Monday, June 30, 2014

Quote of the Month

Writes Mr. Theodore Harvey over at his weblog Royal World:

There will probably be blather about "freedom" and "democracy," but it's all balderdash. Europe today is a pathetic shadow of what it once was; all that's left are echoes, remnants, and memories. If Europe is still able to awe and delight both inhabitants and visitors, it is because of the greatness of what was built--physically, culturally, and spiritually--in the centuries before 1914.

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"Focus Maintained"

Europe in 1914A century ago today, it is urged to “maintain focus” in spite of the Sarajevo killings.

Sunday, June 29, 2014

More on Sarajevo

Ad Orientem gives us American east coast news a hundred years ago.

Over at The American Conservative, Rod Dreher reflects on the shots from Mr. Princip and possible parallels in our time.

A commemoration took place yesterday (note the playing of the Imperial Anthem):



The Guardian reports on the anniversary.

Road to World War I has lots of news from a century ago.

Dan Snow explains what happened a hundred years ago:


Thursday, June 26, 2014

Sverdrup Government

Ludwik Szacinski: Johan SverdrupIn this bicentennial year of the Norwegian Constitution, 130 years ago today, the first Norwegian parliamentary Cabinet took office with Johan Sverdrup under King Oscar II.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Summer Night Concert at Schönbrunn

Annual concert performed this year Thursday May 29:







More info on the concert can be found here.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Coronation and the Bicentennial

108 years ago today, Their Majesties King Haakon VII and Queen Maud were crowned in Trondhjem Cathedral.



We should remember in this Constitutional bicentennial year, where “everyone” is celebrating democratic progress, that eight years ago, on the occasion of the centennial of the coronation, an opinion poll showed 20 percent in support of more powers to the King. 30 percent amongst those around thirty and younger supported more powers to the King.

Friday, June 20, 2014

Oath of the Tennis Court

225 years ago today, the Tennis Court Oath was taken.




Note: No, posting this video does not imply sympathy from your host blogger towards concepts such as political equality, egalitarianism, popular sovereignty, mass democracy, etc.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

American Monarchism

T. John Jamieson presents an essay from his own hand from 1984 in a journal by Roger Scruton.


H/T: Royal World


Update: Author info fixed.

Friday, June 13, 2014

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

King Oscar II in 1905

Declared Oscar II on June 10:

Those powers which the Constitution grants the King of Norway to empower him to promote the well-being of the land according to his conviction are not greater than that they should be preserved in the hands of the regal power, such that no practice against constitutional principles is established, which according to article 112 of the Constitution cannot even be brought about with a constitutional amendment. One of the principal principles of the Constitution – the most important – is that Norway is a constitutional monarchy. This principle cannot be unified with the King sinking to a no-will tool in the hand of the Council of State. If, however, the members of the Council of State through denial of countersignature are able to prevent each and every royal decision, the King of Norway would be without any part in state power. This situation would be as equally denigrating for the monarch as harmful for Norway herself.

[…]

After in such a manner, in violation of the Constitution, having sought to nullify a legal decision by the King of Norway, the Council of State has by resigning their offices in Parliament put the King of Norway in a position without advisors. The Parliament has accepted this violation of the Constitution and through a revolutionary act declared the legal King of Norway for having ceased to reign as well as the union between the united realms dissolved.

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Frederik Stang Passing at 130

Frederik Stang (1808 - 1884), Norwegian Prime Minister 1861-1880Six and a half score years ago today, Frederik Stang passed away.

Later that same month, a fundamental, but most unfortunate, event in Norwegian constitutional history was to take place. We will get back to this.

Saturday, June 7, 2014

The Coup of 1905

Coat of Arms of King Oscar II of Sweden and Norway
109 years ago today, the Parliament of the Kingdom of Norway moved to depose the King – Oscar II.

A very troublesome act indeed.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Robert Filmer

Sir Robert Filmer: PatriarchaThree dozen decades and a year ago today (May 26 in the Julian Calendar), Sir Robert Filmer passed away.

Patriarcha

Let us remember him in this age of popular sovereignty.

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

The Charter of 1814

The Charter of 1814 (Kingdom of France)
Two centuries ago today, the Charter of 1814 of the Kingdom of France was adopted.

German Emperor Passes

73 years ago today, Wilhelm II passed on.


Monday, June 2, 2014

Randoms of May

Royal World celebrates an announced upcoming birth of a Princely heir in a place where Princely power is still very much real. So does Mad for Monaco.

Ad Orientem has a post on democracy.

Ordinary Times quotes Count Alexis de Tocqueville:

In my opinion the main evil of the present democratic institutions of the United States does not arise, as is often asserted in Europe, from their weakness, but from their overpowering strength; and I am not so much alarmed at the excessive liberty which reigns in that country as at the very inadequate securities which exist against tyranny.
Tea at Trianon also on said count.