Gustaf V of Sweden Public life What was Gustaf best known for in the public? Gustaf V was considered to have German sympathies during World War I. How did the public feel about his sympathies with Germany ? Another of Gustaf V's objectives was to dispel suspicions that he wanted to bring Sweden into the war on Germany's side. Did he side with any other countries beside Germany ? On 18 December 1914, he sponsored a meeting in Malmo with the other two kings of Scandinavia to demonstrate unity.
Were there any controversies during his reign ?
Were there any controversies during Gustaf V's reign?
When he ascended the throne, Gustaf V was, at least on paper, a near-autocrat. The 1809 Instrument of Government made the king both head of state and head of government, and ministers were solely responsible to him. However, his father had been forced to accept a government chosen by the majority in Parliament in 1905. Since then, prime ministers had been chosen according to parliamentary support.  At first, Gustaf V seemed to be willing to accept parliamentary rule. After the Liberals won a massive landslide in 1911, Gustaf appointed Liberal leader Karl Staaff as Prime Minister. However, during the runup to World War I, the elites objected to Staaff's defence policy. In February 1914, a large crowd of farmers gathered at the royal palace and demanded that the country's defences be strengthened. In his reply, the so-called Courtyard Speech--which was actually written by explorer Sven Hedin, an ardent conservative--Gustaf promised to strengthen the country's defences. Staaff was outraged, telling the king parliamentary rule called for the Crown to stay out of partisan politics. He was also angered that he had not been consulted in advance of the speech. However, Gustaf retorted that he still had the right to "communicate freely with the Swedish people." The Staaff government resigned in protest, and Gustaf appointed a government of civil servants headed by Hjalmar Hammarskjold (father of Dag Hammarskjold) in its place. To date, it is the last time that a Swedish king directly intervened in the governing of the country.  The 1917 elections showed a heavy gain for the Liberals and Social Democrats. Despite this, Gustaf initially tried to appoint a Conservative government headed by Johan Widen. However, Widen was unable to form a coalition. It was now apparent that Gustaf could no longer appoint a government entirely of his own choosing, nor could he keep a government in office against the will of Parliament. With no choice but to appoint a Liberal as prime minister, he appointed a Liberal-Social Democratic coalition government headed by Staaff's successor as Liberal leader, Nils Eden. The Eden government promptly arrogated most of the king's political powers to itself and enacted numerous reforms, most notably the institution of complete (male and female) universal suffrage in 1918-1919. While Gustaf still formally appointed the ministers, they now had to have the confidence of Parliament. He was now also bound to act on the ministers' advice. Although the provision in the Instrument of Government stating that "the King alone shall govern the realm" remained unchanged, for all intents and purposes the ministers did the actual governing. Gustaf accepted his reduced role, and reigned for the rest of his life as a model limited constitutional monarch. Parliamentarianism had become a de facto reality in Sweden, even if it would not be formalized until 1974.  Gustaf V was considered to have German sympathies during World War I. His political stance during the war was highly influenced by his wife, who felt a strong connection to her German homeland. On 18 December 1914, he sponsored a meeting in Malmo with the other two kings of Scandinavia to demonstrate unity. Another of Gustaf V's objectives was to dispel suspicions that he wanted to bring Sweden into the war on Germany's side. CANNOTANSWER
At first, Gustaf V seemed to be willing to accept parliamentary rule.
Alizée Poulicek (born 26 June 1987) is a Belgian-Czech model, TV presenter and former beauty pageant titleholder.

Biography 
Poulicek won the title of Miss Belgium 2008 and represented her country in Miss Universe 2008 in Nha Trang, Vietnam. She also represented Belgium in Miss World 2008 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

She can speak French, English, and Czech. At the time of her reign as Miss Belgium she could not speak Dutch (although she did receive Dutch lessons in school, according to Poulicek "of ridiculous low quality"); which led to controversy in Flanders.

Following her reign, Poulicek followed a career in modelling and television presenting, including for the RSCA sports station.

