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The Kingdom of Finland
Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland , is a Nordic countries situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland....
 was a short-lived attempt following Finnish independence
Finland's declaration of independence

The Finnish declaration of independence was adopted by the Parliament of Finland on 6 December 1917. It declared Finland an independent and sovereignty nation-state rather than an autonomous Russian Grand Duchy....
 from Russia
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
 to establish Prince Frederick of Hesse as the King of Finland.

On the urging of the German Empire
German Empire

The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from the unification of Germany and proclamation of William I, German Emperor as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became Weimar republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of William II, German Emperor ....
, Finland
Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland , is a Nordic countries situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland....
 had declared independence
Finland's declaration of independence

The Finnish declaration of independence was adopted by the Parliament of Finland on 6 December 1917. It declared Finland an independent and sovereignty nation-state rather than an autonomous Russian Grand Duchy....
 from Russia
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
 on December 6, 1917, leading to a fierce debate on whether the new state should declare itself a republic
Republic

A republic is a state or country that is not led by a hereditary monarch but in which the people have an impact on its government. The word originates from the Latin term res publica....
 or remain a monarchy
Monarchy

A monarchy is a form of government in which supreme power is absolutely or nominally lodged in an individual, who is the head of state, often for Life tenure or until abdication, and "is wholly set apart from all other members of the state." The person who heads a monarchy is called a monarch....
. At the time of the declaration of independence, monarchists were a minority in the Finnish Eduskunta (Parliament), and Finland was declared a republic.






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The Kingdom of Finland
Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland , is a Nordic countries situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland....
 was a short-lived attempt following Finnish independence
Finland's declaration of independence

The Finnish declaration of independence was adopted by the Parliament of Finland on 6 December 1917. It declared Finland an independent and sovereignty nation-state rather than an autonomous Russian Grand Duchy....
 from Russia
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
 to establish Prince Frederick of Hesse as the King of Finland.

On the urging of the German Empire
German Empire

The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from the unification of Germany and proclamation of William I, German Emperor as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became Weimar republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of William II, German Emperor ....
, Finland
Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland , is a Nordic countries situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland....
 had declared independence
Finland's declaration of independence

The Finnish declaration of independence was adopted by the Parliament of Finland on 6 December 1917. It declared Finland an independent and sovereignty nation-state rather than an autonomous Russian Grand Duchy....
 from Russia
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
 on December 6, 1917, leading to a fierce debate on whether the new state should declare itself a republic
Republic

A republic is a state or country that is not led by a hereditary monarch but in which the people have an impact on its government. The word originates from the Latin term res publica....
 or remain a monarchy
Monarchy

A monarchy is a form of government in which supreme power is absolutely or nominally lodged in an individual, who is the head of state, often for Life tenure or until abdication, and "is wholly set apart from all other members of the state." The person who heads a monarchy is called a monarch....
. At the time of the declaration of independence, monarchists were a minority in the Finnish Eduskunta (Parliament), and Finland was declared a republic. After a civil war
Finnish Civil War

The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The war was fought in Finland from 27 January to 15 May 1918, between the forces of the Social Democratic Party of Finland led by the People's Deputation of Finland, commonly called the "Reds" , and the forces of the non-socialist, conse...
, and while the pro-republic Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party of Finland

The Social Democratic Party of Finland is one of the most influential political party in Finland, along with the Centre Party and the National Coalition Party ....
 was excluded from the Eduskunta, Frederick was elected to the throne of the Kingdom of Finland
Kingdom of Finland (1918)

The Kingdom of Finland was a short-lived attempt following Finland's declaration of independence from Russia to establish Prince Frederick Charles of Hesse-Kassel as the King of Finland....
 on October 9, 1918.

Lithuania
Lithuania

Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the southernmost of the three Baltic states. Situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, it shares borders with Latvia to the north, Belarus to the southeast, Poland, and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad Oblast to the southwest....
 had already taken a similar step in July 1918, electing Wilhelm Karl, Duke of Urach, Count of Württemberg
Württemberg

W?rttemberg [], formerly known as Wirtemberg, is an area and a former state in southwestern Germany, including parts of the regions Swabia and Franconia....
 as King Mindove II of Lithuania
Mindaugas II of Lithuania

Mindaugas II of Lithuania was elected King of Lithuania, on July 11, 1918. He never assumed the crown, as German authorities declared the election invalid....
. For Latvia
Latvia

Latvia The Latvians are a Baltic peoples culturally related to the Estonians and Lithuanians, with the Latvian language having many similarities with Lithuanian language, but not with the Estonian language....
 and Estonia
Estonia

Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Finland across the Gulf of Finland, to the west by Sweden across the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by the Russia ....
, a "General Provincial Assembly" consisting of Baltic-German aristocrats, had called upon the German Kaiser Wilhelm to recognize the Baltic provinces as a joint monarchy and a German protectorate
Protectorate

A protectorate, in international law, is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity, in exchange for which the protectorate usually accepts specified obligations, which may vary greatly, depending on the real nature of their relationship....
. Consequently Adolf Friedrich, Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin was nominated Duke
Duke

A duke is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy or a dukedom. The title comes from the Latin language Dux Bellorum, which had the sense of "military commander" and was employed by both the Germanic peoples themselves and by the Ancient Rome authors covering them to r...
 of "the United Baltic Duchy
United Baltic Duchy

The proposed United Baltic Duchy also known as the Grand Duchy of Livonia was a state imagined by the Baltic German nobility after the Russian revolution and German occupation of the Courland, Livonian and Estonian governorates of the Russian Empire....
" by the Germans.

