Maria Christina of Polonge
| Maria Christina | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Empress Maria Christina | |||||
| Empress of Polonge Queen of Magyarorzag, Czechy, Queen of Dalmatija and Hrvatska | |||||
| Reign | March 9, 2081 — present | ||||
| Coronation | August 31, 2081 | ||||
| Predecessor | Maria Anna | ||||
| Heir Apparent | Mikulás | ||||
| Prime Minister | Nickolaus von Hopfer Kosta Coanda | ||||
| Grand Duchess of Baranja | |||||
| Reign | March 9, 2078 — present | ||||
| Born | 21 February 2059 (age 31) Bledapestra, Polonge | ||||
| Spouse | Matthieu, Grand Duke of Baranja (m.2078) | ||||
| Issue | Crown Prince Mikulás Archduchess Rénata Archduke János Archduke Matthias Archduchess Dorottya Archduchess Liliána Archduchess Csilla Archduke Csanád | ||||
| |||||
| House | Eden | ||||
| Father | John II, Grand Duke of Ostrołęka | ||||
| Mother | Maria Anna of Polonge | ||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic | ||||
Maria Christina(Maria Christina Alanna Josephine Anna ; born 21 February 2059) is the Empress of Polonge. Maria Christina is the elder daughter of Empress Maria and John II, Grand Duke of Ostrołęka. She became heir apparent when her grandmother Empress Josephine I elevated her mother to the level of co-empress. Upon her ascension to the throne, she became the third female ruler of Polonge. She became Empress in March 9, 2081 following her mother’s unexpected abdication.
Early life
Maria Christina was born at 11:51 am on February 21, 2059 at Kosçka Hospital in Bledapestra as the first child of Crown Princess Maria Anna and her husband, John II, Grand Duke of Ostrołęka. She was the first grandchild of then reigning Empress Josephine of Polonge and the first great-grandchild of former Emperor Francis II of Polonge. Through the laws of succession, Maria Christina was second-in-line to the throne from birth after her mother.
Maria Christina was named after various members of her family, including her great-grandmother Saint Alanna, her grandmother Josephine, her mother and her aunt Christina, Queen of Venise who was Maria Anna’s favorite sibling.
She was christened at the Cathedral of Saint Stephen in Bledapestra on April 17, 2059. Her godparents were Archduchess Christina (later Queen of Venise), her uncle Archduke Leopold and her cousin and his wife, Crown Prince André and Marié Thérèsa of Naples. Maria Christina was confirmed at the Cathedral of Saint Stephan in 2074.
Maria Christina and her younger sister, Maria Amalia, grew up originally in Bledapestra before moving to Prah in 2066 and then to Clanforte at their mother’s estate, Mariannengasse in the mountainous western region of Polonge.
Education
Maria Christina was privately taught by tutors until she was 12 years old when her parents were urged by her grandmother to attend a traditional school. She was then enrolled at the Cevolove Academy in 2071 briefly before transfering to the Wörthersee Royal Academy and graduating in 2077.
In October and November of 2077, Maria Christina helped tend to the wounded after various attacks bombarded Bledapestra. This has spark Maria Christina to desire to help people in the medical filled and she later announced her plans to pursue a decree in Nursing after her gap year. As of 2078 she has plans to attend university in 2079.
Marriage
Maria Christina’s personal life has been kept under rather tight lock and key mostly due to her age and her original distance from the crown. Following her mother’s ascension and her grandmother’s abdication, there was a slight increase in coverage of the Crown Princess.
Maria Christina first meet Matthieu Borbòn in spring of 2076 following her father’s death after he was assassinated for trying to over throw her Mother, Maria Anna. Matthieu was serving as an interregnum ambassador to Bledapestra from Derita. Their attraction was originally only one sided with Maria Christina having a crush on Matthieu, who was 21 at the time while she was only 17. They spoke with one another and shared a dance and Matthieu even escorted her at her father’s funeral in Genes when her mother refused to go. After Matthieu left Polonge, they continued to keep in contact with one another.
They met in person once again in 2077 when Matthieu came to volunteer as an expeditionary soldier durng the Joskaiote War. Maria Christina and Matthieu were together when a bomb went off in Bledapestra on October 25, 2077 and they both visited those who had been injured in the blast. In November Matthieu was sent off to Fort Gestade in Villach, which was quickly besieged. Maria Christina was very anxious about his safety during the four month long siege and went it end in early 2078 with the end of the war, she was happily reunited with Matthieu.
