The Czar and the Mandarin are both traveling today to the Western Edges of their respective empires, and regret they cannot post today. Until we return on Tuesday, please enjoy this classic Gomorgon post from November 22, 1898.

As you know, Count Gyula Andrássy de Csíkszentkirály et Krasznahorka the Younger, author of Ungarns Ausgleich mit Österreich vom Jahre 1867, and former Minister of Anything He Could Grab, has recently ditched his ties to the Liberal Party. Surprise, surprise.


The Czar predicts this will be short-term, and the Mandarin has boasted that if Dezs— Baron Bánffy de Losoncz should be toppled from his current position as Prime Minister (remember your Volgi expecting this could happen before March, 1899?), then Andrássy could well return to the Liberals and even achieve some hero status, as some prodigal son returned to right the wrongs. As is typical of the Liberal mentality, of course, they will forgive and forget the inherent hypocrisy in doing so.


Should this happen, the Czar anticipates that either Kálmán Széll (most likely) or a return of Sándor Wekerle (maybe) is inevitable. Goodness knows Wekerle is not yet done with Austro-Hungarian tomfoolery, and the Libs like to keep rolling him out. Stay tuned: that Empire is not over yet.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.