Agostinho III of Jungastia

Agostinho III (full name Agostinho Fernando Luís Maria Victor Miguel Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Xavier) is the reigning monarch of the Jungastian State. He succeeded his father Henrique IX as the 43rd ruling Jungastian monarch from the House of Placeholder on Accession Day, 20 August 2013, being crowned at Catedral de Nossa Senhora de São Jorge on January 2nd 2014. His official style is His Most Faithful Majesty, Agostinho III.

Early Life
Agostinho was born at the University Medical Centre in São Jorge where the royal family were visiting the city to watch the (Jungastia Day ) parade. the family stayed longer than usual to allow his mother to recover, and arrived back in the capital on 15th March. As follows royal tradition Agostinho was christened at the in the Catedral de Nossa Senhora do Rosário de Brandão by the Royal Chaplain Belmiro Cabral. From his birth Agostinho was her to the throne, and as such his upbringing was very much a public affair, with the royal family remaining living at the Palácio Nacional in Santo André

Crown Prince Agostinho, at the age of three began his education initially with the help of tutors in the Palace and then to the Royal Armada School age six. He was educated normally with his cohort through both his primary and secondary education cycles. While at the school he was an active member of the rowing team, and later in the yacht team, following his father. Leaving the School with a National Examination System score of 407/500, putting him in the top 20% of his cohort. He then went on to read Philosophy at the University of São Jorge where he was to meet his future wife Izeba of Boaga and then graduating with a First Class degree, Agostinho joined the Jungastian Royal Navy at the Santa Helena Naval Officer College graduating and joining the Coastal Fleet aged 22.

For the following five years he served initially for three of those years on coastal border patrol boats, before moving on to serve his final two years on board NSM Santa Helena as a navigator, on both Pearl Sea and Conventic Patrols.

As time went on, and as heir to the throne, Agostinho was expected to take up more and more royal duties, and at age 27 was - in royal terms - leaving it late to be wed, and produce an heir himself. He retired from active service on his birthday in 2013.

Ascension and Coronation
Following the untimely death his father Henrique IX, Agostinho became King. His Coronation was a massive international event, with Monarchs, Presidents, and dignitaries from around the world descending on what is essentially a small university town, São Jorge. Indeed the mountain town has been the location of the coronation of every House of Braganza-Alentejo monarch.

The main issue, certainly in the media, was the unwed nature of the new King. His future consort was present at the ceremony as a representative of her unwell father.

Marriage
It was clear that Izeba and Agostinho’s relationship was becoming more serious with her being a constant presence at court and the Royal palaces. The announcement of the engagement came in January 2014, and the wedding was planned for the September.

In the intervening months Agostinho settled into his role as monarch, and - much like his late father - was a regular sight walking the streets of cities in the country, and often travelling not using the Royal Train, but ordinary services.

The Wedding, whilst thought initially would be a large affair of state, was small in its scope, not being live televised, and only family members being invited to the ceremony, which Izeba’s father Gozo III of Boaga managed to - despite significant illness - walk her down the aisle.

Official Duties
Agostinho as Monarch is fundamentally the figurehead of both the state and of the people. Though the nature of Jungastia’s unwritten constitution means that there are many powers that the King holds officially but is legally, not constitutionally restricted from using.

One of the roles at the heart of the monarch’s job is the promulgation of laws, as a formality, and the meeting with ministers and diplomats at regular intervals, normally weekly. In this sense Agostinho - much more than his strong willed father - functions as a counsellor to government and ambassadors.

In Many situations, it is the Monarch who facilitates coalition buildings, but using the formal rules of the privy council to avoid any sabotage or leaking of meetings and developments. The rule of law states that if no government can be formed, it is the King’s job to appoint a caretaker administration from the Civil Service and Military, and an election must be called. However who is appointed to that caretaker administration is left to the monarch’s discretion on advice from his counsellors.

The King is, as papal appointment, the head of the church in Jungastia, and as such carries the Style of Bishop of Santo André as well as Most Faithful Majesty. The Appointment as Bishop, is now purely nominal and honourific, but when originally assigned it did carry many pastoral and spiritual responsibilities. As Monarch also, His Majesty is the commander of the Jungastian Armed Forces and Chair of the National Orders of Jungastia.