Evening star., 1923-03-26
Father of Miss Rodd, Bride-to-Be.
Has Had Varied Diplomatic Career

" delicate task OF writing a mono
graph of the ill-fated ruler who lives
IN German history under the name of
"Cnser Fritz" Rodd produced the
most charming and altogether sym
pathetic portrait of that unhappy
sovereign that has ever appeared. ii
was printed in several languages
the proceeds being devoted to chari-
ties designated by the imperial
widow. The book served to com
mend the author to the extremely ia
Vorable attention of Queen Victoria.
who had been profoundly attached to
her German son-in-law, and from
that time forth Rennell Rodd's PROV
motion in the diplomatic service was
very rapid.
Rodd became one of Lord Cromer's
principal lieutenants in Egypt; was
under fire during the insurrection in
Zanzibar which eliminated in his
driving out the usurper and in his
establishment of the late sultan upon
the throne. Then he was designated
by the late Lord Salisbury to head
the remarka BILE special embassy TO
the court of Abyssinia, which at
tracted no end of attention among
the warriors of the Negus by the
immense stature of the members of
the mission, all of them being con-
siderably over six feet in height,
three of them, indeed, exceeding six
feet four.
Sir Rennells next post was that OF
minister plenipotentiary at Stock
holm, and from there he was pro-
NOTED to the post of ambassador at
Rome, where, until his retirement,
not long ago, he enjoyed a salary OF
$4,000, the possession of a palace in
the Via Venti Settembre. magnif-
f1ty frtr ic6a
everything necessary, including a
$4,000 service of silver plate and a
large and beautiful garden. There
was also at Sir Rennell's disposal a
beautiful villa with spacious grounds
at Posilipo, in the suburbs of Naples,
on the waters edge. and which. be-
longing for many years to Lord Rose
/ berry, was presented by him to the
English government for use as a
villegiatura for its ambassador at
Rome.
Sir Rennell has been only once in
America, namely, in 1908. when he
came over here in connection with
the American publication of his books
greater party of his stay of the for
mer Secretary of the Navy. George
Won L. Meyer and Mrs. Meyer. whom
he had known at Rome. His books
dI ltdSl Ildll II uOAcH NOluIHcS
! of verse, monograph on Sir Wal
| ter Raleigh and very remarkable
work on the princes of Achaia," the
material of which he gathered while
attached as a young man to the
British legation at Athens.
The princes of Achaia were those
Norman, Provencal and English
knights and mobiles taking part In the
various crusades, who settled down
in Greece, especially in Morea, Epirus
and Albania, instead of returning
home. building stately castles. ac-
cording to fashion, then prevailing
in the west of Europe, thus trans
planting to the east the existence of
the feudal barons of the occident.
For two centuries they fourished.
playing an active role in the affairs
of that corner of the world, infiu-
encing local art and literature. But
eventually nearly all of them died
out. Many picturesque ruins of their
castles and strongholds. however, re-
| main. But even the very existence
Of their former owners was forgotten
alike by the people of the country,
| by students and by novelists, until
! Sir Rennell Rodd took the trouble to
peer into this so long forgotten
aftermath of the crusades and to
bring to light some of the most fas-
cinating romances OF. history.