Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-09-27

others to force Louis Napoleon into
disastrous war with Germany. She is
now old and infirm and only the other
day was reported to be in Paris, where
she has few friends, and not many pe0-
pie Of any sort show her the least at
ten1ion.
Famous Spanish Marriage.
In 1880 Queen Christina Of Spain
gave birth to a child Before its birth
the father, King Ferdinand VII, de-
c.ared that if his offspring should be a
girl he would secure to her the crown.
A girl it was, and scarcely had the in
FAINT been baptized when the father be-
gan to think Of a husband for her. He
! resolved to marry her to the son Of his
brother. Ferdinand died and at his
death civil war broke out Isabella
was still an infant and the first thing
her mother thought Of was to secure to
her the crown, and the second was to
get for her husband. 1t was pro-
posed to marry her to the archduke Of
Austria, who should command the
Spanish army and share in the re-
gency. Several sons Of royal houses
we're, in succession, solicited by the
queen with the same end in view. But
there were two parties in the state and
hostility sprang up 10 the queens mat
rimonial plans for her infant daughter
In 1910 Christina was expelled from
Spain and a new regency was formed.
This regency opposed the marriage,
urging that it should not take place
until after the infants majority
Christina was meantime dOmiciled in
France and became subject to Louis
Philippe's influence. Guizot was the
kings first minister, and king
and minister set themselves to the
work of securing the iufanta in mar
riage to a French prince. 1t was pro-
posed that Duke D'Aumale take her TO
wife and share her responsibilities on
the throne.
The immediate result Of the intrigue
was the diplomatic mission Of NJ. Page
OF 10 London and to continental courts
to announce on the part of the king of
France that he felt called upon to de-
clare, according to the spirit Of the
treaty Of Utrecht, the queen of Spain
could marry none but aBourbOn prince.
The British government replied that,
according to the constitution of Spain,
the cOrtes must decide who was to be
the queens husband. The answers
given by the cabinets Of Vienna and
Berlin were not more satisfactory, and
the spleen of the French king mani
tested itself by the mouth of Guizot,
who went so far as to menace Spain
VITA a war if the queen married any
but a Bourbon.
IN 1913 the regency was again over
thrown and Christmas party ruled
again in Span. She continued favor
able to the proposed marriage OF the
Duke D'Aumale to the young infant
queen. But just then Queen Victoria
appeared on the scene. She visited at
the castle OF Eu, where the question Of
ISabella's marriage was made the sub
ject of a conference between the SOY
ereigns of France and England, assist
ed by their ministers Of foreign affairs.
1t was shortly afterward known that
the king of the French had given sat
isfaCtOry pledges, which were COM
municated TO the principal foreign
courts, that he would not strive to eff
feet a marriage between the infant
queen of Spain and a son of his, but
that he would positively refuse his con-
sent to any such union. AS an equiva
lent to these concessions the English
minister for foreign affairs had to de-
clare that it was desirable that the
Spanish queen should wed a descend
ant of Philip V. But there was the
second child, who was also a girl, and
the French king next bent his powers
to secure her in marriage for his sec
| ond son, the duke Of Monpensier; and
| in the end this was accomplished. But
| before that the queen married Don
| Fernando De Assis, who proved
worthless consort. Such in brief is the
sto@y Of the Spanish marriage. which
coavulsed England and all Europe in
| the middle of this century.