ROYAL ABDICATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15645, 26 June 1914, Page 7

ROYAL ABDICATION.

THE KING OF SERVIA.

ILL-HEALTH THE REASON,

YOUNGER SON SUCCEEDS

DENIAL COMES LATER. By Telegraph— Association—Copyright. (Received June 25, 11.5 p.m.) | London, June 25. i The abdication of his throne by King Peter of Scrvia is reported by Router's Belgrade correspondent. The abdication is due to the King's continued ill-health. He will.be succceded by his younger son, Prince Alexander. Later advice from Belgrade embodies a denial of the abdication. The King, it is stated, has temporarily delegated his authority to the Crown Prince during a prolonged stay at a health resort. A TROUBLED REIGN. Tho accession of King Peter Karagcorgcvich to the throno of Serria in 1903 was consummated amid tragedy. _ It was immediately preceded by the assassination, under cruel circumstances, of his predecessor King Alexander and his consort. Tho royal marriage of 1900 had brought tho luckless monarch into great disfavour in the country. King Alexander took as his consort Mine. Draga Mashin. once lady in waiting to his mother, Queen Natalie. In the endeavour to alky popular feeling over this step, he promulgated a new Constitution in April, 1901, establishing for j the first time in tho history of Servia a parliament with two houses. This step failed to gain him popularity. Political unrest increased, ana was tacitly encouraged by Russia and Austria. In 1902 a widespread military conspiracy was alleged to exist, while on the other hand it was freely stated. that the King contemplated divorcing his queen. Matters drifted on until Juno 11. 1903, when in the early hours of the morning the palace was surrounded by troops, an entrance forced, and the unfortunate royal couple murdered in a most savage and ' cruel manner. The conspiracy was organised by Colonel Mashin, brother-in-law of . tho murdered queen, who actually commanded the troops when the palace was attacked.

The regicides proclaimed Prince Peter Knrageogevich King of Servia, and a provisional Cabinet was formed. The new king entered Belgrade in state on June 24, 1903. His authority at first was merely nominal. In December all the Powers temporarily withdrew their representatives from Belgrade as a protest against the attitude of the Government towards the regicides. At the coronation in 1904, however, Great Britain was the only Power not officially represented, and it was not until 1906 that diplomatic relations with Britain were resumed.

The reign which began under these tragic auspices has not been a tranquil one. Many troublous times have been experienced. One of the most critical periods was occasioned by the annexation m 1908 of Bosnia and Herzegovina by Austria and the revolution in Turkey. For & time war seemed imminent, and the rising tide of trouble was only temporarily stemmed. Complicated by Servia's territorial ambitions, and by a tariff war with

Austria, trouble again arose. The mediation of the Powers enabled a peaceful solution of the difficulty to be attained, and Servia's ambitions received a check. 1n'1913 Servia, as a member of the Balkan

League, waged asuecessfnl war against Ttfrkoy. In August, 1913, Servia and Greece wero attacked by Bulgaria, their former ally, owing to disputes concerning the division of the spoils. The second war collapsed in a few weeks, and ended in the Treaty of Bucharest. On March 2?, 1909, the Crown Prince George, who had been the most outspoken leader of the anti-Austrian Party in 1908, was induced to resign his right of succession to the throne. It was alleged that his violence had caused the death of one of his servants, and that he was practically insane. Upon that date his brother Alexander took the oath as heir apparent.