MM Video: Ming Dynasty

The Ming Dynasty was the last Han Chinese dynasty of Imperial China. The Ming, under the first Emperor Hongwu, came to power with the decline and fall of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. The Ming era is often considered the peak of Chinese government efficiency. It was also during the Ming reign that the famous "Treasure Fleet" of Admiral Zheng He made its epic voyage. The Ming Dynasty declined, fell into turmoil and was finally overthrown by the Manchu Qing Dynasty that would see the Chinese Empire to its end.

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Fourth Monarchist Victim in Iran

The Radical Royalist in Australia reports on the fourth Iranian monarchist to be sentanced to death in the recent crackdown. This is very important, monarchists everywhere should be outraged by this and all pan-monarchists should respond and make their feelings known! Check the article for a link to sign the petition for the release of Iranian political prisoners, many monarchists being among them.

Consort Profile: Queen Marie of Edinburgh

Amongst all the royal consorts of the Kingdom of Romania probably none stand out quite so much as Marie of Edinburgh, wife of King Ferdinand. She was born Marie Alexandra Victoria on October 29, 1875 in Kent to Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh (son of Queen Victoria of Great Britain) and Grand Duchess Maria Alexandrovna of Russia (daughter of Czar Alexander II). As her father was a serving officer in the Royal Navy she spent a great deal of her childhood overseas, much of the time on the strategic island of Malta. She also started turning heads quite early on and no less than the future King George V was so in love with her as to propose marriage. The British relations had no problem keeping it all in the family as it were, but Marie’s very Russian mother would have none of it, not being a very big fan of the British who, even in Victorian times, were considered scandalously liberal by the standards of Romanov Russia.

Instead, in 1893 at the age of 17 Princess Marie married Crown Prince Ferdinand of Romania, son and heir to King Carol I of the House of Hohenzollern in Germany. This was probably to the liking of the Russians who were eager to keep Romania within their own sphere of influence despite having a German family on the throne. However, seemingly from the very start, the marriage of Marie and Ferdinand was an utter disaster. Marie disliked her husband from the start and over time grew to absolutely loath the man. So, it was not really surprising that Marie began having a series of affairs and at least 3 of her 6 children are generally held to have been fathered by man other than Ferdinand, though thankfully the 3 oldest (including the heir to the throne) was certainly his own.

While Crown Princess, Marie had an affair with an army lieutenant which was stopped by an outraged King Carol. Marie became pregnant during that time but the child disappeared, whether because of being stillborn or given up for adoption no one will ever know. In 1899 while Marie was pregnant with the future Mignon, Queen of Yugoslavia, she told her father-in-law that the girl was the daughter of a Russian Grand Duke though her husband later accepted the child as his own. He did the same for Prince Nicholas when he was born despite rumors that his real father was Waldorf Astor. However, Marie came into her own when her husband became King of Romania in 1914 and, despite the family ties with Germany, the very pro-British Queen consort led the campaign within the palace for Romania to enter the war on the Allied side in return for territorial expansion at the expense of Hungary.

Queen Marie helped stir up public support for the war, opposition to Germany and solidarity with the Allies. She also volunteered as a nurse for the Red Cross. However, Romania did not do well on the battlefield and the country was soon overrun by a combined Austro-German offensive. Kaiser Wilhelm II was particularly bitter that his Hohenzollern cousins would declare war on him. In the end though, Romania emerged on the winning side and Queen Marie went to Paris to lobby for Romania to get all of the additional territory she demanded from the Allied leaders re-drawing the map of Europe at Versailles. As a result the Kingdom of Romania almost doubled in size. However, domestic problems continued to plague the still popular queen.

Marie and her son, the future King Carol II, initially were very close but soon drifted apart as both interfered in the romantic lives of the other and in time they became completely estranged. In 1927 King Ferdinand died and Queen Marie, ignored by her son, devoted her time to writing books and to her religion. Originally Church of England, she incorporated some Eastern Orthodox elements to please the Romanian people but later embraced the Baha’i religion, a rather obscure sect which had originally grown out of Shia Islam. Queen Marie later said that she found in her new religion what she believed was the true spirit of God all other faiths sought but lacked. She died on July 18, 1938 and was buried next to her husband leaving behind a one of the most controversial and colorful lives of any modern royal consort.