References

External links

 Miss Belgium 2008

1987 births
Living people
People from Uccle
Belgian people of Czech descent
Belgian female models
Miss World 2008 delegates
Miss Universe 2008 contestants
Walloon people
Belgian beauty pageant winners
Beauty pageant controversies
Controversies in Belgium
Miss Belgium winners Muhammad ibn Badlay () (reigned 1445–1471) was a Sultan of the Sultanate of Adal. He was the son of Badlay ibn Sa'ad ad-Din. During his reign the Adalite ruler Muhammad and the Solomonic ruler Baeda Maryam agreed to a truce and both states in the following decades saw an unprecedent period of peace and stability.

Reign

After the death of Badlay , he was succeeded by his son Muhammad in year 1445.  The Arab writer al-Tagrebirdi reports that Sultan Muhammed sent an embassy to Cairo in 1452, this message doubtlessly reported on his father's Badlay's defeat,  which may have been an unsuccessful appeal for help.

During his reign and the reign of Emperor Ba'eda Maryam , Adal was virtually independent , but was worn out by the constant ensuing raids and counter raids. This led to Muhammad early in his reign to send a deputation to Ba'eda Maryam, which brought him gifts of many pieces of cloth and, a message proposing peace.  The envoy's according to the chronicle, declared that the ruler of Adal would send Ba'eda Marya tribute, if he in return would order all his troops to cease their incursions into his territory. The Emperor accepted this proposal, gave the envoys plentiful food and drink, and provided them with fine clothes, then sent them on their way back along with one of his messengers to Muhammad accepting the latter demands and told him "stick to your word".
 
Tribute was never sent, and the local Adalite leaders rejected the proposal. While Ba'eda Maryam  was preparing for his coronation after choosing a consort at Aksum, he had then later learned that the governor of Zayla Lada'e Uthman, had, however, repudiated the agreement made by his predecessor Muhammad, and was marching against him. He thereupon canceled the proposed coronation celebrations and summoned the leaders of Tigray.  

He then proceeded to march towards Adal, because it was outside of the Emperor's control. On arriving there they found that the chiefs of the area had all gathered to prepare for an incursion into the Christian empire. A battle ensued. Gabra Iyasus was victorious. Many Adal chiefs were killed and others taken prisoner. Gabrya Iyasus and his men did not stick around in the torrid Adal lowlands in which highlanders found to be virtually impossible to reside for any  length of time. They immediately returned. 

Not to long after Ba'eda Maryam planned another expedition to Adal. He entrusted it to his oldest and most loyal follower, Mahari Krestos, and to the experienced Gabra Iyasus. The monarch presented them and the soldiers with fine clothing and ordered his palace troops to join the expedition. The men went in to war, however with little enthusiasm, for which reason the chronicles says "God did not favour them".

The Adal soldiers immediately seized the offensive. Mahari Krestors and his men soon took flight and Gabra Iyasus and his followers shortly afterwards did the same. This was their undoing as they were pursued and they were said to have "Perished to the last man".

Despite the conflicts detailed above, there were also attempts at co-existence between the Emperors and the Adal Kings. Alvares claims moreover that dynastic marriages with the latter were forged, although details of any such arrangements have unfortunately been preserved. In any case, Sultan Muhammad reversed the policy of his predecessors, making a truce with the Emperor of Ethiopia Baeda Maryam, and during his reign lived in peace with the Ethiopians.

See also
Walashma dynasty

Notes 

Sultans of the Adal Sultanate
15th-century monarchs in Africa
15th-century Somalian people Rama Varma VIII (died 16 August 1790) was an Indian monarch who ruled the Kingdom of Cochin from 1775 until his death in 1790.

Reign 
Rama Varma VIII was the younger brother of Kerala Varma II and succeeded the latter to the throne on his death in 1775. Rama Varma VIII scarcely commanded any authority during his reign as the kingdom was largely a puppet state under the suzerainty of Hyder Ali of Mysore. During Rama Varma's reign, the Muslim general Sardar Khan captured the city of Cochin and established his residence at Thrissur.

Rama Varma VIII succumbed to an epidemic of small pox on 16 August 1790 and was succeeded to the throne by his nephew Rama Varma IX.

References 
 
 

1790 deaths
Rulers of Cochin
Year of birth unknown