MM Video: Emperor Charles V

The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, King Carlos I of Spain aka Carlos Quinto, House of Hapsburg, was the first to have an empire upon which it was said the sun never set. His dominions stretched from the New World, across Spain, the Low Countries, Germany and parts of Italy and north Africa. Considered a champion of Catholic Christendom he was constantly at war with the French in Italy, the Turks in the Mediterranean and Protestant rebels in Germany. Probably his most famous victory was the battle of Pavia in which he defeated the French and captured King Francis I.

Shameless Plug

Monarchist Music: The Maple Leaf Forever

This is the original version of this song (not the one most Canadians today are probably familiar with) which has a much more monarchist flavor than the current style.

Pretender Profile: Prince Christian Frederick

Most are aware that the Kingdom of Norway has an ancient history, however it was not until 1807 that Norwegian nationalism triumphed to the extent of gaining their own government separate from Denmark with whom they were then united. However, after Denmark supported Napoleon the Allied powers took Norway from Denmark and passed the country to Sweden (which had lost Finland to Russia) in the Treaty of Kiel of January 14, 1814. HM King Frederick VI of Denmark agreed to these changes in order to join the Allied coalition but he neglected to consult the government in Norway itself. The Norwegians rebelled and on May 17, 1814 declared their own constitution.

The Danish Royal Family, however, had not completely forgotten about Norway and Prince Christian Frederick had been sent as Governor of Norway to strengthen ties between the Norwegian people and the Danish monarchy prior to the country being ceded over to Sweden. To be fair, some Norwegians were favorable toward the Swedish union but Prince Christian Frederick put himself at the head of those pushing for complete independence, from Denmark and Sweden, for the Kingdom of Norway. So, it seemed only natural that when the Norwegian assembly signed their constitution they elected Prince Christian Frederick to be the King of Norway. The Allies immediately demanded that the new King of Norway abide by the treaties they had signed and submit to the union with Sweden. However, King Christian Frederick stated that, as a constitutional monarch, he could not take such action on his own authority without the approval of the Norwegian government.

Naturally, the newly established Bernadotte Crown Prince of Sweden was none too pleased with these developments and promptly launched an invasion of Norway, resulting in a little war lasting about two weeks. Christian Frederick demanded that Sweden withdraw their soldiers before he would assemble the Norwegian government to discuss and vote on the possibility of political union. However, the Swedish army defeated the Norwegians who were also hampered by internal divisions with some members of the nobility opposing Christian Frederick. No countries ever recognized the independence of the Kingdom of Norway though most were also not too keen on a total war between Sweden and Norway. However, the clashes that had occurred did not give much confidence that Norway could have survived such a conflict in any event and so another convention was called.

The short-reigning King Christian Frederick of Norway abdicated his throne to the national government which agreed to a new treaty and union with Sweden. Prince Christian Frederick returned home to Denmark where he was treated with suspicion by many for his perceived liberalism. Nonetheless, although his effort to become King of Norway failed, lest anyone feel too sorry for him, he did succeed to the throne as King of Denmark in 1839 as King Christian VIII, reigning until his death in 1848.

Remember

Nine years ago today terrorists organized by Islamic radical Osama bin Laden attacked the United States by hijacking 4 jet liners to launch suicide attacks against key U.S. targets. Two planes hit the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York, one hit the Pentagon outside Washington DC and another, destined for either the White House or Capital Building, was retaken by passengers from the terrorists and crashed in the Pennsylvania countryside. Some 3,000 people were killed in the attacks making them the bloodiest act of terrorism in American history. Sympathy poured in from the rest of the world but, as a monarchist, one of the moments which most stuck in my mind was the image of Prince Charles, Prince Philip and the American ambassador to the Court of St James viewing the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace with the guards band playing the "Star Spangled Banner" in honor of the atrocity visited on the United States.

Royal News Roundup

On the Russian front, HIH Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna established the Imperial Women’s Order of St Anastasia and approved its statute on August 20. It is fairly uncommon, though not unheard of, for non-reigning royals to establish new honors but the head of the Romanov family has done so. The order is named in honor of the Holy Great Martyr Anastasia (martyred in 304 by Diocletian) and the first queen of the Romanov dynasty, wife of Tsar John IV, better known as Ivan the Terrible.

In southern Europe the Princely Family of Monaco was out last weekend celebrating the anniversary of the liberation of their country by American forces in World War II. Along with Prince Albert II was his future wife Charlene, Princess Caroline and daughter Princess Alexandra of Hanover, as well as cousin Elisabeth-Anne de Massy, daughter of Princess Antoinette. Across the Mediterranean in Spain HRH Princess Letizia of the Asturias is the subject of a new and scandalous unauthorized biography which accuses the Princess of being a republican, having a number of sexual scandals before her marriage, having an abortion, being an agnostic and so on. Unfortunately it is expected to be a best-seller.

