Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-07


father lie was a credtabie sovereign, and
after some trouble finally rid himself OF his
bad advisers and reigned without a rival
from 1927 to 1871. one Of the longest reigns
in English history. Upon his death the
kingdom descended to his son. Richard H..
weak man. unable to cope with the
turbulent element present among his sub
jeots. A more able sovereign might have
deferred the evil day. but the ill-advised
measures Of Richard precipitated his own
ruin. BY a successful rebellion he was
overpowered, then disappeared from his
tory the place aud manner OF his death
being uncertain. He was no doubt muir
dered, but by whom or in what manner IL
unknown. Thus. In place of the three kings,
only two crossed the stage before the poli-
teal earthquake came which upset the ex-
listing order Of thing and substituted a new
regime,
The House Of Lancaster.
The crisis by which Richard II. was over
thrown turned over the crown to a new
race Of kings, those of the House of Ian
caster, Henry ", who succeeded Richard
H.. being, however. his cousin. The throne
changed occupants in 1922. and In due time
Henry w was succeeded by his son Henry
", and he by his. Henry w., their com
bined reigns lasting until 1861. This was
period of great turbulence, Of riots and dis
tuTbances At home. OF wars with foreign
powers, Almost continual strife was car
ried on with France, various fortunes at
tending the English arms. Agineourt was
fought and won, and as an opposing Vie
| tory, all the English conquests in France
were lost by the wonderful success Of the
French army, under the leadership Of Joan
of Arc. At home the people were more
than usually turbulent; Jack Cades rebel
| lion broke out and was suppressed only
after immense bloodshed, and the two lead
ing families OF English nobility, the houses
of York and Lancaster, we're engaged in
almost continual strife for the precedence.
The consequence was that poor old Henry
VI, having the ill-luek 10 be the third Of
a trio was buffeted and set up and pulled
down like a wooden man. was deposed for
| good and being of no further service to
himself or anyone else, was quietly muir
dered. At his death the throne was taken
by the Duke of York under the title Of
Edward ", and new dynasty Of king
came in.
BOswerth.
AS in the preceding case. so now three
reigns pass ere another change; reigns full
of battle and blood. Of private murder and
of public vengeance. English history has no
darker page than that narratins the events
from 1861 to 1888. comprising the reigns Of
Edward " Edward vi. the miserable
child of the Tower, and Richard III, the
brother of Edward ~. With the reign of
Richard III, he being the third in the
ha he
which ended in success, and terminated
the reign and life of Richard together on
Bosworth field. The crisis this time com
prised the forcible extinction of one dy-
nasty and the establishment of another. II
was one Of the most marked epochs in the
history of the English people, and with his
usual fidelity to fact, Shakespeare seized
upon 1t and made, It the turning point OF
one Of his greatest dramas Three more
reigns must be counted, covering period
from 1885 to 1858, before another crisis ap-
pears in governmental affairs. The kings
are Henry VII, Henry VIII and Edward
VI, father son and grandson. Momentum:
: changes occurred during the reign of the
, second Of this list; the kings domestic
troubles, the divorce question, the quarre
, with the pope, the separation OF the Church
: VI E1HkldHu ITOIu INC SuuTCH Oh ftUIne, WERE
! all matters of history during this Henry.
, reign. However, they all passed and tn,
, three kings died; Henry VII, of decline
! old age and stinginess; his son. Henr!
q VIII Of "carbuncles. fat and fury" and Ed
ward vi of general debility, caused by to,
a much study, enforced by his old-tim,
. Scotch tutor, Then came the crisis. Tn
{ friends of Lady Jane Grey proclaimed he
( ing ten days, then retired to private life
= was arrested, tried. condemned and be
: headed when only II years old and few pic
$ lures In history are more pathetic than tn
fate OF this unfortunate child, who wa
Il after all but tool in the hands of intrig
(. uers.
Mary and Elizabeth,
: Two queens now reigned, opposite /
9 character and religion-Bloody Mary an
h Queen Eizabeth--ther reigns covering tn
II years from 1858 to 1903, This was III
q period of English glory. Literature, tn
n arts and sciences flourished; foreign cor
e quests were made; the English began
y travel and colonize. Explorers laid tn
e foundation of states in America and Indis
- the voyages of Drake made possible th
settlements of the next century, ant
"A above all, by the defeat and dispersion
10 the "Invincible Armada" England becan
D. the first naval power in Europe The cris
which closed this period was none the lei
~ marked because peaceful. 1t was a chanI
- of dynasty, the crowns passing from Il
;, house OF Tudor to the house Of StuaI
James l assembled the throne lately VI
~ Gated by Elizabeth in 1908. and held
=. until he drank himself to death in 16:
: when II passed to his son, Charles T. wi
a fell out with his people, and. after loi
a civil war, was captured and beheaded. II
h. death constituted crisis more serious tn;
a any previously known in English hstor
ha for by 1t the entire form OF governme
od was changed and, during the reign
,is Cromwell, England was practically rul
Nm with the sword. The commonwealth last
a from 1919 to 1858, After the death OF DIV
ge Cromwell, his son proved inadequate to t
u.s. burden of empire, resigned his position a
a retired to private life. when the throne W
en offered 70 Charles ii, who accepted it a
I'm rsisned as quietly as possible, giving
re- Tense TO nobody because, as he said,
nd did not want to go on his travels agar
nd After his death, in III OF intoxicati
~.