Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1885-12-03
BIOGRAPHICAL.
Historical sketch of the Deceased Ruler.

Alfonso XII. ALFONSO Francisco de Assist Fer
dinando Pho Juan Maria dc Ia Conception Gre
gorio etcl King of Spain, eldest son OF the ex-
Queen Isabella H., 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
nobleinans academy, ut Vienna, to which he
was admitted Jan. 20, 1872 He remained there
three months. June 25, 1870, Queen Isabella
formally abdicated 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-
tion left open to him. His pretensions WERE
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
calculated to complicate matters, the claim OF
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 ut Sandhurst and
witnessed the autumn maneuvers at 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 few days later Alfonso, who
spend the Jour de IAN with his mother left
France for Spain, arriving at Madrid Jan. H. 1875
He was most enthusiastically received. Feb. 10,
1876, he departed from Madrid to take command
of the troops operating against the Carlists, and
the Goth OF the following month he returned in
triumph to the capital at the head of IS 900 men,
lnBufTeCJ1On. In tho
Same year the ex-Queen Isabella returned to
Spain, and was received by her son at Santander
July 90
King Alfonso married, Jan. %, 1873. at Madrid.
his cousin the Princess Maria de las Mercedes,
Infanta Of Spain, daughter of the Due de Mont
pensier. (She was born June "a, 1907 The OK
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 juno 26, 1875.
King Alfonso married secondly Nov 90 1879.
Maria Christina, daughter OF the late Archduke
Charles Ferdinand, Of Austria. (She was born
July 21 1853
Oct 25, 1873. King Alfonso was fred at in
Madrid by Juan Moncasi, workman, but es-
capped unhurt. Dec. 80 1879, as the King and
Queen were driving in an open carriage through
the palace gates at Madrid a 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 i'm February, 1880, and sentenced TO
death.
In 1883 the King made visit to Germany and
France. In Paris a demonstration was made
against him which called out strong feeling I'm
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 Alfonso's children come first then
his sisters, next his aunt the second daughter Of
King Ferdinand, and her legitimate descend
ants, and finally his uncles the brothers of
Ferdinand VIII Should all tho lines become
extinct the nation will elect it's monarch"