Up in the Low Countries HM Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands has been dividing her time this week between her grandchildren and dealing with squabbling party leaders as the efforts to form a government coalition continue. Crown Princess Maxima, meanwhile, attended a fund-raising drive for impoverished children in the Third World such as Peru, India and a number of African countries. Elsewhere, Princess Laurentien was reading to children as part of Literacy Week in a successful effort to break the world record for simultaneous reading (46,000 in total). Across the border HM King Albert II of the Belgians remains frustrated in his efforts to break the political deadlock that is preventing the formation of a government and increasing calls for the breakup of Belgium. No breakthroughs as yet. Finally, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg visited the Republic of Portugal to strengthen ties between the two countries.

Princess Madeleine of Sweden is currently in the United States (New York City) and is expected to stay throughout the fall working with the children’s charity founded by her mother. Rumors are already flying after seeing the Princess together several times with wealthy playboy Stavros Niarchos III, known for his family money, fast cars and lifestyle and long succession of celebrity ex-girlfriends. I hope Princess Madeleine knows better. Back home, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden handed out awards for Stockholm’s World Water Week, giving the annual Junior World Water Prize to two Canadian teenagers from Quebec for their inventive use of Styrofoam to clean up polystyrene waste. Meanwhile, across the Baltic in Denmark, HM Queen Margrethe II, Prince Henrik and family were out in force to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund of which Prince Henrik is patron.

In Great Britain HRH the Prince of Wales has been on a “green” tour promoting one of his favorite causes; environmentalism. Usually a “safe” cause to be associated with the tour has nonetheless caused at least a little bit of murmuring (not at all unusual) by those who think balk at the private jet - globe trotting class lecturing the little people on being so wasteful. HM the Queen was said to be less than pleased with a new book put out by former PM Tony Blair in which he said he lectured the Queen on the lessons that the Royal Family needed to learn surrounding the death of Lady Diana. Needless to say, a Prime Minister revealing anything at all about his conversations with the Queen is an extraordinary breach of established protocol and the way things are done in the UK. This week also saw the ceremonies commemorating the anniversary of the Blitz and though there were no royals present there has been much thinking back about the calm leadership of HM King George VI on that occasion. A recent film starring Colin Firth about the efforts of the King to deal with his speech impediment is thought by many to be an Oscar contender.

Finally, jumping over to the Far East, HIH Princess Aiko of Japan has been missing quite a bit of school and even missed much of her first day back in class. Even during the opening ceremony the little princess stayed in the classroom with her mother Crown Princess Masako, not participating with the other students. According to the Imperial Palace the Princess is tutored privately when not in school but her problems have caused some (mostly traditionalists) to speculate that she may have inherited some of her mother’s notoriously debilitating stress-related adjustment disorder which has kept her almost completely out of public view for quite some time. Recent photos certainly show a different looking Princess Aiko from the exuberant child of several years ago. However, in happier news, on Monday HIH Prince Hisahito of Japan celebrated his 4th birthday. The Mad Monarchist wishes the future Emperor of Japan a very happy birthday!

Monarchist Quote

"We may teach the enemy this lesson: A country defended by free men devoted to the cause of their king and constitution can never be conquered..." -Major General Sir Isaac Brock KB, the "Hero of Upper Canada".

(this dashing figure was sent to me by the "English Jacobite", my contact in Her Majesty's Dominion of Canada)

The Murder of an Empress

It was on this day in 1898 that the Empress Elizabeth of Austria, Queen of Hungary, was murdered by an Italian terrorist in Switzerland. I will confess that, while I find her a fascinating character, I have never been a big fan of Sissi, but her murder was certainly a horrible act and one all monarchists and all decent people should find horrifying. Her murderer, Luigi Lucheni, famously said, "I wanted to kill a royal. It did not matter which one." Oddly enough it was in Switzerland, one of only two European countries at the time, without a monarchy, that he found one. It was one more tragedy for the long-suffering House of Hapsburg but it is also very revealing about the mentality of so many of those who oppose monarchy (even if they are not murderers). These people who so rail against "class" and social heirarchy and people being given favorable treatment because of their bloodline then turn around and insult people and insist that they be singled out for special punishments just because of their bloodline.

