1908 - Political Events

Political Events

Portugal's licentious Carlos I is assassinated February 1 while riding in a carriage near the home office at his native Lisbon; Crown Prince Luiz is also killed. Police fire at random, killing a cavalry sergeant who is identified as the ringleader of an assassination plot, and many people are seriously injured in the panic that follows the shooting. Dead at age 44 after a reign of nearly 19 years, the king is succeeded by his younger son, 18, who will reign until 1910 as Manoel II. He ends the dictatorship of his father's prime minister João Franco that began in 1906.

British statesman Spencer C. Cavendish, 8th duke of Devonshire and marquis of Hartington, dies at Cannes March 24 at age 74, having three times declined the office of prime minister. Prime Minister Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman resigns April 5 (he has been recuperating from a heart attack suffered last November) and dies at No. 10 Downing Street, London, April 22. He is succeeded by Herbert Henry Asquith, 55, earl of Oxford and Asquith, whose Liberal ministry will continue until 1916.

Gen. Sir Redvers H. Buller dies near Crediton, England, June 2 at age 68.

The Russian diplomat Nikolai, Graf Ignatiev, dies at his Ukraine estate July 3 (June 20 Old Style) at age 76, having had a great influence on Ottoman affairs. A military revolt against the Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid II begins July 3 as Major Ahmed Niyazi of the 3rd Corps leads his men against provincial authorities at Resna (see Young Turk movement, 1891). Members of the Young Turk conspiracy stir up further revolts, and the rebellion quickly spreads throughout the Ottoman Empire, with many government troops joining in. The sultan announces July 23 that he is restoring the constitution of 1876 and recalls parliament, but although the Young Turks have achieved their primary objective they are prevented by internal dissension from taking effective control of the government (see 1909).

Bulgaria declares independence October 5 as Prince Ferdinand assumes the title "czar" (he will reign until 1918). Austria annexes Bosnia and Herzogovina October 6, producing consternation in Russia, Serbia, Montenegro, and Turkey. Berlin supports Vienna, London and Paris support objections by Russia, the Ottoman Empire, and the Balkan nations, Crete aggravates the crisis October 7 by proclaiming union with Greece, and Constantinople boycotts Austrian goods (see 1909).

Egyptian nationalist Mustapha Kamel dies February 10 at age 34, and his death deals the reviving nationalist movement a heavy blow (see 1907); the khedive moves to counteract nationalism November 10 by appointing as premier the Coptic Christian Butros Ghali; Muslims stage violent demonstrations (see 1910).

Persia's shah Mohammed Ali succeeds in a coup d'état June 23 with help from the Cossack Brigade and secret support from the Russian legation (see 1907). He shuts down the national assembly and imposes martial law at Teheran; many liberal leaders are killed.

The Battle of Marakesh August 23 ends in defeat for the Moroccan sultan Abd-al-Aziz IV, who has met the ransom demands of the brigand Raisuli to avert foreign wars but whose actions have provoked his older brother Mulay Hafid to revolt (see 1906). Insurgents proclaimed Mulay Hafid sultan of Morocco at Marakesh in May of last year, Fez has proclaimed him sultan in January, Berlin announces September 3 that Germany will recognize the new sultan, the French seize German deserters from the French Foreign Legion, Franco-German relations grow tense, but Mulay Hafid agrees to respect French and Spanish interests as accepted by his brother after the Algeciras Conference in 1906, and he will reign until 1912 as Abd-al-Hafiz.

Belgium's Parliament annexes the Congo State of the aged Leopold II October 18 and begins to remove the abuses that have existed since 1885 (see human rights, 1906).

Former president Grover Cleveland dies at Princeton, N.J., June 24 at age 71; Sen. William B. Allison (R. Iowa) at Dubuque August 4 at age 79.

President Roosevelt adheres to the tradition against a third term. Republicans nominate Roosevelt's secretary of war William Howard Taft of Cincinnati, who has served as governor of the Philippines, quelled a potential rebellion in Cuba, and organized construction of the Panama Canal. Now 50, Taft easily defeats his Democratic rival, William Jennings Bryan (who runs for the third and last time), winning 321 electoral votes to 162 for the "Great Commoner," but Taft has little interest in being president and will antagonize Roosevelt by allowing Wall Street and business interests to control his administration (see 1912).

A Venezuelan military junta seizes power under the leadership of Gen. Juan Vicente Gómez while President Cipriano Castro, now 49, is in Europe recuperating from illness after a dictatorial 9-year rule in which he has embezzled huge sums of money. Gómez is a nearly full-blooded Indian whose age is somewhere between 44 and 51, he has had no formal education, he helped Castro gain power in 1899, has controlled the government in Castro's absence, and will rule ruthlessly as absolute dictator until his death 1935, either as president or through puppets (see energy, 1922).

Peru's prime minister Augusto Bernardino Leguía y Salcedo, 45, wins election as president and begins negotiations to settle boundary disputes with Brazil and Bolivia. A member of one of the nation's oligarchical families, he founded his own insurance company 12 years ago, served on the board of a large British sugar company, and will encourage economic development by introducing fiscal and administrative reforms.

President Roosevelt visits Panama November 15 to inspect progress on the canal; he is the first sitting president to travel abroad.

Vietnamese tribal chief Deo Van Tri dies at Lai Chau March 1 at age 58.

China's dowager empress Cixi (Tzu-hsi) dies under suspicious circumstances at her native Beijing (Peking) November 15 at age 72 after 52 years as the power behind the Qing throne, and it is announced that the emperor Guangxu (Kuang-hsü), who was perfectly healthy until now, has died the previous day at age 37, having reigned since 1875 while his adoptive mother ran the show. In her final decree she has given the throne to Guangxu's 3-year-old nephew Pu Yi, who will reign until 1912 as the emperor Xuan Tong (Hsian Tung) (but see 1911).