Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-04
THOSE REFUSED CROWNS.
Thrones lave Sometime Gone Begging For
Wsnt OF Monarchs.

1t is no mean distinction to have re-
fused a crown. There is probably not one
man in a million who would decline
kingdom if it were offered him, in spite
of the restless nights and fearful days
that are commonly supposed to be the lot
of a king. Even Cromwell is said to have
refused the crown of England more from
fear of others than from any other ma
tive. says the Philadelphia Times.
But there have been many men since
Cromwell who have refused to wear a
monarch's crown. Thirty-iive years ago
when the throne of Greece was vacant
more than one great English statesman
might have ruled over the destinies of
that classic country, but the difficulties
stones name was freely mentioned in
connection with the crown of Greece
though. as Mr.. Gladstone was Il member
of the government at the time. the pro-
poSal never took definite shape.
The late Lord Derby. however, who had
strong sympathies with Greece, was Of
fered the crown and refused it. throwing
away G5o.000 a year and a kingdom. 1t
was not the first time a man had declined
to sit on the throne of Greece Prince Leo
pold, the father of the present king of the
BcIGianS, having refused the crown when
Greece was declared Il kingdom in 1890
Prince LeOpold's reason for refusing the
crown was that the proposed boundaries
of the country were insufficient the ex-
c!usion of Crete especially influencing his
decision.
OllP III queen Victoria sons, the duke
OF Edinburgh, has also been offered the
Grecian crown. He WAS appealed to in
the btS, at the time Lord Derby refused
the crown, but was compelled to refuse
the offer owing to the attitude of the
powers, who strongly declared their oppo-
Sltion to Prince Alfred being crowned
king of the Greeks. The throne was then
offered to the present king. on whose be
nan II was accepted by his father, the
king of Denmark.
The crown, al Austria IJ,,1rorx- ,,,ae ,o
FUSED in the mid lie of the century by the
Archduke Franz Karl, the father of the
present emperor. King Ferdinand |. alb
Dictated in December 1StS the throne then
descending in the ordinary course to Arch
duke Franz Kari. The archduke how
ever, declined the crown. which he hand
ed over to his son. who still wears it
Another crown which has been more
than once refused is the crown of Rou-
mania. When Roumania was declared a
kln21om it was settled that the throne
should descend to Prince Leopold the cid
est brother of the then relgning king The
prince, however. voluntarily yielded his
rights to the crown in favor of his SON.
Prince Wilhelm. the remuneration being
REGISTERED IN the Senate in October 1880
Prince Wilhelm remained heir apparent
tor eight years. but toward the end of
ISIS he formally refused to accent the
crown. and his brother became heir APP
parent. being now prince of Roumana
The prince has since married Princess
Marie, granddaughter of Queen Vic
toria.
Not many years ago a nephew of the
great Napoleon died in exile. after refus-
ing crown. Prince Napoleon. nicknamed
ron Plon son of a brother of Napo-
leon Bonaparte. was invited to sit on the
throne of Roumania as the first king of
that country. but he declined the offer
peiieFlnS at the time that he might as
cend the throne of France. SO the bird
IN the hand flew away and the bird in the
push was never caught. The man who
mad hoped to be crowned king of France
dled out OF that country in solitary exile.
lie had sacrificed one crown in the hone
OF receiving another. and lost both
Early In the present century Ferdinand