Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-21
VACANT THRONES.
Crowns and Scepters That Have Been
offered Without Takers.

From London Tit-Bits.
ut is a privilege" wrote Disraeli, a good
many years ago. Ito live in this age of
rapid and brilliant events 1t Is one of in
finite romance. Thrones tumble down and
crowns are offered like a fairy taIe;" and
one Is reminded by the fact that Norway
Is at the moment of writing on the look
out for a king, and has already encountered
one refusal that our own generation is no
whit behind its predecessors in this feature
of romance.
When Disraeli wrote these words it was
the crown of Greece that was going
a-begging. Greece was thoroughly sick of
Ohio and his pampered Bavarans and de-
termined to have king who understood at
least the elements Of fair government
Ohio was dismissed, and the choice of his
successor fell on our own Prince Alfred,
Duke OF Edinburgh, to whom the crown
was offered. But the three protecting
powers, England. France and Russia had
bound themselves not to allow any one
connected with their ruling families to be-
come King of Greece, and the prince was
thus obliged to decline the aIluring bait
The Greeks then transferred their offer
of sovereignty to Lord Stanley, son of the
great statesman and brother of the earl of
today. 1T Is a dazzling adventure for the
house of Stanley wrote Disraeli at the
time; but they are not an imaginative
race. and I fancy they will prefer Knows
ley to the Parthenon. and Lancashire to
the Attic plains. l think he ought to take
the crown. but he will not. Had 1 his
youth 1 would not hesitate, even with the
earldom in the distance" But the young
lord refused to be tempted and after further
refusals a king was found for Greece in
Prince William of Schleswig Holstein,
second son Of the King OF Denmark. who
as King George Is reigning today. A gem
Grafton earlier still the Grecian throne was
raf nv Prince I.pOnOd of Saye-(,OhOrfv
father Of the present King OF Belgium
When Isabelle II was driven from the
throne of Spain 1t was almost literally
hawked around Europe In search OF a
prince willing to sit on it. 1t was offered
first to one scion Of royalty and then to
another-only to be declined by all. Its
offer to Leopold of ACCOMPLISHMENTS
gen was the cause of the terrible war be-
tween France and Prussia; and 1t was only
when Amadeus, second son of the King of
Italy, was approached that an occupant
was at last found. in 1870. Amadeus, how
ever, found the crown too burdensome for
his tastes, and he resigned II thankfully
after having worn 1t for three years. when
it was accepted by Alfonso XII. the young
son of the exiled Isabella.
In 1886, when Prince Car. man of
odious character, was forced to abandon the
throne Of Roumania, 1t was with the ut
most difficulty that successor was found.
Prince Jerome, who had an eye TO that
much more valuable prize the crown of
France would not even look at 1t, In spite
of the pleading and pressure of his ex-
allied relatives: other polite but decided re-
fusals followed, until 1t began to seem prob
able that the crown would never get head
to wear it. AT last, however. Prince Charles
of Hohenzollern wavered and yielded. and
was proclaimed hospodar OF Roumania in
April, 1866 Fifteen years later he was pro-
NOTED to a kingship and wore a crown
made from the captured cannon Of the
P,evna redoubts
The crown of Bulgaria has also suffered
the indignity of refusal on more than one
occasion. When Prince Alexander of Bat
tenberg, after his brief and troubled tenure
of the throne, was compelled to resign it.
it was offered to Prince Valdemar OF Den
mark brother-in-law of the car. who de-
clined 1t with thanks. whereupon deputa-
ton went on tour Of the capitals OF
Europe with the object of finding prince
who wouldn't mind accepting crown. The
journey was Ruthless: but finally. In 1887.
the perseverance of the Grand Sobranye
was rewarded. when Prince Ferdinand OF
Saxe-Coburg-G signified his willingness
to take the despised emblems Of SOW
ereignty.
These are but a few examples Of crowns
that have gone a-begging. only to have
the cold shoulder of refusal turned on
them; one of the most recent cases being
that OF the Dukedom of Saxe-Coburg. which
was refused by the Duke OF Connaught for
himself and his son before 1t was accepted
by the youthful Duke OF Albany.