Arkadius III
Arkadius III (born in 's Koningenwaarde, 1552 - died in exile, 1634), fullname: Antonius Frederik Karel des Vinandy, was King of Batavia from 1578 until 1582 or 1585. Not all sources refer to the end of his reign with the same year: some recognise 1582 AN, when Arkadius stepped down under pressure of the armed forces, while others recognise the adoption of a new constitution and the ascension of Mordechai I as official date.
Birth
The birth of Antonius was a gift from heaven for the Batavian monarchy. The Second Kingdom, unlike the First, applied a strict form of succession. As a result, it would be uncertain who the successor would be if Arkadius II disappeared from the scene. Batavian nobles began to despair when little or no news of a child came out of the King's marriage and feared the worst: no child at all. In 1552 AN Queen Charlotte des Vinandy - the Bourbon - gave birth to her first son.
Antonius was born in the Royal City Hospital of 's Koningenwaarde, just like the famous and strictly religious King Charles I. The birth was celebrated exuberantly in monarchist circles.
Marriage
Arkadius III was married to Æsileif Haraldsdóttir, the daughter of High King Harald of Stormark, from 1584 until his death in 1634. Had a son Frederik Hendrik des Vinandy. Through Frederik Hendrik, Arkadius III is the great grandfather of later Batavian monarch, Arkadius IV.
Reign
Coronation
Antonius was crowned King of Batavia on 6 July 2011 in the presence of several foreign guests. In honour of his coronation numerous gifts were donated to the brand new king from all corners of Micras.
The donations were among others:
- Milk, butter and cheese from the Holy Buttercow; jewels from the mines of Frieden and Muckapucky (Natopia).
- A Babkha elephant (Babkha).
- Pureté, the ancient national sword of the Dukes of Gasconje of Valtian steel (Stormark).
Antonius also established a new knighthood, the Knighthood of the Batavian Lion. Immediately Harald van Ettlingar Freyu and Jef Vermussen were appointed Grand Officer in this knighthood. Gert Geens and Erwin van Horenbeeck were knighted.
Acts
Arkadius III soon turned out to want to play a strong cultural and advisory role. Not long after his coronation, this became clear when he launched a series of proposals, unique in that the kings had never so actively used the House of Lords to forward reform proposals to the House of Commons.
Politically, it meant that he would be given a stronger consultative role, with a two weekly meeting between himself and the Prime Minister. Arkadius remained within the lines. He also reformed the House of Lords, as a result of which low nobility also gained access.
On the cultural level, numerous innovations were implemented, including the amendment of the law on national signs: the royal house would be able to maintain its own banner, coat of arms and royal song from its reign.
Abdication
Arkadius III fled the country during the unrest in 1582 AN. In exile he is said to have abdicated, but there is no paper evidence of this.
Nominations
The town of Antonia on Fränzi-Ferdinanda Island is named after Antonius.
| Preceded by: Second regency of Jeroen van Veen |
King of Batavia 1578 - 1582/1585 |
Succeeded by Mordechai I |
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