New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-23


| Even such superlatively grand sovereign as
Louis XIV recognized the royalty OF Yvetot. al
| though. naturally his recognition was a smiling
one 1t happened that the Roi Soeil was on his
way TO Normandy, and had TO pass over the
plains Of Caux AS the royal coach ratified down
Yvetot-st one OF the courtiers addressed his
master as Sire" Nay, do not call me so, SAID
Louis; IL am not Sire here; that title belongs to
my brother Of Yyetot."
Meanwhile the kingdom OF Yvetot had passed
by marriages to the successive houses of De
Crevant and DAlbon. When the Inflated Louis
XVI assembled the throne the Queen OF Yvetot
| and her consort Claude dAlbon, Marquis de
st. Marcel came to pay their respects at the
frivolous court. The poor little Queen al
most a dwarf. and her husband is said to have
been slightly deformed. But they were very
proud OF their royalty" and did not see thar
| the cOurtiers were polIing fun at them as Henri
Quatres courtier3 had pOked fun at Martin du
Bellay AT this time Marie Antoinette was a
thoughtless girl. fresh from the seclusion OF an
Austrian cloister She joined in the ridlcuie lev
elled at the little sovereigns OF Yvetot. Louis
XVI. always a kind hearted gentleman. pro-
tested pityingly. but the Queen had her wanton
way. This is rather a sad chapter in the history
of Yvetot. True il is that the tiny kingdom had
always been more or less of joke. but then it
was a very old joke in Louis XVIs time The
crown, or cap and bells-which you wil-had
been worn so long, and indeed. so honorably,
/ that its antiquity might have haowed ii in the
( eyes of these merry courters, very few Of whom
could show a lineage noble that Of Julie.
Queen OF Yvetot. But. cruel not. justfable
or not the mirth was kept up at the expense of
the dwarf Queen and her consort. Marie An
toinette eaSed her conscience by pointing out
that since Queen Julie" and King Claude
were too proud to see that they were being
Knocked the mockery had in 1t no cruelty.
An especially bitter practical joke is recorded.
for which, it must be owned. Marie Antoinette
herself responsible. A great bal masque
was projected, and the young Queen of France
caused word TO be conveyed TO the Marquis
dAlbon and his wife that il to be Fools
Ball" Every guest she stated, was expected 10
appear in the familiar guise of court jester.
/ no cir r,l.-r linda of nd he
Marquis dAlbOn took the bait. and on the oc
casion in question presented themselves at the
Tuileries in the cap and bells TO their aston
ishment their entry was hailed with roar OF
laughter, and on CHANGING around they observed
that they alone Of all the guests the testers
motley The Joke" was worthily completed by
the entrance Of a herald with two tnsel crowns,
which he placed the heads of Julie and her
spouse. The poor little Queen would have fled
from the ballroom. but her husband. too much Of
a gentleman TO show that he had been wounded
by such clumsy fooling. prevented her. Smilingly
he remarked, so that all might hear: Her
Majesty is quite right to remind US that the
Kingdom Of Yvetot jest. but she should
remember that the jest a good one"
| This apt reply came to the ears Of Louis XVI,
who fastened TO make amends to the Queen Of
YVetot and NJ. dAlbon. Sire" replied the lat
ter. lit is quite superfluous for Her Majesty to
present my wife with crown. My wife's
cestors became Kings OF Yvetot exactly six
years before the Hapsburgs were able to boast
of crown Of their own" Which. II one accept
the story of William the COnqueror and King
Ansfred. literally true.
After this the dimnutive ruler of a diminutive
realm was prosecuted no longer Queen jules
son. Camille-Claude. who called himself King
and Prince Of Yvetot," was of the first vic
tins Of the guillotne: and ii is a great grandson
OF this King Camille. Gigues- Alexis-Andre. Mar
quis d'Albon who now represents the family.
but has made over all his right and claim to the
title of king of YVetot" to his
1t is barren title at best. for the estates Of
Yvetot were confscated during the Revolution.
The old chateau is ruin so also is the Abbey
e - IL. g 81 lst
road sends its locomotives putting through the
royal orchards: the viaduct of Barentin and the
Malaunay tunnel bring the great outside world
within half-hOurs journey; manufactures are
starting up even around the waterless plains Of
CauX.
Nothing remains OF the royalty granted to
Ansfred le Dr0e save a few yellow parchments.
Some are stored at Paris and Rouen. some re-
main in the hands of the Marquis dAlbOn.
These papers establish the facts that the King
dom of Yvetot was recognized as Independent by
Charles VI 14OD. by Louis XI 046D. by Henry
II 0553). by Charles TX 0512). and by Henry
" d6lW. In addition, Urban II. in 1897. gave
formal recognition to the crusader Richard
FitzAnsfred as King and Lord of Yvetot.
Comte Claude Martn-Ggues d'Albon. thanks
to his fathers amused resignation in his favor.
is therefore heir to long line OF sovereigns and
titular King of Yvetot." He is a most enthusi-
astc claimant A frank. dark eyed lad of ten.
he resides with his father either at their town
house in the Rue Cambaceres. Paris. or at the
Chateau damages, near Contcharra, Depart
ment du Rhone.
Just think" he exclaimed. when questioned
on the subject a short time ago, when we went
to see our kingdom nobody welcomed us-ex
cept perhaps NJ. lie Cure. The chateau is pulled
down. When walked around it the Kingdom
proved to be no bigger than our parish of Point
charra. Still. it is pleasant TO be king. even of
Yvetot And you know, monsieur. both the
great Henry and the great Louis called my an
cestOrs brother.
AS the little successor of Ansfred lie Droe. Of
extravagant Martin l. of Isabelle the obsti-
nate" and of the sturdy King Martin du Bellay
spoke thus his eyes lit up with a half proud,