Discussions about the Imperial Family and European Royalty > The Danish Royal Family

Danish Election to throne of Greece

(1/4) > >>

DOMOVOII:
Can someone please clarify the circumstances behind the election of George I of Greece from the reigning house of Denmark.

I gather it was an "uncertain" throne, and can recall a cartoon in an old Punch, where two Greek bandits waited in ambush on a mountain pass..."Shh!!, the next man who comes this way, ....we'll make HIM King!!"

Was is that he was suitable enough solely through his bloodline? Or was there a past family connection?

It was so much easier with fairy tales; King = Dad Queen = Mum, Princes = Sons, Princesses = Daughters!

Martyn:
Prince William Christian of Schleswig-Holstein, second son of King Christian IX of Denmark, was nominated for the Greek throne by Britain in 1862 and was recognised as King George of the Hellenes by the Powers the following year.
If I recall correctly the previous incumbent had been a Wittelsbach, King Otto, son of Ludwig I of Bavaria.  At any rate he was 'invited' to quit Greece and returned to Bavaria with his unpopular queen and died there in 1867, having refused to recognise the validity of George's accession to the Greek throne.

Angie_H:
Alfred Duke of Edinburgh was in consideration at one time wasn't he?

Martyn:
Seventeen is terribly young to be elected monarch of a sovereign state.  I wonder if they thought that, in his youth, he would be easy to manipulate?

Martyn:
Love the story about the sardine sandwiches and the newspaper wrapping - surely it must be apocryphal?

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page