The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-04-10
FORMER QUEEN OF SPAIN
DIES AN EXILE IN PARIS
Grandmother of Alfonso Sue
cumbS to an Attack of
Influenza.
KING WILL STAY AWAY
Brief Sketch of a Woman Whose
Career Was Not a Credit
to Royalty.

PARIS, April 9.-Former Queen Isabella
Of Spain. grandmother of King Alfonso.
died here at Gas O'Clock this morning of
influenza. with complications. The Ameri-
can embassy, which is opposite the Palate
CASTLE on the Avenue Kleber, the late
Queens residence, was early informed of
the Queens death. and Ambassador Porter
was among the first to call and sign the
palace register.
The Infantas Isabella, Eulalie and Marie,
daughters of the late Queen. at the
bedside when she died.
The Queen had been afflicted with the
grip for two months, which gradually
affected the lungs. Last night she be-
came unconscious and the death agony be-
gan at o'clock this morning. The three
infantas and Prince Ferdinand of Bavaria,
husband of the Infanta Marie, were sum-
moned to the bedside, but the dying Queen
did not recognize them.
The Papal nuncio was summoned to adj
minister the last sacrament, but owing to
his absence from Paris. the last rites of
the church were administered by the vicar
of the Church of ST. Pierre. The Queens
death followed shortly afterward. Prince
Ferdinand Immediately telegraphed the
Minister Delcasse and to all the European
sovereigns.
NJ. Delcasse called during the day and
was admitted to the death chamber and
President Loubet sent an officer of his
household to present his condolences.
1t is understood that King Alfonso will
not come to France for the funeral, as he
did not come for the funeral of his grand
father, King Francis, who died in April,
1902
Word was received from King Alfonso
saying that personally he was DESTROYS
of coming to the funeral but the question
had not yet been settled owing TO the de-
sire of some Of the Spanish ministers that
the King should not leave the country.
The deceased Queen had been of the
conspicuous figures of Paris since she left
Spain. After her abdication. i'm 1870. she
continued to live with queenly magnificence
here, giving largely to charity and re-
ligiOuS works.
Maria Isabella Louisa was born at Ma
drid Oct. 80, $780, in the most immoral court
of modern Europe, and in atmosphere
of Righteousness, surrounded by debauched
throne hunters and INSCRIPTIONS schemers,
and reared by mother whose sins were
committed almost before the daughters
eyes. Her father, Ferdinand VII, revoked
the Sale law and at his death Isabella,
then only three years of age, was made
The adherents of the Kings brother OPP
posed this and civil war ensued, which
lasted until the Cortes proclaimed Isabella
the rightful heir and eXiled Don Carlos.
In 1s43 Isabella was declared to have at
tanned her majority, and took her place
ruler of Spain. Pending this her mother
sojourned in France, having been forced
by popular clamor TO make Espartero
gent. In 1915 she returned to SPAIN only
to resume her baleful influence over Isa-
bella. In 1916 she married the young Queen
70 T0r, ole Il AccfC 81 Tha t1fin
a most unhappy one, and separations and
reconciliations were frequent. In 1868 rev.
olution. beginning at Cadz and gradually
extending, broke out in Spain. and the re-
suit was the forming of provisional Re
publican government under Generals Prim
and Serrano. Her Majesty took refuge in
Paris. In 1870 she renowned her claims to
the throne in favor of her son Alfonso, and
after his coronation returned to Spain. She
was received by him at Santander July %,
1876, after eight years of exile. She was
the mother of five children-Infanta Marie
Isabella, Alfonso XII. Marie del Pillar, In
fanta Marie del PaZ. Infanta Marie Eulal1a.
The domestic discord OF the royal pair
renders the paternity of the children mat
ter of uncertainty, and the rumors of lsa-
bella's love affairs were evidently not with
out foundation in fact.
Though fallen from power and living in
exile for thirty-five years, ex-Queen Isabella
kept UP the semblance of a court in Paris
until the day OF her death. she surrounded
herself with chamberlainS, secretaries and
gentlemen of the royal household, to say
nothing of courtiers and petty officials of
all descriptions. At her bi-monthly levees,
she received a reigning Queen al her
residence, the Palais de Castillo, in the
Avenue Kleber, and nothing in the world
could induce her to return call. She even
pushed her deluson of power TO the ex-
tent of comforting decorations on her favor
ties and as she was too dignified to in
vent decorations of her own she conferred
authentic Spanish decorations. which only
the ruling monarch is supposed TO have
within his jurisdiction. and which she
calmly referred to the Spanish legation in
Paris for confirmation.
Several hundred such appointments were
made each year by her, causing untold
tribulations TO the Spanish ambassador.
Alfonso, while brought up to regard his
royal grandmamma a holy horror, was
nevertheless indulgent toward her, and,
prompted by Del NUM-. generally confirmed
a limited number of decorations for her.
Isabella had never been officially recognized
by a French President.
In summer lex-Queen Isabella had no fixed
residence but leased for the season some
historic chateau. One year it would be on
the Riviera and the next in Normandy or
in Tourraine. Last summer she was near
Fontainebleau, where she received her
daughter-in-law, Queen Marie Christine of
Spain, with all the honors rendered by one
monarch TO another.
She loathed her grandson, King Alfonso,
with such intensity that members of her
court never dared mention his name before
her, knowing that il would precipitate a
scene. But she considered that her rank
had it's obligations, and she had made prep
arations to entertain Alfonso right royalty
on his visit TO Paris this spring.