Carol II of Romania vs Vakhtang VI of Kartli

Carol II became King of Romania on June 8, 1930, after returning from exile. He had renounced his rights to the throne in 1925, but his son Michael's regency was overthrown, and Carol was invited back by a political faction.

Carol II abolished the constitution and established a royal dictatorship on February 10, 1938. He banned all political parties, created the National Renaissance Front as the sole legal party, and concentrated power in his own hands, aiming to counter the rise of the Iron Guard.

Under pressure from Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, Carol II accepted the Second Vienna Award on August 30, 1940, ceding Northern Transylvania to Hungary. This territorial loss caused widespread outrage and severely weakened his regime.

On September 6, 1940, Carol II was forced to abdicate by General Ion Antonescu, who took power with support from the Iron Guard. Carol fled Romania, spending the rest of his life in exile in Portugal, Mexico, and Brazil.

Vakhtang VI was appointed regent of the Kingdom of Kartli for his absent brother, King George XI, who was campaigning with the Safavid Persians. This began his effective rule over Kartli, during which he initiated administrative and cultural reforms.

Vakhtang VI oversaw the compilation and publication of a comprehensive legal code for Kartli, known as the Law Code of Vakhtang VI. This code systematized existing Georgian customary law and royal decrees, aiming to centralize royal authority and standardize judicial procedures across the kingdom.

Vakhtang VI established the first printing press in Georgia in Tbilisi. This press published religious texts, legal codes, and historical works, significantly advancing Georgian literacy and cultural preservation. It marked a turning point in the dissemination of Georgian literature and law.

After the Ottoman invasion of Kartli and the failure of his alliance with Russia, Vakhtang VI fled to the Russian Empire. He settled in Moscow with his family and retinue, where he lived under the protection of Tsar Peter II until his death in 1737.

Vakhtang VI attempted to negotiate a treaty with the Ottoman Empire to preserve Kartli's autonomy, but the resulting Treaty of Constantinople recognized Ottoman suzerainty over eastern Georgia. This failure to secure independence led directly to his decision to go into Russian exile.