Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1893-04-27
THE MECHANICS OF KINGS.
An Idea of what Kings Have Been Like
by studying Their Mechanics.

ROYAL peculiarities are noted in a
curious way by history and onc can
get a good idea of what the various
kings have been Ike by studying the
nicknames given to them.
Once upon a time there were four
kings named Boleslas. who reigued
over Poland at different times, and al
though 10 one might care to study the
history Of Poland 10 find out about
them, history sums up in a word the
characteristics Of each. The first was
the Lion-Hearted, like the famous En-
glish Richard; the second was the In
trepid, while the third and fourth were
entirely different men, being the Wry-
Mouth aud the Curled. There you
have an idea of the four Polish Boies-
laSes. To learn further what other
varieties of kings ruled Poland in by
gone DAYS one need but run over the
list and find the Pacific, the Careless,
The just, the White, the Black and the
Short. These names are suggestive in
many ways, for they afford an insight
into the history of the times as well as
describing the mouarchs. When Aus
tria was only a dukedom there were
three rulers who won for themselves
the respective titles of Catholic, Clio
rious and Warlike.
France has had a most wonderful as
sortment of kings. One has been the
Little and another the Bold. One was
the Stammerer, another Simple, while
a third and fourth were Indolent and
Fair. This is a very quick way of get
ting a broad idea of history. France
has been a see-saw nation--frst up,
then down, and its position may be
reckoned 10y the kings it had. One
was Saint Louis, and another was the
Hutin, meaning "headstrong or mu-
tinous." Another king was The Long.
while his successors were Handsome,
Fortunate. Good, Wise. Beloved and
Affable. France must surely have
been on the top then and have pro-
crossed further when two kings were
respectively called the Father of His
People and the Father of Letters.
We know English history better
than any other probably and can re-
call what was accomplished by Alfred
the Great, Edward the Confessor, Will
lam the Conqucror. and Richard C9ur
de Lion. The English did not give
many Of their kings nickDames. how
ever, leaving their doings to speak for
themselves.
Denmark has had a most curious
array of sovereigns-the Blue-Tooth.
torked-Beard. Single, Hungry, Hare
soot, Lamb, Pious and Cruel being
among them.
Some of the early kings Of France
already mentioned ruled over Ger
many at n time when there was no
division, but when there was a sepa-
rate German nation the rulers gained
many curious titles. Fat was one and
BIND another. Also the Child, the
Fowler. Then Blood. Red, Black, Su.
peru and Sharp, while one king is par.
tlcularly described as the HOLY and
Lame.
The rulers of the provinces that now
make up Spain had a number of kincs
called Great and Catholic. Then they
Also had the Monk and Gouty and in
Guided others who were Intirm. Rad
Noble, Strong, Valiant, Gracious
Slckly, lmpotent, Beneficent and Ger
emonions. Ferdinand ILL.,, of Leon
and CASTLE was the Saint and HOLY.
hungary has her rulers described A
SAINT, German. Thunder. Venetian
Great and a King Mary. who was prob
ABLY the only who ever had a
IKE title. Over Portugal reicned the
Eat, Idle, African and Great and Per-
feet.
The people of Russia have generally
a a hard time of it. We realize this
to-day, and the names given to their
kings show the reason therefor. None
was Good. Wise or just, though there
was Peter the Great, who did ali he
could to help his country. But how
could a nation progress with ruler,
who gained the titles of Terrible. I'M
poster. Proud, Lightfoot. Grim, Fierce
and Lion?
SO 1t is all through history, and the
names that tae kings have gained for
themselves tell in a manner the story
oil their " lives and the state of ths
countries over which tbev r,toI -