Prince Pedro of Marienbourg

Prince Pedro
Prince of Marienbourg
Pedro in London, 2023.
Born	29 January 1999 (1999-01-29) Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Names Pedro Carvalho Regnal name Pedro II (in Erzfelsen, Ebenthal)
House	Bruyn-Carvalho
Father	Francisco Gonçalves
Mother	Princess Adriana of Marienbourg
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Occupation	Librarian
Political offices Member of the House of Aristocrats In office 14 August 2022 – 25 September 2023 Chief Executive of Erzfelsen Incumbent Assumed office 5 February 2022 Monarch Arthur II Preceded by Office established Prince of Erzfelsen 1st reign 8 March 2016 – 5 July 2018 Predecessor Pedro I Successor Mateus Beato 2nd reign 11 March 2021 – 5 February 2022 Predecessor Élida van der Bruyn Successor Monarchy abolished

Prince Pedro of Marienbourg (Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 29 January 1999) is the heir presumptive to the Marienbourgish throne since his appointment by Arthur V, Duke of Marienbourg. He is the only son of Princess Adriana of Marienbourg, Duke Arthur's first cousin once-removed, and therefore he is the Duke's second cousin. Furthermore, Pedro holds the courtesy title of Prince of Erzfelsen in Ebenthal, where he was a member of the House of Aristocrats and remains the Chief Executive of the province of Erzfelsen, which he previously ruled as a prince under the name of Pedro II until the abolition of Ebenthal's subnational monarchies.

Biography

Early life

Prince Pedro was born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, being the only son of Princess Adriana of Marienbourg to her former husband, Francisco Gonçalves. His mother is the daughter of Princess Nilza of Marienbourg, former Regent of Erzfelsen in Ebenthal, sister of Princess Maria III, maternal grandmother of Arthur van der Bruyn, King of Ebenthal and Duke of Marienbourg, which makes Pedro and Arthur, therefore, second cousins. He was baptized in the Catholic Church with his uncle, Prince William of Marienbourg, and his cousin, Princess Karina, as godparents.

Through his mother, Pedro is a member of the Carvalho family, an ancient family of Portuguese origin that dates back to the 12th century. However, as Prince of Marienbourg, Pedro was incorporated into the so-called House of Carvalho-Bruyn, a cadet branch of the House of Bruyn born through an agreement between his great-uncles Anthony and Edoson Carvalho and his cousin Arthur van der Bruyn, by which Arthur, who is a Bruyn, became sovereign of Marienbourg and the Carvalho family, that of his mother, became his heirs.

Pedro and Arthur met for the first time in 2003, when the future monarch Ebenthali and Marienbourgish went to Belo Horizonte for the first time, aged five. The relationship between the cousins only unfolded, however, after Arthur's second visit to his maternal family, in 2011, when Pedro and Arthur were respectively 12 and 13 years old.

Education and career

Prince Pedro graduated from school in 2016 and in 2018 he joined the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais in the library science course, from which he graduated in 2022. After graduation, Pedro started a postgraduate course in early childhood education and was admitted for an internship at the Public Library for Children and Youth in Belo Horizonte, where he currently works as a librarian's assistant.

In addition to his native language, Portuguese, the Prince is proficient in English, having taken a course for three years, and has skills in Spanish.

Activity in Ebenthal

On the 8th of February 2014, Pedro's cousin and namesake, Pedro [I], made a declaration of independence for the lands of their family, known as the Carvalho family, and subsequently annexed them to the newly formed Kingdom of Roschfallen. This kingdom had been established by their cousin, Arthur van der Bruyn, just 11 days prior. Several months later, amidst a profound political crisis, the region, now referred to as the Seine Mountainous Department, achieved secession once again, this time to join the newly founded Kingdom of Ebenthal on the 11th of August 2014. This marked the first territory to come under the effective control of the nascent nation.

Under this new arrangement, the former department underwent a transformation and was renamed the Principality of Belmonte, now retrospectively recognized as the Principality of Erzfelsen. Pedro, the aforementioned cousin, assumed the title of Pedro I, Prince of Minen, within the monarchical federation that constituted Ebenthal. In order to assist in governing the principality, Pedro appointed his namesake cousin as the chief steward of Erzfelsen, relying on him as a trusted confidant and advisor.

