Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1862-01-30
ROYAL WIDOWS AND wIDowERs IN
ENGLAND.

ENGLAND.
Queen Victoria is the second widow who has
regned over the British Empire, and the third
who has ruled in England. The only widow
who ever ruled in England alone was Matilda,
daughter of Henry who was twice married,
being the widow of Henry w. Emperor of
Germany at the time she became "Lady" of
England in 1l4l, and wife Of Godfrey Planta-
genet She never was called Queen, and her
ascendency did not last long, and her son,
Henry H., did rot become king Of England un-
til the death of Stephen. The second of these
royal widows was Queen Anne whose husband,
Prince George of Denmark, died in 1908, his
wife surviving him nearly six years. Queen
Victoria is the third of the number. Mary l.,
was the wife of Philip ii. at the time of her
death, and Elizabeth, like sensible woman,
never married. Most of the British sovereigns
Cf the house of Hanover survived their spouses.
George |. lived short time after the death of
Sophia of Zel whom he SO cruelty used.
George ii. survived his queen, Caroline of An
spach, almost a quarter of a century. Queen
Charlotte. wife Of George ILL.,, died in 1918,
md her husband in 1S20,-but he had long
been a confirmed lunatic, while Charlotte re-
tanned her mental powers to the last. She was
q strong minded woman, but not over omiabe.
Caroline of Brunswick died not quite nine years
before her husband, George ". Queen Ade-
laide, wife of William ", was an exception to
the rule, surviving her husband, who, however
had married lac in life. And now Prince AL.
bert is dead and his wife, who is sovereign,
lives, and we hope she will long live. 1t is in
timated that her reign may not prove so fortu-
nate hereafter, now that her clear-headed and
| ustmnded husband has been taken away but
may turn out in this case as did in that of
William III. His wife, Mary H., shared the
throne with him, being Queen Rcgnant, and it
was said that his reign would prove unfortu-
nate on her death but just the reverse was
the fact, as it was more fortunate after he lost
her than It preyiouslyt had been. TIE Stuart
kings were about balanced in respect to surviv-
orship. James /. outlivcd his wife, Anne of
Denmark but Charles |. having ingeniously
contrived to get his head cut off before he had
reached to fifty years, lett wife, Henrietta
Maria, to learn what misery there is in exile
and want. Though the daughter of that one of
the Bourbon Kings who was called "l'he Great"
and the sister OF another king who was called
"lhe Just" and the aunt Of third who is still
known as "rhc Grand Monarch" and the mother
of two English kings, she came very close upon
Starving from cold" Charles H. preceded his
wife to the grave many years; she was Catherine
of Braganza. James III. long survived his first
wife, but his second wife long survived him.
They were Anne Hyde and Mary Beatrice of
Modena. james II. was the last English king
who married subject, unless George " S
marriage with Mrs Ftzherbert be regarded as
legal but James II. was only heir presumptiye
when he took Anne Hyde to wife. of the three
Tudor kings, Edward VI died in boyhood, a
bachelor, though not exactly jolly one; Henry
VII. survived his wife, Elizabeth Plantagenet
who was the lawful heir to the throne according
to the rules of descent and Henry VIII, who
was so infamous for killing or tanning wives,
left two of his queens behind him, Anne o.
Cleves and Katherine Parr. Two others he
had murdered by the hands of the excutioner
one he had killed by course of cruelty, anc
another had died in childbed. Anne of Cleve
he had divorced His widow married, and fo
the fourth time, but did not live long alterward
and her last husband was beheaded. Tit
Plantagenet kings were inclined to be uXorous
with some exceptions, which is not uncommon
with brave men, whom women find it easier t
rule than they do towards, as the latter retain
the privilege of whipping their wives. Tn
first Pantagenet king, Henry H., had hare
time Of it as a husband, but then he married
for territory, and found ground for quarrel will
his queen who, though his senior, outvet
him. Richard !, left widow. Johns wife
Isabella of Angoulime, died thirty years alte
her husband; and Henry III. died nineteer
years earlier than his wife Edward |. had twt
wives, the last surviving him. Edward III
/, was dethroned and murdered by his wife
, Phippa of Hainault preceded Edward III. Il
the tomb, and it is the fact that he had no goot
| fortune after her death. She was superio
woman. Richard H. had two wives, and tn
second, mere child, was sent back to Franc
after her husbands deposition and disappear
: ance. Henry ~. was twice married, and al
! his children were by his first wife. Mary
Bohun, one of the greatest heiresses of the i4d
century, and who died young, five years befor
|, her husband became king. His second wife,
t Nayarrese princess, and a widowed duchess O
l Brittany, survived him twenty-four wears
e Henry V. died young, and left Young widow
G who solaced her cares by marrying a Welcl
: family on the throne of England, though it ha,
e abundance OF Plantagenet blood in the veins O
/, its members Margaret of Aniou lived 70
1 years after the death of her husband, Henri
vi. Edward Tvs wife, Elizabeth Woodville
G though his senior, not only survived her hus
4 band, but was spoken of as the possibl
J wife of a young king of Scotland Sh
was widow when the king married her
and widow she died Edward " disappears
4 in childhood, and his fate is uncertain but h