Monarch Profile: Emperor Akbar the Great of India

The man known as Akbar the Great was the third monarch of the powerful Mughal Empire which dominated most India and much of south central Asia. He would rule more of India than anyone in history up to the era of British colonial rule. He is remembered today as a great conqueror, builder, lawgiver and a fair ruler of a very diverse population, particularly in religion. He was born Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar on November 23, 1542 in Umerkot, Sindh (modern Pakistan) to Emperor Humayun and his wife Hamida Banu Begum. When his parents were driven into exile in Persia by the Pashtuns young Akbar stayed behind and was later raised by an uncle in what is now Afghanistan. He grew up strong and determined, very athletic and adventurous but without much of a formal education. He would be illiterate for his entire life and yet, rather like Emperor Charlemagne in the west, this did not mean he was ill-informed or unrefined in taste or habits.

When his father returned during a struggle over the succession Humayun captured Delhi but died shortly thereafter. At only 13 years old Akbar succeeded to the Mughal throne in 1556 though it was still a throne he had to fight for. However, military campaigns were to take up a considerable portion of his reign and Emperor Akbar proved more than up to the challenge. In the beginning his army was often led by Bairam Khan who was also guardian of the young emperor. Eventually, however, he launched a rebellion against his former charge and it took a difficult military campaign to defeat him and for Akbar to consolidate his rule and begin expanding his empire. His forces won a number of stunning victories that destroyed the power of the Hindu kings and extended Mughal control across Afghanistan, Pakistan and northern India though it took about twenty years to accomplish it. No other Mughal emperor would ever surpass his achievements on the battlefield and the Mughal Empire would never be bigger or stronger than it was during his reign. Yet, as adept at warfare as Akbar was, that is not how he is most remembered today.

Instead, Akbar the Great is today known for his epic building programs, ushering in the magnificent Mughal style of architecture. He was also known for reaching out to the now sidelined Hindu elites of India. He took Hindu princesses into his harem, abolished the tax on non-Muslims in India and abolished the tax which had formerly been collected on Hindus whenever they went on a pilgrimage. In time the Muslim emperor was admired and revered by most of the Hindu population. His tactic of marrying the daughters of powerful Hindu rulers was also quite effective and it is estimated that by the end of his life Emperor Akbar had more than 4,000 wives! He not only tolerated Hinduism but even participated in some Hindu customs to show that he was truly their monarch as well.

Akbar the Great reformed the tax system, streamlined the government and greatly improved the lives of his people. His court was very cosmopolitan and included people from various nationalities and religious backgrounds. He enjoyed assembling Islamic scholars, Hindu teachers, Jesuit priests and so on for religious debates. He established friendly diplomatic relations with the Portuguese who had already established a number of fortresses on the west coast of India. When the Ottoman authorities harassed Mughal pilgrims making the Hajj there was even a plan developed by Emperor Akbar to attack Yemen in alliance with the Portuguese but nothing ever came of it. The Portuguese ultimately attacked on their own but were repelled by the Ottoman navy. At home, Akbar was something of a renaissance man, as interested in art, architecture, crafts, philosophy and religion as he was in war and government administration. His empire was remarkably religiously tolerant, though it must also be said that all of his officials were not as open-minded as he was and religious harassment if not outright persecution did occur, particularly regarding the Christians who were the weakest of the religions present in India at the time.

Emperor Akbar carried his religious tolerance to such an extent that by the end of his life there was an effort to create a unique religion combining aspects of all others, though the extent to which this was a serious quest for a true “religion” may be debated. In any event, most could agree on very little aside from the great esteem in which they all held their emperor and it dissolved after his death which came on October 27, 1605 in Agra. During his life, Akbar the Great had risen from royal but humble origins, was forced to fight for his inheritance, defeated his enemies, built an empire that dominated the subcontinent and gained international fame for the beauty, splendor and freedom of his dominion. He remains probably the most widely revered and celebrated Mughal emperor of India.

Monarchist Military: The Belgian Legion

When Maximilian and Carlota became the Emperor and Empress of Mexico the governments of Austria and Belgium were officially neutral in the ongoing conflict between the monarchists and republicans. However, they certainly worried about the young couple and both countries allowed the formation of volunteer units to go to Mexico to aid the Imperial couple. King Leopold I of the Belgians, who had been very hopeful about the whole enterprise (himself a transplanted monarch who succeeded very well), authorized the formation of the Corps of Belgian Volunteers in Mexico, often referred to as the Belgian Legion.

The Belgian Legion consisted of two battalions, one of grenadiers and one of voltigeurs numbering in all about 1,600 men. They wore smart blue uniforms decorated with red for the grenadiers, green for the voltigeurs and white for musicians. The grenadiers were named the ’Empress’ Battalion and the voltigeurs the ’King of the Belgians’ Battalion. Women also came along to serve as vivandières, assisting the soldiers in any way they could. The unit was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Baron Van der Smissen who had gained considerable experience with the French army fighting guerilla rebels in Algeria, North Africa. They were quite a sight when they arrived in their tall hats and braided jackets and calling themselves, “Les Gardes de l’Imperatrice”. Most of them were very young, late teens to early 20’s, and had never heard a shot fired in anger in their lives. Empress Carlota reviewed her countrymen at the National Palace and always took a special interest in them.