Feliz dia de los Muertos

For all the Catholic compatriots along the southern border and in Latin America.

Danish Royal Family in Vietnam

Today is the official start of state visit of HM Queen Margrethe II of Denmark to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, but the royal family was out and about seeing the sights yesterday. TRH Crown Prince Frederick and Crown Princess Mary were also on hand but it was HRH Prince Henrik who took center stage as they toured around the capital city of Hanoi. Although born in France, Prince Henrik spent his earliest years in Hanoi, then part of French Indochina. His excitement was evident as he showed his son the house he grew up in and the streets where he played as a child. The Prince's family was involved in a number of businesses in Vietnam and after going to school in France Prince Henrik returned to Vietnam in 1950 to continue his studies at the French secondary school in Hanoi, despite the fact that conditions were not exactly ideal in Vietnam at the time. He remained until 1952 when he returned to France to attend the Sorbonne. Obviously, with the withdrawl of the French and the communist takeover the family did not return after that.

Prince Henrik was able, with his son, to place a plaque commemorating his father at St Joseph's Cathedral (his father's body went missing after the communist takeover, probably because he had been part of the colonial government). His family had been in Indochina since 1928 (the 3rd year of the reign of Emperor Bao Dai). It might be interesting to note that his childhood home is located on what is now Phan Dinh Phung street, named after one of the most famous and ardently monarchist anti-French fighters of the colonial period. The Danish royals will continue their visit in Vietnam until November 6.

Papal Profile: Pope Innocent III

Whenever one considers the concept of "papal monarchy" the name that immediately comes to mind is Pope Innocent III, a man whose reign saw the combination of immense secular power as well as firm morals and religious devotion. An Italian of aristocratic background, Innocent was born Lotario de Conti, the son of a count whose family was to produce nine popes in all. He studied in Rome, then theology in Paris and law in Bologna. A servant of several popes he was elevated to the rank of Cardinal-Deacon in 1190 and wrote a very popular work on human suffering. In 1198, upon the death of Pope Celestine III, Conti was elected to the Throne of Peter and took the name Innocent III. From the very outset his primary goals were to reassert papal authority, restore Christian unity and bring about a revival of the faith. The recent fall of Jerusalem was, in his mind, divine punishment for the moral failures of Christendom.

Innocent III sent papal troops to clean out the banditry that was rampant in Rome and to recover the states of the Church. Sicily was a primary concern as he had been named guardian to the young future Emperor Frederick II who he crowned King of Sicily and for whom he was regent. In Church matters he called the 4th Lateran Council which ruled on the regulations for the reception of communion, called for a more strict life for the clergy and which outlawed harsh corporal punishments given to atone for sin. He also stressed the superiority of the spiritual life over the physical life, something which complemented his teaching that secular powers must be ultimately subordinate to spiritual powers -the Church was not to be ruled by any government. To many, his reign seemed like the era of the caesars, with all of Europe ruled from Rome, had returned.

In a sense, this was true as the reign of Innocent III saw the zenith of Catholic history with almost all of Europe united in one faith and with a great many countries declaring Innocent himself their feudal overlord. He put forward Frederick as Holy Roman Emperor, ruled on royal disputes in France, clashed with King John of England, eventually forcing him to concede on the issue of the rights of the Church and ruled on issues in countries as far flung as Spain, Sweden and Bulgaria. There was no doubt that Pope Innocent III was the single most powerful man in all of Europe. However, nominal submission did not always mean total obedience and two events were to scar his reign. The first was the calling of the Fourth Crusade. This was intended to march on the Holy Land via Egypt but the crusaders got sidetracked and ended up taking sides in one of the endless political disputes in the Byzantine Empire. The result was the infamous sacking of Constantinople for which Innocent III excommunicated the lot of his wayward warriors.

