The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-12-03
BIOGRAPHICAL.



Alfonso XH. ALFONSO Francisco de Assist Fer
dinando Pho Juan Maria de la Conception Gre
gorio, etc., King of Spain, eldest OF the ex-
Queen Isabella IL, was born Nov. %, 1857. When
his mother was driven from the throne by the
revolution Of 1868, he accompanied her to
Paris, where he resided with her for some time,
but subsequently he went to Austria in order
to prosecute his studies in the Theresianum or
noblemans academy, at Vienna, to which he
was admitted Jan. 20, 1872. He remained there
three months. June 25, 1870. Queen Isabella
FORMALLY aodlcated her right To the throne
OF Spain in favor OF her son, but no
open steps were taken at that time to
secure for him the position which this abdica-
ton left open to him. His pretensions We're
however, opposed by his cousin, the eldest son
OF the Duke Of Montpensier, and his aunt, the
Infanta Luisa, but as 80 many qretenders were
Louis Philippe's grandson was ultimately
waived in favor of the heir Of Isabella Early in
1874 the Prince Of the Asturias, as he was then
styled, visited England, was entered as a stu
dent at the military college at Sandhurst, and
witnessed the autumn maneuvers ut Aldershot,
Dartmoor, and other places in the fall Of the
year. December %, 1874, General Martinez
Campos proclaimed him King of Spain in Va
lencia, and a few days later Alfonso, who
had gone over TO Paris in order to
spend the Jour de IAN with his mother, left
France for Spain, arriving at Madrid Jan IA 1875.
He was most enthusiastically received. Feb l6,
1876, he departed from Madrid to take command
the Goth of the following month he returned in
triumph to the capital at the head OF % 900 men,
having subdued the Carlist instruction. In the
same year tho ex-Queen Isabella returned to
SPAIN and was received by her son Mt Santander
July %.
King Alfonso married, Jan. %, 1878, at Madrid,
his cousin. the Princess Maria de las Mercedes,
Infanta of Spain daughter of the Due do Mont
pensier. (She was born June "a, 1907 The ex-
Queen Isabella was much opposed to this union,
and to mark her disapproval she left Spain and
went to Paris before the marriage ceremony
took place Queen Mercedes died June &c. 1873.
King Alfonso married secondly Nov. 20, 1879.
Maria Christina daughter of the late Archduke
Charles Ferdinand. Of Austria. tshe was born
July 81, 1858.
Oct Is, 1873, King Alfonso was fired nj in
Madrid by Juan Moncasi, n workman, but es-
capped unhurt Dec. 30, 1879, the King and
Queen were driving i'm am open carriage through
the palace gates at Madrid youth named Fran
cisco Otero Gonzalez Igans fred two pistol shots
at the royal pair, one passing between them, and
the other through an attendants hat but fortu-
nately without doing further damage. Otero
was tried In February, 1880, and sentenced to
death.
In 1883 the King made visit to Germany and
France. In Paris n demonstration was made
against him which called out strong feeling in
Spain and made the King more popular in his
own country than he had ever been before. This
popularity was increased by his visit TO the
cholera-infected districts last summer.
In the order Of succession fixed by the consti-
tuition Of 1876 Alfonsos children come first. then
his sisters, next his aunt the second daughter Of
King Ferdinand, and her legitimate descend
ants, and finally his uncles lthe brothers OF
Ferdinand VIII Should all the lines become
extinct the nation will elect it's monarch