The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-02-02
THE DEATH OF PRINCE
BRANCOVAN.
D. "CARaES SILVA" IN. 4. Qs.es of ass.s.iAD
Copyright, isos,
IT was in the year 17l4. Constantin
Copyright, is@.

II udu pCCu ioi o
length of time as voivod OF Wallachia
He was now nearly 60 years old; wise
prince, and much beloved by his people.
Four handsome sons had been born to
him, who were the pride Of his house,
ahd the consolation of his old age.
Renewing in these noble princes his
own youth. Pri1ce Brancovan and his
still beautiful wife, with their daugh-
ter. Princess RoXandra, lived a sim.
pie, uneventiul life in their capital city
of Bucharest. The people looked upon
the prince as their father and he justi-
fled this attitude by the pains he took
to make his rule blessing to them.
In these days there does not remain
any trace of the insecurity in which the
Inhabitants Of the two principalities
then lived, and which compelled them
to conceal their treasures in wooden
Golfers. which, covered with carpets
and the richest Turkish stuffs, formed
part of the furniture OF a chamber,
and were capable Of easy removal to
place Of safety when their enemies,
the Turks, made raid into the country.
Prince Constantin Brancovan had
long grown distasteful to the sultan
because of his wise and noble charac-
ter, and Of his having made'himself be-
loved by all his subjects. He had also
accumulated vast wealth, and had
caused gold pieces to be coined; this
was looked upon as an act Of insubor-
dination TO his suzerain.
There were certain individuals at the
porte willing enough to aggravate the
anger OF the sultan, and amongst these
was n Greek doctor who had presumed
to fall in love with the beautiful Prin-
cess Roxandra.
With his courteous ways and knowl.
edge Of men and countries, he found
favor with the four young princes. and
accomplished his desire of being now
and again with the Princess Roxandra
herself. What had at first been mere
ly passing whim now became the
necessity Of his being, and the Greek
passionately resolved that, in spite Of
her rank and his nationality, the prin-
cess should be his.
AT last, having done all that he
could to further ingratiate himself with
Prince Brancovan, the Greek ap-
preached the question. He dwelt upon
his wealth (Which he had taken care
&c give an appearance of during his
stay in the capitaD, his influence with
the Turks, his desire to see Wallachia
freed from her bondage, and, unfet-
tered, beginning a nobler future. Then
he touched upon his personal hopes
But he had hardly expressed himself
before the prince interposed. Haught-
lily and emphatically he declared il i'm
possible for such a request even to be
considered. And when the Greek
pressed his suit, Prince Brancovan,
usually 50 calm, grew angry, and sum-
marily dismissed his visitor That was
the end of the Greeks hopes, but not of
his designs He had, in his selfish de-
sires. pretended to be what he was not,
and he was no sooner out of Prince
Brancovan's presence than he began to
think OF revenge. He at once removed
TO Constantinople and sought all means
of ingratiating himself with the sultan
lie was so servile and fattering that
he soon became a prime favorite, and
then. with subtle cunning, he COM
menced systematic persecution Of
BrancOvan. He represe nted himself to
the sultan as a friend of Turkey and
anxious that the provinces over which
she possessed suzerainty should be un-
der more effective control than was the
case at present. He proceeded to relate
that he had visited Wallacha in order
TO ascertain the opinions of the people
and their ruler with regard to Turkey;
and then repeated parts of conversa-
tions he had had with Prince Bran
covan, taking care to magnify the
princes patriotic expressions into
threats against his suzerain. He also
told the sultan that vast stores of gold
had been accumulated by the prince,
and that there was little doubt but
that this was to be devoted to the rails
ing of an army when the time should
be ripe for the Wallachians to rebel;
also that the prince was conducting
regular and secret correspondence with
some Of the neighboring states. The
unfortunate prince was speedily taken
prisoner, as well as his wife, their
beautiful daughter, his four sons. and
his nephew and Prime Minister Vacar-
cscu.
II was just before Eastertide that the
prisoners were forcibly dragged to Con-
stantinople, and cast into the prison of
the Seven Towers This fnmnns nrisnn