However, there was more opposition than they had been led to believe and not long after arriving the French rushed them forward and threw them into combat. The French Marshal Bazaine had been fighting to suppress the Juaristas (republican rebels) in Oaxaca and was in dire need of additional troops to free up French forces in other areas. The Belgians left Mexico City in late March of 1865 and went to the state of Michoacan to reinforce the 81st French regiment. When word came that the republican General Corona Regules was advancing on the state capital of Morelia with 3,000 men, Lt. Colonel Van der Smissen was ordered to dispatch 300 of his Belgian troops to the village of Tacambaro to face the threat.

Major Emile Tigdal was placed in command for the hopeless fight. Surrounded and attacked on April 11, in spite of their youth and inexperience they fought with heroic tenacity until only 190 of the original 300 were left. Adding to the shock of this disaster was the fact that one of the casualties was Captain Ernest Chazal, son of the Belgian War Minister. Perhaps to compensate for their own brutality, the republicans long claimed that the Belgians had taken the wife of General Regules hostage when they came to Tacambaro. However, recent research done by more honest Mexican historians has revealed that, on the contrary, Senora Regules had herself gone to the Belgians for protection at that contemporaries at the time commented on the gallant behavior of the Belgian troops whether dealing with people sympathetic to the revolution or the empire. Nonetheless, the tragic loss of so many of the Belgian Legion caused an uproar from Mexico City to Brussels.

Colonel Van der Smissen, who had been in Morelia at the time, openly accused Colonel de Potiers, the French commanding officer of the area, of criminal negligence and gross incompetence. Marshal Bazaine had to step in to stop the men from having a duel. Empress Carlota herself gave the French commander a ‘dressing down’ for having sent such a small handful of her countrymen into the face of certain death. In her writing she described the battle as “a catastrophe -like an earthquake” and said that, “It haunts me day and night”. She also sent 10,000 francs to ease the suffering of those of her countrymen who had been taken prisoner. Public opinion in Belgium was also outraged which was not helped by the fact that many in the French army looked down on the Belgians and newspapers accused the French command of using their volunteers as cannon-fodder to spare the lives of their own men.

Nonetheless, honor was restored when, several weeks later, Colonel Van der Smissen led his remaining Belgian troops along with 600 French zouaves and a few thousand Mexican Imperial troops from Morelia to retake Tacambaro and avenge the slaughter of his countrymen. As 1866 passed the situation worsened for the Mexican Empire, particularly on the northern border following the disastrous battle of Santa Gertrudis on July 8 which was followed by imperial forces abandoning Matamoros. The situation became so bad with the French on their way out, the treasury sucked dry and Juaristas gaining momentum that a northern post garrisoned by Belgian troops mutinied and other imperial forces had to be rushed in to restore order. Morale was obviously running very low. By the end of the year the Belgian Legion was disbanded and most of the troops went home rather than join the doomed Mexican Imperial Army, unfortunate but understandable given how they had been treated thus far and the fact that the French had broken the treaty they had signed previously with Maximilian and were leaving him and their beloved Carlota to their fate.

Some were determined to fight on to the last and none more than Colonel Van der Smissen who made a daring proposal to Emperor Maximilian. With the Republican Army of the North advancing south toward Mexico City promising destruction to the empire, the Belgian colonel proposed forming a special corps to advance north to meet them. In the vanguard would be an Austro-Belgian brigade under his command, some French Foreign Legion battalions would be included and some select Mexican troops under Colonel Miguel Lopez with the famous Indian General Tomas Mejia as chief of staff. Maximilian liked the idea but it was more of a heroic day dream than a workable plan and nothing came of it. The Austrians would likely have objected to being commanded by a Belgian colonel, the French were not likely to provide any assistance and by the end of the war Colonel Miguel Lopez would prove to be the least reliable officer in the Mexican army. However, it shows how much zeal the Belgian volunteers had who came to Mexico to protect “their Carlota”.
In all, less than half of the boys who joined the legion for service in Mexico survived to return to Belgium, though a few did remain to fight on until the bitter end. When Empress Carlota died in Belgium in 1927 a small corporal’s guard, the only survivors left, of her beloved guard turned out to carry her coffin to her final resting place. Their tour of duty in the ill-fated Mexican Empire had certainly shown them the extreme highs and lows of military service; grand pageantry, parades and dances, defeat, massacre, victory, triumph and hardship. Their most famous battle was, sadly, a defeat but one in which they acquitted themselves like heroes, despite being inexperienced and vastly outnumbered they fought like lions, taking a huge toll on the enemy and holding out to the very end. Their courage was marvelous and there were other victories in which they proved their worth well. Although still remembered by some, their story deserves to be more widely known and their valor, and the noble cause for which they fought, should be remembered.

