New-York tribune., 1901-07-08
KING EDWARDS TITLE.
understood

Mr.. Chamberlain's proposal to change the for
NAL title Of King Edward so as better to indi-
cate his sovereignty over the whole British En-
plre is a reasonable one, and need not be re-
garded as in the least sensational. The world
became accustomed during the long reign of
Queen Victoria to the royal title as we now
know ii. and wellnigh forgot that that title had
hitherto been subject TO frequent changes. In
deed, 1t was notably changed in Victoria's reign.
And beyond doubt the political changes and de-
velopments of that reign have given ample
cause for further altera ations Of the title. What
the new style will be is not vet disclosed but it
is to be assumed that it will be chosen with
logical discretion, ittingly to serve the
ends in view.
1t is an interesting fact that William the Con-
queror. who of all British sovereigns might most
logically have assumed despotc title, chose to
be called by the particularly liberal one of King
of the English, and the same style was retained
by his two sons and nephew, who followed him
upon the throne. The title King of England
was adopted by the first of the Planta genets,
and was retained unchanged down TO Henry
VIII, but With the addition of various others.
Stephen Duke Of Normandy, Henry ii was
also Duke of Aqutaine and John added the
title of Lord of Ireland. Henry III late in his
reign dropped the Norman title and called him
self King Of England, Lord of Ireland and Duke
of Aquitaine. This style renamed unchanged
until Edward III dropped Duke of Aquitane''
and put in its place king of France" Henry
Heir and Regent" instead of king" of
France. but Henry VI restored the former style.
which was then retained until Henry VIII made
the most sweeping Of all changes.
Down TO the last named all soveregns had
used Latin titles Henry VIII was the first to
al or Erol licb nd ha eIf of
England and France, Defender of the Faith,
Lord of Ireland, etc, and was, by the way, the
first English sovereign who bore the title of
Majesty" The title Defender of the Faith.
which now indicates the sovereign's opposition
10 Roman Catholicism and his support of Prot
estantism, was bestowed upon Henry VIII by
the Pope in token of that sovereign's loyalty to
Rome. Mary assumed the title of Queen of
Jerusalem. etc, in accordance with the style of
her Spanish husband. Elizabeth was simply
Queen of England, France and Ireland, De-
fender of the Faith James I and his Stuart
successors kept the title unchanged, save by the
insertion of Scotland" after England" Anne
was Queen Of Great Britain, France and Ireland,
and the first two Georges simply added the
titles of Duke Of Brunswick-Luneburg and Elec-
tor of Hanover. George III began the nine
teenth century by changing the title. ireland
was then united with Great Britain, and the
fiction of French sovereignty was dropped and
so he became by the grace of God, of the
united Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
king Defender of the Faith" And so it stood
until the beginning of 1877 when Victoria added
Empress of India"
1t certainly seems fitting and desirable that
some recognition should be made of the rest of
the empire over which the King is sovereign.
especially Of important parts Canada.
South Africa and Australia. Other monarchs are
inclined to magnify instead of to minimize their
dignities by retaining all which their ancestors
boasted, no matter how obsolete. Thus the En-
peror of Austria is King of Jerusalem Grand
Duke Of Tuscany. Duke of Lorraine of Modena