Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-01-20
How the spanish Kings Died In ms
and Osher Age.

Ferdinand, whose reign Vas m.Irs=,l
by the union Of all spain into one king.
dom, aud by the discovery Of Amsrics.
died IN lJl6. He was continually suffer
ing during the last two years OF his life.
The medicines he took 70 restore his
waning vig0r hurt his constitution. ami
he was soon Ill with drOpsy and heart
disease. For months he was taken from
one place to another in 4 VAN hunt for
health, and at last was stricken down
in q small country village. Here lis
| heir sent 4 messenger 10 seize the falling
rcius Of government, but the diving king
refused 70 receive this emiSsarY. and
| said: The crow has scented the dead
body Ferdinand, at first. did not
| believe that his end was near, but when
the doctors gave him up, he showed
cool courage, received the last rites of
lis church, signed his will, ard few
hours later closed his eyes upon the
world in a small house belonging to a
monastery.
Charles died in 1858 During three
long weeks the Emperor suffered terri
bly, from malignant or tertian fever, and
was at times delirious or inSensible.
Philip III died in 1893. During the
last twenty years of his life he was more
or less troubled by his hereditary gOut.
About two years before the end a slow
fever attacked him and soon degener-
ated into dropSy. 4 mass of corruption
and sores broke out all over him and for
almost two months the torture endured
was as horrible rs that which the rack
and the stake had so often inflicted
upon those accused of hereSy by his
orders.
The succeeding kings of Spain were
of less note in history, and the particu-
lars Of their deaths are not so abundant.
Philip III. became a prematurely sick
Old man and died in 1921. His con-
science made a coward of him and he
exclaimed: what an account shall
have to give to God! Oh, why did 1
ever reign? All! if it pleased the Lord
to prOlong my life how should like to
live otherwise than have lived hitherto,
philip ". expired in 1865. His life
was not exemplary, and when he felt its
end approach, he took care to command
that no less than one hundred thousand
masses be said for the repOse Of his soul.
Charles III. was a decreplt old man at
the age OF thiTty-eight and died in 100.
Ills last five years were filled with
intrigueS for his succession, and his con-
science was so worked upon in his last
illness that he signed 4 will bequeathing
his kingdom to the grandson of the
French Louis XIV. In his last mo-
mentS lie showed more courage than
would have been expected from so weak
a monarch. Louis |. of Spain died in
1924 Of smallpox after relgning only a
few months during his fathers abdic a.
ton. and then the crown was resumed
by Philip v, whose death occurred in
1I46. Philip Y. had long been subject
to fits of melancholy; he ruined his con-
stitutiOn by a senseless way of living,
passing all day in bed and rising at
night for his meals, in time he grew so
large that he could hardly move, and at
last he was taken off by apoplexy.
t'ccsssii-%-,si VI. ,'ied in 1850, after his
queens death lie buried himself in his
palace, would not eat or sleep for long
time, and mOurned in slow agony for a
whole year until his end. Charles III. !
lost his queen and his favorlte son; to |
diSpel his grief he took to hun ing and |
caught an inhammatory fever which |
after 4 few days killed him in 17SS.
Charles ". died in exile in 1919 at |
Rome, where he declared he was happier |
than at the EScurial. Ferdinand VII. !
was face to face with death during his
last year, and was carried off by a
sudden fit OF SuffocatiOn in 1888. Joseph /
who for a time occupied the
throne of Spain, died at Florence in
1874. To consider how Spanish kings
have died is to discover one more reason
for the uneaSineSs of crowned heads.