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Minister of State | |
| Predecessor: | Prince Alexander Kroshbon (in 1746) |
| Successor: | Sir Edmond Stark |
| King: | Alexander I of Switzerland |
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Personal Life | |
| Born: | 19 May 1696 |
| Died: | 19 August 1748 (aged 52) |
| Nationality: | Romanian |
| Political party: | None, Independent |
| Alma mater: | University of Rome |
| Profession: | Statesman, Noble |
| Religion: | Eastern Orthodox |
Sebastian Mihail Spark (19 May 1696 - 19 August 1748) was Minister of State of Switzerland and brother of Genevieve de' Adelaide Spark. Sebastian came from the former royal house of the Kingdom of Romania, which had lost power when Greater Romania was reabsorbed into the Ottoman Empire in 1745. In 1748, a disenfranchised Sebastian was able to capitalize on his sister's regency in the Kingdom of the Swiss, and was appointed by her to the position of Foreign Minister. He held a heavy hand on Swiss politics, and was intrumental in Swiss politics for the first half of 1748.
His treason against the throne was soon revealed, having sought to usurp the throne for himself and return his house to its former glory. This led to his sacking by King Alexander on the 11th of August. Following this reveal, he along with all the males in his family were put to death. Sebastian was reportedly executed by firing squad at Witzwil Prison on the 19th of August 1748.
Early Life[]
Sebastian was born the 19th of May, 1696, to a wealthy family in Bucharest, which was governed by the Phanariotes, Greek administrators left to govern Wallachian provinces of the Ottoman Empire. Sebastian's affluence allowed Sebastian to pursue education at the University of Rome, seen as one of the finest institutions in Europe. During this time, the Spark family would rise to power in Romania, and eventually independence from the Ottoman Empire was declared, creating the Kingdom of Romania.
Sebastian's own uncle, Albertus Spark would rise to occupy the throne by the late 1720s, propelling Sebastian to political importance in his home nation. He would be appointed by his uncle as Governor of Yeddisan in 1733, at the age of 37. He would serve as Governor for the next 12 years, until the Kingdom of Romania was absorbed into the Ottoman Empire in 1745. As the Spark family was disenfranchised, Sebastian was able to live a life of relative ease in Budapest, where he relocated following the fall of Romania.
Career in Switzerland[]
Minister of State[]
In early 1748, Sebastian's younger step-sister, Genevieve de' Adelaide, was courting the King of the Swiss, Alexander I of Switzerland. After an illness the King named Genevieve as his regent, surprising many, who saw the inexperienced socialite as hardly that of a Queen-Regent. When Sebastian heard of his sister's relatively quick rise to power, he immediately arrived in Berne, where he would offer his services to his sister. His long time service as a career bureaucrat in Romania led the Queen-Regent to name him Minister of State, while Sir Richard Venables was named Minister of Defense and his brother Sir Mathieu Venables named Minister of Law. Sebastian continued to influence his sister, becoming the de-facto head of government during her time as regent.
His disenfranchisement and the allure of his past status as royalty led Sebastian to look past the opportunity he had to serve Switzerland, and he began an elaborate plot to seize control of the Swiss government, and usurp the throne for himself.
Coup attempt[]
A coup was planned, spearheaded by Sebastian, to seize control of Castle Koniz during one of Genevieve's balls, and to take the Queen-Regent, Minister of Defense, and Minister of Law into custody. Spark intended to have the Venables' extrajudicially executed by his soldiers, while his sister would be locked away. If Sebastian was able to take control of Koniz, he'd have the unconsious King, the Regent, as well as the entire government of Switzerland in his grasp.
The coup was foiled by the timely recovery of Alexander on the night of the Ball. Having failed to place his own paid off soldiers to capture the King, whom he assumed would not awaken during the coup attempt, the King's awakening placed he and his 200 man detail of the Alpen Guard outside the area that was being guarded by the 400 or so mercenaries paid by Spark. Envoys were sent down to Berne, which sent the remainder of the 1,200 Alpen Guards alongside nearly 3,000 Swiss regulars to re-take Koniz.
The force massacred the mercenaries, with the order to give no quarter having been initiated by the King. Spark was captured in the Ballroom, and surrendered to the Swiss loyalists, and was subsequently taken into custody at Witzwil Prison, while also being formally sacked by the King.
Eight days later, Sebastian, as well as all male members of the Spark family, were executed by firing squad at Witzwil Prison. King Alexander would subsequently break off his engagement to Genevieve, and send her away from Switzerland.