Nicholas von Rödel
| Nicholas | |
|---|---|
| His Grace | |
| Grand Duke-Consort of Transbaltia | |
| Reign | 1948-1989 |
| Investiture | 4 September 1948 |
| Born | Gottesberg, Kingdom of Rhodellia |
| Died | 1 January 1989 (aged 79) Runesburg, Electorate of Runesburg |
| Spouse | Theresa I |
| Issue | Grand Duke Otto IV Wilhelmine, Countess of Goburg |
| House | House of Rödel |
| Father | Wilhelm III |
| Mother | Elise |
Nicholas von Rödel (1910-1989) was the Grand Duke-Consort of Transbaltia from 1948 to 1989 and born a prince of the Kingdom of Rhodellia. He was the fourth son of King Wilhelm III of Rhodellia and Queen Elise, the husband of Grand Duchess Theresa I of Transbaltia and father of current Grand Duke Otto IV and Wilhelmine, Countess of Goburg.
Nicholas was noted to have an interest in tools, and often observed maintenance staff and vehicle mechanics at the Gottesberg Citadel in his spare time. His martial arts instructor, Alger Ritter von Krieger of the Garrick School of Spearmanship, also noted Nicholas to be a hardworking student.
Like all Rhodellian royal family members, Nicholas served in the Rhodellian military. As is royal tradition, Nicholas assumed a pseudonym to minimise risk to himself and his comrades. Before the start of the Rhodellian Crusade (1940-1948), he took the name 'Hans Bauer' and participated in secret efforts to rebuild Rhodellia's tank programme. 'Hans' would serve as a tank commander in the 2nd Panzer Regiment of the 1st Panzer Division, which was commanded by the famed Rhodellian military leader Colonel Roswalt Wagner, known within Rhodellia as 'The Iron Lancer'.
'Hans' spent the final years of the war fighting in a heavy tank alongside his crew, performing admirably. He and his tank crew would be awarded Iron Crosses and an 'Order of the Black Eagle' - Rhodellia's highest military honours - for heroic actions at the Battle of Opelika Ridge in 1945. Years after the war, Nicholas would retroactively be conferred the unofficial title of 'Panzer ace'. Nicholas and his crew are officially credited with destroying 8 tanks, 12 armoured personnel carriers, and 5 anti-tank guns. He reportedly never spoke of his wartime experiences until he got married and his newly-wed wife asked him to tell his life story.
Nicholas' story was later recorded by Rhodellian and Transbaltian oral historians. It was also written about in an autobiography titled 'Panzer Vor: The King and the Tiger'. The book has since been translated in Standard Dolchic, Latovian, Estimerian, Pilithanian, and Anglish.
Nicholas was married to Theresa of Transbaltia in 1948, soon after the 1948 Armistice that ended the Rhodellian Crusade. He had twp children: Wilhelmine, and the current Grand Duke: Otto. Nicholas later died of coronary heart disease in 1989.