Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-21
SOME CHIEF RULERS AGES,
Very Young and Very Old Sovereign
and Middle-Aged Presidents,


and Mfddle-Aged Presidents.
From the New York Sun.
This is an era Of very young or very old
hereditary rulers. About the only men Of
middle age who are at the head Of govern
ments are the presidents Of republics. The
postponement Of the festivities which usu-
ally accompany the celebration of the
queens birthday in Holland and which
Were omitted this year in consequence of
the defeat Of the Dutch troops at Lom-
book recalls this fact to mind The queen
of Holland was born on August 81 1850.
and is therefore. only fourteen years old
The hereditary monarch of Spain is still
younger, a boy born On May IL, 1856 and,
therefore, eight years old. The khedive of
Egypt Is just twenty and the Emperor of
emma, who has come prominently To notice
of late in consequence OF the hostilities in
Corea, was born in 1871. The King of Ser
via was eighteen years of age In August
The King OF Portugal is thirty-one; the
Grand Duke OF Hesse is twenty-six; the
Prince Of Bulgaria is thirty-three, and the
Emperor Of Germany is thirty-five.
On the other hand, Queen Victoria was
horn In May, 1878, and is, therefore severn
ty-fve years Of age, having been queen
ffty-seven years, q remarkably long time
for a modern monarch. The king OF Dem
mark, Christian TX, is a year older, having
been born in April, 1918. The Grand Duke
of Neutrality-suspicious. and the Grand
Duke of Saxe-Weimar were born in ISIS
The Bey OF Tunis is still older having been
born in 1917. but this does not altogether
complete the list of foreign monarchs past
middle age. The King of Sweden is sixty
five; the Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria
was born in August, 1885, and is. therefore
siXty-four. The King of Saxony is sixty
six, the Grand Duke OF Baden is sixty-eiyht
the Shah of Persia is sixty-three and the
King of Belgium is in his sixtieth year
In times rel
have been represented during their minority
by regents, a fruitful cause of strife and
intrigue, whereas elderly rulers have usu-
ally fallen under the control of prime min
listers and have had. therefore, only the
semblance Of political power. In the pres
ent generation. however. the rule of elderly
kings and queens or the rule. by proxy of
minors, has not been fruitful of any serious
difficulty or complications.
one former ruler whose reign is at an
end Is Liliuokalani Of Hawaii. who is lit
tie more than year younger than her
great and good friend, Grover Cleveland
twenty-fourth President of the United
States. She was born in September, ISIS
and he In March, 1887. He was born in
New Jersey.
The present Emperor Of Russia was born
In 1916. King Humbert OF Italy in 1874, the
Emperor 81 Japan in 1872 the King of
Greece in 1S45. and the Sultan Of Turkey I'm
lsi2 The new president OF France is a
young man. The King of Corea is forty
three.
1t may be stated as a general thing that
claimants to European thrones live longer
than these who actually attain to kingly
power. Don Carlos is forty-sx and the
Prince Victor Bonaparte is thirty-two
Pope Leo NH, the Oldest living sovereign.
is eighty-four. and Alphonso XIII of Spain
Is. as already said, eight.
There are no known pretenders 10 Asiatic
or African thrones. titles or authority for
the very simple reason that I'm those coun
tries II has been for long years customary
to decapitate a pretender in testimony Of
the better title Of his successful rival