The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-07-08
THE SPANISH CROWN.
Prince leopold EIicane Charles Antoine G.us-
tave Eaouard rhasssio, of Eoheuzo orn-sig-

p0urinaon.
1t is singular fact tnat OF all the princes OF
Europe outside OF France the only ones with wnom
the Emperor OF the French is connected by ties or
blood arc Germans, ana that those 10 whom he is
nearest related are members OF tue house OF fio.
henzoern. And furthermore, IL Is a fact that such
family connection Il confined TO the Beauharnais
family, the Bonaparte house being limited to france.
The young Prince whose canddltura for the span
ish crown has created much excitement ia Eu.
rope, rendering the relations OF France and Prussia
exceedingly grave. Is, in fact an own cousin or
Napoleon by his mothers side. Horense and Eugene
de Beauharnais were, IL Will be borne IN mind,
the children OF Josephine, Afterwards Empress OF
France by her first husband yiscount Alexander dc
Beauharnais An uncle OF the Viscount Count dc
Beauharnals married the famous Counte IS Fanny By
whom he had Claude de Beauharnas. This noble
man filed the position OF Chevaler Of Honor co the
Empress Marie Louise wife OF Napoleon one OF his
daughters, stephanie Louise Adrlenne. was the
adopted child OF the Emperor. On the atn OF April,
1906 she married Charles Louis Frederic Grand Duke
OF Baden, by whom she had two daughters, one OF
whom, the Princess Josephine Frederique Louise
was married the 2lst OF October, 1884, 10 Prince
Charles Antoine Joachim Zephyrin Frederic Manrad,
head OF the house Of Hohenzoeru Siginaringen.
1t Is noteworthy that this prince Is also IN
measure conyected with the Napoleon family
by reason Of HIS mother, the Princess An
tonetie Marie Murat being sister OF Joachim
Murat the great cavalry leader, who married. Caro-
line Bonaparte, AND whose sppagsa az now recos
nized as hereditary princes OF the French empire.
The mother OF the present Emperor of the French
Hortense de Beauharnas, having been blood cousin
10 Stephanie de Beanharnais, the Grandmother
u lpe new Candidate FOR the Spanish crown, Il fol-
lows that Napoleon and Leopold are cousins also
scandal, which did not spare the name OF Hor-
tense, was not over careful OF the fame OF Sephane
OF whom some not very favorable stories are told
She was, however so comparatively obscure that
but few persons at the present time even aware
OF her having been the adopted child OF the great
C)rsican. She lived to u ripe old age-seyenty one
stephanie, her grandmother, the Countess Fanny
was one OF the most taiented and dissoIute women
OF her day She was p0etess and romancer, OF re-
markable personal beauty, and was notorious IN
Paris for her numerous lovers to the amorous poems
OF some OF whom she Is said to have signed her
maine. Altogether, and truth to tell the females OF
the Beauharnais family have never borne unsul-
lied reputation for morality. although It must be adj
mttted that several OF them have been distinguished
for the possession OF u high order OF intellect.
II IL curious to notice tnat OF ali the princes
created by the 1rst Napoleon this family have alone
made stir in the world since the fatal day OF Water
loo. Already grandson OF Stephanie has assembled
a throne-the brother Of Prince Leopold, Prince
Charles Eltel Frederick Zephyrin Louis, being tho
present ruler or Roumana.
Having thus briefly sketched the ancestry OF the
consideration OF himself. But little can be SAID
about him, for the reason that he has
never DetOre appearcu prominently IN
ropean politics. He IL the eldest son Of
Prince Charles, and was born the I'D OF Septem-
ber 1885. At present he holds the Of lieuten-
ant colonel Of tho First regiment OF Prussan Foot
Guards. On the 18th OF september 1881, he married
the Princess Antoine Marie Ferdinande Michaeia
Gabrielle, Raphaele d'Asslse Anne Gonzagne Silvine
Julie Auguste de Bragance Bourbon. Duchess OF
SAKE, sister OF the reigning King Of Portugal The
multiplicity OF names belonging this lady has not
prevented her from becoming the mother OF three
chldren--all boys-to Prince Leopold the oldest or
whom was born in 1884, This Is ABOUT all that eau
be said OF Prince Leopold.
The political significance Of his candidature for
the crown OF Spain lies in the fact that he IL u
prince OF the royal house Of Prussia. In 1s49 his
father ceded his territories to Prussia advocating In
favor OF King William. In 1886. ny royal decree,
the family were Invested with the title Of Highneas,
and with the prerogatives OF princes OF the royal
family In 1851 his rank was increased by
his investment with the title OF Royal High
ness which, being hereditary, descends to
his eldest son, the Prince Leopold Remote
ertheless not impossible for the Sgmarlngen branch
| OF the Hohenzollern family, OF which the King OF
Prussia Is the head OF all 10 ascend the throne Of
Prussia
For the purpose OF enabling the reader to perceive
ut glance the relationship existing between the En-.
| peror Napoleon and Prince Leopold, we suboin the
| following genealogical table,
HEAD OF THE FAMILY
MARQUIS AND MAKcHIoNEss DE BKAUHARHAts.