The Irish standard., 1897-02-20
TIE YOUNG RULER Of SPAIN.
How His Education is Conducted
in Preparation for His
Future Work..
--------
J
HE is NOW ONLY ELEVEN YEARS OLD.
Speaks English, French and Ger
man Besides His Native
Tongue.
HE is NOW ONLY ELEVEN YEARS OLD

The attention Of the world is at pres.
ent centered On Spain and her colonial
troubles. Very little is said or known
popularity about the little king who will
ascend the Spanish throne in five years,
For that office he is being carefully
trained and has nothing to say in the
present crisis in which his nation finds
itself It may be interesting to know
how the education Of little Alphonso
XIII. is carried on, says the Western
Watchman.
He is not yet eleven years old, as he
was born on May II, 1886 According
to the constitution he will be Of age at
sixteen. Durisg the first nine years Of
his life he was almost exclusively under
the devoted care Of his mother, the
Queen Regent, bona Maria Christiana,
and the beginning of his education was
confined to lady teachers in the palace
He quickly learned to speak English,
French and German, besides his own ma
tive Spanish. His rather delicate
health III those days and two: severe i'll
nesses from which he fortunately re-
covered, led to his being allowed to have
female attendants ana governesses lit
tie later than is customary in the royal
house of Spain. At the age of nine the
boy was placed under the care of male
attendants, He was given the same
ri f,+ 10
years ago. The instruction of his Catho-
lie majesty is directed by & distinguished
officer, Ger. Sanchis, formerly professor
of the Royal Artillery School Of Segova
He Is taught Spanish, mathematics, al
zebra, literature and drawing The king
has a naval officer attached to his per-
son as Il professor of history and geo.
graphy; q French lady gives him lessons
III French and be keeps lip his knowl-
edge Of English chiefly with his sisters
and their English governess during the
stay of the court at San Sebastian in the
summer, 1t appears that the young
king is an attentive pupil possessing an
excellent memory much power of as
similation, quick in grasping explana-
tons. apt to ask the cause Of most mat
ters put before him, and very anxious
to understand all he sees and hears. He
Is at times somewhat willful and way
ward, but quickly defers to admonition,
and shows all his teachers much defer
ence.
A future ruler Of Spain must not only
be soldier, but he is bound to be good
Catholic also, especially as he Is in this
case the godchild CT Pope Lee XIII, and
on many occasions hac been shown
marked kindness by his holiness No
European court sent more touching and
more frequent inquiries than the Vati-
can every time that the little king has
been seriously iii. No more powerful
and more efficient influence was ever
1nterpcsed to secure the good will of the
church OF Spain and Of It's prelates for
Alphonso XIII. since 1886 than that of
the pope The queen regent has confid-
ed the religious education of her son to
learned and highly respected priest.
Though Spanish Catholics are, as rule,
confirmed and made to take their first
communion very early, before they are
ten years old, Alphonso XIII. has not yet
been confirmed or prepared for his first
There has been some talk,
however, of his going for this purpose to
the shrine Of Covadonga in Asturias.