New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-13
MONTBELTARD CENTENARY.
THE STORY Or TIE ANNEXATION OF TIE
TRINCIPALTTY TO FRANCE.
Paris, July %.

Paris, July %.
Another centenary will be celebrated in few
DAYS that of the annexation Of the Principally
Of Montbelard to France. Montbcliard was part
of the Grand Duchy, now Kingdom, of Wurtem-
burg from 1410. when Sybila, hcircss of the
Montfaucon tFrenchl family, married Count OF
Wurtembury. Tic elder branch Of her descend
ants became extinct in 1913. at the death OF tho
Prince of Wurtcmburg. whom St Simon ue-
scribCd as real briGand, who committed every
sin that nature tocrates and all the other sins
against which she sets her face. Louis NV had
previously, when Selling the Fanchc Comte laid
hold on Montbelard, he pretending that it was
"a ief of the heritage of the House of Burgundy,
which he claimed in right OF his wife, Spain not
having paid her dowry. At the treaty Of Rvs
wicl, lie was however, Obliged TO surrender 1t 10
the younger branch of Sybia's heirs, who
were then Dukes of Wurtemburc in Germany.
They did not turn ont much better than their
dcfunct kinsman, with the exception OF the one
who was sent as viccgcrent to MontheIlard. lie
and all his brothers received, in addition 10 other
Names that of Eugene, out of gratitude to the
Prince of Savoy, who helped Marlborough 10 gain
his victories
This particular Prince, outiving his elder
brethren who took morganatic wives, became
Duke of Wurtcmburg. lie was married 10 hrst
cousin of Frederick the Great. She was Singh
larly clever and managing woman, and contrlVei
TO get her eldest daughter married from M0ntpe-
lizard TO the Czarewch Paul: her seconl 10 the
Archduke Francis, afterward Emperor OF Austria,
and the third to the Prince OF Iiolstein. The
matchmaker in the of the Czapewich was
Prince Henry of Prussia who spoke 20 the FIN
press Catherine about his beautiful cousin Doro-
thea of Wurtemburg- Alontbeard Catherine
wished the heirs to her Imperial greatness 10 be
handsome beings, and was delighted with the ar
count Of the Princess and still more with her
beauty when she saw her
The seizure of Montbcliard Ivy the French n
hundred years ago impolitic the Czarina
having been born and reared there, and prescrv
ng for it strong local attachment. She sue
cossfully lahored after GATHERINGS death 10 de-
feat the policy of Paul, who later OH took a
prodgous fancy TO Bonaparte. The seizure was
brought about by a needy attorney named jacob
Bernard Of Santes lie was sent by the Con-
vention TO terrorizc the departments OF the Cote
d'Or and Jura lie put himself forward as a
virtuous citizen and philanthropist, and was
earnest in purifying society through the guillo.
tine Was he fanatic or a rogue? Possibly
both Between two political executions that lie
ordered. he took it into his head TO seize on
Montbeliard The Duke of Wurtcmburg, uncle
of the Czarina had just die1, and her father
had gone 70 Stuttgart 10 reign. Bernard sent
word to the Convention Of what he had done on
mourning paper, which he found in the desk Of
the Duchess in which he discovered proofs that
Wurtemburg- Montbclaird was to furnish stih
contingent TO the forces cOalesced against France
Bernard made his coup suddenly by invading the
principally at the head of fifty Dragons They
seized artillery, ammunition and treasury without
firing a shot, and sold by public auction tho
furniture OF the residence for $4,000, keeping
what most rare and costly for public mu-
seums.
lie Convention attached, possibly for the sake
of Russia, DO importance 10 Demands black-edgcd
letter, and they received, sDne time later, Ber
nard himself cOldly. However, two days later,
they voted its annex atlon the States" Of Mont
beliard having formally demanded this act OF
union. The States informed the Convention as
q sop that they could forthwith lay hold Of $780,
900 of landed property belonging TO the Wur-
temburg family, and that they had already Sold
to devote the proceeds to Patriotic fund, certain
meadows which produced annually two rich crops
of hay. Ibis made annexation popular in
Paris that Bernard was sent backto MOntbeiard
and set up a guotine in front Of the Residence
He did not let it remain idle. Montbeliard was
called the Department Of Mont Terrible. Ii is
now a district of the Department Of the Doubs
The dispossessed Prince the great grandfather
of the Duke Of Teck and of the late Prince Ma
polcOn. If the status Of the former were not
morganatic Princess May would stand TO him in
the same relation Prince Victor NAPOLEON and
the Gar. f.. e.