The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-03-18
DETAILS HAVE
Been WITHHELD
Had Been in Personal Com
mand of His Army
Since December.
ASCENDED THRONE
DURING JUNE 1868
Was Elected Royal Head of the Hell.
lenes by National Assembly at Ath.
ems, Marci, 1S, tho Same Year.
Marriage Strengthens Position.

Sa1onika. March 1s.-king
George of Greece was assassinat-
ed here this afternoon. Early re.
ports Of the murder give nothing
but meagcr details, even the ma
ture of the assassination being
held back. Developments are cx.
pected momentarily. however.
King George, who had taken
personal command of his troops
during the earlier period OF the
war, had been here since Decem-
ber, when the Turkish fortress
was occupied by the Greeks aft
er short seige. The queen of
Greece also has been here, and
paid great attention to the sick
and wounded.
Born in 1S45.
Few European rulers of modern
times have had a more interesting and
eventful career than George I, King
of the Hellenes. He was born De-
cember "a, 1845, as the second son Of
Prince Christian of Schleswig-Hol-
stein-Sonderburg-Gl who
became King of Denmark in 1868,
and Princess Louisa, daughter Of King
Carl XIV. of Sweden and Norway. In
baptism the young prince received
the name Christian William Ferdi-
nand Adolphus George and he was
poets or fortune when he entered the
naval service of Denmark as midship.
man.
The y0nag prince had nd go sr
two cruises and was on the p5iIit of
starting on another, when, in October.
1862, a revolution broke out at Patras
and Vanizza which. two days later
reached Athens. King Otto, of the
Bavarian house, who had occupied the
throne of Greece for thirty years, lost
his throne in three days. He calmly
five years, later, apparently without
regretting the loss of his throne.
Difficulty in Replacing Otto.
The European powers were puzzled
how to replace Otto. The crown Of
the Hellenes was first offered to
Prince Alfred of England, second son
of Queen Victoria. but the English
government declined the offer. 1t was
then offered to Duke Ernest of Sake
Coburg- -Gotha. who also declined 1t.
Then it was that at the suggestion of
NJ. de Chaudordy. minister Of foreign
affairs of the French government,
proposed to the other powers to Of
fer the throne of Greece to Prince
William. then in his teens. Russia
and England approved Of the choice
and the other powers followed suit.
The young prince was elected King
of the Hellenes by the national as
sembly at Athens, March Is. 1863. and
accepted the crown, through his faith
er acting as his guardian, June 4,
1868. He was declared of age by de-
cree of the national assembly, June
%. 1863, and landed in Greece on
November 2. of the same year. greet
ed with enthusiasm by the popula-
tion.
Marriage Strengthens Position.
The first few years of his reign
were comparatively peaceful and his
marriage on October %. 1857. to Olga
eldest daughter Of
Grand Duke Constantine OF Russia.
brother of the late Emperor Alexand-
er III. greatly strengthened his posi-
tion and added to the popularity of
the young ruler. But the kings pop
ularity soon became undermined by
the unfortunate internal quarrels of
the political parties of Greece and
the boundless corruption of the Off
cials, who maintained q. spoils system
that led to frequent disturbances and
popular outbreaks.
Greece became involved in financial
and King George was DOW
erless to enforce the financial reforms
which he advocated and urged to his
Only with great difficulty
Ia