Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-29
King Christian of Denmark,

Christian TX of Denmark whose death is
announced today by cable was the grand
old man" of European royalty. He had
come to be known as the "father-in-law OF
EUROPE so numerous are the titles of high
station borne by his children. One son is
King OF Greece; one daughter is queen con-
sort of England: another daughter is en-
press dowager of Russia: grandson is
Gar OF Russia and another is King of Nor
way; daughter is Duchess of Cumberland;
a granddaughter is wife of the Prince OF
Sweden. whose right to accession ranks
next to that of the crown prince Other
sons and daughters and grandchildren have
married into the royal and princely families
of Germany until 1t Is difficult to trace the
relationships of the members OF this inter-
estins group of men and women. The fam
lily reunions at Copenhagen, with sometimes
half a hundred present. of all ages, have
for years been regarded as among the
most extraordinary gatherings in history,
considering the influence welded by the
OFFSPRING of King Christian in the manage
ment OF the affairs of the old world
Christian TX was not in the direct line of
succession to the Danish throne. He was
not himself connected with the house of
Oldenburg, which had reigned uninter-
ruptedly since the accession of Christian 1
IN HAS. In 1852 the powers of Europe took
cognizance of the fact that Frederik VII
the reigning King of Denmark, was with
out direct heirs and that with his death
the succession would lapse Prince Chris
tian of Schleswig Holstein Sonderburg =
Glucksburg had married Princess Louise of
Hesse-Cassel, niece of Christian VIII of
Denmark, predecessor Of Frederik VII
and upon him the choice of the powers fell
A treaty was signed in May, 1852, to this
effect, and King Frederik a year later
signed formal act of the Danish Diet rati-
flying the choice. Frederik VII died Novem-
Der 10, 1853, and Christian TX assembled the
throne passing from comparative poverty
for the seions of prnceiy houses are not
supplied overabundantly with cash-to
position of affiuence and power 1t is re-
lated that when word was received by
Prince Christian, early in 1863, that his eid-
est laughter, Alexandra, had been selected
as the wife of the Prince of Wales the
ia mily was living in a very modest house
in Copenhagen, with so small margin over
their actual needs that the wife and daugh-
ters managed their own dressmak;ng
The life of Christian TX has been whole
some and noble He and his wife were
factors of the greatest moral influence in
Europe. They did not couHtenance i'm
morality in any form. Their private family
arrangements were simple and a wholesome
home atmosphere pervaded all their Of
fetal residences. In councils of state
Christian strove for the betterment of his
people. and in his quiet way he exerted an
influence for peace between the powers,
whose courts were brought into such close
personal rela tons with his own. He was
the monarch OF the longest reign in Europe
at the time of his death, his occupation of
the throne of Denmark exceeding that OF
Leopold of Belgium by two years. He was
lightweight years of age, having acceded
to the throne at the age of forty-five.