The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-23

luHNIiOuS III al Lie IllSlOIN VI SPAN. f1G
had filled many of the offices of the eoun-
try and tired of public life, had retired
to his home to end his days in peace. He
was besought to permit his name to be
put up for election as King, and, finding
that they did not object to his advanced
age, he accepted and was elected. The
prosperity of Spain advanced, education
was made much Of religion became, purer
and in every way Wanda indicated the
fitness of his selection, being an invincible
warrior as well. But he was not proof
against those queer people. From the
fifth century the custom had prevailed that
when man was sure that death was ep-
preaching he caused himself to assume
the attire of a monk, and then retire to
a monastery to meet death ip a proper
frame of mind If he was too far gone
to take the monastic VOW, his head was
shaver by his friends for him, who also
put his monastic robes upon him, and mud
died him off to the first monastery at mana
Very naturally, neither the friends nor the
dying took the oath, unless they feit tnat
death was imminent. Wanda was the VIC
tim of his friends. One day, when in the
fullest enjoyment of health and the eXer-
else of all his kingly powers, he had
prolonged fainting tit, which looked IKE
death. His friends FASTENED to shave hls
head and invest him with prestly honoTs'
and when he came TO his senses ne was
the inmate of a monastery fast enough
with irrevocable VOWS registered against
him. In twenty-four hours he was III
perfect health, but there was no escape
from his holy vows, taken by proxy, as
that would. inperil his soul, and the whole
christian world would have risen up m
ntous wrath and pronounced him an apos-
rate So he ended his days there
Two or three fair kings followed, ana
some very bad ones. but they died IN
he'd. Finally one Wtiza was crowned II
;s said that he was born depraVed lie
was the most leentious and depaucheu
king that ever sat upon a throne vices
constituted a passport to his favor re
murdered men with his own nahus III tIe
most horrible manner. Finally, the son
If one of his victims dethroned Witlza,
Tore out his eyes put him in a dungeon,
and then forgot all about him. His sue
cessor was Roderigo, who had wars WITH
ont end. When the Saracens invaded ms
domain. he was killed in battle by lark
a Moor. who cut him down with
scimiter. This ended the rule OF the
Gothic kings, who numbered thHty-t"o
in all. Eight of them were usurpers' elSht
were murdered outright four were de
throned and several were killed IN patue.
For forty years after the conquest OF
the AIoors. Spain was misgoverned by
twentv different "Emirs, or semi-klngs,
some of whom were deposed. Retrogres-
sion was the result, though Spain was al
ready very low in the scale OF hatlohs
About $50 the Christians got possession OF
Spain. At least, they were called Chris
tans in that day.
one of these Christian kings-F'avila-
was killed while hunting; Froia was muir
dered by his brother, Samaran, ana ne IN
turu was murdered by his brother ana
successor, because he had committed muir
der The Christian King-Ramlro ll-put
10 900 Saracens to the sword in one battle
Alfonso III gave his crown to his son.
when it became too heavy for his own
brow. Alfonso " abdicated. Ramiro a.
was killed in battle. Sancho / was poison
ed by eating an apple. Alfonso was
killed in a siege Veremunda III was KILL
ed by an assassin.
OF the kings of the house of Navarro
from S73 to 1912, there were thirty scat
tered along, and they all managed to die
natural deaths The kings of the line of
Leon and Castle did not fare so Well
however. Peter the Cruel was deposed.
He was reinstated by Edward, the Black
Prince of England, and was then slain
bv his natural brother, who was his sue
cessor Henry II was poisoned by monk.
The kings of the house of Aragon got
through all right scattered along down
from 1885 TO 1f19.
The imperial house of Hapsburg had its
pishaps. Charles l of Spain, who was
also Charles " of Germany, when he
came to his own, said that ION his posses
sions the sun never set" He was then
the richest and most powerful monarch in
the world. Under him Spain reached the
hight of all her greatness, and after him
she began the decline which is yet going
on. yet, with the world at his feet,
Charles resigned both crowns and retired
in monastery to end his days. Philip ii
of Spain died of a loathsome disease.
OF the house OF Bourbon, the reignng
house. Philip ", Duke of Anjou, resigned
his crown Louis !. reigned only a few
months. Charles " abdicated in favor Of
his son in 1905 Ferdinand VII. was forced
bv Napoleon TO abdicate. Then he forced
upon the throne of Spain, for few briefs
wears, his brother, Joseph Bonaparte lie
was IN turn, forced to abdicate a throne
which he didn't want in the first place.
and the house of Bourbon came back in
the person of Ferdinand, who was about
the worst pill in the box He was dc
prayed vactllating, and coward. He died
before he could be deposed. He was an
angel of light, however, beside his ill-bred,
ignorant superstitous passionate daush
tor who grew up like a noxious weed un- |
der the care OF her mother, Christina, who !
,vos known only as the woman from Ma /
Mes" so l.ttle was she respected. Isabella !
81 spain seems TO be the embodiment of all |
the evil that has been engendered in Spain