Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-21
CROWNED HEADS.
The Countries Of Europe and Their
Rulers.

hS SOuutfhcS VI Europe o0Q Inclx
Rulers.
From the San Francisco News Letter
Her Majesty Queen Victoria, queen of Great
Britain and Ireland and empress of India. has
attained her sixty-ninth year, having been born
at kensington palace on the oath Of May, 1919.
II she attains the age of her grandfather.
George III. she will WELD the sceptre (acci-
dents excepted) up to the next century. -Four
only OF the sovereigns of England have attained
an age exceeding that of Queen Victoria they
being Ellzabeth. who lived seventy years:
George III, seventy-seven years: George Ill.
elghty-two years, and William ", seventy-,wo
years. On the 10th of June last Queen Victoria
had reigned over the United Kingdom for fifty.
one years. period which has been exceeded
by two only of the monarchs of England, viz.
Henry III. who reigned for ffty-six years. and
George III, whose reinp lasted Cor nearly sixty
years. queen Nictori~is also the oldest reign.
ing European sovereign, with two exceptions.
they being William LII. king Of the Neither
lands, who is over seventy-one wears of age.
and Christian TX, king of Denmark. who is
over seventy years. Queen Victoria was pro-
claimed empress of India in 1877. II the queen
should survive until the next century, and her
son. the Prince of Wales. become king (sav in
1901. he will then have attained the ripe age
OF sixty years.
The king of the Belgians, Leopold III. q
nfty,three years old, and if he should reign
until he reaches the age at which his fathe,
dled, he will be king up TO the year 1910.
He has been on the throne twenty-three years
The emperor of Austria, Francis Joseph. il
ffty-elght years OF age. and has worn the
imperial crown for forty years. His predeces.
sor was his uncle, who abdicated the throne.
when ffty-ive years old in favor Of his ne.
phew. because he was tired of the turmoil and
trouble. Francis Joseph is a polished scholar
a hnguist. an equestrian, an admirer of mill
tary pomp. and a charmer. He is also the
most accessible to his subjects of any of the
European sovereigns. The emperor is healthy
and bids fair to reign for a long time to come
The emperor of Russia, Alexander Ill, il
forty-three years old, and assembled the throne
after the murder of his father, seven year,
ago.
The king of Italy, Humbert the First. il
forty-four years of age, and has worn the
crown since the death of his father, ten year
since. He is but the second of the kings oil
United Italy, and his throne is in the eterna
city of Rome.
The king of Denmark. Christian TX. is sew
enty years of age, year older than Queer
Victoria, and is the second oldest monarch il
Europe. He has welded the scepter for
quarter of a century, or just half as long a
the British queen. One of his daughters il
the wife of the Russian czar another of then
Is wife Of the heir-apparent to the British
crown; and his second son is king of Greece.
The king of Sweden and Norway, Oscar ii
Is In his sixtieth year, and has reigned for l6
years. He is fairly liberal monarch, and hai
favored some reforms during his reign.
The king of Portugal, Luis 1, is fifty years
old, and is man of enterprise and progress
He has been for 20 years king.
The power and authority of the king Of
Spain. AlphonZo XIII, who is now two year
old, is limited by the regency Of his mother
and government of his nurse. He never saw
his royal sire.
The king of Greece. or king of the Hellenes
Georgios 1, is forty-three years Of age, and ha
been king for quarter of a century. or sine,
he was eighteen. at which age he was electet
to the Hellenic throne. He finds it trouble
some task to rule the modern Greeks or keel
their favor
The sovereign or sultan Of Turkey. Abdu
Ha1nid Ill. Is forty-six years old, and succeeded
to the throne twelve years ago. when the sultal
who preceded him was deposed. He is tn,
twenty-elghth sultan since the conquest Of
Constantinople by the Turks.
The king of the Netherlands, William III.
scion of the royal house of Orange, is tn,
oldest monarch in Europe, being seventy-on,
Years of age. and entered upon the forfeit
year OF his reign on the 18th of March last
The king of Roumania, Carol 1, is forty-nin
years OF age, and was proclaimed king onl,
seven years ago, but for fourteen years befor
that time he had been chief of the Roumanisns
l..
and was crowned only six years ago, but befor
that he had held the throne for fourteen year
by election, as Prince Milan Obrenovich w. H
is the fourth of his dynasty since Servia thre,
off the Turkish yoke in 1929. His predecesso
was assassinated. At present he is seeking
divorce from his queen, Nathalie. She seem
resolved either to share his throne or pull
from under him.
The reigning prince of Montenegro is Niche
las /, who is forty-seven years old and ha
reigned for twenty-eight years.
In Germany there are three kings and
grand duke, besides the emperor of German
and the king of Prussia, who are one. Their
are the king of Bavaria, the king of Wurtem
burg, and the king of Saxony, and the reignin
grand duke of Baden. The present emperor O
Germany is William ii, who has recently az
cended the throne occupied during the presen
Twenty-Five wears Of age. His addresses to tn
army and navy, made since his accession woul
indicate that he will be asoldier-emperor If oc
casion should demand it. At present. however
William reigns, but Bismarck governs.
There are at present in Europe two kingles
countries-France and Switzerland. Both thes
countries seem to get along very well and kee
their position without the guidance of king
and emperors. The president of the Frencl
republic, M. Carnot, is fifty-one years of age
and was elected to Office in December last a
successor to NJ. Grevy. He is a graduate O
the polytechnic school IN Paris, and held varl
Gus offices before his election as president
There are over Ss, OOO, 900 people in the Frenc
republic.
In the republic of Switzerland the highes
official Of the government is the president o
the federal council. whb is elected by the fed
eral assembly, which meets at Berne. He hold
office for the term of one year, and enjoys
salary of $4,000 per year. president in Swift
zerland is not eligible for reelection until
year after his term of Office. In addition +
sustaining the sovereigns, with their familie
and courts, the people Of the kingdoms an
empires of Europe are, as it were, compelle
to support monstrous system of aristocracy
as wherever there is a monarchy there must o
necessity be an aristocracy, the one being es
sential to uphold the other.
KEEPING FLOWERS.
How They Nav he Prpsorvod In ali Thai