The other was the Albigensian crusade, a horrific civil war in France that grew out of political opportunism and a new heretical movement certain powers were eager to take advantage of. The fighting became gruesome and often merciless. It is disputed whether or not Innocent III's legate actually said, "kill them all, God will know his own" but it was to be a scar on the image of his reign thereafter. However, in Rome the Pope showed his benevolence by building hospitals, universities and cleaning up the city; restoring something of the old greatness of the region. Pope Innocent III died suddenly in Perugia in 1216, leaving behind a reputation as both a moral man and a strong leader. Never before or since did the Roman Pontiff hold such sway over the crowned heads of Europe.

To All Readers

A Nun from Monaco

One of my favorite portraits from the ranks of the Princely Family of Monaco is this one of HSH Princess Charlotte of Monaco, a nun of the Order of the Visitation.

Georgios I of the Hellenes Arrives in Greece

It was on this day in 1863 that Prince Wilhelm of Denmark arrived in Greece to begin his reign as George I, King of the Hellenes. Elected by the Greek National Assembly his nomination was supported by the United Kingdom, the Second French Empire and the Russian Empire and, while he certainly had plenty of problems to deal with, he would become the longest reigning monarch in modern Greek history, occupying the throne for 50 years before his assassination in 1913 during the First Balkan War.

He was only 17 when he arrived in Greece and, conscious of the fate of the former King Otto, was careful to be more Greek in his habits and more approachable with his people. Yet, like his predecessor (though somewhat more humble in his ambitions) he envisioned the Greek kingdom becoming the dominant power in the eastern Mediterranean. The Ottoman Empire was his natural enemy and was widely considered a fading power. He set Greece on the path of expansion, reclaiming Greek territory and paving the way for the widest expansion of modern Greece, even holding territory on the Asian mainland for a time. It was not exactly the re-birth of the Byzantine Empire that the romantic Otto had envisioned, but it was a grand dream that could stir the hearts of all patriotic Greeks.

Losses gave the Greeks pause and George even considered abdication, but his determination in the face of adversity and courage in the face of disasters won him considerable admiration from his subjects. Political chaos may have hampered him and finally cost him his life, but his reign did give hope for a new glorious era in Greek history, a dream for a brighter future that would restore the glories of the past and that dream first came to Greece in the person of a teenage Danish prince 146 years ago today.

Et tu Obama?

Just when you thought that the glorification of "the One" could reach no more absurd depths an Obama appointee, one Rocco Landesman, now Director of the National Endowment for the Arts, has compared the President to someone held by many (including Alexander Hamilton) to be the greatest man who ever lived; Julius Caesar. To quote the new artsy moron-in-chief, "Barack Obama is the most powerful writer since Julius Caesar". Fellow faithful, I am aghast. Just when you think you've heard it all someone compares the President to Julius Caesar, forefather of that masterpiece of ancient civilization the Roman Empire. Just to be clear about the record here, Obama rose to office in Illinois mostly by legal tricks that got his competition thrown out, was a junior senator yet to finish his term in office, most known for his multitude of "present" votes before being elected President. Since taking office, with a commanding majority in the House and Senate Obama has accomplished nothing, lived up to none of his promises and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for basically doing --nothing! Compare that to the accomplishments of Julius Caesar who conquered what is now France, Holland, Belgium, western Germany, led two expeditions into Britain, defeated the armies of Pompey in the Roman Civil War and was prepared to embark on further expansion to the east when he was murdered. However, the awed but noble Romans of ancient times still had more integrity than Obama's modern sycophants. They at least waited until after Caesar was dead to declare him a god whereas Obama, poster-boy of the "me" generation must have all of his accolades now, whether he has earned them or not.

Monarchist Profile: Grigory Semyonov

General Grigory Mikhaylovich Semyonov was a half-Buriat, half-Cossack born on the frontier of eastern Siberia in 1890. In 1908 he joined the Imperial Russian Army, graduated from Orenburg Military Academy in 1911 and during World War I rose to the rank of captain in the Trans-Baikal Cossack host. He served on the Persian front and was planning to raise an all-Buriat regiment when the revolution broke out that toppled the Romanov dynasty. The Provisional Government sent him to oversee the Transbaikal region and he became a general of the White Russian forces there and instigated an uprising against the Bolsheviks but was ultimately defeated by the Red forces. During this time his chief partner was Baron Roman von Ungern-Sternberg but unlike his more reactionary friend Semyonov favored a more modern form of constitutional monarchy, even if the constitution was mostly symbolic. The two eventually went their different ways.

