LONG SOVEREIGNTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 44, 21 January 1936, Page 8

LONG SOVEREIGNTY

KING GEORGE’S REIGN. INCIDENTS IN HISTORY. Basing the belief oil tlie long reign of Victoria, with the brief years ot Edward VII, as tlie exception, it would be easy to form the conclusion that British monarclis have commonly reigned for long years. As a matter of fact, of all the 59 Kings and Queens of England since Egbert came to tlie throne m 802, only 16 reached their silver jubilee. Diamond jubilees have been achieved only twice, by Queen Victoria, whose marathon reign covered 64 years, and George 111, who just made the 60th year before he died. His Alajesty King George V was the sixteenth ruler of England to reach liis silver jubilee, and he was the third George to do so. Perhaps his name had something to do with it, for the average reign of the four Georges who preceded hint is 29 years, second only to the average of the eight Henrys which is a little more than 31 years.

George 111, with his remarkable rei<m that saw tlie American AVar of Independence, the establishment of tlie British claim to Australia and New Zealand, and the French Revolution, helped along the average, even though tlie Prince of Wales was Regent during tlie last years. On the other hand, George IV occupied the throne only for ten years. The longest stayer among tile Henrys was Henry 111, who remained for 56 years because he had the misfortune to come to the throne as a child. Second place goes to Henry VIII, with 38 years; and Henrys I. 11, ,and VI all achieved many more than 25 years.

Those two great Queens Victoria and Elizabeth, one the longest and the other- the fifth longest reign in English history, are laws unto themselves. If there should come a time when another Elizabeth ascends tlie throne, she would have to rule for 45 years to emulate her remarkable namesake.

Charles is not a name that is popular for Kings, .yet Charles II reigned for 25 years, and Charles I for only one year less. The Prince of Vales will be Edward VIII, but, actually, including tlie three before the Norman Conquest—Edward the Elder, Edward tlie Martyr, and Edward the Confessor—lie lias ten namesakes, whose reigns averaged more than 19 years. Only two of them reigned 25 years. Edward 1, whose__ reign began in 1272, remained for 35 years. Edward 111, ascending at the ago of 15, died a very unhappy monarch 50 years later, after many victories and defeats. The average for the Edwards might be much more impressive, had not Edward V only occupied the throne for two months. None of tlie three Richards retained the throne for 25 years, and their reigns averaged little more than 11 years. The four Williams show an even smaller average with 10 jeais, although the Conqueror, the first of the for 21 years. lhe two James just made up 25 years between them, but of these James 1 contributed 22. . Only three of the kings who reigned before the Norman Conquest managed to retain their crowns for a quarter of a century. Egbert remained for 37 years, and his grandson, Alfred, properly surnamed the Great, was king for 30 years. Ethelred tlie Unready lived up to liis name, for lie was even unready to die and leave- a throne that was already virtually swept from liis grasp, and he is officially credited with 37 years on the throne Not all the good kings have lived to reign the longest, nor all the bad kings been cut off in early life, but it is heartening to liis subjects to remember that George V was a grandson of Queen Victoria, the ruler who outlasted all other English kings and queens.