The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1871-11-25
Queen Victeria-Her Family.
fFrom the New York Ledger.

they tiatter the prosperous and black
en- the unfortunate, ignore unpalata-
BILE facts, or touch upon them so
gently that they are observed by the
glare of a false light.
Heralds have discoyered-and
what will they not discover when
paid for their inventive genius 3
that the present. sovereign of Eng gland
is descended from the deiiied hero
Wooden, whom the Scandinavians
adored as a god. This most impu-
dent assertion has passed current so
long that even educated persons ac-
cept it, as they accept many similar
myths without due investigation.
The true founder of the house OF
Hanover was certain AZon D'Este,
Marquis of Tuscany, an Italian ad-
venturer, without wealth Or territory,
who, at the commencement of the
eleventh century, took service under
the Emperor Conrad, in the hope OF
acquiring fortune in Germany by
conquest or marriage. The proba-
bilities are that Azon was neither
much better nor worse than the no.
ble cut-throats Of his age, ever ready
to sell their swords to the highest
bidder; caring little for the cause in
which they fought, but enormously
for the pay.
His matrimonial speculation pro
we'd the most profitable. He espouscl
Cunegunda of Guelph, a wealthy
heiress, and discarded the name OF
D'Este for that of his wife. Hence
forth he was called Guelph. Their
son, Robert the Robust, contracted
still more fortunate alliance, in
marrying the widow of Tostic, Earl
of Kent, brother to Edward the Con
fessor. The newly welded pair found
great favor with the Emperor Henry
the Fourth, who despoiled Otto Of
Saxony of his Bavarian possessions
in order to enrich them. The great
grandson Of Robert rebelling against
the Emperor Barbarossa, his estates
were coniscated. A third time,
however, the race of Azon retrieved
the fortunes of the family by a lucky
marriage, the bride being the daugh-
ter of Henry the Second, King Of
England, who prevailed upon the
German Caesar to bestow the count
ships of Brunswick and Luenburg
upon his son-in-law. Otho the Fonr
teenth raised them to rank of duchies
in the thirteenth century, and. Will
liam of Guelph took the title Of Duke.
It would exceed our limited space
to trace the fortunes of all the dncal
bantlings of this most prolific race.
Some We're distinguished for their
courage and military talents, others
by their less noble qualities: as Hen
ry, surnamed the dog, for his snarl-
ing temper; Magnus the insolent !;
Ernest the cruel. Ohio the Four
teenth was the first Of the long line
Of petty princes who departed from
the matrimonial policy OF his family
by a marriage of inclination with
Mathilde de Campan, simple gentle
woman of Brunswick and his own
subject. The courts of Germany
were greatly shocked at the mesal-
lance; many long negotiations ell
sued and much humble pie had to
be eaten. before the new Duchess
was acknowledged. '2.,"
But to resume our narrative.
The great grandfather Of George
the First, of England, hadseven sons,
all dukes like their progenitor, and
entitled to share Of his possessions,
To avoid splitting the family coronet
into so many spangles by q perma-
nent division of their fathers States,
the brothers on his death entered
into a most extraordinary compact.
One only Of the number was to con
tract a legal marriage. Lots were
cast; chance favored George, the
sixth son, who espoused Anne Flea
nora, a Princess of Hesse Darmstadt.
Their eldest son Ernest Augustus,
who for many years, bore no higher
title than Prince Bishop Of Osnaberg,
married Sophia, daughterof the unfor-
tunate Queen of Bohemia, and grand
daughter of James the First; which
alliance first opened to the House of
Hanover, a prospect of the crown OF
Great Britain. The bride was sister
to the, gallant Rupert, so we'll known
in English history for his devotion
to Charles the First, to say nothing
Of his discoveries in science and art,
engraving in mezzotinto, and that
curious, but hitherto useless toy,
known as Rupert's drops. l1.s.z .... ..,.
Ernest Augustus was a dissipated
prince, but crafty and ambitious.
On succeeding to the title of Duke
Of Hanover, he dropped the title OF
Bishop of OsnabeIg., Following the
example of his father, he prevailed
upon his brother, Duke William Of
Zelle, to devote himself to a life of
celibacy, in consideration of q sum
of money advanced to him in a mo-
ment of distress. @as@ ~ =
1t was a sin against nature, and
speedily avenged itself. @
At Brussels the imprudent Prince
contracted a morganatic marriage
with Eieanora D'O1breuse, who fed
with her father from France, on the
revocation of the edict of Nantes by
Louis the Fourteenth. Here it may
be as well to explain what a NOR ga
natic marriage really means. It is
simply a contriyance to screen the