On February 19, 2078, Matthieu asked Empress Maria Anna for Maria Christina’s hand in marriage. The Empress agreed but stalled the announcement until February 21st, Maria Christina’s 19th birthday. Their engagement was announced at her birthday party in the Bleda Palace.
Wedding
Crown Princess Maria Christina and Matthieu, Grand Duke of Baranja were pronounced husband and wife at Saint Stephan’s Basilica in Bledaoestra. The Crown Princess and Crown Prince , as they will now be known (also titled Grand Duke and Grand Duchess of Baranja), made their vows in front of 8,450 guests and the eyes of the world.
All eyes were on the bride as she made her way towards the abbey. She showed few signs of nerves, smiling and waving at the crowds from her limousine and sat next to her uncle, Archduke Leopold, Grand Duke of Crisana. The bride opted for a gorgeous and regal creation by Elizabeth Percy, an A-line dress floor length off the shoulder lace sleeves, a swagged train and a fine veil of chantilly lace. According to Bleda Palace the dress "epitomises timeless craftsmanship by the best in the world for the best in the world".
Flanked by her sister and maid of honour, Archduchess Maria Amalia, who was wearing a long, cream silk gown, the bride was also accompanied by young bridesmaids Crown Princess Michelle of Poland, Tünde Papp, Princess Charlotte Josepha of Lüneburg, and Bernadette Szilágyi, and pageboys Prince Christopher de Condé and László Katona-András.
Matthieu stood next to his maternal cousin, Prince Jean, and as Maria Christina joined him at the altar he and the heir to the throne broke into a smile. Maria Christina’s mother, Empress Maria Anna, wearing a fitted blue-grey Kis Endrecoutfit, looked on with pride.
The wedding was recorded as the largest public Imperial event since Francis II’s coronation in the 2016 and the event with the most foreign dignitaries as guest ever in Polonge. Guests included eleven heads of states and monarchs outside of Polonge:
Empress Anna Charlotte of the Dutch-Empire, Empress Katherine II of Atmora, Kaiser Wilhelm III of Rhine-East Berlin, Prince Regent André of Derita, Primarch Eelco Harrevelts of Irav, King Henrique II of Espana, Queen Caroline of Great Hyruke, Queen Adela of Genes, Queen Marié Thérèsa of Naples, King Infinity of Timeria King Louis of Venise, King Nicholas of Modensora, and King Leopold I of Beliany
Other royals included Crown Princesses Autumn, Michelle, Juliana and Caroline and Crown Princes Jacques, Baudouin, Nicholas and François. Two prime ministers also attended, Lord Variés of Derita and Lord Rhodeste of Beliany. All of Maria Christina’s aunts and uncles and cousins attended, expect for the Grand Duke and Duchess of Lorraine. The same was true for Matthieu expect his uncle Leo III, his aunt Princess Maria Raphaela, his cousin King Luis II of Portugal.
The wedding ceremony passed without hitch, with the only moment of tension provided as Matthieu struggled to put the ring, the same one his mother, Empress Aubrey of the Royally United Provinces had worn, fashioned from Provite gold given to Matthieu by his grandfather, on his bride's finger.
After the vows Cardinal Kristóf Várádos, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Polonge, declared: "I pronounce that them be man and wife together, in the name of the father, and of the son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."
In a prayer, written by the couple for the occasion, they said: "God our father, we thank you for our families; for the love that we share and for the joy of our marriage." As the couple left Saint Stephen’s Basilica, the crowds, some of whom had been camping for days for the moment, erupted into a fresh wave of cheers as they climbed into state landau carriages for the horse-drawn procession to Bleda Palace.
The married couple waved at crowds as they passed the crowds via Parliament Square, Sandárplatoa, Fortess Domonkos and Saint Alanna Square. Despite fears of thundery showers, threatening grey skies produced no rain.
The couple joined the Empress who is gave a lunchtime reception at Bleda Palace for 650 guests, described by the palace as "a private gathering for guests drawn from the congregation who will represent the couple's official and private lives". Here they had their marriages blessed by former Emperor Francis II, former Empress Alanna and former Empress Josephine.
