Maximillian Heinrich Gaius von Reginrave
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| Maximillian I | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Maximillian in 1935 | |||||
| Emperor of the Autocratic East Europan Imperial Alliance | |||||
| Reign | 30 April 1929 - 30 April 1975 | ||||
| Coronation | 1 May 1929 | ||||
| Predecessor | Benedict III | ||||
| Successor | Maximillian II | ||||
| Duke of Paster-Rumberg | |||||
| Reign | 30 April 1929 - 30 April 1975 | ||||
| Predecessor | Benedict III | ||||
| Successor | Maximillian II | ||||
| Born | 16 October 1909 Schwartzgrad, Imperial City, Autocratic East Europan Imperial Alliance | ||||
| Died | 30 April 1975 Schwartzgrad, Imperial City, Autocratic East Europan Imperial Alliance | ||||
| Spouse | Elizabeth of Kruneberg | ||||
| Issue | Maximillian II Camilla, Princess of Reginrave | ||||
| |||||
| House | House of Reginrave | ||||
| Father | Benedict III | ||||
| Mother | Elizabeth of Kruneburg | ||||
| Religion | Protestantism | ||||
Maximillian Heinrich Gaius von Reginrave (16 October 1909 - 30 April 1975) or simply Maximillian I was the Emperor of the Autocratic East Europan Imperial Alliance from 1929 to 1975. He succeeded his father, Benedict III following his death after several bouts of illnesses. He is also as Generalissimo Maximillian I as part of his Imperial title of being the commander of the Imperial Armed Forces of East Europa. With an early upbringing in military, Maximillian was determined to avenge the losses of the First Europan War upon his ascension. Under his father's reign, he trained in East Europa's most prestigious academies and was subsequently sent by his father to Quenmin. He returned to his country in 1927 upon hearing the news of his father's ailing health and took responsibility for representing his father.
Upon his coronation, he commanded the armed forces to storm the Imperial Parliament and arrest its members, declaring himself as an absolute monarch. He undertook rapid economic growth, helping the Imperial Economy recover from the Great Downfall. He annexed neighbouring territories into the Autocratic East Europan Imperial Alliance and deported many Darscens into concentration camps. He took several preparations to launch a new world war with East Europa's allies, Quenmin and Archadia-Archedes. He sent aid to the Second Estharian Republic during the Estharian Civil War in 1932. By 1935, he launched a pre-emptive attack on the Atlantic Federation, signalling the start of the Second Europan War, which also caused the United Kingdom and Gallia-Bruhl, along with their allies to declare war on East Europa. During the war, the Federation had tried several times to invade the East Europan mainland but it turned into a bitter war of attrition, reminiscent to that of the Trench Warfare that was seen in the First Europan War. Both sides took an exchange in control of territory in Europa, unlike in the Middle East and Asianna, where mobile warfare was taking a toll on Maximillian's Quenminese allies. When Quenmin surrendered in 1945, East Europa and Archadia declared a ceasefire, which was a humiliating blow to Maximillian's reputation. He would soon plan out another conflict which later came to be known as the War of Lorican Aggression, which became the apex of Maximillian's conquest. His control reached as far as Bahatsva and to the central regions of the Atlantic Federation, and even some southern portions of the Erebonian Empire by 1960. These gains were gradually deminished by 1964, and by 1975, the Allied forces reached the gates of the Imperial capital, Schwartzgrad. From 1965, the war took a toll on his health and had begun to show signs of Parkinson's disease. He also had a poor relationship with his son, but despite it, he dictated in his last will and testament that he will succeed him and hoped that the Allies would spare him. He committed suicide on 30 April 1975, the 46th anniversary of his coronation. When surviving remnants of opposition leaders took control of what remained of the government, they ignored Maximillian I's will and took his son, the conservative Maximillian Georg Gaius von Reginrave as his successor.
Maximillian I's legacy has been noted as very tumultuous that many memorials were built in remembrance of those who had died from his rule's atrocities. It would take a long time for East Europa to recover but through his son's work, the damages he had done in his 46-year rule was significantly reversed that by 1978, Maximillian II made peace with the Allied nations and restored the Constitutional Monarchy under his rule. His legacy would also pass to his eldest grandson, Maximillian III, who sought to mimic his Grandfather's rule and assassinated his father in 2008. But his youngest grandson, the later Louis Ferdinand I would succeed his brother in 2032 after 2 years of interregnum. Both his grandfather and elder brother's legacies would permanently be erased but their atrocities would be forever remembered. His memoirs and last days were well depicted in the 2009 film, The Bunker.