The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-05
KINGS WITH NOTHING TO DO.
France Has Il Fine Collection of Ex-
lied Monarchs on Its Pay Roll.

The usual image that is brought to
mind by the word king" is Won
drous creature, clad in a robe and
wearing a crown of jewels. Some
times kings are pictured astride mag
nificent horses and clad in picturesque
uniforms. Yet there are today many
kings living without luxury, sans
crown, sans throne, sans subjects.
Many of these kings are living in
Paris.
Subjugating the savage tribes in
their African and Asiatic possessions
has kept France busy for many years.
During these subjugations it was
sometimes found that France had on
her hand a few kings left by the for
tunes of war. These kings. once Su-
to be put on pensions. so that they
would be out of mischief
Behanzin, king of Dahomey, was
one of the first of the deposed kings
was deprived of his throne over 90
years ago. His son is now in Paris.
a king without power. He is living
on pension from France.
The nephew and successor of King
Behanzin. Prince King of Dahomey.
was dispossessed of the throne in
1900. The thing that panied Prince
King most was not the loss of his
throne, but the loss of a huge dia-
mond ring. This ring had been q gift
which later confiscated it.
The former King of AMMAN, the
Prince Ham Nghi. is now living
peacefully in Algiers. He has no
crown or throne, but is satisfied with
out either. Prince Ham Nghi is on
pension of $500 year. He was at
one time the monarch along the east
coast of Indo-China, which has been
under the French protectorate since
1885. For a king the King of An
history is at al f1I
He was taken prisoner by the French
in 1887 and was sent to Algiers after
his capture.
There is another Indo-Chinese
prince who is a pensioner of France.
This is Prince Than Tyai. He re-
ceives an annual pension of $4,000.
and lives quietly at Saint Jacques.
A queen without a throne is an
other picturesque figure in the list of
uncrowned royalty. Her name is
Ranavalo, and she was once the
queen of Madagascar. She is one of
the most interesting of the royal pen
Sloners of France. After the abolition
of royalty in the island Queen Rama
valo was taken to France and after
ward to AlgierS. At first Queen Ran
aValo drew a pension of only $1,000
each year. Now France gives her
100000 annually and s40O a year for
the education of her grandniece, who
is now living in Versailles.
There are many other lesser royal
ties, without thrones or honors. who
are on the pension list of France
One of these is. Said Ali. Said Ali
was formerly the Sultan of La Grand
Comore. His pension his been raised
to $4,000 year. The civil list c
pensioners of France includes Prince
said Bakari, who receives 500
year; Princess Sattina, who receives
800 a year; PrincesSes Adidia and
Singa, who receive $3.50 a year each
These royal people without thrones
are happier now, to all appearances.
than when they We're the rulers of
their people Well clothed and well
fed, with no affairs of state to worry
them, with no rumors of war or in
ternal trou bles to disturb their dreams
they spend their days in peace and
idlenesS. practically unknown and en-
tirely unSung-king, queen and prince
and princess without throne or honor.
but with a regular pension that
France sees they receive with clock
like regularity.
In spite of their lack of scepter and
crown, each can probably think of
worse things than being a member of
rovalty-on pension.-Detroit Free
Press,