Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-26
RoYALrY's MANY TITLES.
The Cars Autocracy; the Finest Pearl
Of the Age.

From Tit Bits.
If, as is reported, the Gar OF Russia IN
tends to abandon his title "Autocrat of all
the Russians" he will sacrifice the most ex-
allied of his many dignities, mere recital
Of which would fill half a column of Tit
Bits, and which are certainly numerous
enough to equip score OF reasonable po-
tentates.
But even the cars proud array of titles
cuts poor figure beside that of the Sui
tan Of Turkey, who In Turkish newspaper
was described not long ago in these ex-
travagant terms: THE Finest Pearl OF the
Age and the esteemed Center Of the Uni
verse. at whose grand portals stand the
camels or justice and mercy, and to whom
the eyes of the kings and people In the
west have been drawn, the rulers there find
ing an example of political prowess and the
classes a model of mercy and kindness: our
Lord and Master the Sultan of the two
Shores and the High King of the two Seas,
the Crown of Ages and the Pride of all
Countries. the greatest of all Khalffs. the
Sha dow Of God on Earth. the successor OF
the Apostle of the Lord of the Universe,
the Victorious Conquerer (Al-GhazD Sultan
Abdul-Hanlid Khan. May God protect his
Kingdom and place his glory above the sun
and the moon, and may the Lord supply
all the world with the goodness which pro-
ceeds from his Holy Majestys good inten-
TONS
have actually claimed to be divine; among
them the kings of Ava and of Ceylon, each
of whom was called God" His Majesty Of
Ava, whatever his virtues, did not set an
example of modesty to his subjects, for in
his letters to his fellow sovereigns he spoke
of himself as king of kings. whom ali
others must obey. as he is the cause OF
preservation of all animals the regulator
of the seasons, the absolute master of the
ebb and flow of the sea, brother to the sun
and king of the four nd-twenty umbrel-
las"
One cannot help wondering what use a
monarch who had such absolute control
over the weather could possibly have even
for single umbrella, to say nothing of his
liberal allowance of twenty-four. The royal
umbrellas were, however, no doubt orna-
mental and symbolic of his dignity. The
kandyan monarch, equally lacking in hui
mility, described himself as 1.-The protector
of religion, whose fame is infinite and Of
surprising excellence, exceeding the moon,
the unexpanded jessamne buds, and the
stars, whose feet are as fragrant to the
noses of other kings as flowers to bees
most noble patron and God by CUSTOM
etc.
Some of the early Roman emperors also
ferred to as holy. and their subjects
addressed them by such titles as Your
Eternity" Your Perpetuity." An edict
of Arcalius and Honorius runs thus: Let
the officers of the palace be warned to alb
stain from frequenting tumultuous meet
ings; and those who, instigated by a sac
religious temerity, dare to oppose the au-
thority of our divinity. shall be deprived
of their employments. and their estates con-
fiscated"
The Shah of Persia has an amazing ar
ray of titles, ranging from Shad-in-Shah
(King of Kings to such poetical attributes
as 1.-The Rose of Delight" THE Branch of
Honor" and THE Mirror Of Virtue" while
His Majesty of Arracan used to be pro-
of the White elephant and the two ear
rings, and In virtue of this possession lesit-
innate Heir of Pegu and Drama, Lord of the
Twelve Provinces Of Bengal and the Twelve
Kings who place their heads under his
feet"
The King of Achem boosted almost as
many high dignities as there are days in
a year, among them 1.-THE Sovereign of the
Universe, whose body is luminous as the
sun; whom God created to be as accom-
pl1shed as the moon at her plentitude
whose eye gltters like the northern star
king as spiritual as a ball IS round
who, when he rises, shades all his people,
and from under whose feet sweet odor is
waited But perhaps the most remark
own was one borne by the King of Mono
motapa, whose praises were sung by his
court poets and musicians as Lord Of the
Sun and Moon Great Magician and Great
Thief
In instructive contrast to the extravaganza
pretensions of eastern monarchs are the
relatively modest titles of European kings
who, with few exceptions, have been con-
tent to be addressed your highness,
your grace or your majesty" Until
Henry VIII too his seat on the throne my
liege' and your grace" were the usual
forms OF royal address, varied by such rare
descriptions as most high and mighty
prince the ''king's excellent grace but
such descriptions did not satisfy the vanity
of the eighth Henry, who insisted on being
addressed as your majesty," and was even
spoken to as dread sovereign In the ded-
ication of our Bible James I appears as
most dread sovereign" although few
lines later the address declines to your
highness.' Today the greatest monarch the
world has ever known Is equally content
whether addressed as your majesty or
sir