From Chita, Semyonov tried to set up his own autonomous government with the support of the Empire of Japan which was looking to extend its influence in Siberia. He set up a very cosmopolitan court around him including Russians, Mongols, Japanese, Manchus and even had a unit of entirely Jewish volunteers. When the Kolchak government fell Semyonov inherited command of the remaining counterrevolutionary forces but, with the Allies pressing Japan to withdraw her support, his forces were left to live off the land and eventually crossed the border into Manchuria by the autumn of 1912. While there he tried to keep the flame of White Russian resistance alive and also forge alliances with Manchu and Chinese monarchists. He was, for a time, on the payroll of the last Emperor of China who mentioned Semyonov in his memoirs as the most prominent of the Russian exile community offering to assist in his restoration.

However, revolutionary republican pressure finally forced him out of Manchuria as well and he relocated to Nagasaki, Japan before moving on to the United States. He had, however, got on the bad side of several members of the AEF-Siberia and legal troubles forced him out of America and he went back to Manchuria where he was given a pension by Japan and worked in cooperation with the Japanese and the Russian exile community against their common Soviet enemy. He remained there during World War II and in 1945, during the Soviet invasion of Manchukuo, Semyonov was captured by Red Army paratroopers and the following year was slowly and brutally executed as a counterrevolutionary by Bolshevik kangaroo court. Although he gained a rather unsavory reputation at times, and was in the end unsuccessful in his crusade, Semyonov is still widely remembered as one of the most prominent White Russians and a near legendary figure in the Far East.

This Is Only a Test

Battlefield Royal: Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia

Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia was the grandson of the "Iron Czar" Nicholas I and thus a first cousin to his sovereign Czar Nicholas II. He was set on the path of a military career early in life and served on the staff of his father in the Russo-Turkish War, earning himself a high reputation for his skill and courage and was rewarded in 1884 with command of the Guards Hussar Regiment. He was everyone one would expect of a good Russian general. He was a strict disciplinarian, but also a father figure to his men; a Russian nationalist, an advocate of pan-Slavism and devoutly Russian Orthodox praying several times a day. He favored the simple, rustic life of the Russian countryside to city life at court and held to a romantic view of the rural Russian peasantry. Denied a command in the war with Japan he was instrumental in forcing Czar Nicholas II to give in to the demands for limited reforms in 1905, an act for which the Czarina Alexandra never forgave him and was to greatly trouble his command in World War I.

After the outbreak of war in 1914 Grand Duke Nicholas was called in to take command of the largest army the Russian Empire had ever assembled although the established war plans were not his own and he had never commanded an army in battle before. He was widely respected and popular with the troops but Russia suffered from the lack of a coherent staff and command structure such as the Germans had established on the Prussian model. As a result he often was reduced to being 'umpire in chief'. Nonetheless, given the inferiority of his army in virtually every area save sheer numbers he was able to win some successes. He was, for instance, decorated with the St George Cross for the Russian victory at the siege of Przemysl. However, he could not best his enemies at court where he was opposed by Rasputin and Alexandra. Thus, in 1915 the Czar made the fateful decision of dismissing his cousin and taking command of the Russian army himself.

In the aftermatch Grand Duke Nicholas was assigned to the Caucausus front where he won a string of victories over the Ottoman Turks, advancing southward and sending troops to link up with the British in Persia. After the Bolshevik revolution he went into exile in Italy and later became the leading figure in the monarchist movement among Russian exiles. With General Pyotr Wrangel he led the Russian All Military Union and was a marked man as a special enemy of the Soviet Union. They carried out a number of small, clandestine attacks on the Soviets before the Grand Duke's death in the south of France in 1929.

