HOUSE OF HOHENZOLLERN.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1918, Page 8

HOUSE OF HOHENZOLLERN.

REIGN OF THE EX-KAISER. THIRTY YEARS ON THRONE. _Wilhclm 11., who was Born on January 27, 1859, became German Emperor and King of Prussia on June 15, ISBB. He liad therefore reigned just over 30 years. He is tlie eldest son of Friedrich 111. On February 27, 1881, ho married Princess Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, daughter of the late Duke Friedrich of Schlcswigllolstein. Tlifir children are: The Crown Prince, Freidrich Wilhclm, born May fi, ISS2; Prince Wilhclm Eitel-Friedrieh, born July 7, 1883, Prince Adalbert, Born July, 1884; Prince August Wilhclm, born January 20, 1S87; Prince Oscar, born July 27, 188S; Prince Joachim, born December 17, 18110; and Princess Victoria Louise, born September 10, 1802. It was evident from the time he ascended the throne that Wilhclm 11. intended to take more than an academic interest in his new position. Prince Bismarck was the last person to realise this, however, though a few skirmishes with the young monarch ought to have warned him. On March 18. 1890, the world was startled by the news that Prince Bismarck liad resigned. Everybody knew why, and Punch summed up popular feeling when it issued the now historic cartoon, "Dropping tilie Pilot." The picture of the aged pilot leaving the ship while the new captain watcihed his departure with a sort of grim pleasure was quite the best comment on the extraordinary incident. Wilhclm had seen that Bismarck was the one man who stood between him and t'be aceomlishment of his wishes, and, therefore, the Iron Chancellor was the first victim of the mailed fist. Soon after his accession the ox-Em-peror started a tour of European courts that proved to be the most warlike of "friendly" visits history recalls. Less than three months after his accession he went to see the Tsar at Peterhof; then Copenhagen, Stockholm, Vienna, and Naples were visited. The rest of the world waited and wondered what the result of this burst of activity would brill:; in its train, but any fears (hey might have possessed were groundless, and when a little later he went to England he was received with enthusiasm. His tour with the ex'-Emprcss in 189S was a journey during which the acts of Royalty, all the trappings of pomp and power, were employed to lend dignity to the great procession to the reputed Tomb of Christ. The Sultan of Turkey received the Royal couple with the sort of feeling •that animates a mouse when interviewing two cats, but tiiie ex-Kaiser was geniality itself, and the Sick Man of Europe recovered for a time. The war-lord was one of the best diplomatists—when he wished to be diplomatic. He was seen in his character of "War Lord'' when addressing recruits. Some years ago the created one of his sensations by a speech in whiciln iie told his soldiers that if he asked them to shoot their own fathers and mothers they would bo bound by their oath to obey that command. But all his military addresses were couched in the same strain. Patriotism the interpreted as implicit obedience to himself. He is. or used to be, a firm believer in the divine right of kings—hence the nmiietiveness with which ho punished lese majeste. In the 'years immediately preceding the war t'he ex-Kaiser was troubled by the growing power of the social democrats. The astounding progress of this party amazed, enraged, and distressed iiim in turns. He knew that when his own personality was removed Germany's danger would be internal. Often in the days of peace he was denounced as a firebrand, a disturber of peace, and as a general intriguer. On the very afternoon of the day wliien he succeeded his father a message was cabled to an Ameican paper to the effect that the young Emperor "would die in his boots," go strong was the idea amongst some foreign publicists at that time that his thirst, for war and his ambition for martial laurels would soon cover Europe with a sea of blood and carnage.