MM Video: Royal Burma

Burma has an ancient royal history which has left behind many magnificent monuments across the country. The Konbaung dynasty, founded by King Alaungpaya in 1752, was the 3rd Burmese empire and throughout their reign Burma reached her peak of size and power. For about a century Burma dominated the region but in the 1800's a series of wars broke out with the British. The last native King of Burma was Thibaw Min who reigned from 1878 to 1885. After his defeat in the Third Anglo-Burmese War he was deposed by the British and shipped off to exile in India after which Burma became part of the British Empire of India. Mandalay was the last royal capital and is still regarded as the cultural heart of Burma with many breathtaking monuments, temples and a rebuilt palace complex.

Personal Request

My sister and two little nieces are going through a very rough patch at the moment and I would appreciate the prayers of anyone that they come through this difficulty okay.

Consort Profile: Queen Genepil of Mongolia

Genepil, the last wife of the last Mongol Khan, is a woman shrouded in mystery yet one whose story has endured. She was queen consort for less than a year in 1924 but her story has captivated successive generations. At the debut of a film about the late queen her 70-year-old daughter Tserenkhand recalled the sudden disappearance of her mother as a child saying, “They took her away at night. She did not wake us, only left a piece of sugar on our pillows. I still remember the joy of a sudden discovery of that rare delicacy in the morning”. The VIII Jetsundhampa, the Bogd Khan, married his first wife, the famous Ekh Dagina, after falling madly in love with her and her death in 1923 effected the ailing monk-monarch profoundly.

By that time the Bogd Khan was monarch in name only with the country effectively under the control of the communist front-men for the Soviet Union. He would have been content to live out his remaining days alone but felt obliged to take another wife. The court was especially insistent, given the situation, that the full image of the monarchy be maintained. The guardians of the Bogd Khan took it upon themselves to pick a new bride for their sovereign even if she was to be wife in name only. In the summer of 1923 they began searching Khalkh Mongolia for a suitable bride. They finally narrowed their options to 15 girls ranging in age from 18 to 20. Their choice was a beautiful 19-year-old girl from a noble family in northern Mongolia at Baldan Bereeven named Genepil. She had also recently been married herself but the courtiers took no notice of this. As well as the different social norms of the time and place it must also be kept in mind that everyone knew this would most likely be a very short marriage and done mostly for appearances.

Genepil was, as her daughter related, taken in the night and carried to the Khan Palace where she first learned of what was to be her fate. What she thought about the arrangement can only be guessed at but she certainly knew that the Bogd Khan was 53-years-old, almost blind, practically immobile and very sick and she was assured she would soon be allowed to return to her first husband. When it came down to it though, Genepil balked and formally asked to return to her parents home. This was in keeping with Mongolian custom and the Bogd Khan had no choice but to agree. So, after only a few months the ailing Khan was single again and Genepil was back in the tent of her parents. However, courtiers soon came to find her and appealed to her to return to the palace. Her country and her monarch needed her and she was prevailed upon to return.

Queen Genepil lived with the Bogd Khan until his death when the monarchy was abolished. She then returned to her family though it is unknown if she went back to her first husband or ever remarried. Sadly, with the Khan gone, the communists were able to drop all pretences and instituted a vicious crackdown against all reminders of the old regime. Because of her former status Queen Genepil was targeted, arrested in 1937 and, along with her family, was executed in the purges of 1938. All that remained of her memory was a secret, forbidden song passed on to a historian by an old man who had been taught it by a former servant of the Bogd Khan, who taught it to him while the two were imprisoned by the communists.

Monarchist Music: Heil dir im Siegerkranz

The first German song I ever learned.

Out of the Mouth of Babes...

Skip the intro if you like to get to the actual singing (starts at about 1:41), if you have not heard it already and you probably have. What can one say? I'm at a total loss for words. This is the height of musical perfection.

Royal News Roundup

Starting in the far north again, HM King Harald V of Norway started the week promoting reading, writing and Norwegian literature. These events are part of a number of celebrations being held across Norway to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the passing of Norwegian author Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson. The King gave a speech at the opening of the Bjørnson Festival geared toward reviving interest in Bjørnson’s poetry and “social action” (the poetry is fine but the social action part makes a bit nervous). The next day (Monday) Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit handed out awards from the Crown Princely Humanitarian Fund, a charity established to promote diversity in Norway, fight poverty and promote education abroad. I should probably reserve comment on that one.

