THE GREEK THRONE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3825, 7 May 1913, Page 8

THE GREEK THRONE.

NEW KING’S CAREER.

THE TRIUMPH OF JANINA

LONDON, March 22

King Constantine, who at the age of 44, succeeds 'his murdered father as ruler of Greece, comes to the throne on tho very crest of a wave of military renown. Called from The battlefield to the throne lie has been one of the leading figures m the great 43a I lean struggle, which has ut last brought laurels to Greece in a conflict with her old Ottoman enemy and oppressor. It- is less than a fortnight since, the Crown Prince led the Greek troops in triumph' Into the fallen fortress of Janina. By the capture of that long-beleaguered town the heir to the Throne wrought a great service not cnlv to the immediate prospects of his country in the war, and in the negotiations which must follow its close, but aFo to the dynasty, which has now suffered a tragic blow. In rendering himse f, ns conqueror of Janina, the idol of the Greek populace, the Crown Prince, according to the opinion of authorities on the spot, laid firm the bases of his own coming rule , and in the melancholy sequel to the triumph of Janiha, the Crown Prince’s vi. Lory appears to have been doubly opportune. - It will be. recalled that the Prince succeeded General Sapountzaki in the chief command of the beleaguering army at Janina, and that he transformed the fortunes ot the Greek army. The General had been frankly a '.failure, a dilatory,,unenterprising, and " uninspiring commander. The Prince, noted for his energy, was expected to make an immediate coup. But lie showed a cool and resuur. eful generalship, which waited its time and then struc’lc home. By the ruse of delivering an attack on the left, when the Turks were anticipating another futile assault on Bizani, the Prime outwitted and v defeated the Turkish garrison, and brought about the capitulation of the citadel.

THE CRISIS OE 1897. This success must-'.have been peculiarly gratifying to the Prince, in view of .his past unpleasant expericn e as Communder-in-Chief of the Greek army. After the disastrous campaign against Turkey in 1897 a Bill was passed creating the post of Commander-in-C'hicf, and conferring it on the Crown Prince. This Act aroused the bitterest opposition, it being held by opponents of the measure that it was ruinous to the public interest to impose such grave responsibilities on tho heir to the Throne. Who pest itself was objected to as contrary to the Constitution. At last, yielding to the pressure of the revolution organised by the Military League in 1909,' tlie Prince- who had previously held out firmly against resignation of his position, was forced to ttrite that step. The Prince received his training in arms at Leipsic, and then entered a Prussian regiment of infantry. When this regiment was stationed at Berlin the young Greek Prince attracted the favorable notice of the eld Emperor William and bis sen. the Crown Prince (afterwards Emperor Frederick).

HIS BETROTHAL. To the latter’s daughter, Prince s Sophia, the favorite sister of the present Emperor William, Prince Constantine became affianced, the bethotihal taking place beside the Empon r Fmleri k’s deathbed. The marriage —a love match—was celebrated some eighteen months later, in 1889. It was at first scarcely popular in Greece, for the people believed, although without reason, that Germany wished to force Greece into the Triple Alliance. The Princess, however, scon succeeded in cau-iiig the Greeks to forget that she was a German, and when her eldest son, Prince George, wars born in 1-890, the populace were wildly enthusiastic, because of the d’d prophecy,

“When a Royal Constantine weds a Princess Sophia, the son they have shall reign in Constantinople.’’ This remains to be seen.

Two years after her marriage ilie Princess renounced the Lutheran faith and joined the Greet national Orthodox Church. This change, of religion aroused a storm of indignation, in Berlin, but gave great.satisfaction in Greece. The Prince and Princess have five children-—Prince George (now the now heir to the throne), Prince Alexander. Princess Helene, Prince Paul, and Princess Irene.

An accomplished linguist, Hie Prince - speaks and writes familiarly German, Eng’i-h, Danish, and Russian, as well as Greek. In February of last wear-lie paid a series of official visits to neighboring courts—Constantinople, Belgrade, and Sofia. He was in ca b ease very favorably received, and it was understood at the time that- .as tho re-pit of the royal travels, tliero was to he established a new quadruple entente between Greece, Russia, Bulgaria, and Turky. Recent events have disclosed the elements of truth and error in the expectation. When Greece declared war on Turkey in the autumn of last year the Crown Prince took the field as commander of the Greek iavailing fences.