KING FUAD DEAD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22406, 30 April 1936, Page 11

KING FUAD DEAD

RULER OF EGYPT GALLANT FIGHT FOR LIFE SON SUCCEEDS TO THRONE REGENCY WHILE A MINOR By Telegrnph—Press Association—Copyright (Received April 29, 9.5 p.m.) CAIRO. April 28 King Fuad I. of Egypt died to-day after having rallied temporarily this morning. The funeral has been fixed for Thursday. When His Majesty rallied this morning he received a number of Palace officials. Hi's doctors stated that his resistance was superhuman. The King's Australian dentist, Dr. Bretday, had kept solitary vigil in the Royal bedchamber for the past four nights. The King had full confidence in him and refused other nursing assistance. He told his doctors this morning: "1 am not going to die!" He read the newspapers and discussed the general situation, being confident that he would overcome his illness by sheer will power. For the last four days the King had not been able to eat or drink. He suffered acute pain from a gangrenous throat.

Picturesque crowds of ail classes of people, on learning of His Majesty's gallant fight, assembled in the square facing the Palace and shouted: "God preserve the King." Great political importance is attached to King Fuad's death owing to the part the Throne has played in the recent complicated party struggles. The Crown Prince Farouk has been proclaimed King. He will leave London on Thursday and arrive at Alexandria on May 5.

The Cabinet has decided to exercise the .Royal prerogative until after the general election on Saturday, when a Regency Council will be formed to rule the country during the boy King's minority.

The late King Fuad, who was 68 years of age, was the youngest son of Ismail the Magnificent and was thus the great-grandson of the celebrated Pasha of Egypt, Mahommed Ali, who laid the seeds for the modern renaissance of Egypt and founded the dynasty of which King Fuad was the ninth sovereign. He possessed intellectual curiosity and a capacity for assimilating facts in an unusual degree. Few sovereigns had such an understanding and extensive knowledge of their country and their subjects as had the late ruler of Egypt. King Fuad had little use for politicians unless they were doing work of practical value to Egypt, and preferred a benevolent despotism. He did much to improve the standards of hygiene and social life. The fact that he was put on the throne by Britain did not contribute to his popularity and fear of the assassin's bullet kept him a virtual prisoner in Abdin Palace. Two English chemists had the responsible task of seeing that no poison was introduced into the food for the Royal table. In 1919 King Fuad. who by a previous and much earlier marriage had had a daughter, now the wife of Mahmud Pasha Fakhry, the Egyptian Minister in Paris, married the talented daughter of Abdel Rahim Pasha Sabri, a distinguished member of the Egyptian aristocracy. By her he had four children, three daughters and a son, Prince Farouk, who had been officially acknowledged as the heir to the throne. In 1927 Pope Pius XI. decorated King Fuad with the Order of the Golden Spur, which hitherto had never been conferred on a sovereign. The political events which crowded the latter part of King Fuad's reign illustrated his benevolent- despotism.

NEW MONARCH

AGED ONLY 16 YEARS RESIDENT IN ENGLAND LONDON, April 28 The Cairo correspondent of the British United Press states that King Fuad died while reading a telegram from his son and heir, which fell from his hands. One of the King's last acts was to sign a new agreement dealing with the Suez Canal. King Farouk, who is only 16 years old, could not believe the news of the death of his father until he telephoned his mother. He hopes to be allowed to return to England after the appointment of Regents. He was preparing to enter the Royal Military Academy, Woohvich.

King Farouk, son of the late King Fuad, was born in Cairo on February 11, 1920, in the direct line of descent from Mahommed Ali. The young monarch's mother formerly was Princess Nazli, whom King Fuad married in 1919 after divorcing his first wife. In 1922, 011 assuming the title of King, Fuad issued a rescript proclaiming Prince Farouk to be heir-apparent and declaring 1 the Throne hereditary in the dynasty of Mahommed Ali. When ho was four years old the Prince was placed under the care of an English governess, Mrs. Naylor, and later had an English tutor. King Fuad was a farseeing man who had had some European education, and 110 wished his son to gain a thorough knowledge of the English language and British thought. Farouk is a well-built lad, plays polo and lawn tennis, fences well and is able to drive his own car. Intellectually he is said to be in advance of his nge. In October, 1935, King Fuad sent the Prince to England to continue his education and to enter the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, to be trained as an officer of the Horse Artillery. As he was too young to enter the Academy at once he was placed under a tutor in London until ho reached the prescribed age.

BRITISH CONDOLENCES

OFFICIAL MESSAGES SENT British Wireless RUGBY, April 23 The news of the death of King Fuad was received in London with great regret. The Assistant Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, Mr. J. B. Monk, called at the Egyptian Legation this afternoon, also at Kenrv House, King-ston-on-Thames, where the heir to the Throne is residing, to express the condolences of the Foreign Secretary. The new King also received a private message of svmpat'iv from King Edward, and the Britisi. Government telegraphed a message to the Egyptian Government.