Evening star., 1928-04-29
THE KINGDOM OF TAVOLARA
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

The favorite method of erecting king
doms In the long ago was for some
strong man simply to 60 out and take
the territory he wanted. Some king
doms were founded practically single
handed. but usually the strong man had
string of followers or at least mem-
bers Of his family. Russia. at one time
among the greatest empires OF history.
was founded by band of raiders who
come down from the North under sort
Of bandit chief named Rurtc.
Yet there is In Europe today king
dom, practically an absolute monarchy
which was founded within the memory
of living men by single adventurer.
No one seems TO have known anything
about the kingdom. News of existence
OF the kingdom came TO Washington,
through italian sources. and came as a
surprise TO Government officials and
geographer5.
It is the Kingdom of Tavolara and Is
situated on a dot OF an island In the
Mediterranean lying near the Island Of
Sardinia, Not many weeks ago the
hereditary ruler King Paul the FIRST,
died. News reached Sardinia and later
Rome and, for the first time In many
years. Italy learned that an unknown
kingdom existed In her neighborhood~-
unknown. at least outside the tiny king
dom itself
Italian geographers became curious
about the kingdom and, perhaps at the
tnstigation Of Premier Mussolini, who
may have feared he was missing some
thing, began inquiries They developed
story OF singular romance and curl
oSlty
1t appears that a little more than
century ago forceful character named
Giuseppe Bartheloni left his native Sar-
DINA, alone or else accompanied only by
members OF his family. TO find holding
Tor himself. 1t Is more than likely that
some vendetta caused him to leave. for
Sardinia was a hotbed of such heredi-
tary feuds. He landed on the uninhab-
tied island of Tavolara and there set
up domicile.
All Fishermen or Shepherds.
The history of the kingdom. as it
mas been dug out OF old manuscripts
and family records. shows that he
shortly was followed TO the island by
members Of his faction, all either fish,
ermen or shepherds. The island was
stocked with sneep and such other ami
mails as were needed. He had not been
there long before the population had
reached 200.
In those days there was no Italy
as now constituted. There was q King
OF Naples and a King of Sardinia and
one day the latter, who nominally
claimed all the small islands near Sar-
dinia, chaneed To run across Tavolara
while cruising and dropped In on old
Giuseppe. The old patriarch enter
tained him royalty and In the course of
their conversation, Charles-Albert, the
King OF Sardinia, remarked to his host.
Il am King Of Sardinia and observe
that you are King of Tavolara" Up
10 that time Giuseppe had not thought
OF taking such title, although In ef-
iect he was a king 1t was patri-
afehal form OF government which he
imposed and all the fishermen and
shepherds oheyed his commands i'm
plieitiy.
Soon the old man died without ever
having definitely used the royal title,
but his son, Carlo, who succeeded him
In the ownership of the island and
who was present when the King OF
Sardinia had made his remark 10
Giuseppe, took steps To remind Charles
Albert OF the story and request that
the Independence Of Tavolara be rec
ognized and his kingship confirmed.
| The island was OF so little consequence
that the Sardinian king granted the
| request and had drawn uD formal
| document recognizing the independence
| OF The island and confirming Carlo in
the title of king, The latter adopted
the title Of Charles the First. BY this
! time he had 800 subjects.
Now this Paul IL dead and his son
has succeeded 10 the title, calling HIM
sell Paul the Second There are now
some 800 subjects on the Tavolara and
none questions the right Of the ruler.
For nearly century the kingdom Of
TaVoIata had slumbered along without
caring for the outside world Mean
time large political changes have taken
place and the Kingdom Of Italy has
been erected. The outside world had
been 10 busy with politics and warfare
that II had utterly forgotten the exist
ence Of the Kingdom OF Tavoiara,
Paul the Second, on the occasion Of
his recent coronation. promulgated an
| extremely fioWery proclamation. BE-
| cause OF It's htgh~fioWn language. rather
than for any other reason It was sent
To Sardinia as a curiosity, This brought
10 light the island kingdom
Iiaa No Foreign Relations.
The kingdom Ii 30 small and lives 30
much 10 itself that IL has and wants
no foreign relations. No ambassadors,
| ministers, or even eansnls, are stationed
there and IL sends none abroad. Also
the kingdom never has had war tn
bring II 20 outside attention II IN
| fortified, however, In All old fashioned
way. Also there Ii royal castle. said
| to be quite well appointed There thu
king fsigns IN such State ~ IL pleaaes
| him 10 affect In the castle are poTs
traits of the royal family going back 10
| the founder. many old documents Ut
antiquarian interest, and stands 0f arms.
~ VIII bs interesting 10 note what