Word: pedro
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...Portugal's Congo, where every native has had his "Santu" or Christian name since the 16th Century, Dom Pedro V was once a monarch as absolute in his way as Ethiopia's Haile Selassie. A Portuguese army had helped enthrone him, and for 30 years they let him reign supreme over his subjects. Then in 1884 Europe began its mad scramble for Africa. Portugal's empire builders sent out their own resident governor, and Pedro and all his kind became mere pensioners. Last week, with 700 other pilgrims from Portugal's now tatterdemalion empire, another King...
Welling Tears. Old (75), coal-black Dom Pedro VII had little liking for official functions. He preferred cruising around Rome in a taxi with a couple of photographers. But when the time came for him to meet the Pope, he was determined to carry it off in regal style. Said he: "I shall be the first of my family, which dates from the Pharaohs, to meet the Pope...
...Court of St. Damasus, where the Pope sat resplendent on an improvised dais, spangled maidens from Goa, bandannaed islanders from Timor, and tribesmen from Dom Pedro's own Angola watched devoutly. The old King had put on a swallow-tailed coat and extra wide trousers. His moustachios gleamed stark and white as he mounted the steps to the throne followed by his Queen, Isabella. His eyes were downcast and glued to his outturned feet for fear he might trip on his trousers. When at last he stood at the top, the crowd applauded. Pedro started to prostrate himself...
...developing. Borne by two ebon attendants, the royal gifts-two huge elephant tusks-were pointed in opposite directions which is against all tusk-presentation protocol. Noticing their hideous faux pas at the last moment, each attendant shifted his tusk. They were still pointed in opposite directions. As King Pedro was about to turn to make his official presentation, the Pope noticed that a third shifting of the tusks was about to take place. He held the King's attention until both tusks were pointed toward him. Then King Pedro turned, unaware of the averted crisis, and indicated his gifts...
...though he might sit in back of a mere diplomat, Dom Pedro understood something of kingship. Before he left Rome there was one more snapshot he wanted taken. It concerned another king, temporarily defeated but never humbled. Pedro directed his taxi to the spot in Rome where Mussolini had set up the golden statue of the Lion of Judah, captured at Addis Ababa. Now the statue was safely back in Africa in Haile Selassie's keeping. The spot in Rome was empty. King Pedro turned to his photographers. "Photograph that for me," he commanded...