Gojong of Korea vs Juan Carlos I

Gojong declared Korea an empire, assuming the title of Emperor. This was an attempt to assert Korea's sovereignty and equal status with China and Japan, and to modernize the state. The move was partly a response to the assassination of his wife, Empress Myeongseong.

Under Japanese pressure, Gojong's government signed the Eulsa Treaty, making Korea a Japanese protectorate. Gojong did not sign the treaty himself and later attempted to appeal to international powers, but the treaty stripped Korea of its diplomatic sovereignty.

Japanese authorities forced Gojong to abdicate in favor of his son, Sunjong, after Gojong sent a secret envoy to the Hague Peace Conference to protest Japanese control. The abdication was part of Japan's consolidation of power over Korea.

Gojong died suddenly, with rumors of poisoning by Japanese agents. His funeral on March 1, 1919, became a catalyst for the March First Movement, a massive nationwide protest against Japanese rule. The movement was brutally suppressed but galvanized Korean independence efforts.

Juan Carlos I was crowned King of Spain on November 22, 1975, two days after Francisco Franco's death. He inherited a dictatorship and immediately began steering the country toward democratic reform.

Juan Carlos I appointed Adolfo Suarez as Prime Minister and supported the Political Reform Act of 1976, which dismantled Francoist institutions. He used his authority to push through democratic reforms, leading to free elections in 1977.

On February 23, 1981, Civil Guard officers led by Antonio Tejero stormed the Spanish Congress. Juan Carlos I appeared on national television in military uniform, denouncing the coup and ordering the military to remain loyal, which ended the attempt.

Juan Carlos I abdicated the throne on June 2, 2014, citing personal reasons and the need for generational renewal. His son Felipe VI succeeded him. The abdication followed years of declining popularity due to scandals and economic crisis.

In August 2020, Juan Carlos I left Spain for the United Arab Emirates amid investigations into alleged financial irregularities, including hidden bank accounts and commissions from a high-speed rail contract in Saudi Arabia. He remained in self-imposed exile.