The free citizen. (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1875-10-02
CHARLOTTE OF BRUNSWICK.


CHARLOTTE OF BRUNSWICK. X.
One of the saddcst tragedies, if it be
one, one Of the strangcst mysteries, if it
be one, dimly recorded in historic an
nals is that of the Princess Charlotte
Sophia, ofHBrunswick. The story, though
an old one, is still but little known, even
i'll the dominions of the empire. Inc
new light which recent Russian writer
has let in upon the facts has induced JUS
to recall them at the present time.
On the 9th of January, 1859, the Gar
Peter the Great was married, somewhat
against his will, to Ewdokija Fcodorowna
Lapuchln, the daughter of powerful
Russian noble. On the 18th of February
of the following year, his eldest child.
Alexis Pctrowitsch, was born and bap-
tized "a
Owing 'fo the absence of maternal Care
Peter, having quarrclcd with his spollsc
over serious affair, had banishcd herr to
a convent very soor: after marriage-jthc
prince Alexis was left to himself, 4nd
until his thirteenth wear, was almost
wholly neglected. During this interval,
his mind lost all sense of dccency And
respect, and his unrestricted mode oflhy-
ing cntailcd upon him some of the wlrst
of habits. When. ut length, he was En-
trusted to the care of Il learned Germ I'M
Henry Huysscn, he made but small Bro
grcss in the way Of improvements Eu&Iid
and algebra were found to be i'll sultcd
to his wild and wilful nature. But che
poor tutor combattcd with the dittisul-
iif.I nf bis f,1:sitiusr ..bos.t+o,, ,:sars nnss
then surrendered his princely pupil in
disgust II,
Meanwhile, the ear, who seems not to
have been able to keep out of matrimony,
had taken secretly unto himself anothee
spouse, the daughter of poor woman,
and already famed as much for her mod
est department as for her ATTRACTIVE
beauty. Nothing was more commoll in
Russia, and in all the Asiatic Kingdoms.
than marriages between sovercigns and
their subjects; but that an impoverished
stranger, who had bcen discovered amid
the ruins of plundercd town, should
become the absolute sovereign of that
very empire into which she was led %ap-
tive, is an incident which fortune and
merit have never before produced in the
annals of the worlel. The charming cap
tive, whose name was Martha, thus he
came, after her elevation to rank, Cath
arinc l. of Russia.
1t was quite naturalTthat the future
empress should wish to secure to her own
children the right of succession to the
throne. TO rcaci, this end, she poisoned
the mind of the cZar against his eldest
son, in consequence Of which, Herr
Huysscn was ordered to give an account
of the intellectual progress of his pupil.
OF course the report which he made was
uniavorablc; whcreupon the tutor was
sent back to Germany, and the prince
was banislcd into the interior of Russia.
Here the latter dcmcancd himself with so
much unrcason that his imperial sire
resolved to marry him forthwith
An ambassador Was sent to Germany
intrustcd with the delicate mission of
reporting on the charms of all the high
born maidcns Of the Rhinc-land. The
list was fnrward,l Il to the court, and the
crcmc DE- III creme, bcing selected by the
cZar, were lionorcd with invitations TO
appear personally before him. OF course
he reserved the right of rejecting all
bidders.
In this matrimonial game money was
no object; hut beauty, grace, and mental
culture, were everything. Those who
were SO fortunate us not to be chosen
were returned to their mammas. hearing
the gifts of diamond necklaces and rings,
~ ''i'i ,"ilSiiH,l lot Inp1r trouble. Ills
majesty's choice fell upon the Princess
Charlotte Sophia, of Brunswick Wolfen-
buttel, daughter of Duke Louis, the
head of II branch line of the rcirninr
house Of Brunswick Accordingly, the
nwrtials were celebrated Il: Targ1w, in
the palace of the queen of Poland, on the
25th of October, I'LL. The bridegroom
was in his twcntysccond year, the bride
in her eighteenth.
The Princess Charlotte was one Of
those soft and dreamy beauties, with fair
blue eyes, and head full of romance, so
often met with in Germany. At the
time of her marriage she was little more
than child in years, and none the less
so in manners and modes of thought.
Alexis, on the contrary, was wholly given
up to low, sensual pleasures, and mean,
vicious company. At their earliest in
tcrview he had conceived an antimthy
10 his betrothed, and had no desire at all
to marry.
AS might have been expected under
such circumstances, there was no love
wasted between the young couple From
Q state Of Indifference the prince lapscd
into one of sayagcry, and on every occa-
sion he did not hesitate to act toward his
wife i'll the most brutal manner. When,
at length, he received into his palace n