The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-10-12
MorRanntio panrr,sres..

mOrRnnhttc Marrtagegs-
Everybody has heard the term "morganalic
marriages." and many people suppose that mar.
rlages OF this kind are species of concubinage,
in which the kings and princes of Europe are
ioDd oil indulging. This is not the case, how
ever A morganatiC marriage is Just as binding
upon the parties as any other marriage. The
term Is derived from the German Morgengabe,
when means dowry. 1t signifies a matrimo-
MAJ contract In which one of the parties is
greatly superior in rank to the other. If it be
the bride who is Of inferior rank, she agrees that
she and her children shall be entitled neither TO
the rank nor the estate of her husband, aid that
the dowry which Is settled upon her at the time
OF the marriage shall be accepted in lieu of all
other privileges. IL the man be the inferior, he
gives his assent to similar conditions. In the
orldal ceremony the party Of superior rank gives
the left hand, instead of the right, to the other
whence these marriages are sometimes styled
"ieft- handedn
One OF the most famous marriages of this
class was that OF Frederic William the Third, of
Prussia, TO the Countess Augusta of Harrach
upon whom her husband conferred the rank of
Princess OF Leignitz-a marriage consummated
IN 1924 long after the death of the Kings
legitimate spouse, the beautiful Queen Louisa,
The Princess OF Leignitz Is still lIying-a widow
since lo4O. Another mOrganatc marriage was
that OF the late King of Denmark Frederic the
Seventh, who after being divorced from two
prlnCesses, married morganatiCally pl lain dress.
maker by tue name of Rasm ussen with whom
he lived happily till his death. He first encoun-
tered her under very singular circumstances.
1t is the custom at Copenhagen, when a large
fire occ1rs, for one of the princes to attend It,
and TO take command of the detachment of
troops which is always called out TO keep order
while the dremen endeavor TO eXtingufsh the
CCnfagration.
frederic, then Crown Prince, was once per.
forming this duty, when his eye caught sight of
dressed wax figure in the window of dress
makers shop in the second story of the burning
building. In the hurry and excitement of the
moment he mstook this lay-fgure for living
person endeavoTing TO escape from the window
| horse No int fba
building, ana ascended the staircase. On his
way through the rooms he discovered the wner
of the dressmaking establishment, who was
bewlldered in the smoke, and whom he con-
Quoted TO a place of safety. This was the
woman whom he subsequently married, be-
atowing upon her the title of the Countess
Danner, and settling upon her a large doWry.
She survived him only year or two.
Among the existing members of prncelv
houses who have contracted this kind of mar.
riage may be mentioned Prince Leopold of
SaXOny, Prince Charles Of Bavaria, and Prince
Alexander OF Wurtemburg. 1t is a son of the
last named-an offspring OF his morganatlc mar
riage-who, under the name of Prince Teck,
lately married Queen Victorias cousin. the
stance OF morganatic union is that of Prince
Edward of SaXe.Weimar, who is married in this
manner to a daughter of the proud Duke of
Richmond, while another English noblemap,
the Duke of Hamilton, welded, on terms of
perfect equality, princess of the grand ducal
house of Baden, whose rank is certainly as high
as LndL Oh fIluCe EDWARD.
The only modern case with which we are
familiar of q morganatic marriage in which the
bride was the person OF superior rank is that of
the Princess Elizabeth, of Italy, sister-in.law of
Victor Emanuel, VINO was married with the left
hand in 1864 year after the death of her hus.
band, Prince Ferdinand-to the MARQUIS RAJ
pallo. Victor Emanuel himself is said to have
been more than once on the point of contracting
a morganat!c union with some of his favorites
but has been prevented by the advice of his
% & 0 ffbo 9r h deem dc It better tier
in q more reprehensble manner.
The regning dynasty of Baden presents an
Isolated instance OF the scion OF morganatic
marriage breaking through the trammelling pre-
csion of such a union, and succeeding to the
rank OF his parent in the same way as the
offspring OF an equal union. In 1880 with the
death of the Grand Duke Louis, the strictly
legitimate line of the ancient princes of Baden
came to an end. King Louis OF Bavaria, was
on the point OF taking possession OF the country
as next of kin, when Leopold, the offspring
Of a morganatic marriage of the preceding
Grand Duke Charles Frederic with a Madame
GeyeER@eEg suddenly proclaimed me t himself
who admired his character and boldness.
Bavaria threatened war; and marched her
armies towards the Baden frontier, but the out
break OF the French revolution OF 1880, which
was followed by disturbances in various parts
of Germany, induced King Louis to pause,
and he finally contented himself with
issuing a solemn protest against what
he called usUrpatlon OF the crown. The reign
ing family OF Baden has, since then, never been
disturbed, and its claims have been fully recog-
niZed 10y the German powers. Leopold's son
Frederic is now on the throne, and is married to
a sister Of the present King of Prussia. One
more instance of morgauatiC union is that of
the despotc EleCtOr of Hesse, whose dominions
Prussia recently annexed, to the great Joy OF his
subjects In 1881 ne fell in love with Gertrude
Lehman, the pretty wife OF non-commissioned
officer in the Prusslan army. little pecuniary
arrangement was made with her husband, di
vorCe was obtained, and Immediately afterwards
the Elector Frederic William took her to vie
morganatically. He made her FIRST Countess of
Sch6umburg aud then Princess ot hanau. She
has BONE him six soDs and three daughters,
who have taken their title from their mother
1t was said that he intended to have declared his
Oldest son heir to the throne, Notwithstanding
the legal hindrances in the way but Prussia, by
her summary proceeding, has prevented the
execution OF any such project
rnnTn hhn cnOrc