Moving across the border, HRH Princess Madeleine of Sweden seems to be getting back to normal, going to South Africa to attend a reception for the World Childhood Foundation in Cape Town on Wednesday. The princess was all smiles and loveliness and stayed until Friday on WCF business at which time she left for the United States to see about the activities of the Foundation (started by her mother the Queen) here. It has been commented on that this increased charitable work is helping Princess Madeleine get past the breakup of her engagement to Jonas Bergstrom. I hope that works out for her, my only words of advice would be to forget him! He isn’t fit to clean your skis Highness! Meanwhile, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden presented the 2010 Polar Music Prize in Stockholm on Monday. The King and Queen were both on hand for the event as well.

Turning south, HRH the Prince of Orange was in uniform on September 2, for a working visit to special guard brigade (BSB) of the royal military police. He was briefed and given a demonstration of new violence-control techniques by the special squad as well as witnessing a demonstration of airline security techniques (Dutch air marshals on duty!) and observation advances to spot potential terrorists before they strike. The Prince even participated in some of the drills. He also met with the staff officers and had lunch with the management team to discuss the challenges Dutch security faces and the measures being undertaken to deal with them. Across the border to the south Belgian Crown Prince Philippe and Princess Mathilde took their three eldest children back to school for their first day of classes this year. After saying their goodbyes both royals went about their other duties. King Albert II, meanwhile, has been kept busy with the continued efforts to form a coalition government which have, so far, been unsuccessful.

What could a tiny, officially Catholic and effectively near-absolute monarchy in the Alps have in common with gigantic, communist dictatorship of mainland China? Business -and what else matters these days right? HSH Prince Alois von und zu Liechtenstein was in the People’s Republic of China on Monday meeting with Vice President Xi Jinping to congratulate the Beijing government on mainland China achieving the status of a full market economy. The Prince was accompanied by the prime minister of Liechtenstein to sign new economic agreements between the two countries. All parties spoke of their appreciation for their good relations and their hope for ever stronger economic, trade and tourism ties. Afterwards the Prince and the PM went to Shanghai to visit the World Expo where the Liechtenstein pavilion has been quite a popular attraction.

On Thursday His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI gave an audience to President Shimon Peres of Israel at the Apostolic Palace of Castelgandolfo. Cardinal Secretary of State Bertone and Archbishop Mamberti, secretary for Relations with States also met with the president. The Pontiff expressed his hope that the peace talks in Washington will be successful in bringing peace to the Holy Land and the two discussed relations between the Holy See and Israel as well as the international politics of the region. Matters of particular importance to the Pope included the presence of the religious communities in Israel and their contribution, through charitable houses and schools, to all people of the region, Israeli and Palestinian.

Crossing the Mediterranean to Africa, HM King Mohammed VI of Morocco visited a reform school for juvenile delinquents in Casablanca on Monday. He inspected the programs being used to reform the wayward youths and handed out awards to the ten best students and one high school diploma. Afterwards the King presided over the signing of a new agreement to train inmates in certain fields where they will be needed and can find quick employment once their debt to society has been paid. Later, on Wednesday, the King opened a new center for victims of domestic violence in Casablanca. On Monday, at the other end of the continent, King Mswati III of Swaziland attended the annual Reed Dance, a traditional 8-day event in which young women, royal and common alike, cut reeds to give as gifts to the Queen mother. The King can choose a new wife from the dancers at this event though he refrained this year. Perhaps his (estimated) 12 current wives are keeping him busy enough.

HM King Abdullah II of Jordan has been in the United States this past week, meeting, along with host President Obama, with the Israeli prime minister and president of the Palestinian Authority for the renewed peace talks. The Jordanian monarch stressed that time was of the essence and that neither side in the on-going conflict can afford further failure of such negotiations. The King said, “Our peoples want peace, and we can do so if we approach these negotiations with good will, sincerity and courage”. All sides have given at least tacit approval of the “two state solution” as the basis for a new peace agreement between Israelis and Palestinians. I have my doubts about this being a success but we can only wish them the best in these efforts.

In the Himalayan region, Thursday saw the end of the first Tibetan National General Meeting. HH the XIV Dalai Lama addressed the meeting which reaffirmed their support for his “middle way approach” and urged the exiled monarch to retain his leadership of the Tibetan community. On Friday at Bylakuppe, India (home of the largest Tibetan settlement in India) the Tibetan people and government-in-exile honored the Dalai Lama with the “Golden Seal” for his leadership in the Tibetan struggle for freedom and democracy. The event was held as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of Tibetan democracy. The Dalai Lama accepted the award from the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Tibetan parliament in exile. Across the border in Nepal the central bank announced that the currency bearing the image of deposed King Gyanendra will be phased out completely by the end of next year. In 2007 the new republican government officially replaced the old royalist bank notes with new ones featuring a picture of Mt Everest in place of the King but the old currency has remained in circulation since that time. The King left the throne in 2008.

