a week later, after the new year. His first act as Prince was announced from his vacation home in Ghant, where he issued an attainder against his daughter Beatrice of Rahdenburg for marrying without consent. The attainder resulted in Beatrice being stripped of all Schaumberger rank, titles, and styles. This attainder was later revoked by Prince Charles I.

He was late to his father's funeral, and promptly organized a coronation committee. After announcing the committee, Louis Ferdinand called the planned coronation the "grandest event in Schaumberg's history." Plans for the coronation were leaked to the media, and were reported to be around $75 million solidii, prompting outrage among members of the Tagsatzung and public alike. Louis Ferdinand responded poorly to the public outcry against his expensive coronation plans, referring to those upset as "ignorant forest dwellers" in a subsequent leak from the Prince's Office. Then Prime Minister Johannes Uhlmann denounced Louis Ferdinand's comments, leading to the first break in decorum between the Prince and the Tagsatzung. Prime Minister Uhlmann proposed a censure of Louis Ferdinand, which passed the Tagsatzung a week later by a vote of 51 in favor, 22 against, and 17 abstentions. Louis Ferdinand subsequently threatened to remove Uhlmann as Prime Minister and appoint a new individual to the position.

The back and forth between Louis Ferdinand and the Tagsatzung passed the point of no return when the Tagsatzung passed legislation to de-fund the planned coronation and only provide financial support for a "basic" coronation held a week from the date the legislation was to enter effect. Louis Ferdinand promptly refused to consent to the legislation, which was then overturned and became the only piece of legislation in Schaumbergn post-restoration history to become law without royal assent after it was again voted on and approved by 2/3 of the Tagsatzung.

Abdication

On 9 November 2015, in what has become known as the Kostritz plot, Louis Ferdinand was forcibly removed from the throne as Prince. The plot installed his eldest son, Charles I, Duke of Kostritz, as Prince.

Marriages

In 1980, Louis Ferdinand became engaged to Marie of Kostritz, the eldest child of the eventual George IV, Duke of Kostriz. They married on 22 August 1981 at Schivenoglia Cathedral, in Fabria. The wedding was attended by members of the deposed Rahdenburg electoral family, as well as members of foreign and local nobility. Due to the controversial nature of the marriage and forced exile of the House of Rahdenburg from Garima, Louis Ferdinand and his wife Marie primarily resided in Latium. Louis Ferdinand and Princess Marie had three children, Louise, whom was born in 1982, and Alice, born 1985, and Charles. Their marriage ended in 1988 after Marie died during the birth of their son Charles.

Louis Ferdinand married Alexandra of Ravenna on 4 April 1990. He and Alexandra were introduced by then Jacobus, Prince of Youth, and Jacobus' wife Stephania Pinaria, whom was a relative of Alexandra. He and Alexandra resided in Latium for the majority of their marriage, which was considered rocky at best to most that knew them. The pair had three children, Beatrice (b. 1990), William (b. 1992), and Reinhardt (b. 1995). The marriage was rumored to be plagued with affairs. In late 1995, Louis Ferdinand was arrested by Latin police in the city of Colonia Augusta after a domestic dispute between him and Alexandra.

He was promptly released following an investigation, but an imperial warrant was issued against Louis Ferdinand on 9 January 1996 by Latin officials. Due to his status as a stateless individual at the time the warrant was issued, his diplomatic passport was revoked as well. His marriage to Alexandra ended in divorce on 17 June 1996. Both he and Alexandra have refused to speak publicly about the divorce.

Issue

Name Date of birth Date of death Spouses
By Marie of Kostritz (1957–1988):
Louise of Rahdenburg (1982-05-03) 3 May 1982 (age 41) Married Prince Riordan of Roazhon; had issue.
Princess Alice (1985-05-01) 1 May 1985 (age 38) Married Louis, Prince of Polnitsa; had issue.
Charles I of Schaumberg (1988-09-09) 9 September 1988 (age 35) Married Charlotte of Silingia-Marlburg; had issue.
By Princess Alexandra of Ravenna (b. 1966):
Princess Beatrice (1990-12-30) 30 December 1990 (age 33) Married Prince Benjamin of Dakmoor; had issue.
Prince Wilhelm (1992-08-04) 4 August 1992 (age 31) Married Duchess Audhild of Staalmark.
Prince Reinhardt (1995-02-28) 28 February 1995 (age 29) Not yet married
By Philippa of the Palatinate:
Princess Elizabeth (2000-04-19) 19 April 2000 (age 23) Not yet married
Princess Louis (2003-06-09) 9 June 2003 (age 20) Not yet married

Titles, styles and honors

Titles and styles

  • 19 May 1993 – 27 December 2014: His Royal Highness The Hereditary Prince of Schaumberg
  • 27 December 2014 – 9 November 2015: His Grand Ducal Highness The Prince of Schaumberg
    • 27 December 2014 – present: His Highness The Duke of Rahdenburg-Lubke

Honors

Ancestry

See also

Louis Ferdinand I of Schaumberg
Born: 1 October 1959
Regnal titles
Preceded by
Henry III
Prince of Schaumberg
2014–2015
Succeeded by
Charles I