| Japanese name: |
フリードリヒ・フォン・ゴールデンバウム4世 |
Friedrich von Goldenbaum IV was the 36th and penultimate kaiser of the Goldenbaum Dynasty.
He died of a heart attack in late 796 UC.
History
History
Friedrich von Goldenbaum IV was the youngest son of the 35th Kaiser of the Galactic Empire, Otofried V. As such, he never intended (or prepared) to take the throne, and spent his younger years pursuing personal pleasure, to the point of almost being disowned. Before his father's death, his debts reached 540,000 Imperial Marks. A shopkeeper loaned him 22,000 Marks out of pity with the provision that the loan be repaid twenty-fold if Friedrich ended up gaining the throne. Not really expecting this to come true as Friedrich was then 3rd in line for the throne, the shopkeeper would later be astounded at events and at his repayment of 440,000 Marks.
In 761 UC, Otofried V's eldest son, Crown Prince Richard von Goldenbaum IV, was implicated in a plot to assassinate his father, and executed. Later in 764 UC, it was discovered that Richard had been innocent, and his younger brother, Grand Duke Clementz von Goldenbaum had framed him. Clementz died in an accident while attempting to flee to the Free Planets Alliance.
Otofried V died in 765 UC, passing on the throne to his youngest son, Friedrich. Friedrich had little interest in politics, so he left most matters of government to his Prime Minister, Klaus von Lichtenlade. As of December 794 UC, there had been no domestic accomplishments of note after nearly 30 years on the throne.
Friedrich IV's unwillingness to properly govern the Galactic Empire resulted in several revolts against Imperial rule, such as the Kastrop Rebellion, and at least one assassination attempt, the Klopstock Incident. When Friedrich died, he had no surviving male heirs, leaving the matter of Imperial succession up to debate — debate that would serve as a catalyst for the Imperial Civil War. Prime Minister Klaus von Lichtenlade and Reinhard von Lohengramm supported Friedrich's only direct male heir, his grandson, Erwin Joseph II, but most of the High Nobles supported either Elizabeth von Goldenbaum, Friedrich IV's eldest granddaughter, or Sabine von Littenheim, his younger granddaughter.
The ensuing civil war brought about the eventual collapse of the Goldenbaum Dynasty. Though the dynasty would see two additional Kaisers of the Goldenbaum line after Friedrich's death, they were both children who served as little more than puppets for Reinhard von Lohengramm, who wielded real political power. Friedrich IV was the last "true" Goldenbaum Kaiser, and his inaction ensured the doom of the Empire.
MotivesMotives
Although outwardly he seemed interested only in his own personal pleasure, he was aware that Reinhard had ambitions to usurp the throne. His continued promotion of Reinhard to ever higher rank in spite of this suggested Friedrich IV was disinterested in the continued survival of the Goldenbaum Dynasty and was even setting the stage for a dramatic end to it.
Voice actor: Osamu Saka
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