▁brother - in - law , ▁Frederick ▁Charles ▁of ▁H esse , ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁King ▁of ▁Finland . ▁M anner heim ' s ▁rapport ▁with ▁the ▁Al lies ▁was ▁recognized ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁when ▁the ▁Finn ish ▁government ▁sent ▁him ▁to ▁Britain ▁and ▁France ▁to ▁attempt ▁to ▁gain ▁Britain ' s ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States ' s ▁recognition ▁of ▁Finland ' s ▁independence . ▁In ▁December , ▁he ▁was ▁sum mon ed ▁back ▁to ▁Finland ; ▁Frederick ▁Charles ▁had ▁ren ounced ▁the ▁throne , ▁and ▁in ▁his ▁stead , ▁M anner heim ▁had ▁been ▁elected ▁Reg ent ▁of ▁the ▁nas cent ▁kingdom . ▁As ▁Reg ent , ▁M anner heim ▁often ▁signed ▁official ▁documents ▁using ▁K ust aa , ▁the ▁Finn ish ▁form ▁of ▁his ▁Christian ▁name , ▁to ▁emphas ize ▁his ▁Finn ish ness ▁to ▁those ▁who ▁were ▁susp icious ▁of ▁his ▁background ▁in ▁the ▁Russian ▁armed ▁forces , ▁and ▁his ▁difficulties ▁with ▁the ▁Finn ish ▁language ▁M anner heim ▁dis lik ed ▁his ▁last ▁Christian ▁name , ▁Emil , ▁and ▁wrote ▁his ▁signature ▁as ▁C . G . ▁M anner heim , ▁or ▁simply ▁M anner heim . ▁Among ▁his ▁relatives ▁and ▁close ▁friends ▁M anner heim ▁was ▁called ▁Gust af . ▁ ▁M anner heim ▁secured ▁recognition ▁of ▁Finn ish ▁independence ▁from ▁Britain ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁after ▁he ▁had ▁confirmed ▁a ▁new , ▁republic an ▁constitution , ▁M anner heim ▁stood ▁as ▁a ▁candidate ▁in