Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1905-02-17
RISE OF MoNARcHs.
How Some of Them Gained TkeS
Lofty Places.


How some of Them Gained Their
Lofty Places.
The dynastic troubles OF the Kingdom
OF Servia, settled for, the time being by
the accession Of King Peter, are merely
the continuance OF n struggle between
swineherds. Both the founder OF the
present dynasty. Karageorge. and Of
the late dynasty. Hilosh Obrenovitch,
before their entry into the realm OF
high politics ministered to the needs
OF the humble porker, and that only
so recently as the beginning OF the last
century.
Somewhat more distinguished, but by
no means august. is the lineage OF the
king of Sweden. Oscar III. His line
goes no further back than 1918, to
Marshal Bernadotte, one OF Napoleon's
heDchmen. who was jumped into the
Swedish throne by his master on the
dethronement OF Gustavus Nv.
The throne of Bulgaria ia. OF course
of modern origin. Only in 1887 did
the present prince, Ferdinand of Co
burg, ascend the throne on the abdica-
ton Of Alexander Of Hesse, both entire
foreigners to Bulgaria.
King Leopold OF Belgium is an adj
mrable and popular monarch, but his
royal line only comes down from 1881,
when his father, prince OF SAKE
Coburg, was nominated king OF the
newly formed state Of Belgium.
Newer still is the origin of the royal
fn mil Of
the present dynasty assume power.
without having ever had the remotest
political connection with their subjects.
The present King George OF Greece is
the first king or his race and f. the
son OF the king Of Denmark. In 1858
the Greeks Were without Monarch
and almost unanimously elected for the
post Prince Alfred OF Great Britain,
the last Duke OF Saxe-Coburg. The
position was not, however, selected for
him by his august parents, ana so the
throne passed over the then Prince
George OF Sleswick- Ho,stein.
For an empire that dates back far be-
fore the Christian era. whose eiyinzs-
ton Is thousands of years okier than
our own. the Chinese dynasty IN little
more than n modern upstart, for the
Using family, who hold sway mt pres
ent. only came into power in. 1913 ana
were. from the Chinese mandarin point
OF view, vulgar usurpers OF Tnrtar ori-
gin.
The royal family OF Italy must also
be included in n list of newly made
place holders. Their tenure OF the crown
N fol doAA
Victor Emmanuel H.. king of Sardinia,
assumed it. Prior to that Victor was
the king only OF small territory.
which in turn his ancestor had secured
by exchange for Sicily, OF which be
was previously king. Before that Vie
tor Amadeus was merely Duke Of Sa-
voy. The rise OF the Savoy family
from obscure dukedom to the crown of
one of the great powers Is one OF the
phenomena of history and appeals
greatly TO the Imagination.
When it was announced that Queen
Wilhelmina of Holland would marry
Duke Henry OF Mecklenburg- Schwerin
opinion generally regarded Il rs an act
OF condescensfon on the part of her
majesty. The German prIncely family.
In their part, regarded IL as no small
condescension for one OF their stock to
unite himself with so comparatively
modern n royal family as that OF Hol-
land. for, while the Mecklenburgs
trace their descent to Genseric the Van
dial, who ravaged the western empire
In the fifth century, the Dutch royal
family of Orange only assumed the e.
tie OF king and royal rank in 1915. Be
fore that the Orange position was that
of stadt holder, kind OF presidential
office only.
Much Is heard of the glories Of the
Hohenzollern family. of which William
III. is the prevailing ornament. but only
In 1701 did the family attain kingly
rank. having previously held the OBJ
scure position Of margraves OF Bran
denburg, Obtained originally by pur-
chase In the fifteenth century. As every
body knows, the Hohenzollerns only
rose to imperial rank as German en-
perors after the war with France In
1871. 1t is Of course only to the credit
OF the Hohenzollerns that they have 80
raised themselves I'm the world and e.
therefore. self made monarchs, but Il
Is only fair 10 say that the majority OF
the obscure princes OF Germany cou
give them points in the matter OF line
age.-Pearson's Weekly.