At just before 1:30 pm Matthieu and Maria Christina kissed for the first time in public on the balcony of Bleda Palace over looking the Danuj River. The fleeting embrace sent the already ecstatic crowds wild, and was repeated during a flypast.
After more than five minutes of waving to the crowds, the couple walked hand in hand back through the doors of the palace. Earlier, stepping on to the balcony, Matthieu appeared to gasp "Oh my" as the royal couple saw the tens of thousands of well-wishers lining Saint Alanna Square before being joined by members of their family.
The Empress of Polonge later gave a private dinner, followed by dancing, for close friends and family.
Crown Princess
As Crown Princess of Polonge, Maria Christina undertook official duties on behalf of the Empress and the realms under her command. She officiates at investitures and attends the funerals of foreign dignitaries. Crown Princess Maria Christina makes regular tours of Bledapestra, fulfilling a week of engagements each summer, and attending important national occasions, such as opening the National Assembly. The six trustees of the Royal Collection Trust meet three times a year under her chairmanship.
As Crown Princess Maria Christina traveled abroad on behalf of Polonge. Maria Christina has been regarded as an effective advocate of the country. Maria Christina however has proven remarkably resolut in her religion and as such has, in her capacity of her position as heir apparent and not empress, refused to visit countries that she has viewed as immoral. In 2080, Maria Christina revived the tradition of the Crown Princess of Polonge having an official cimbalomist, in order to foster Polongain talent at playing the cimbalom, the traditional national instrument of Polonge
Empress
On March 8, 2081 Maria Anna seemingly prepared to invade the recently finished Lacmontagne Canal that connected the Regific Sea and the Atmoran Ocean. The control of the canal and the region around it would not only give considerable economic control over to Polonge, but would have proved Polonge’s military might against the Celestial Empire, who’d previously been Polonge’s ally for sixty-six years. As Polongain soldiers arrived in the area, along with Dutch warships sent by Anna Charlotte, a crisis began. The crisis gain international attention as war was prepared. However after roughly 16 hours, the crisis abruptly ended with Maria Anna’s abdication, which occurred under mysterious circumstances. On the morning of March 9, 2081, Maria Christina sat on the throne as she was proclaimed the new Empress of Polonge.
Maria Christina swiftly made it clear that she would not govern on the whims of her heart as her mother had and that she would “do as God tells me.” She dismissed several of her mother’s close advisors, ministers and domestic political allies such as Rigmora Géza, putting Nickolaus von Hopfer back into his position as Prime Minister. Maria Christina then quickly backtracked the path of war that had seemed to going on, revealing that the actions had all been apart of a preplanned military exercise that the media had run away with. She sent Hopfer to Port Victoria where the Hopfer-Hollande Treaty was signed giving Polonge and Derita joint control over the Lacmontagne Canal. The young empress then smooth over a peace between her great uncle, Christopher II and her aunt-in-law, Anna Charlotte, ending over a decade of Deritain-Dutch hostilities.
Maria Christina then turned to further international affairs, negotiating a deal between Irav and the newly independent Vozh, winning them there victory on the condition of placing Prince Domonkos of Kosdány on their throne. Shortly afterwards Maria Christina and her aunt and uncle, the Queen and King of Beliany, reaching an agreement at one of the Imperial villas in the countryside of Polonge. In late May, Wilhelm III of Rhine-East Berlin dismissed Otto von Bossën as Chancellor of Rhine-East Berlin, much to the young empress’s displeasure. Maria Christina wrote to the centurion chancellor giving her apologies to the loss of his position and was noted to have been upset with the Kaiser. However, after a short weekend visiting Augustepalast, Rhine-East Berlin and Polonge signed a new treaty, making them allies and seeing them join the Systems Alliance.
In April Maria Christina over saw the passage of the controversial Kölcsönöz Act, which gave 8 billion NSD worth of goods and supplies to Vozh, including Holy Bibles, Qurans and medicine. While it is unknown of Maria Christina’s actual views on the act, it was noted that she appeared somewhat hesitant to approve of the act. Following this act, a crisis started to grow in Vozh with protests springing up between the Iravain minority there and the military junta de facto government there. Maria Christina was scheduled to speak on the crisis there but shortly before the Arctic War in Mantara started, grabbing her attention and instead she was seen taking a tour of the Imperial gardens in Bleda with her husband and son.