Today in Monarchial History

590 - Pope St Gregory the Great was elected to the Throne of St Peter.

1189 - King Richard I "the Lionheart" of England was crowned in Westminster Abbey.

1260 - The forces of the Mongol Empire were halted in Palestine by the Mamlukes of Egypt.

1783 - Representatives of the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland signed the Treaty of Paris, officially ending the Revolutionary War.

1901 - The national flag of Australia is adopted. Happy flag day Australia!

1914 - Prince Wilhelm of Albania abandons his throne and leaves the country in the face of mounting opposition to his reign.

1971 - The Emirate of Qatar gains independence from Great Britain

Favorite Royal Images: Isabella of Castille

One of my favorite portraits of one of my favorite monarchs.

Monarchist Profile: Henrique Mitchell de Paiva Cabral Couceiro

The era of the Twentieth Century has not known, sadly, many great monarchists as in ages past. However, one exception to this rule is the Portuguese monarchist and patriot Henrique Mitchell de Paiva Cabral Couceiro, known as “the Paladin” who fought for years to restore the Portuguese monarchy and maintain the Portuguese empire that, in world history, was the first to be formed and the last to fall. The loyal soldier was born on December 30, 1861 in Lisbon to a Portuguese father and an Irish mother. The qualities he inherited from his parents are clearly evident; his father being an engineer in the Royal Portuguese Army and his mother being a very staunch and devout Catholic convert from Protestantism. From childhood he was raised with strict discipline and a great emphasis on religion -the perfect formula for a Catholic monarchist devoted to King and country.

As a young man Couceiro joined the army, serving in the lancers and then the artillery before attending the Royal Military Academy. After graduation he volunteered for service in the African colonies and first saw action as a cavalry captain in Angola where he fought local guerillas. He made contact with local chiefs and explored the interior of the colony, bringing Portuguese power farther inland than ever before. In 1890 Great Britain issued an ultimatum that forced Portugal to abandon all hope of linking Angola and Mozambique. Paiva Couceiro was furious about this and went out on his own to establish an outpost in the interior, almost sparking a war. However, his victories, exploration and various adventures earned him numerous accolades and the rank of a knight of the Order of the Tower and Sword in 1890.

He saw other service against local rebels, was highly decorated and returned home to Portugal a hero in 1891. After serving in the artillery in Lisbon again he transferred to the Spanish Foreign Legion and served with distinction in battles in Morocco. Then a tribal rebellion in Mozambique called him back to the Portuguese army and the African colonies. Once again Couceiro performed excellent service and was further promoted and decorated returning to Portugal in 1896 where he was made an honorary adjutant to King Carlos I. Later that year he also took a wife, marrying the daughter of a Portuguese count who was just as devoted to her country and the Catholic faith as her husband was. He was given a desk job which instilled him with a deep-seated hatred of politics and hints of a desire to be rid of the entire political class. He watched old comrades destroyed by the machinations of power-hungry politicians and saw first-hand how political corruption was ruining his beloved country.

When he publicly protested the political climate in Portugal he instantly became the leader of the right-wing monarchist camp which included many such colonial soldiers. Because of this, enemies in government had him essentially shipped into exile in 1902. However, after some changes made by King Carlos I he returned and even entered the political arena, eventually becoming the colonial Governor of Angola. Frustrations with the colonial bureaucracy prompted his resignation in 1909 and he was serving as a captain in the artillery again when the young King Manuel II was brought down by revolutionary forces. His were the only royal forces to fire on the republicans but when Couceiro took his men to join the King he found that he had already left the country.

Paiva Couceiro took refuge in Spain he led a monarchist foray into Portugal in 1911 with the tacit support of King Alfonso XIII of Spain. However, his attempt to spark a counterrevolution was unsuccessful and he went back into exile. At the end of the year he participated in efforts to more firmly unite the monarchists of Portugal who were divided between the adherents of King Manuel II and his cousin Prince Miguel. On July 6, 1912 he led another monarchist invasion of Portugal but was again defeated and forced back into exile. Republican authorities announced he would be banned from all Portuguese territory for the next ten years because of this attempted counterrevolution. No one really wanted to take action against so famous a figure and he even refused an offer of amnesty if he would serve the republican government. Instead, he opted to remain in Spain and try again to organize a monarchist re-conquest. His opportunity came in 1919 when the president of the republic was assassinated.

