Date of Birth: 5 April 1939
House: Zogu
Spouse(s): Susan, daughter of Alan Robert Cullen-Ward and Phyllis Dorothea Murray-Prior
Predecessor: Zog
Reign: 1961 – 2011
Brief: Forced into exile only two days after his birth, Leka I was never destined to see the Albanian throne. The Italians invaded Albania in 1939, with Victor Emmanuel III proclaiming himself King of Albania, though he would come to regret the invasion later in life. He travelled around Europe in his exile, settling in England by 1940. The family moved to Egypt where Leka attended English schools, and then he studied at Aiglon College in Switzerland before passing out of Sandhurst Royal Military Academy in Britain. He became a lieutenant in the British Army then a businessman. In 1957, he was designated his father's heir, and four years later he was proclaimed King of the Albanians by the Albanian National Assembly-in-Exile. He was married in 1975 to an Australian and his reception had numerous other deposed heads of state in attendance. Fearing a communist assassination attempt on his life, Leka began gathering arms and bodyguards around himself, which prompted the Spanish government to kick him out of the country. On his flight into Africa, he ran into Albanian communists who tried to capture him but were turned away when the titular king produced an RPG launcher. He finally set up a new base in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was given diplomatic protection. After the fall of communism in Albania, Leka I returned to his homeland in 1993, renouncing his titles in exchange for citizenship. A referendum was held in 1997 to reestablish a monarchy, but the bid failed partially due to communist interference. The king left the country and was found guilty in absentia of sedition, which was pardoned two years later when 72 members of Parliament requested the royal family to return. The party that backed his family is a minority member of a coalition that had promised future referendums on monarchy. However, for Leka I, he withdrew from politics entirely in 2006 and died five years later. His son, Leka II, now heads the family's campaign for recognition.
Date of Death: 30 November 1780
Brief: Forced into exile only two days after his birth, Leka I was never destined to see the Albanian throne. The Italians invaded Albania in 1939, with Victor Emmanuel III proclaiming himself King of Albania, though he would come to regret the invasion later in life. He travelled around Europe in his exile, settling in England by 1940. The family moved to Egypt where Leka attended English schools, and then he studied at Aiglon College in Switzerland before passing out of Sandhurst Royal Military Academy in Britain. He became a lieutenant in the British Army then a businessman. In 1957, he was designated his father's heir, and four years later he was proclaimed King of the Albanians by the Albanian National Assembly-in-Exile. He was married in 1975 to an Australian and his reception had numerous other deposed heads of state in attendance. Fearing a communist assassination attempt on his life, Leka began gathering arms and bodyguards around himself, which prompted the Spanish government to kick him out of the country. On his flight into Africa, he ran into Albanian communists who tried to capture him but were turned away when the titular king produced an RPG launcher. He finally set up a new base in Johannesburg, South Africa, where he was given diplomatic protection. After the fall of communism in Albania, Leka I returned to his homeland in 1993, renouncing his titles in exchange for citizenship. A referendum was held in 1997 to reestablish a monarchy, but the bid failed partially due to communist interference. The king left the country and was found guilty in absentia of sedition, which was pardoned two years later when 72 members of Parliament requested the royal family to return. The party that backed his family is a minority member of a coalition that had promised future referendums on monarchy. However, for Leka I, he withdrew from politics entirely in 2006 and died five years later. His son, Leka II, now heads the family's campaign for recognition.
Date of Death: 30 November 1780
Successor: Leka II
Other Monarchs Who Died Today:
Other Monarchs Who Died Today:
- Edmund II, king of England (1016)
- Charles XII, king of Sweden (1718)
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