The Crown Council

Baintan Ramona
Macarescu Andrei
Turcu Andreea
Overview
 Defining the Crown Councils, Historic overview and general facts
 Crown Council's meetings and case studies on 1914, August 1916 and September
1939;
 The Crown Council is Formalisation and aftermath.
 The main aspects of the geopolitical environment for Romania
 The main National Interests during 1877-1940
 The Romanian Security institutions between 1877-1940 and their development
 The military reform in time of war 1916-1917
 The 1916 Campaign
 The restructuring of the Army (winter-spring 1917)
 Romanian Army in the 1917 Campaign
Defining the Crown Councils, Historic
overview and general facts
 Crown Council's meetings:
• 1914 at Peles Castel in Sinaia;
• August 1916, Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest;
• 6th September 1939 Cotroceni Palace;
• 27th of June 1940 at Cotroceni Palace;
• 30th August 1940 at Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest.

 The Historical influence of the crown council is without a doubt of utmost importance. Even
though the Crown Councils usually have a consultative role, history proves that the advice of
its members were generally respected by the Monarch.
 For Romania the Crown Councils meant that the Monarch could have a close group of elite he
could consult with without being formally bound by their decisions and it was probably
necessary considering that we had a foreign monarch that needed to understand Romania's
needs and create Romania’s future not unilaterally but with a select group of influential
Romanian intellectuals. That is why most if not all the Crown Council's advices were
respected by Monarchs, from Carol the 1st to Ferdinand and then Carol the 2nd.
Crown Councils case studies(1)

 Case Study on 1914 – Decision:

• The choice of neutrality meant that she could wait and see how things unfold and join the
alliance that had the greatest chance of winning and the most to offer. In my opinion the
decision was a good one considering that our neutrality lead to following negotiations between
Bratianu and Entente in 1915-1916 which lead to a promise to receive Transylvania, Banat and
Bucovina. The results could be seen at the end of the war, in the proclamations of Unification
with Romania of Bessarabia, Transylvania and Bucovina in 1918. So the decision was for
Romania to remain neutral.
 Case Study on 1914 – Consequences:
• Negotiations with Entente to receive Transylvania, Basarabia and Bucovina
• A signed promise of the Entente powers to recognize the Unification with Transylvania

 Case Study on August 1916 – Decision:

• Enter the war on the Entente's side.
• Having strong allies led to the international recognition of the Romanian Unification
(Independence) from 1918, At the Versailles Treaty.
 Case Study on August 1916 – Consequences:
• Entering the war on the Entente's side lead to military actions on different fronts.
• Romania Unification in 1918
Crown Councils case studies(2)

 Case Study on September 1939 – Decision:

• In accordance with the Council's members Romania decided to stay neutral and wait for a more
favourable moment to enter war.

 Case Study on September 1939 – Consequences:

• In 23 august 1939 Hitler's Germany and the Soviet Union decided through their foreign ministers to
conclude a secret protocol where Berlin stated its support that Bessarabia will be transferred to the
Soviet Union
• It was followed by three other crown councils that had to decide The Unified Romania's future and its
territorial integrity
The Crown Council is Formalisation and consequences

