Leopold I
Emperor
Leopold I was the Emperor of Brazil from 1922 to 1960. He was the eldest son of Emperor Augusto I and Empress Maria Louise. Through his mother, he was also the grandson of King Robert I of Argentina and great-grandson of King Ferdinand II of the Two-Sicilies. He was also the great-great-grandson of King Francis I of the Two-Sicilies from his father and mother.
Leopold was a military commander of the Brazilian army during the Great War. Though his father agreed to remain out of the war, Leopold argued for choosing a side for economic and political purposes. Leopold would himself ascend to the throne following the war, but had to contend with the economic panic of 1922 following Great Britain cutting off trade to South America. Leopold appointed a Prime Minister who attempted to enact tariffs to bolster Brazilian goods. Though this effort backfired, Leopold decided to defend the Prime Minister and the government in the name of national unity.
Leopold remained critical of King Elias I of Argentina, blaming him publicly for the economic turmoil following his annexation of the Falkland Islands. Brazil attempted to distance themselves from Argentina in the eyes of Europe in order to garner financial support. However, this effort diminished the popularity of the monarchy further as many believed this made Leopold appear weak.
To further the domestic issues facing the government, Leopold also had to fend off pressure from his father's cousin, Luis of Orleans-Braganza. Luis had long belived his claim to the throne was more legitimate, and with the economic panic, many flocked to his side as an alternative. However, even more wished to see the government reform, possibly without the monarchy, as Luis seemed too extreme. Leopold recieved demands form Luis and his supporters to decline ascension to the throne in favor of Luis, and these continued into leopold's reign.
Social
Reign
Family Ties
Oh, as a Saxon, it is so nice to see that the small duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (even though it is actually in Thuringia) was able to further expand its power in the world.