Apr 22nd, 2016: Nine Kings

[xoxoxoBruce]

I should say eight Kings and a Kaiser. I've seen this picture a couple times but never delved into it
In May 1910, European royalty trekked to London for the funeral of King Edward VII. Edward the Peacemaker, was “Uncle of Europe” —
the German Kaiser, the Russian Tsar, the Norwegian King, and the Dukes of Hesse, Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and Brunswick were his
nephews; his sisters married the kings of Hellenes and Denmark. Kings of Belgium, Portugal and Bulgaria were his second cousins.
Leading the funeral procession were twelve crowned heads and forty-seven imperial, royal, apostolic, or serene highnesses.
The lone commoner, former president Teddy Roosevelt, who got no respect, was pushed to the rear probably dodging
horse and elephant droppings.

Among the mourners were nine reigning kings, photographed together in what may be the only photograph of nine reigning kings, ever.
The funeral was the last time all of the European monarchs would meet before WW I, which would end half of the monarchies of Europe.
Five of the nine monarchies represented in the photo are still around.



~ Frederik VIII of Denmark (9) was the father of Haakon VII of Norway(1), and father-in-law of Queen Maud of Norway, sister of
... George V of the Great Britain(8). He was also uncle to George V of the United Kingdom(8) and Queen Maud of Norway wife of
... Haakon VII of Norway(1), his son.

~ Wilhelm II of Germany(4) was first cousin to George V of the United Kingdom(8) and his sister Queen Maud of Norway, wife of
... Haakon VII of Norway(1).

~ Haakon VII of Norway(1) was brother-in-law to George V of the United Kingdom(8), and son of Frederik VIII of Denmark (9).

~ George V of the United Kingdom(8) and Queen Maud of Norway, were first cousins of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, as well as
...Wilhelm II of Germany(4), also children of Alexandra of Denmark, sister to Frederik VIII of Denmark(9).

Of the nine sovereigns pictured, four would be deposed and one assassinated. Within five years, Britain and Belgium would be at war
with Germany and Bulgaria. They all knew a war was coming, and knew who it was going to be fighting. Looking at this picture really
makes me realize how much WW I, with it’s 38+ million casualties and the seeds of WW II, was the result of the egos of these
bemedaled and beribboned spoiled brats.

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[lumberjim]

inbred lot there.

[Diaphone Jim]

There is a lot to ponder in that great historical photograph.
What is really important is that Al (#6) is glowering at Ferdy (#2) and thinking "That dolt has his sash on backwards."

[xoxoxoBruce]

Yes I spent some time reading the faces, trying to ascertain who was looking at what, and their mood. #3 Manual of Portugal thinking, I am too an adult, not knowing he'd be gone in a few months. Or #1 Haakon of Norway thinking, oh yeah? come see me in the winter ya pussies. And #4 Kaiser Wilhelm, Uncle Ed is dead, we're on our own cousins, all alone, cousins, let's think of a game to play, now the grownups have all gone away. That game turned out to be WW I.

In that it was 1910, and this posed picture was taken by a professional photographer, I wonder how many other people were in the room. As it was a funeral, if there were others they were aide de camps, personal attendants, moustache stylists, and such. I also wonder how many photographs were taken? Granted they were most certainly using a big box camera, and I doubt like hell pros would snap one shot and take their chances. But I haven't seen any others. I think a different shot would be recognizable because they aren't posed stiff like statues, at least in this shot they appear to have varying degrees of attention. And the photographers know you don't order nine fucking kings around like a school class picture.

All in, I found it to be a fascinating photograph, the end of British dominance over leadership of the continent as the people of other countries were eyeing France's revolution and watching the idea of Liberté, égalité, fraternité, produce a revolving door of dictators, heroes, despots, and den mothers.
But the time had come to purge royalty or turn them into expensive national mascots. The King is dead, I wonder if the Queen would like some company.

[Diaphone Jim]

My perhaps too roundabout take was that Al also had his on backward for 2/9Must have been a reason.
9/9 for moustaches, though, but with an array of styles.

I think faster shutter speeds were coming along about then, eliminating the blurred hands and faces that always turned up, especially in kids.

[Diaphone Jim]

I was struck by how young Manuel II of Portugal looks. He was just 21 at the time.
He actually lasted about as long as any of them, dying in 1932.
His family tree is crazy with poobahs of all sorts.
I think Alfonso XIII was next youngest at 24.

[Gravdigr]

Never paid much attention to any 'royalty'.

This was very interesting.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Manual II was deposed less than six months later, he was the first of the nine to be dethroned.

[HelenMancuso]

I have always considered such old photos to be very interesting, they convey the atmosphere so much!

[Gravdigr]

Ya can't see no atmosphere in that pic.

There ain't even a winda.

[Alluvial]

At first I thought George V was the Tzar, in this photo.

Then I remembered they looked a lot alike:
https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/kin...nicholas-1913/

Originally Posted by lumberjim

inbred lot there.

Isn't that why the Tzar's son had hemophilia?

[xoxoxoBruce]

Yeah, looked more like brothers. George was actually three years older than Nicholas.

[Griff]

I was watching Peeky Blinders tonight and there was a photo of George V on the wall. My first thought was why is the Czar..?

[Carruthers]

Originally Posted by Griff

I was watching Peeky Blinders tonight and there was a photo of George V on the wall. My first thought was why is the Czar..?

Prince Michael of Kent is the Queens’s first cousin and his grandfather King George V was the first cousin of Tsar Nicholas.

Prince Michael is not on the Civil List, ie he receives no public funding and, after after an army career, has developed various business interests including a number in Russia.
He speaks fluent Russian and apparently has something of a following over there because of his resemblance to the Tsar.

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[Griff]

I guess if I were Russian I’d be interested in other options.