The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1898-07-23

| splendid young man, tall, handsome,
of noble bearing, and celebrated for
the chivalrous courage he had display
ed In many battle. BY marrying Fer
dinand these two realms would be
united in truly magnificent kingdom,
homogeneous in language, manners
and religion. Isabella is described as
beautiful blonde, of queenly figure,
exquisitely chiseled features, and with
mild blue eyes. "She was" says a
contemporary, 'the handsomest lady
whom ever beheld, and the most gra-
cious in her manners" She was high
ly educated for that day, speaking the
Castilian language with much purity,
and quite well versed in the current
literature of the times. But a very
serious obstacle now arose in the way
of Icabella's plans. The king of Por-
tugal, one of. the most powerful mon
archs of that day, was anxious to unite
CASTLE and Portugal, and proposed for
the hand of Isabella. The king and
the court zealously advocated his suit.
Isabella peremptorily rejected him.
The king, her brother, was so angry
that he threatened to imprison the
persistent maiden in the royal for
tress at Madrid. The citizens of Okla
ma, where she then resided, rallied for
her protection. The utmost enthusi-
asm was inspired in her behalf. Even
the boys paraded the streets with ban
ners, emblazoned with the arms Of Ar
agon, singing songs CONTEMPORARY
contrasting the old king of Portugal
with the youth and chivalry of Ferdi-
nand The conflict of intrigue and di-
plomacy was protracted and bitter. At
length, however, the marriage articles
with Ferdinand were signed on the 7th
Of January, 1869. Isabella in the
meantime removed to Madrigal, where
she was aided by the counsel and sym
pathy of her mother. The king, in his
indignation, ordered troop of horses
to proceed to Madrigal and arrest her.
The archbishop of Toledo, who was the
leader of Isabella's friends, precipitate-
ly rallied regiment of dragons. and
advanced to Madrigal with such speed
as to Illustrate the movement of the
kings forces. The resolute maiden,
surrounded by the swords of her de-
tenders, was borne off in military tri-
umph to Valladolid, where her arrival
was greeted with unbounded enthusi-
asm by the whole population. Ferdi-
nand, who had become very ardently
her lover. was then residing at Sara
gossa in Aragon, about two hundred
miles west of Valladolid It was now
the great object of the king to prevent
Ferdinand from entering CASTLE to
marry Isabella. The king of Aragon
was so sorely pressed by a war with
his insurgent mobiles, and the treasury
was so exhausted, that he could not
afford his son an armed escort suffi-
cient to secure his safety. Ferdinand
consequently adopted the resolution to
go in disguise as a merchant. Con-
cealed in small party of half a dozen
of professed merchants, the young
prince commenced his adventurous ex-
petition. Ferdinand assumed the dress
and position of a servant, grooming
the mules and serving the rest Of the
company at the inns on the road. To |
avoid observation, they travelled as
much as possible by night. Unfor-
tunately the inexperienced merchants
lost their purse by the way and were
reduced to very severe straits. Isa- |
bella, however, apprised of the move
ments of her lover, dispatched an arm
ed escort to meet him, and thus, in the
darkest hour of his difficulty and his
danger, he was rescued.
Preparations were Immediately made
for the marriage and the nuptials were
solemnized at the palace of one of the
mobiles Of Valladolid on the morning of
the 18th of October 1862 Ferdinand,
having left home in disguise and hay
ing lost his slender purse by the way,
had not rial with which to defray the
of the wedding. Isabella, al
so fugitive from her brothers court,
found her purse equally empty. These
penniless heirs of two of the most pow
erfll kingdoms of Europe succeeded in
borrowing of their friends enough
money to celebrate their nuptials with
splendor moderately conforming to
their rank; and, in the presence of sew
eral of the highest nobility and about
two thousand spectators, the lifelong
destinies of Ferdinand and Isabella
were united.