Independent Finland had initially, like the Baltic provinces, close ties with the German Empire. Germany was the only power that had supported the preparations for independence, not the least by the training of voluntary Finnish Jäger troops
Finnish Jäger troops

HistoryThe J?ger troops were volunteers from Finland trained in Germany as J?ger during World War I. It was one of many means by which Germany intended to weaken Russia and to cause Russia's loss of western provinces and dependencies....
. Germany had also intervened in the Finnish Civil War
Finnish Civil War

The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The war was fought in Finland from 27 January to 15 May 1918, between the forces of the Social Democratic Party of Finland led by the People's Deputation of Finland, commonly called the "Reds" , and the forces of the non-socialist, conse...
, despite her own precarious situation. Finland's position vis-à-vis Germany was already evolving towards that of a protectorate
Protectorate

A protectorate, in international law, is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity, in exchange for which the protectorate usually accepts specified obligations, which may vary greatly, depending on the real nature of their relationship....
 by spring 1918, and the election of Prince Frederick, brother-in-law of William II, German Emperor
William II, German Emperor

Wilhelm II was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia , ruling both the German Empire and the Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918....
, was rather thought of as a confirmation of the close relations.

The adoption of a new monarchist constitution had been delayed, and the legitimacy of the royal election was based upon the Instrument of Government
Constitution of Sweden

The Sweden Constitution consists of four Fundamental Law :* The Instrument of Government * The Swedish Act of Succession * The Freedom of the Press Act ...
 of 1772, adopted under King Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III of Sweden

Gustav III was Monarchy of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden and Louisa Ulrika of Prussia, sister of Frederick the Great....
, when Finland had been a part of Sweden
Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic countries on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden has land borders with Norway to the west and Finland to the northeast, and it is connected to Denmark by the ?resund Bridge in the south....
. The same constitutional document had also served as the basis for the rule of the Russia
Russia

Russia , or the Russian Federation , is a list of countries spanning more than one continent country extending over much of northern Eurasia....
n Tsar
Tsar

Tsar or czar , occasionally spelled csar or tzar in English language, is a slavs term designating certain monarchs.Originally, the title Czar meant Emperor in the European medieval sense of the term, that is, a ruler who has the same rank as a Ancient Rome or Byzantine emperor due to recognition by another emperor or...
s, as Grand Dukes of Finland
Grand Duchy of Finland

The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland that existed in its territory 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire....
, during the 19th century.

Governmental archives reveal that the monarchical designation of the king was intended, at least tentatively, to be "Charles I, King of Finland and Karelia
Karelia

Karelia , the land of the Karelians, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden. It is currently divided between the Russian Republic of Karelia, the Russian Leningrad Oblast, and Finland ....
, Duke of Åland
Åland

The ?land Islands form an archipelago in the Baltic Sea. It is situated at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia and forms an Federacy, Demilitarized zone, Monoglottism Swedish language Provinces of Finland, Regions of Finland and historical provinces of Finland of Finland....
, Grand Prince of Lapland
Lapland Province

The Province of Lapland is one of the Provinces of Finland of Finland. The municipalities in the province cooperate in a Regional Councils of Finland, which also makes it the Region of Lapland....
, Lord of Kaleva
Kalevala

The Kalevala is a book and Epic poetry which the Elias L?nnrot compiled from Finnish people and Karelian folklore in the nineteenth century....
 and the North
Pohjola

Pohjola or Pohja is a mythical place in Finnish mythology and is usually translated as Northland in English. It is one of the two main polarities in the Finnish national epic, the Kalevala, along with Kaleva or V?in?l?....
" (Kaarle I, Suomen ja Karjalan kuningas, Ahvenanmaan herttua, Lapinmaan suuriruhtinas, Kalevan ja Pohjolan isäntä).

In the Finnish election document the prince is called Fredrik Kaarle, but according to conventional wisdom
Conventional wisdom

Conventional wisdom is a term used to describe ideas or explanations that are generally accepted as true by the public or by experts in a field....
 his name as king would have been Väinö I of Finland. Although the correctness of this name is not quite undisputed, it is repeated in many places, for instance at the Finnish Parliament's official web site . In truth, Väinö I as name was presented at the time in a satirical column in a leading Finnish newspaper, written by V.Nuorteva ("Olli"), a much-read political criticist, satirist and humorist of the time.