Regency

During the reign of King Arthur I, Pedro assumed the role of Chief Steward of Erzfelsen, shouldering substantial governance responsibilities amid strained relations between Prince Pedro I and the King. His endeavors primarily revolved around fortifying the political autonomy of the principality, consolidating its constitutional monarchy, and safeguarding the rights of member states within the federation. Throughout his tenure, Pedro collaborated closely with Minen's parliamentary representatives, particularly those affiliated with the Conservative Party, who shared his concerns regarding the encroachment of the Central Government into the affairs of the principalities. Furthermore, he actively pursued the expansion of diplomatic ties with other micronations and sought to enhance Minen's standing within the international community.

Unfortunately, Pedro's efforts faced a setback when the government led by Prime Minister Raphael Viana, the 1st Count of Verdefort, leveled accusations of conspiracy and secession against the princely administration, ultimately culminating in the abdication of Pedro I. Subsequently, his cousin and Chief Steward ascended the throne as Pedro II, Prince of Erzfelsen. However, Pedro II's initial reign was short-lived. Faced with mounting dissatisfaction regarding the interference of the central government and persistent political tensions, Pedro made the difficult decision to abdicate in the middle of 2018. The title of Prince of Erzfelsen was subsequently incorporated into the Crown and associated with the heir to the throne. Nevertheless, Peter assumed the role of Regent of the Principality of Erzfelsen until his resignation in late 2019, shortly before his cousin Arthur's accession to the throne of Ebenthal.

Return and deposition

Upon Arthur II's ascension to the throne of Ebenthal, a significant appointment transpired whereby his great-aunt Nilza, who happens to be Peter's grandmother, assumed the esteemed position of Princess Regent of Minen. Subsequently, due to the dissociation of the princely title from the position of heir to the Ebenthali throne as a direct outcome of the Ebenthali Federative Act, Pedro II was reinstated as the ruler of Erzfelsen. Nonetheless, on the 5th of February 2022, the implementation of the Ebenthali Unitary Act brought about the effective abolition of the Erzfelsian monarchy, as well as other subnational monarchies (excluding New Switzerland), resulting in the conversion of the principalities into provinces. As an act of reconciliation, Arthur extended a gracious invitation to Pedro, offering him the permanent role of Erzfelsen's chief executive, granting a greater level of autonomy than during his previous reign. Additionally, Pedro was permitted to retain the courtesy title of Prince of Erzfelsen.

Political career

Outside of the executive government, the Unitary Act also implemented significant reforms concerning the House of Aristocrats, incorporating the former Regnant Princes of subnational monarchies as esteemed members of the upper chamber known as the Konkrëse. Initially aligned with the Conservative Party, Pedro initially joined the ranks of the Aristocrats; however, legal provisions compelled him to relinquish his partisan affiliation, mandating that members of the house adopt a non-partisan stance and represent the entire nation rather than specific constituencies. Nonetheless, as a parliamentarian, Pedro assumed a more moderate role within the conservative faction. His political disposition earned him the moniker "joker" due to his unpredictable voting patterns, particularly regarding contentious matters. As both a viceroy and an Aristocrat, Pedro has prominently championed provincial autonomy and advocated for a cohesive national framework that respects regional cultural identities, while concurrently fostering a resilient national identity capable of countering separatist sentiments.

Amidst the tumultuous events of the 2022 Neo-Swiss crisis, Prince Pedro aligned himself with the Central Government while underscoring the imperative for the Neo-Swiss Government to exercise its prerogative to respond appropriately in the face of flagrant rights infringements. Nonetheless, he emphasized the significance of national unity and the imperative to seek conflict resolution within the broader national context.

Titles, styles and honours

Styles of Prince Pedro
Reference style	His Serene Highness
Spoken style	Your Serene Highness
Alternative style	Sire

Titles and styles

• 13 August 2014 – 8 March 2016: His Highness Prince Pedro of Erzfelsen
• 8 March 2016 – 5 July 2018: His Highness The Prince of Erzfelsen
• 5 July 2018 – 11 March 2021: His Highness Prince Pedro of Erzfelsen
• 11 March 2021 – 5 February 2022: His Highness The Prince of Erzfelsen
• 1 February 2023 – present: His Serene Highness Prince Pedro of Marienbourg

Honours

Pedro is a member or recipient of the following honors:

• Marienbourg: Knight of the Order of the Orange Blossom
• Ebenthal: Knight of the Order of the Ebony Crown