Monarchist Destinations: Texas' Royal Palace

Drive past the old City Hall in downtown San Antonio and you will find the humble building that was once home to the capital of Texas. Originally the Commandancia, home of the commander of the troops guarding the city, it later became the official residence of the Royal Governor of the Province of Texas, part of the colony of New Spain. It was completed in 1749, and the original keystone displays the words "ano 1749-se acabo" under the coat of arms of the monarch of the time, King Ferdinand VI of Spain. In front are the famous 6 Flags of Texas. As you walk in, look up and you will notice the original keystone above the main entrance to the palace, bearing the coat of arms of the Spanish King. It is interesting to see that these are the arms of the House of Hapsburg, one of the most ancient and respected dynasties in Europe which supplied many kings of Spain, Holy Roman Emperors, and Emperors of Austria. Due to the work involved, and the remote location, it is naturally a much simpler version of the arms than would be seen elsewhere. However, at the time the palace was built, after 1700, the Hapsburgs no longer ruled Spain, having been replaced by the Bourbon Dynasty of present day. The last Spanish King to rule over Texas was King Ferdinand VII.

Outside the front door to the palace, visitors will be greeted by a large statue of a Spanish Conquistador, given to Texas by Spain in the 1970's as a reminder of the historical ties between the two countries. It was the conquistadores who were the first Europeans to set foot in Texas and officially claim the area for the King of Spain. However, though the conquistadores won the glory and riches, it should not be forgotten that most of the real colonization and all that it implies was done by the Franciscan missionaries who accompanied the conquistadores, winning souls to Christ and spreading the Spanish culture.

The palace has been restored with antique period items from the Spanish colonial era and reflects the differences of those good ol' days. After coming inside, and paying the very modest tickett fee, the first room to your right will be the small chapel, where the Royal Governor and his family attended to their spiritual needs. There is a lovely carved statue of Our Lady, crowned and holding the Divine Child at the back of the room. There are antique wood carved crucifix's, portraits of saints and Jesus, as well as a small container for a holy relic. The constant religious objects throughout the palace speaks of the devotion during that time and the strongly conservative, Catholic nature of the Spanish Monarchy and House of Hapsburg or Bourbon. Scarcely a single room is without some sort of religion icon if not several of them, including images, statues, crucifix's and a large antique rosary.
Moving on you will see the kitchen and the official dining room where the Royal Governor would hold banquets, as lavish as possible on the remote colonial frontier. There is an antique wine chest and a lavabo for the washing of hands before the meal that was a religious practise at the time. The room features a framed mini-flag of the Spanish regiment that occupied the city as well as an icon of San Antonio de Padua, the saint for whom the city was named. The back patio is a lush, walled-in mini tropical paradise dominated by the lovely central fountain. Naturally, it is believed that a coin dropped in the fountain will grant a wish. Pebbled walkways wind through a tangle of local trees and bushes, including clumps of palm and banana trees. This is the area most often seen in pictures and post cards of the Governor's Palace (which are available of course) and given the serene feel of the garden, it is no wonder why. The vine-covered portico is a good place to relax, the stone benches also carved with the double-eagle (though for picnic comfort go for the wooden benches).

One can also see many items of interest in the Royal Governor's office. Monarchist visitors will notice signed letters from HM King Juan Carlos of Spain on the wall, speaking of the very long and deep ties between Texas and the Kingdom of Spain. There is also a woven wall-hanging in the office, bearing the names of the first families to come to San Antonio de Bexar in 1731 during the reign of His Catholic Majesty King Philip V. The first settlers were mostly natives of the Canary Islands. Because of the history of the place in part, it must be said, the Governor's palace is often listed as the most beautiful home in the Lone Star State. Some might smirk at so humble a home being called a palace, but for the time and place it was and homes such as that were often referred to as palaces, such as the Veramendi Palace and others. For any monarchist visiting the "Alamo City" it is a must-see and usually free of the throngs of tourists at said Shrine of Texas Liberty and the historic mission trail.

Monarch Profile: Emperor Duy Tan

Of the latter Nguyen dynasty emperors of Vietnam, probably none are so popular amongst Vietnamese today as the boy-king Duy Tan. He was born on August 14, 1899 to Emperor Thanh Thai as Prince Nguyen Vinh San. He succeeded his father on the Golden Dragon Throne in 1907 at the age of 7 and took as his reigning name Duy Tan, "friend of reforms". His father had been replaced on grounds of insanity but also for being uncooperative with the French. It was hoped that a younger boy could be groomed to be a better friend of the protectorate and a model colonial monarch. To add stature his courtiers added a year to his age so many history books record him as being enthroned at age eight.

Choosing which son would succeed Thanh Thai was not a forgone conclusion. When the time came to make the choice Prince Vinh San was absent and later found chasing crickets. The French immediately decided that a boy so uninterested in imperial matters would be their best choice and so he was enthroned as Emperor Duy Tan. The French would later be proven wrong. Emperor Duy Tan became an extremely devoted and concerned monarch who was determined to set his country free. From the very begining the child-emperor was surrounded by advisors and tutors that were friendly towards France. This included the Council of Regency that was to govern until Duy Tan reached his majority. However, as he grew older Emperor Duy Tan became quite adept at getting around the many spies in his court. While he has been described as a Francophile, Duy Tan nevertheless opposed the excessive aspects of French rule and called for a revision of the Patenotre agreements of 1884.

Even at a young age the Emperor also instituted tax relief and the lessening of chore duties, he eliminated wasteful court protocals, cut back on government spending and reduced the salaries of high officials, including his own. When the French violated the tomb of Emperor Tu Duc he was enraged and protested vehemently. Emperor Duy Tan announced that as the "Son of Heaven" it was his right and his duty to manage Vietnam's affairs. Shortly after this, the Emperor and a small group began planning a rebellion against the French protectorate. The 16-year-old monarch even took to the water and encouraged the people to revolt from his junk with a loud-speaker. Unfortunately, one of the collaborators turned the others in to the French garrison in Annam.

The Governor of French Indochina asked the Emperor to reconsider his actions, and more or less repent for his "treason". Duy Tan replied, "If you compell me to remain Emperor of Annam, you should consider me as an adult emperor. I should need neither the council of regency nor your advice. I should manage the country's business on the same footing with all foreign countries including France." With that announcement it was clear to Paris that Emperor Duy Tan had to go. The other collaborators confessed their crime on the condition that Duy Tan not be executed. They were beheaded at An Hoa still repeating, "The sky is still there. So are the earth and the dynasty. We wish long life to the Emperor." Duy Tan was excused on the grounds that he was a minor and on November 3, 1916 he was exiled from Vietnam with his father. After this, most Vietnamese royals gave up hope of resisting the French occupation.

Emperor Duy Tan, known officially again as Prince Vinh San continued to do what he could to help his nation in any way possible. During World War II he even joined the Free French army as an interpreter to help the Allied cause. With all of the problems Vietnam had been going through because of the war and the Japanese effort to set up an independent "Empire of Vietnam" some French officials, particularly Charles DeGaulle, began to consider restoring Vinh San to the throne as he had seemingly proven his friendship toward France but was still widely popular as a nationalist hero in his country. However, the rumors, secret talks and hopeful aspirations were to come to nothing. He was on his way back from Europe, where he was serving with the occupation forces in Germany in late 1945 his plane mysteriously crashed over the African wilderness and the former monarch was killed. His ashes were interred in the Central African Republic until 1987 when the Socialist Republic of Vietnam allowed his remains to return home. On April 4th Vietnam saw a glimpse of it's old imperial splendor when the ashes of Emperor Duy Tan were laid to rest in the old capitol city of Hue, in the tomb of his grandfather Nguyen Duc Duc, with all of the pomp and ceremony of a happier time.

Consort Profile: King Ferdinand II of Portugal

Ferdinand II was, in turn, royal consort of Portugal, co-monarch of Portugal and regent of Portugal during his life. He was Prince Ferdinand Augustus Francis Anthony of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha-Kohary on October 29, 1816 to Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and his wife Princess Maria Antonia Kohary de Csabrag and spent his youth moving around Slovakia, Austria and Germany. As part of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha family he was a nephew of the Belgian King Leopold I and first cousins with King Leopold II of the Belgians, Empress Carlota of Mexico and Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Great Britain.

In 1836 Prince Ferdinand married Queen Maria II of Portugal, daughter of King Pedro IV of Portugal, Emperor Pedro I of Brazil. In September of the following year Queen Maria gave birth to their first child, a son and heir, at which time, according to Portuguese law, her consort became King Ferdinand II of Portugal. Like many of his family Ferdinand was a very modern-minded man of a very artistic nature. He also proved himself to be quite an adept administrator and intelligent monarch. King Ferdinand and Queen Maria were a devoted couple and worked well together, proving themselves a winning team for the Portuguese monarchy. In 1838 he built the magnificent Pena National Palace near Sintra, one of the most unique royal palaces in the world, often compared to Ludiwg II’s Neuschwanstein because of its mixture of various architectural styles. When his wife was pregnant Ferdinand II ruled the country alone and this happened fairly frequently as Queen Maria II had 11 children during their marriage though only 7 survived.

It was the birth of the eleventh child, who did not survive, that took the life of Maria II in 1853 and the reign of Ferdinand II came to an end. However, he still stayed on to serve as regent for his 16-year-old son King Pedro V until 1855. He instilled in his son the need for Portugal to modernize, build up its infrastructure, industry and so on as well as making sure he retained a compassionate nature. After retiring from active involvement in politics Ferdinand was able to focus on those artistic causes dearest to him. He also remarried to Elisa Hensler, Countess of Edla, an opera singer and the two lived in the Pena National Palace where he entertained a long succession of the great artists of his time. The former King himself was quite skilled at etching, painting and making pottery and was president of the Royal Academy of Sciences and the Arts as well as lord-protector of Coimbra University. In this peaceful, artistic environment, he spent his final years with his wife by his side until his death on December 15, 1885.

MM Video: Norwegian Royals

Mad Rant: Anglicans Changin' Their Religion

I'll admit I must have missed the significance of this story when it first came out, but everyone seems to be talking about it, most in a negative way. I am speaking of course of HH Pope Benedict XVI taking matters in hand to allow for easy entry of disgruntled Anglicans seeking reunion with the Church of Rome. Most of the media coverage of this event has tried to portray Benedict XVI as some sort of papal spider luring Anglican flies into his web, promising the protection of their Anglican rituals as his siren call. Needless to say, I take a very different view and from the quarters these protests are coming from it is clearly the frustrated cry of those who see it as yet another sign that liberalism has ruined the Anglican communion. The Pope is trying to make the transition go as well as possible and the only Catholics who are upset about it are the radical liberals who don't want more traditional, serious Christians to interfere with their efforts to turn Catholicism into Woodstock with communion.

There is also a tie-in with monarchy here. As everyone knows, the Anglican communion comes from the Church of England, born by royal command, and of which the British monarch is still supreme governor. We also know from a recent story that HM Queen Elizabeth II is not too pleased with the state of Anglicanism today; which should probably not surprise anyone. Some even tried to suggest that the Queen was leaning in the Catholic direction. All I can say to that is, don't let's be silly. The Queen is a very sincere and committed Protestant who would never think of 'going Roman' I think I can safely assure everyone. However, this points to a larger problem and yet another example of why no monarchists, even in as safely monarchial a country as the UK, can afford to be complacent. The problem is that the Queen does not actually govern the church of which she is governor. Only in Britain...

There is no doubt in my mind that the C of E would not be in such terrible condition today if the Queen was actually in charge. Officially she is of course, but like virtually all of her powers it is actually the Prime Minister that makes the decisions. So, we have, to my mind, the rather ridiculous situation of a political hack appointing bishops. Politicians have screwed up the Church of England just as they tend to do virtually everything they touch. I don't think any British monarch would approve of the religious situation in the Anglican communion as it stands today. Can you imagine what Queen Victoria would think of women priests and gay bishops? Safe to say she would not be amused. However, Catholics can also take a lesson at the problems Anglicans are having and refute those arguing for many of the same things. Fortunately for Catholics, and any Christians who think the Bible actually carries some weight, Benedict XVI will not be listening to any of that sort anyway. This last week did witness the first Tridentine-rite high mass in the Vatican in 40 years, only the latest of my lapsed traditions that the much more monarchial Benedict has revived in the Catholic Church. As this is a pan-monarchist blog, not a place for religious arguments I will keep my specific opinions to myself except to say that I always prefer those who are true to their traditions. If you're going to be Catholic, be Catholic! If you're going to be an Anglican, be William Laud! Call me a purist that way I guess. Or, just call me ... The Mad Monarchist.

MM Video: King Leopold III