On November 11, 1918, the armistice between the warring factions of World War I
World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
 was signed, and two days earlier William II
William II, German Emperor

Wilhelm II was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia , ruling both the German Empire and the Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918....
 had abdicated and Germany
Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium, and the Netherlands....
 was declared a Republic
Republic

A republic is a state or country that is not led by a hereditary monarch but in which the people have an impact on its government. The word originates from the Latin term res publica....
. Although little is known of the Allied powers view regarding the possibility of a German-born prince as the King of Finland, Frederick renounced the throne on December 14, 1918, and subsequently for Finland to adopt a republican constitution.

The other similar states


During the World War I
World War I

World War I, or the First World War , was a global military conflict which involved the Great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War I and the Central Powers....
 the German State
German Empire

The German Empire is the name commonly used in English to describe Germany from the unification of Germany and proclamation of William I, German Emperor as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became Weimar republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of William II, German Emperor ....
 helped to create or created on the former territory of Russia
Russian Empire

File:Russian Emperor Flag.jpgFile:Romanov Flag.svgThe Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917....
 next client
Client state

Client state is one of several terms used to describe the subordination of one state to a more powerful state in international affairs. It is the least specific of these terms and may be treated as a broad category which includes satellite state, puppet state, neo-colony, protectorate, vassal state and tributary state....
, puppet
Puppet state

The term puppet state describes a nominal sovereignty controlled effectively by a foreign power.. The term refers to a government controlled by the government of another country like a puppeteer controls the strings of a marionette....
, or satellite
Satellite state

Satellite state is a political term that refers to a country which is formally independent, but under heavy influence or control by another country....
, but nominally independent
Independence

Independence is the self-government of a nation, country, or state by its residents and population, or some portion thereof, generally exercising sovereignty....
 state
State

A state is a political Social contract with effective sovereignty over a geographic area and representing a population. These may be nation states, State or multinational states....
s:

  • Ukrainian People's Republic
    Ukrainian People's Republic

    The Ukrainian People's Republic was a republic in part of the territory of modern Ukraine Ukraine after the Russian Revolution, eventually headed by Symon Petliura....
  • Ukrainian State
  • Belarusian People's Republic
  • Kingdom of Lithuania (1918)
    Kingdom of Lithuania (1918)

    The Kingdom of Lithuania was a short lived constitutional monarchy created towards the end of the First World War when Lithuania was under German occupation....
  • Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (1918)
    Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (1918)

    The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia was proclaimed on March 8, 1918 in German occupied Courland Governorate by a Landesrat composed of Baltic Germans, who offered the crown of the Duchy to Kaiser Wilhelm II....
  • Baltic State
  • United Baltic Duchy
    United Baltic Duchy

    The proposed United Baltic Duchy also known as the Grand Duchy of Livonia was a state imagined by the Baltic German nobility after the Russian revolution and German occupation of the Courland, Livonian and Estonian governorates of the Russian Empire....
  • Kingdom of Poland (1916–1918)
    Kingdom of Poland (1916–1918)

    The Kingdom of Poland, also informally called Regency Kingdom of Poland , was the state proposed by the Act of November 5, 1916 issued by German Empire and Austria-Hungary....


See also

  • Finnish Civil War
    Finnish Civil War

    The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The war was fought in Finland from 27 January to 15 May 1918, between the forces of the Social Democratic Party of Finland led by the People's Deputation of Finland, commonly called the "Reds" , and the forces of the non-socialist, conse...
  • Prince Wolfgang of Hesse
    Prince Wolfgang of Hesse

    Prince and Landgrave Wolfgang of Hesse-Kassel , was the designated Hereditary Prince of the monarchy of Finland, and as such, already called the Crown Prince of Finland officially until 14 December, 1918, and also afterwards by some monarchists....
  • Monarchy of Finland
    Monarchy of Finland

    The nation of Finland has never been an enduring independent sovereign monarchy in the traditional sense of a nation-state ruled by its own monarch: no attempt to establish one was crowned with success....
  • Ancient kings of Finland
    Ancient kings of Finland

    Almost nothing is known about the Ancient kings of Finland. Even though no record of ancient kings in Finland exists, prehistoric Finland probably had chieftains called "kings", as the loanword kuningas, "king", has existed in the same meaning in the Finnish language since early Germanic times, when it was borrowed....
  • Grand Duchy of Finland
    Grand Duchy of Finland

    The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland that existed in its territory 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire....
  • United Baltic Duchy
    United Baltic Duchy

    The proposed United Baltic Duchy also known as the Grand Duchy of Livonia was a state imagined by the Baltic German nobility after the Russian revolution and German occupation of the Courland, Livonian and Estonian governorates of the Russian Empire....
  • Kingdom of Finland (1742)
    Kingdom of Finland (1742)

    The attempt to create a Kingdom of Finland in 1742 is a little known chapter in the history of Finland. Following the Russian occupation in the Russo-Swedish War and vague promises of making the country independent, Finns selected the then Duke Peter of Holstein-Gottorp as the King of Finland....
  • Kingdom of Lithuania (1918)
    Kingdom of Lithuania (1918)

    The Kingdom of Lithuania was a short lived constitutional monarchy created towards the end of the First World War when Lithuania was under German occupation....
  • Kingdom of Poland (1916-1918)