Upon the Arctic War’s outbreak, Maria Christina originally mobilized the Polongain Fleet in the Regific Sea and even moved them as far as the Pirouq Channel. Shortly after the Battle of Ni’ihau, in which the Dahazzan Coalition forces dealt a devastating blow to the forces of King Alexandre of Mantara’s Mantaran Royal Army, Maria Christina sent her husband to intervene in the conflict, giving him full control over the military forces. Matthieu decided to leave the fleet in the Pirouq Channel and instead debut the Császárnő and the strength of the aerial fleet to fly to Mantara on the side of Alexandre. Despite Maria Christina’s personal dislike of the King of Mantara, palace insiders say it was very clear that Maria Christina would have ended up supporting him. However not long after arriving in Mantara, the volcanic island of Nihoa erupted, destroying most of the Dahazzan Coalition forces and causing worldwide effects. Alexandre, who nearly died in the blast was saved by Matthieu and the two men would lead Operation Ashfall, reconquering the Maka’ākau Islands and winning the decisive Battle of Isa.
When President Abdur Rasheed Azzi of Ain Fakrata argued to an armistice on June 8, Maria Christina was invited to attend the peace conference, but politely declined, having her husband Matthieu go in her stead. Being the only other combatant in the side of Alexandre, Polonge was able to reap great benefits as a victor, being owed 3.69 billion NSD in reparations from the collective members of the Dahazzan Coalition. On June 18, Maria Christina and Alexandre meet in Bács-Kiskun, as Alexandre was still technically banished from Bledapestra from his misadventures in the city during the Seidanese War, where they signed a treaty making Mantara and Polonge economic and defensive partners, opening up lucrative trade deals into the Arctic and a planned military base a join collaboration in the future.
Coronation
The coronation of Maria Christina took place on 31 August 2081 at Saint Stephan’s Basilica in Bledapestra. Maria Christina ascended the throne at the age of 222 upon the sudden abdication of her mother, Maria Anna, on 9 March 2081, being proclaimed queen by her privy and executive councils shortly afterwards. The coronation was held roughly six months later because of many crisises that Maria Christina had to face on the international stage and since the abdication had been unexpected, there need time to prepare. It also gave the planning committees adequate time to make preparations for the ceremony. During the service, Maria Christina took an oath, was anointed with holy oil, invested with robes and regalia, and crowned Empress of Polonge with her husband placing the crown on her head.
Celebrations took place across the Commonwealth realms and a commemorative medal was issued. Maria Christina’s coronation was noticeably and intentionally more modest and less expensive than her mother’s two years before in 2079, with the coronation costing roughly 1/8 of what Maria Anna’s had. Maria Christina’s coronation had several notable guests, such as Charlotte of Geneva, Connor II of Connuriste, the Dutch empress Anna Charlotte, Henrique II of Espana, Antoine of Loracia, Christopher II of Derita and Antoine IV, Grand Duke of Selesburge.
“The Peacemaker”
Following Maria Christina’s coronation, she attended the wedding of her younger sister Amalia to Crown Prince Asaro of Loracia. This marriage however excluded Amalia from the throne of Polonge, forcing Maria Christina to recall her cousin, Josephine of Lorraine to Bledapestra as she was now second-in-line and the legal Regent to be should Maria Christina be incapable or die before her son’s 18th birthday. This was made difficult by the raising of the Planetary Shield of Maia and the implementation of restrictions on transport on and off the world and as Josephine was in the Kingdom of Gênes, her return to Bledapestra was severely delayed. Maria Christina meanwhile strengthen ties with Beliany and Selesburge, as well as Makonia, where Queen Mateja had died and been replaced by King Kresimir V who was married to Charlotte of Lüneburg who is a cousin of the empress.
Maria Christina’s intital response to Maian Planetary Shield (MPS) in October of 2081 was that of neutrality, noting that she saw nothing wrong with the people of Maia determining for their own fate. The issue and the belief of if it should exist and remain up became a decisive issue both in Polonge and in the wider world. When Irav placed restrictions in and out of the solar system, Maria Christina shocked many when she chose not to intervene with support on either side of the issue. Polongain business, with tycoons such as the Princess of Réthy soon instead became the voice of Polonge instead and directly supported the dual strictions. Forming cooperations like Celestria Courier Company, such tycoons we’re able to become profiteers off of the situation, buying Maian goods and transporting them out of the system, continuing the flow of trade.