 The members of the Crown Council will be appointed by a royal decree

 They will be assigned by the king from the recent and past state dignitaries, church,
army and royal court, or form other major personalities
 Their number is unlimited
 The king can summon the Council any time he considers necessary, the member's
opinion is consultative and they pronounce themselves on problems of exceptional
matters.
 The Council's members can receive special temporary assignments
 The Council's members have the same degree as state ministers and are remunerated.
Consequences: The council in this formalized form only lasted for two years.
The crisis of the “Carlist” regime ends with the king abdicating in September the 6th
1940. In September 1940, Ion Antonescu becomes prime-minister and by King's Michael
decree Romania was declared “National Legionary state”
The Crown Council had an important role to play in Romania during it's Monarchical
form of government and it will remain in history as a relevant and controversial institution.
 The main aspects of the geopolitical
environment for Romania
External aspects:
 Incertitude
 Untrustworthy neighbors
 The constant threats and pressures from neighboring powers (Ottoman, Russian,
Austro-Hungarian in 1877
Internal aspects:
 Corruption
 Illiteracy
 Undeveloped or developing national institutions (the army, the Gendarmerie, all
the other national security services)
 Lack of unity in the political will of the country. Usually, the neighboring factions
had more military might than Romania, but it was in their interest to rather ask
for tribute (Ottoman Empire) or maintain the status quo rather than invade or
attack us.
The main National Interests during 1877-
1940
 Gaining and maintaining national independence
 Trying to stay Neutral
 Trying to grow and cultivate policies and reforms aimed towards
improvements in all sectors: Social, Cultural, Industrial, Education, Military,
etc.

Note: Romania’s leadership was not an opportunistic one. Their interests were
not to try to conquer or subjugate the neighbors or any territory, but to regain
lost territory or at least maintain the present state of affairs.
The Romanian Security institutions between
1877-1940 and their development
 The military
 The gendarmerie
 The police
 The gendarmerie was developing, expanding and evolving as an institution. First only present in
the cities it expanded in villages and towns as well as in expertise.
 The Military was developing and reforming, changing doctrine and training methods, incorporating
more branches, such as Intelligence services – the Military leadership started to perceive
Espionage as a threat and combat multiplier that could have drastic effects on military affairs and
first acknowledged it in 1917 – the creation of the first Romanian Intelligence service Entity
(Special Intelligence Service).
 Other branches and technologies were under development, expanding and emerging, such as the
cavalry becoming Tank Brigades, the creations of units such as the Air Forces, the Anti-aircraft
Artillery, Submarines, etc.

Note: Each Security Institution had different branches and names over time, throughout their
development.
The military reform in time of war 1916-
1917

 The 1916 Campaign-What did Romania learn from it?

 1916-General Alexandru Averescu proposes the restructuring of the army

 Romanian Army in the 1917 Campaign

 1917-The Russian Revolution

 Romania did not have a significant economic, political or military potential, but
its geographical location, right at the congruence of interests of the great
powers made it impossible to stay out of war

 The two periods:

 Neutrality (1914-1916); decision taken at the Crown Council which took place at
Sinaia

 War period (1916-1918); Ion.I.C. Bratianu signed in 1916 the political treaty and
the military convention with Antanta; at the end of august 1916, Romania
instituted the general mobilization
The 1916 Campaign
 Sept-Oct 1916 –”Bătălia Trecătorilor”; the famous “Pe aici nu se trece!” slogan

 At the Battle of Predeal and Surduc (Lainici) the enemy (The Austro-Hungarian
and German troops) won; The cities of Tg. Jiu, Craiova, Ramnicu Valcea,
Curtea de Arges followed next

 December, 6- marked the day the royal family, ministers, the parliament and
some of the citizens left the capital for Moldova. The day the enemy occupied
the territory

 The campaign therefore represented a failure

The restructuring of the Army (winter-
spring 1917)
 It become more of a necessity
 Debated issues:
• where should it take place?
• Should Romania transfer its treasures (Thesaurus) to Russia as a proof of being by
its side?
• Should Romania integrate its great Headquarters (“Marele Cartier General”) into
the Russian one ( Carol refused to subordinate himself to a Russian general; this
decision was backed by Ion I.C.Bratianu)
Romanian Army in the 1917 Campaign
 Due to the Romanian and French efforts to restructure the army, it can be
said that there was an equilibrium of forces between Romania and its enemy
 The victory of Mărășești (one of the greatest Antanta fought that year); brought
General Alexandru Averescu great prestige
 The victories of Mărăști and Oituz

 The Russian Revolution

 The new authorities in Petrograd and Moscow signed the Peace Treaty with
The Central Powers at Brest-Litovsk
 Despite the degradation of the Russian army, Romania mantained its military
capabilities