The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-07-17
HAVE EASY JOBS
Dethroned Kings Merely Draw Their
Pay-Life a Cinch.

The usual image that is brought to
mind by the word king" is a won
drous creature clad in robe and
wearing a crown of jewels, says The
Chicago Tribune. Sometimes kings
are pictured astride magnificent hors-
es 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 hands a few kings, left by the
fortunes of war. These kings, once
supreme rulers of their Kingdoms,
had 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
with whom France had to deal. He
was deprived of his throne over twen-
ty years ago. His son is now in
Paris, a king without power. He is
living on a 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 huge dia-
mond ring. This ring had been a
gift from France, the very govern
ment 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 $1,000 year. He was
at one time the monarch along the
east coast of Indo-China, which has
been under a French protectorate
since 1885. For king, the King of
Annam's history is not at all event
full He was taken prisoner by the
French in 1887 and was sent to AL
giers 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
sioners of France. After the aboli-
ton of royalty in the island, Queen
Ranavalo was taken to France and
afterward to Algiers. At first Queen
Ranavalo drew a pension Of only
$4,000 a year. Now France gives
her $4,000 annually and $40 year
for the education of her grandniece,
who is now living in Versailles.
There are many other lesser royal
ties, royalties without thrones or
honors who are on the pension list of
France. One of these is Said Ali. He
was formerly the Sultan Of La Grand
Comore. His pension has been raised
to S3,400 year. The civil list of
royal pensioners of France includes
Prince Bakari, who receives $100
year; Princess Satina, who receives
500 a year; Princess Adidja and
Singa, who receive $3.50 a year
each.
These royal people without thrones
are happier now to all appearances
than when they were the rulers of
their people. Well clothed and we'll
fed, with no affairs of state to worry
them, with no rumors of war or in
ternal troubles to disturb their dreams
they spent their days in peace and
idleness, practically unknown and
entirely unsung-king, queen and
prince and princess with
out throne or honor, but with reg
ular 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 member of
royalty-on a pension.