The sun., 1903-06-12
KING ALEXANDERS RULE.
Only II When Milan Abdtcate ed-His VIII
. Lady in Waiting-Many Scandals.

q Lady In WaitinS-Many scandals.
King Alexander l. OF Servia was in his
twenty year and had held the
! throne since 1885, when his father abdicated
and left his son to succeed him under the
regency OF thrce Minister'S His life was
| full OF incident and adventure that would
| have been romantic but for his moral de-
! pravity. This he inherited in full from
| his father. King Milan, who bore'the worst
| possible reputation
| Milan entered into reckless dissipation
in his youth and continued it even after
he wss forced to abdicate He married
Natalie Keschko, a Russian. in 1875 and
their domestic life was anything but happy.
The Queen was considered dissolute in
her own kingdom, and by other European
monarchs she was openly and repeatedly
snubbed. The royal couple were finally
separated after years Of domestic pickering
The scandal shocked all Europe, and
Mlan's treatment OF his wife, whose popu-
larity grew as years went on. added to the
general disgust
Alexander. their son. inherited all the
loose morals and reckessness OF his father
ard an ungovernable temper from his
mother. He was born in Belgrade, Aug
H. 1879, and received his education there
according to the system OF the German
gymnasium.
When Queen Natalie left her husband
she went to Wiesbaden. taking her son
with her. but King Milan contrived to
regain possession Of him and had him sent
back TO Servia.
Soon after that time Milan was forced to
abdicstc. He had rashly plunged the
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beaten. discomfort began TO show itself
and 10 save his throne for his descendants.
he abdcated in 1899 in favor Of his son.
declaring that he would remain Commander
in Bhief Of the army, He was also glad to
give up the responsibility Of being the head
Of the Government in order 70 60 to Paris
and lead gay life, as he had done fire.
quently before.
The regency Of three appointed as guar
dians Of the Young King practically con-
trolled the government. The Radicals
also gained majority in the National
Assembly ond formed the Cabinet. Fac
tional troubles made the first few years Of
Alexander's reign exceedingly stormy.
In 1892 the three Regents dissolved the
Cabinet, and new one. composed Of Lib
erals, came in
The King. in the meantime, had revealed
signs Of remarkable intellectual precocity
and grew weary Of the restraint Of his
guardians. The country was on the verge
Of an uprising and the situation had become
almost intolerablc. So. in 1909, Alexander
took matters into his own hands,
Probably acting on the advice nj his
father. who had kept himself in close touch
with the political affairs Of the kingdom.
the young King, then only II years old,
decided to save the dynasty. He declared
himself Of age. took away the power Of the
Regents and took the rens Of power.
He appointed a Cabinet. made up mostly
Of moderate Radicals. and his action nearly
precipated a revolution. Such distur-
hancee arose that, in 1894. the King recalled
his father from exile, but as nobody had
any respect for Milan, his help was Of but
little consequence.
The same year Alexander appointed a
called non-partisan Cabinet and his
father again became head Of the army,
an act which caused Russia to break o II
diplomatic relations with Servia in 1898.
In 1894 The King also annulled the new
Constitution and rcestablished that of
1895, giving himself more power. But
discomfort and Threatened uprisings caused
another change to freer constitutional
government in 1897
Milan and his son had too many charao-
teristics in common to get on we'll together,
however, 40 Milan. who had arranged some
sort Of reconciliation with Queen Natalie.
once more went to the gambling resorts
tria in 1901. Queen Natalie is still alive,
and ia living outs ide Of the kingdom.
One Of the callses of the break between
father and con was the Kings hetrothal
and marriage to Draga Maschin in 1900
man da h aFTfss foPs aanss S4s sn Alliances
between the King and several Princesees
were frowned upon and refused by the
royal families OF the courts Of Europe
There was even talk of his marrying an
american girl IN the more sensational
Draga Maschin, whom he finally married.
was the widow of Servian officer and
was twelve years older than the King: She
was introduced at the court of King Milan,
her that she made her lady in waiting.
She was we'll educated, an accomplished
linguist and we'll known for her wit and
social diplomacy.
King Alexander's liking for Nine Mas
chin was we'll known for long time in
court circles, but the announcement Of his
betrothal to- her, in 1900, came as a great
sensation. The Servian Ministry declared
the proposed marriage preposterous and a
menace to The State, and promptly resigned.
F6-hlER mlld1l nedTQ me news IN I dTlB-
bad and Immediately resigned his post
a. Comma nder-in- Chief of the army. He
aleo started at once for Belgrade. but the
young King showed his spirit by sending
off12ers 10 the frontier to prevent his fathers
return. and organized a new Ministry.
King Alexander paid no attention TO
opposition and married Nine. Maschin in
Belgrade on Aug. 5. 1900. Though the
marriage had been violently opposed by
officials Of the Government. the people ap-
parently had no objection and heartily
oheered the. bridal party. The King took
the precaution, however, to line the streets
with troops.
The marriage Of King Alexander and
Queen Draga led to manv scandals and
auarrels In the royal household. For a
while the domestic affairs of the King
dropped from public attention. until early
in 1901, II was rumored that an heir was
expected to the Servian throne. In May
Of the same year it was announced that
the report was without foundation. There
was q scandal ard the Queen was accused
Of wilful deception. 1t was also said that
she had attempted to fcist upon the country
a bogus heir, but this was officially denied.
II was said that the King was furious
with his wife, and public opinion was di-
vided a. to whether she was suffering from
hysteria or had attempted TO dupe the
King. II was also said that the King in
tended to apply to the Holy Synod for a
diy0rOo h,,t hn 4