It is unclear if Maria Christina was aware of this profiteering spirit lining the pockets of these “stellar robber barons”, but it did directly result in a new Polongain command in trade with Maia, gaining trading power rivaling Gênes and Rhine-East Berlin. Maria Christina was eventually concerned by the increasing concerns brought up by the international community. In late February the situation came to a dangerous head and it appeared that war could break out. However after a mere two weeks of negotiations with Maian nations, Maria Christina was able to convince the Maian Security Council to removed restrictions of entrance of exiting the planet while mainting for them a degree of security with the planetary shield up. Soon afterwards Maria Christina negotiated a peace between Seidang and Loracia after the former had blockaded the later for sanctions against Irav. Maria Christina and King Antoine were even able during the latter’s vacation in Polonge, create the Loracia—Polonge Free Trade Agreement (LPFTA), establishing an advantageous trade bloc.
Following these successes, Maria Christina was hailed internationally and domestically for her “hammer of peace” and great skills as a diplomat, with some remarking how she’d stopped a war the day she’d become empress as well as on the one year anniversary. In the streets of Bledapestra, thousands cheers her, giving her the cognomen for nearr single handily maintaining peace between Terra and Maia, The Peacemaker.
Public life
In 2079, The Daily Telegraph declared Maria Christina the "hardest-working member of the royal family." She carried out 560 official engagements in 2078, 499 in 2079, and over 600 in 2080. The Empress and the Emperor also spend one week each year in Praha, where she is patron of several Praha based organisations.
Maria Christina worked as an nurse during the Joskaiote War (2077-2078) and the 1st Estovakian War (2078). In February 2080, a garden party was thrown at Bledapestra Palace ahead of his 21th birthday to celebrate her charity work and military affiliations.
Personal life
In February of 2079, the Polongain Imperial court announced that Crown Princess Maria Christina was pregnant and expecting the couple's first child in September of that same year. On September 8 2079 at 04:26, Maria Christina gave birth to a boy, an Archduke of Polonge in Saint Mary’s Hospital. The child was named Mikulás Eugène János, Imperial Archduke of Polonge, Prince of Portugal and the Royally United Provinces. The Grand Duke of Baranja was present for the birth of the couple's first child, at 11 a.m. local time at St. Mary's Hospital in Bledapestra.The new arrival to the royal family weighed 8lbs 7oz (3.8 kilograms) at birth, and both mother and baby were "doing well," afterwards according to the Palace.
“The Empress, The former Emperor, The former Empresses of Polonge, Empress Anna Charlotte Princess Amalia and members of both families have been informed and are delighted with the news," Bleda Palace said. Maria Christina’s son, Archduke Mikulás is second in line to the Polongain throne.
In March of 2082 it was announced that Maria Christina was pregnant with her second child, who was predicted to be born sometime in early December of the same year. Maria Christina gave birth to a daughter, Archduchess Rénata in December 11, 2082. Shortly before her birth, Maria Christina passed the Titles Settlement which granted the title of archduke or archduchess to only the children born directly to monarchs. Maria Christina and her husband have gone on to have six ,more children, sons János, Matthias, daughters Dorottya, Liliána and fraternal twins Csilla and Csanád.
Titles, styles, honors, and arms
Titles and styles
- 21 February 2059 — 18 February 2076 Her Imperial and Royal Highness Archduchess Maria Christina of Polonge, Princess of Magyar and Bohemia, Countess of Ostrołęka
- 18 February 2076 – 30 March 2076 Her Imperial Highness The Crown Princess of Polonge, Countess of Ostrołęka
- 30 March 2076 — 9 March 2078 Her Imperial Highness The Crown Princess of Polonge
- 9 March 2078 — 11 January 2081 Her Imperial Highness The Crown Princes of Polonge, Grand Duchess of Baranja, Princess Royal of the Royally United Provinces, Countess of Montelle
- 11 January 2081 — 9 March 2081 Her Imperial Highness The Crown Princes of Polonge, Grand Duchess of Baranja, Princess Royal of Wessex, Countess of Montelle
- 9 March 2081 — present Her Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty The Empress of Polonge, Apostolic Queen of Magyarorzag and Czechy, Queen of Dalmatija and Hrvatska, Grand Duchess of Baranja, Princess Royal of Wessex, Countess of Montelle
Honors
Knight of the Order of the Great Wolf (KGW)