Paiva Couceiro, along with other exiled monarchists, was able to take control of part of northern Portugal in the name of Manuel II and announced the restoration of the Constitution of 1826. His aim was a corporate, Catholic Kingdom of Portugal but because he held power only over a limited era the government he proclaimed from Oporto was known as the “Monarchy of the North” which he ruled as President of the Governing Junta. All republican laws were revoked, the old flag was restored and so on. It was at this point that he first earned his nickname O Paladino, The Paladin. He called upon the memory of the glorious history of the Portuguese kingdom but, once again, after only about a month, the attempted restoration collapsed. Going back to Spain a military tribunal sentenced him to exile but he was able to return to Portugal in 1924 after an amnesty was announced.

Monarchist hopes were revived with the establishment of the corporatist ‘Estado Novo’ by Antonio de Oliveira Salazar. However, in 1937 his criticism of the colonial policies of the new regime earned him another period of exile to the Canary Islands at the ripe old age of 77. However, he was allowed to return to Portugal by the corporatist regime in 1939 where he stayed for the rest of his life, never losing his commitment to the monarchy and the imperial glory of his country, saying to the very end, “Empire we are, empire we must remain”. He died in 1944 in Lisbon.

Reflecting on Iraq

Last night U.S. President B. H. “the One” Obama addressed the nation on the end of active combat operations in Iraq; which of course does not mean that all combat has actually ended but that’s politics for you. Looking back on the years of warfare in that ancient country it is hard (and obviously was for the president) to look at exactly what the significance of the end of combat operations was. No one was declaring victory, the enemies of the new Iraqi regime are still operating and dangerous, the government is still…well, there is no government as of now, insurgent attacks have been down and the Iraqi forces have been built up though U.S. Special Forces are remaining in the country to continue support. The horrific regime of Saddam Hussein is gone but we still do not know what will replace it. So far the trend has been toward the long repressed Shiite majority who are supported by their co-religionists in Iran. Oddly enough, it was to prevent this exact situation that the U.S. once supported Saddam Hussein and his tyrannical regime.

Iraq has been in a less than ideal state ever since the tragic end of the monarchy and the unspeakably brutal regicide of the young King Faisal II. This was done by some future members of the Saddam Hussein regime and just to show what side of the political spectrum they were on, once the royals were massacred and the monarchy destroyed they quickly got cozy with the Soviet Union. The era of the Kingdom of Iraq was certainly not trouble-free but it was the only period of the history of the Iraq we know today that was stable, moderate and even modern. But, the British had been the driving force behind the Kingdom of Iraq, established with the carve-up of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, and the end of the British Empire also spelled the end of the Kingdom of Iraq which could no longer count on British support. To make matters worse, not all monarchies in the Middle East showed sufficient solidarity when revolutionary elements began to raise their ugly heads.

One thing which I have always maintained (and been frequently criticized for) is that the end of the Saddam Hussein was a good thing for Iraqi monarchists and of course this would not have happened without the war. Iraqi monarchists, after the destruction of the former regime and the establishment of democracy, were at least able to compete in national elections. They stood very little chance of course but that a little chance, no matter how little, was still more than the absolutely ‘zero’ chance they had under Saddam Hussein. There were some hopeful messages from time to time but the legitimate leadership of the royal house was disputed, there was the religious difference between the Royal Family and the majority of Iraqis as well as the lingering legacy of the Kingdom of Iraq as a “puppet” state of Great Britain. That is not entirely true of course but has some truth to it at least and requires a more broad mind than many seemed willing to try for.

The problem, of course, is that the absence of the monarchy led to the very feelings that created the current radicalism and makes a restoration of the monarchy so difficult, even more difficult than in Afghanistan for example. Also, the fact that monarchists were able to compete politically for the first time since the fall of the kingdom does not, by itself, totally justify the war either. However, if you want to go back to the original root of the problems in Iraq and the Middle East as a whole you must go back, as usual, to World War I and the Ottoman Empire. The great powers of the world once realized that the Ottoman Empire had to be maintained, despite its own decay and the continuous chipping away at it, because they realized, at least back then, that there would be chaos in the wake of an Ottoman collapse. They recognized that very dangerous forces were under the surface in much of the Middle East and that it was only the Ottoman Sultan who kept them under control.

When the Allies, primarily Britain and France, saw the Ottoman Empire collapse and divided it up between them, they effectively removed the cork from the bottle and allowed the genie to escape. Ever since that time there has scarcely been a single period of lasting peace in the area. That being said, there should also be no doubt as to what type of government has been more successful -the monarchies established with or protected by the British or the republican governments set up under the influence of the French. Compare the monarchies of Jordan or Kuwait with the situation in Lebanon and especially Syria. The Kingdom of Jordan was founded under similar circumstances to Iraq and their success, despite lacking the mineral resources of Iraq, should serve as an example. Ultimately, however, as is almost always the case but rarely admitted, it is the Iraqis who hold their destiny in their own hands and certainly moreso from this point onward.