Rudolf Geske

Rudolf Geske (3 December 1849 – 11 March 1916) was a leader of Rotgeheim. His official title is Emperor of the Reich (German: Kaiser des Reiches). He came to power after the abdication of the former Kaiser of Rotgeheim, Florian II. His spouse was the former Grand Duchess of Kronenberg, Anneliese, with whom he has fathered three children. One of the children, Ferdinand Diederich, took over the throne after his father's death in 1916.

Biography

Rudolf was born on 3 December 1849 at the Kronprinzpalais ("Crowned Prince's Palace") in Breslau to the Grand Duke Ferdinand I and his wife, Mathilde. At the time of his birth Rotgeheim was not yet an independent nation and was ruled by several different duchies and grand duchies that were all unified under the rule of the nation of Steinweg. Rudolf is a great-grandson of one of the first refugees to arrive from war-torn Steinweg, and because of this his family was able to establish itself fairly quickly in the House of Breslau.

Early Years

He was raised the only child of a prominent royal family and was taken to every formal gathering his parents attended. The young prince was greatly admired by the grand dukes and duchesses in Rotgeheim for his charm and was the center of attention at most occasions.

From age six years of age on, Rudolf was tutored in his home in Breslau by the 39-year-old teacher Augustin Kallenbach. "Kallenbach," he later wrote, "was really a good fellow. Whether or not he was the right tutor for me, I dare not decide."

As a teenager he was educated in Breslau at the Kaisersgymnasium. In January 1867 Rudolf finished high school and on his eighteenth birthday received as a present from his father the Order of Rotgeheim (an order recognizing appreciation for a monarch). After his education at Kaisersgymnasium, he spent four years at the Military Academy of Engelsscharen, studying military science, law, and politics. Rudolf was known for his quick wit and cleverness, but often his sarcasm overshadowed his other qualities. Despite his sarcastic attitude towards many aspects of life he became adept in academic subjects such as mathematics, history, and modern languages.

When Rudolf graduated the Military Academy of Engelsscharen in 1871 he was commissioned as a Leutnant (Second Lieutenant) and was assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division stationed in Seelow.

In 1872 Rudolf encountered a young noblewoman named Annaliese Ehrenreich of Lindenfeld while he was on leave in its capital, Darmstadt. The appearance of uniformed men was not uncommon to the young woman, but the outstanding number of awards pinned to his uniform for such a young man and the dry humor accompanying him struck her as a rarity. They were married in late 1872 in typical Steinweg military fashion. The two had their first child, a daughter named Silke, two years later.

In 1874 Rudolf was sent to the War Academy in Eisenhimmel to further his military education. While there, he was promoted to the rank of Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant)