Royal Anthem Series: XXII Great Britain

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy located on the British Isles off the northern coast of Europe. At one point the U.K. was the most powerful country in the world with the British Empire ruling over roughly a quarter of the entire earth's surface and population. The reigning monarch is HM Queen Elizabeth II. The national anthem of Great Britain is "God Save the Queen". This is also the royal anthem of various Commonwealth countries such as Canada, Australia, Belize, the Bahamas, Jamaica and is one of the two national anthems of New Zealand. It has proven to be a very popular song and tune in monarchies around the world.

The British National Anthem: God Save the Queen

The Marquis de Lafayette

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette is probably still the most famous Frenchman to have a place in American history. It was on this day in 1777 that he arrived in South Carolina to join the revolutionary cause. The teenage marquis was quickly given the rank of major general in the Continental Army and made an aide-de-camp to General George Washington. At the outset he had more libertarian zeal than practical military ability but he was not lacking courage and over time distinguished himself on a number of battlefields and was wounded in his very first real fight at the battle of Brandywine. Washington was extremely fond of Lafayette and the two were described as being as close as father and son. During the war Lafayette returned to France for a time to lobby the government of King Louis XVI to aid the colonial cause. Unfortunately for the ancien regime such support finally came.

His service in America made Lafayette an icon of the revolutionary crowd and he was a liberal to his very core. However, he was not a radical or even much of a revolutionary when it came to his own country and the prospect of spilling French blood. Once back in France, following the eruption of the revolution his popularity was not to last long. The treasonous clique that took power made him commander of the National Guard but his star declined from there as the radical Jacobins accused him of being a royalist. Truth be told, Lafayette was not a sincere royalist in the depths of his soul; his only cause was a vague, utopian "liberty" but he did remain, throughout his time in France, firmly in the camp of those who favored a constitutional monarchy rather than a revolutionary republic.

Lafayette was also, unlike many of his compatriots in the American Revolution, a fervent abolitionist who opposed slavery in any and all cases from start to finish. He favored many of the principles of the republican crowd but he never supported violent methods to champion them nor did he see the monarchy as inherently evil as most republicans did. During the initial war against Austria he got into trouble by writing to his enemies about the possibility of making peace and restoring order in France under the constitutional monarchy. However, the Queen did not support the plan and when the radicals got wind of it Lafayette was swiftly declared a traitor for his orders to the National Guard to defend the constitution and the monarchy. He tried to escape to America via Holland but was captured by the Austrians.

It was only after Napoleon seized power that Lafayette was able to return to France but he remained firmly out of politics refusing to support Napoleon or to actively oppose him. He toured America again where he was still greatly celebrated and he returned to France prior to the July Revolution at which time he was offered the post of dictator but declined the offer in favor of making Louis-Phillipe "King of the French". He was made National Guard commander again until his calls for the abolition of slavery got him in trouble again. Nonetheless, when he died the King of the French buried him with full military honors to be outdone only by the mourning ordered by the Congress of the United States. Had I been in France at the time of Lafayette, his position would have been too lukewarm for me. However, he should not be categorized with the worst elements of the revolution and perhaps his ways would be more acceptable to French monarchists today as a more "realistic" strategy for restoration. Monarchists in any and all cases should focus on the ultimate goal and not allow differences of strategy to divide us.

MM Video: The Papal Monarchy

Royal Anthem Series: XXI Portugal

The Kingdom of Portugal was a constitutional monarchy on the Iberian Peninsula which existed from 1139 to 1910. The last monarch was His Majesty King Manuel II and the current (most widely recognized) heir to the throne is Dom Duarte Pio, Duke of Braganza.

The National Anthem of the Kingdom of Portugal: O Hino da Carta

The Danish Succession Referendum

As most of you probably know the Kingdom of Denmark recently held a referendum on their succession which resulted in a large majority (80%+) in favor of changes to do away with male premogeniture as has been done in other liberal European monarchies (such as Sweden) in recent years. Let me begin by saying that I have nothing against women royals or female monarchs. In fact, it often seems to me that there are more women monarchs and consorts among my list of favorites than men. In Denmark, Queen Margrethe II herself is a fine example as she does and always has done an admirable job as Queen and has always been among my favorites amongst monarchs of the 'living minority'. However, all that being said, were I a voter in Denmark this past week I would most definitely have had to vote "no".

Upon looking into the issue further I found that there were some elements (conservative youth - God bless them) who opposed the bill with the same line of reasoning I would: it is absurd to try to make a monarchy, based on hereditary succession, "fair". The claim that male premogeniture was "unfair" to females never made sense to me. Is not equal premogeniture "unfair" to younger children? Isn't the Danish monarchy "unfair" to absolutely every Dane that isn't of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg? Furthermore, even in monarchies that have scrapped the traditional system of succession I still see no gender equality. When a woman marries a King she becomes Queen but when a man married a Queen he does not become King. Likewise when a girl marries a prince she becomes a princess but when a guy marries a princess he does not automatically become a prince. How "fair" is that?

It was also interesting for me to learn that those on the opposite extreme in Denmark also wanted to end the requirement that royal marriages obtain government approval (which I wouldn't have much of a problem with) and allow for illegitimate children to have succession rights (which I would have a big problem with). Thankfully there is enough common sense in Denmark for that to happen and the country is monarchist enough that no serious debate yet exists on the monarchy itself, yet I see efforts to make the system "fair" as chipping away at the institution and setting a rather dangerous precedent. Monarchy is unfair, life is unfair -get used to it. Here's an astounding fact experience can speak to as well: republicanism is unfair too. Granting power based on a popularity contest seems even more absurd to me than granting it based on tradition. "Fairness" these days, is all too often a code word used by revolutionary republicans and it should send up a red flag for all loyalists around the world.

Long live the Queen of Denmark and God save Europe's oldest monarchy!

Happy Portugal Day

Today is Portugal Day, the date chosen to commemorate the death of Luis de Camoes in 1580. He is best remembered for a poem of his which celebrated the glories and accomplishments of the Kingdom of Portugal. Since (following the triumph of the revolutionary republicans) the fortunes of Portugal have significantly declined, it is easy to forget the multitude of gigantic accomplishments the Portuguese kingdom made to the world. The Portuguese, starting with the patronage of the legendary Prince Henry the Navigator, were trailblazers in global exploration, navigation and cartography. Camoes himself was party to some of these early voyages of exploration and lost an eye after being shipwrecked in what is now Vietnam.

People today do not consider Portugal to be a major power but there is a great deal of history they are forgetting about. When they think of Portugal they think of things like wine and cork trees. When I think of Portugal the first thing I think of is the statue of St Anthony that the country gave to the city of my birth San Antonio which today stands alongside the San Antonio River on the beautiful Paseo del Rio. However, after that, I think of the country that introduced Europe to the wider world, the country that was first to have a global empire and the last to lose it; I think of the country that discovered and settled Brazil, mapped the coasts of Africa, discovered the Cape of Good Hope, were first to trade with India, Indonesia and even Japan. I think of the country that circled the globe and made Europe aware of diverse peoples across South America, Africa and Asia.

Today about the only thing people seem to remember about the Portuguese Empire is the slave trade. The fact is that the Portuguese never even attempted to conquer huge amounts of territory and rule large groups of people. Their colonial empire was based on trade rather than conquering huge swathes of territory. A little history review for the unfamiliar; the first King of Portugal was Afonso I who secured the country from Leon and the Moors and was recognized by the Pope. Early on the country signed a treaty with England, the oldest alliance in Europe. Prince Henry the Navigator spurred Portugal into becoming a great seapower and the world leader in exploration and trade. Over the years that followed Portugal became a major commercial and educational center in Europe and one of the richest countries in Europe. The Portuguese empire stretched from Brazil, the Azores, all around the coast of Africa and the Persian Gulf to India, Indonesia, China and Japan.

Fortunese declined somewhat following the death of the legendary King Sebastian after which a succession crisis arose. The Spanish Hapsburgs later absorbed Portugal but independence was restored by King John IV of the current House of Braganza. More problems, some due to bad ministers and some simply unavoidable natural disasters caused further decline throughout the 18th and 19th Centuries. All of the bad elements came together in the early 20th Century when King Manuel II was overthrown in 1910 and the First Republic declared. The era that followed was one of political chaos and religious persecution which lasted more or less until the rise of the "New State" under the corporatist Salazar. After another revolution brought his regime down the last significant elements of the Portuguese empire were given up, the last being the Chinese port of Macau in 1999. The Mad Monarchist wishes all Portuguese a happy Portugal Day and encourage all to struggle on for the day that the Kingdom and the greatness of Portugal is restored.

MM Video: Maximilian and Carlota

Royal Anthem Series: XX Thailand

The Kingdom of Thailand is a constitutional monarchy in Southeast Asia currently under the reign of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great, Rama IX. The Royal Anthem is played frequently in Thailand, not only on occasions when the King is present but also at the begining of movies, operas and theatrical performances. All for good reason as Thais certainly have cause to be proud of their monarch who has been of invaluable service to his country.

The Royal Anthem of Thailand: Sansoen Phra Barami

Consort Profile: Catherine of Braganza

An often overlooked British Queen consort, I think Catherine of Braganza does not get nearly enough credit for the strong woman that she was. The daughter of King John IV of Portugal the Infanta Catherine was married to King Charles II of Great Britain by proxy in Lisbon in 1662 and arrived in London a month later. She faced a great deal of opposition from the outset because of her background. Catherine had been raised in a convent and was a very devout Catholic which the Protestant elites in Parliament did not like at all. However, these were the days when Portugal was at the top of its game and she brought considerable wealth with her in her dowry as well as the exotic ports of Bombay and Tangiers. Charles II himself was not too impressed with her; considering her not especially attractive and too devout for his tastes though he is said to have been taken by her distinctive accent.

As time went on she won more and more people to her side by her simple kindness, support of her husband and her determination to stay out of politics. However, she still had plenty of heartaches as she never had any children while King Charles II continued to father numerous bastards with his small army of mistresses. Queen Catherine was heartbroken and embarassed by this but she never responded in kind and remained a good and faithful wife as long as she lived which impressed many; even the King himself. When Parliament began to pressure Charles to divorce Catherine and marry a Protestant princess who could give him legitimate heirs he firmly refused to. He knew Catherine endured alot from him and while he may not have sincerely loved her, he certainly had come to sincerely respect and admire her and he refused to divorce her. When political pressure continued Charles made it a treasonable offence for anyone to suggest that he divorce his wife or question the succession of his Catholic brother James.

Her most politically difficult moment, without doubt, came in 1678 with the so-called "Popish Plot" which was a Protestant conspiracy to frame the prominent Catholics at court with trying to poison the King. Queen Catherine herself was accused of having a part in it but Charles II defended her himself, he knew it was an absurd charge and in time the charges were proven to be total fabrications. When Charles II lay on his deathbed (where he himself converted to Catholicism) he asked Catherine's forgiveness for his weakness as a husband. She must have been a very forgiving soul as when a rebellion against the new monarch, King James II, under the leadership of the Duke of Monmouth, one of Charles' bastards, she tried to convince James to spare the life of the Duke who was a result of her late husband's adultery.

Catherine had a happy enough life as a widow under the Catholic King James II but when he was overthrown by the Prince of Orange in 1688 her situation grew steadily worse. The Queen had initially been on good terms with the new Protestant monarchs but as the anti-Catholic laws increased she became increasingly treated like a prisoner and was finally obliged to return to her native Portugal in 1692. Nonetheless, she still supported Anglo-Portuguese friendship and even acted as regent of Portugal for her brother King Pedro II. She died in 1705 and is perhaps most remembered today as the Queen who introduced the custom of tea drinking to England.

Monarchist Profile: Marshal Jan Smuts

Jan Christiaan Smuts is one of those rare individuals who came to fame as a republican fighting against a monarchy to become one of the most staunch monarchists in the world of his time. Smuts was born in 1870 in the Cape Colony of South Africa and grew up to become a lawyer. At one point he even represented the famous British imperialist Cecil Rhodes, which earned him the criticism of many of his fellow Afrikaaners. In time however, the expansion of British power in southern Africa at the expense of the Boer republics turned Smuts into an ardent enemy of Great Britain and a staunch defender of President Paul Kruger of the Transvaal.

At the outset of the Second Boer War Smuts acted as a liason officer for President Kruger as well as stirring up the Afrikaaner population to support the war against Britain. As the war went on Smuts himself became a front-line soldier and led Boer commandos in numerous attacks and raids against the enemy which would forever change the nature of irregular warfare. Finally, however, the losses of the Boers and the horrific suffering of the Boer civilians the British had herded into concentration camps convinced Smuts that the war should be ended. There were problems with the British rule naturally, but overall everyone was surprised by how well the British treated their defeated foes. In time they would prove as generous in peace as they had been harsh at war and a majority of the Boer population was won over to support the British Empire including Jan Smuts.

The loyalty of the Boers was tested in World War I when South African forces were charged with conquering German Southwest Africa (Namibia) but had to deal with a rebellion in their own country first by pro-German, anti-British Boers. In the end, without the help of outside forces, the loyal South Africans defeated the rebel Boers and then went on to make German Southwest Africa their own colony. Smuts, now a general, then went on to lead the war effort against German East Africa and the brilliantly unorthodox General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck. Smuts emerged as a British war hero and was a major force in the organization of the League of Nations (no one's perfect) and was one of those who foresaw future problems for Britain with Japan.

Smuts got back into politics in the inter-war years and was a close ally of Winston Churchill and a staunch defender of the British Empire. During World War II he returned to service and became the first South African to attain the rank of Field Marshal in the British army. His prestige had reached such heights that some even suggested him as a possible successor to Churchill as Prime Minister of Great Britain. Supposedly even King George VI favored the idea. He returned to politics after the war again, opposed Ireland leaving the British Commonwealth and opposed India remaining after becoming a republic for fear that it would encourage republicans in his own country which was a horrific idea to the firmly monarchist Smuts. He was prominent in the organization of the United Nations and supported the foundation of the State of Israel. He died in 1950 as one of the most famous and widely respected South Africans in history.

Possibly the greatest phrase ever spoken by Marshal Smuts: "If a nation does not want a monarchy, change the nation's mind. If a nation does not need a monarchy, change the nation's needs." Truer words were never spoken Marshal Smuts.

Grimaldi in Car Accident

According to reports Charlotte Casiraghi, daughter of HRH Princess Caroline of Hanover and Hereditary Princess of Monaco, was involved in a car accident last night near Verbania, Italy. Sources say Charlotte is okay though and only suffered some minor injuries (bumps & bruises) and damage to one hand. Whatever the severity this sort of incident for this particular family must be very hard on the nerves. One can imagine that Princess Caroline's heart skipped a beat when she was first informed. The thoughts and prayers of The Mad Monarchist go out to young Charlotte for a swift recovery.

Royal Anthem Series: XIX Sweden

The Kingdom of Sweden is a symbolic monarchy in the Scandinavian region of Europe currently under the reign of HM King Carl XVI Gustaf. Although a relatively minor country today, Sweden was once a major regional power that dominated northern Europe and even had a colony in North America.

The Royal Anthem of Sweden: The Song of the King

Royal Guardians Profile: The Leib Guard

The Russian Imperial Guard was founded to replace the Streltsy which was considered too politically unreliable by Czar Peter the Great. He started with 50 close friends he had known since his youth and followed closely the example of the Prussians and so the Russian force was often known as the Leib Guard and all members had the title of "Life Guard" attached to their ranks. Throughout the life of the Russian Empire the Leib Guard distinguished itself in many battles in many wars across Europe alongside their first duty of protecting the life of the Czar of all the Russias.

Early on the Leib Guard was known more for parade ground precision and as a way to prepare Russian nobles for military command in combat units. They remained behind, for example, drilling in the squares of St Petersburg while other Russians units fought in the Seven Years War. Aristocrats traditionally predominated in the Leib Guard although it was open to all levels of society. Czar Paul enforced stricter guidelines on the Guard and his son, Czar Alexander, took them into the field as a front-line unit. During the Napoleonic Wars they really gained their reputation as an elite fighting force in the Imperial Russian Army. They performed heroically, for example, at the epic battle of Borodino. After the battle of Austerlitz, though it was a defeat, no one would ever again think of the Leib Guard as parade ground troops.

Every regiment of the Leib Guard had a Romanov as honorary colonel-in-chief and was a common sight on battlefields throughout Europe with the Russian military. The end of the Guard came in World War I in which, as happened in virtually every other army involved, this elite corps of troops was decimated in massive frontal attacks against storms of German and Austrian machine gun fire. In 1905 it was troops of the Leib Guard who fired what many consider the first shots of the Russian Revolution when they killed 96 out of a crowd of 80,000 protestors at the Winter Palace. The disaster that was the Russian Revolution hit hard in 1917 and, unfortunately, the Leib Guard was not immune. The Pavlovsky Regiment mutinied and had a shoot out with Russian police forces and thereafter one guard regiment after another mutinied as well to join the forces of the horrific revolution. The Palace Grenadiers of the Moscow Regiment were the last to remain loyal to the Czar and when Nicholas II ordered them to leave the Winter Palace so as not to make it a potential battleground the unit simply dissolved on its own and not long thereafter Czar Nicholas II abdicated and the ancient, proud Russian Empire came to an end.

June 6 Monarchism Events

Today His Majesty Albert II, King of the Belgians, turns 75-years-old. He was born in 1934, the second son of HM King Leopold III. He succeeded his older brother as King of the Belgians when King Baudouin died suddenly in 1993. This birthday makes Albert II the longest living monarch in the history of the Kingdom of Belgium. The Mad Monarchist wishes the Belgian monarch a happy birthday. June 6 also marks the anniversary of the Allied invasion of Nazi occupied Europe at Normandy in 1944. Although the U.S. especially has maintained a foreign policy hostile to monarchy it is worth remembering that the Allied war effort (the bulk of which in the west was made up of U.S. forces) liberated and enabled the restoration of the Nazi-occupied monarchies of Monaco, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway. It is only unfortunate that so many other monarchies around the world were either destroyed by the war or dissolved soon after as a result.

Monarch Profile: HSH Prince Louis I of Monaco

Louis I may not have been one of the most "hands-on" sovereigns of Monaco but he was certainly one of the most interesting, accomplished and stylish. Louis was born in Monaco on July 25, 1642 to Prince Hercules and Princess Aurelia Spinola of Monaco but the greatest influence on his life was his grandfather and predecessor the Sovereign Prince Honore II. Since 1524 Monaco had been a protectorate of the Kingdom of Spain but that had begun to change during the reign of Prince Honore II who was a zealous Francophile. After building up the principality Honore II drove out the Spanish and made Monaco a protectorate of France in return for which he was awarded titles in the French nobility. As part of his campaign of goodwill toward France Honore II sent his grandson Louis to represent him at the lavish court of the French king where he proved to be quite popular. In 1660 Prince Louis married Catherine-Charlotte de Gramont, daughter of Antoine III de Gramont, who was a Marshal of France.

Prince Louis was an accomplished soldier who fought for King Louis XIV in his wars against England and Spain. Louis had the unique position at the French court of being both the representative of a foreign power, the Principality of Monaco, as well as a member of the French nobility as the second Duke of Valentinois. In 1662 Honore II died and his grandson succeeded him as Sovereign Prince Louis I but he spent most of his time in France, usually in Paris or at the court of King Louis XIV at Versailles. Another reason for his good graces with Louis XIV was probably the attractiveness of his wife Princess Catherine-Charlotte who, for a few months, joined the ranks of the many mistresses of Louis XIV before he moved on to the favors of the famous Madame de Montespan. Prince Louis I, himself not exactly a chaste man, prudently made himself scarce during these periods, going off to war for Louis XIV.

Although he may have been popular in France, Louis I of Monaco was not such a big hit in Great Britain which he visited in 1677. King Charles II was outraged by the way Louis I showered gifts on Hortense Mancini, one of the many mistresses of Charles II. He later fought against England in the War of the United Provinces and earned further favor with Louis XIV for his bold leadership on the battlefields of Flanders and Franche-Comte at the head of his regiment the Monaco Cavalry. Personal tragedy struck in 1678 when Princess Catherine-Charlotte died at the age of 39. She had, however, given Louis I six children; two sons and four daughters so the Monegasque succession was quite sure for the time being. In any event, Louis XIV was so impressed by the distinguished service of Prince Louis I of Monaco that he decided to name him as his official ambassador to the Holy See. It was a very reasonable move since Louis I's Grimaldi family ties in Genoa and across Italy would serve him well while in Rome.

It was in Rome at the papal court that Louis I could have made his greatest impact on history as he was chosen for the important assignment with the intention of representing the interests of Louis XIV in the critical issue of the Spanish succession. It was Louis I of Monaco who tried to bring about an agreement between the two bitter sides of what would prove to be a very costly war. Typically for a Monegasque prince though, when not engaged in diplomatic work, Louis I was well known for his stylish entertaining and lavish lifestyle. Unfortunately for his successors he went rather too far and was soon forced to sell off the awesome art collection of Honore II to pay his debts. He spent his family into the poor house to the point that Monaco was virtually bankrupt and, unfortunately, Louis I died before the issue of the Spanish succession could be settled on January 3, 1701. Had he succeeded in arranging an international agreement on Spain to the favor of King Louis XIV he almost certainly would have earned great rewards for himself. As it was, he left the Monegasque throne to his son Prince Antoine with nothing but empty pockets and a reputation for grand parties and military glory.

Belgian Birthday Wishes

The Cross of Laeken reports on the birthday of HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium. The Mad Monarchist joins in wishing Her Royal Highness a happy birthday and the hope of many, many more to come!

Cinema Royals

In the fall of 2003 Japanese TV Asahi released a made for tv movie about one of the greatest (yet overlooked) royal romances of World War II. The mini-series was Ruten no Ohi - Saigo no Kotei and featured actress Takako Tokiwa in the starring role as Princess Hiro Saga, the Japanese wife of Prince Aisin-Gioro Pujie, brother of the last Emperor of China who was then reigning as Emperor of Manchukuo. A moving film that manages to avoid the most extreme politics it is a true story that no fiction writer could top and Takako Tokiwa plays the part to perfection. Lady Hiro Saga was a young woman pushed into an arranged marriage to strengthen Manchu-Japanese ties and yet she comes to have a deep and abiding love for her husband. The two weather fiercer storms than most couples could imagine and the film gives a sympathetic portrayal of the royal pair throughout the tempestuous years in Manchukuo, Pujie's arrest and their heart-breaking years apart ending with their happy reunion in old age. It is worth pointing out in light of Tokiwa's wonderful performance that she actually went to school with Hiro Saga's grandson. If you like true stories of royal drama that pull at the heart strings this is one to check out. For a short overview see the clip here accompanied by a beautiful song by Huang Yida called "The Last Princess". See a royal match that truly stood the test of time.

Royal Anthem Series: XVIII Swaziland

The Kingdom of Swaziland is an absolute monarchy in southern Africa, bordered by South Africa on three sides and Mozambique on one side. The current ruling monarch is HM King Mswati III. Swaziland is a member of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

The National Anthem of Swaziland: Nkulunkulu Mnikati wetibusiso temaSwati

Mad Rant: Obama and Islam

Obama has made his much hyped speech to Islam in Cairo, Egypt and he has mauled the truth as only someone of his leftist talent can. Whereas during the campaign he played down or silenced his Muslim background, now he is lifting it up as a benefit (during the course of his political career his father has gone from being an "atheist" to an "agnostic" to a "Muslim"). He also sang the praises of the religion of Mohammed, crediting Islam with giving the world or furthering the magnetic compass, algebra, the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. Not true. The ancient "Middle Kingdom" of China invented the magnetic compass, algebra has its roots in the ancient empire of Babylon (who were not Muslims at the time -Islam had not been invented yet), the Renaissance was not a result of Islam it was the rediscovery of classic civilization (Greek, Roman) by Europe. As for the "Enlightenment", I don't see how Islam furthered that nor would I consider it to be a credit to Islam if it did. The "Enlightenment" did not bring new light to Europe but rather a new darkness by stamping out the divine in human understanding.

That is not to say that the Islamic world is without accomplishments -by no means. However, a distinction that must be made is that all of the Islamic contributions to the betterment of the world came from the Muslim monarchies -not the fanatical, theocratic republics that are all too in vogue today. Turkey was never greater in learning or culture than when it had a Sultan, Iran was never greater in learning, culture and progress than when it had a Shah, Afghanistan was a much greater country when it had a king than when it had the Taliban. The Islamic Republic of Iran, the Taliban regime in Aghanistan, the secularist regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq or the terrorist state in Syria are all totally opposed to any sort of legitimate, benevolent progress. These were not and are not centers of great learning or flowering culture but are places of fear, repression and overall small-mindedness.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia could easily fall into this category as well but it is clear that as bad as things may be they could be alot worse. We should not forget that Usama bin Laden, a native of Saudi Arabia, is an avowed enemy of the Saudi monarchy. I have no doubt that if the House of Saud ever falls it will not be replaced by a more benevolent monarchy but rather by a Wahabi Islamic republic. Why on earth the government seems to be encouraging their people in this direction is beyond me but for all of the failings of Saudi Arabia its fall would be a disaster in the same vein as the fall of the Iranian monarchy (which is not to say that the Pahlavi and Saudi monarchies are anything alike). The significance of the fall of the Shah of Iran cannot be overstated. A pro-western, modern-minded monarchy was replaced by a horrific revolutionary regime; the first time that the worst, fanatical elements of Islam were able to take over a state. Until that mistake is recognized I cannot hold out much hope that the current crisis can ever be effectively dealt with at its roots. Obama may wow the crowds but he will never be able to bring about peace between Islamic fanatics and leftist, anti-religion liberals in the west. Only a true return to sincere religion, cultural understanding and traditional authority can accomplish that.

Trying to reason with people who are, by definition, unreasonable is surely a mark of insanity and the continuing denial of the facts of history and republican revolutionaries ongoing weakness for buying in to their own propaganda are all further reasons why I remain The Mad Monarchist.

Today in Nepalese History

It was on this day in history that HM Gyanendra, the last King of Nepal, came to the throne in 2001 following the infamous "Royal Massacre" in Kathmandu. Obviously, few monarchs and probably none in the world today, have come to the throne under such horrific circumstances. The killing spree that brought down the previous batch of royals is still a subject of hot debate in Nepal today with a great many people denying the official story. However, one thing that should be kept in mind but is often not is that the reign of King Dipendra was not exactly trouble-free. The absolute monarchy had ended, democracy was introduced (King Gynanenda would restore the absolute monarchy as a matter of necessity) and the Maoists who eventually succeeded in bringing down the monarchy were making trouble even under the very popular Dipendra.

The Kingdom of Nepal was in trouble long before King Gyanendra came to the throne, the last in the row of dominoes that were the Himalayan monarchies to fall. 1959 saw the expulsion of the Dalai Lama of Tibet, in 1975 Indian troops conquered the Kingdom of Sikkim and in May of last year the Maoist dominated government of Napal declared their monarchy abolished. It makes one wonder just how nervous the loyal souls of Bhutan must be these days as concerns their own fate, especially with the enforced transition from absolute monarchy to parliamentary democracy. The loss of the monarchy in Nepal was a disaster (for the world) on a number of levels; historical, political and cultural. It saw the death of the one and only remaining Hindu kingdom in the world and it saw the victory of ultra-communist revolutionary republicans of the very worst order. Needless to say things have been chaotic in Nepal ever since. Trying to placate communist revolutionaries is a fool's game; their entire ideology is geared toward totalitarian communist rule and they will never be satisfied with anything less. Compromise is not something they ever enter into with any sincerity.