The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-11-10
BOURBONS' LONG Line
Wedding This Week Draws
Attention to Royal House.
BRIDEGROOM MAY BE KING
should Crown Prince of Spain Die,
Charles of Bourbon Might Rule
Kingdom of Castillo ns Regent
for His Minor Son-History and
status of the Four branches.



Next Saturday, November l6, at Wood
Norton, in Worcestershire. where the ex-
lied Duke of Orleans has established his
home. he will. in the presence Of many
royal relatives and of the leading mem
bers of the monarchical party in France,
give his youngest sister. Princess Louise,
in marriage TO Charles Of Bourbon, ex-
Prince of Asturias and widower Of the
eldest sister Of King Alfonso of Spain.
II viii constitute another matrimonial link
between two of the several branches OF
the historic house Of Bourbon, for the
bride belongs. as does her future hus-
band, 10 that dynasty which has fur
nished rulers to France, 10 Naples, and
to Parma in the past and that still re-
tains possession Of the throne OF Spain.
which il has occupied for over two hun
bred years,
It IS a house which is by no means
unknown in America. one Of its kings.
the Inflated Louis XVI. gave valuable
assistance TO the United States in its
struggles for independence. and was its
earliest ally. The Duke OF Orleans, who
afterward reigned in France for eighteen
4
days of exile here. earning a precarious
livelihood as a school teacher His sailor
soa. Prince lie Joinville. WAS 50 enrap-
tured with American life and methods
during his visits 20 this country in COM
mand Of French war ships. that he sought
and obtained permission TO have mis- son.
the Duke of Penthievre. educated AZ the
Naval Academy, at Annapolis. Other
grandsons of King Louis Philippe, name
ly. Philip OF Bourbon. Comte de Paris.
and Robert OF Bourbon, Due de Charities.
served through the greater part Of the
civil war on the staff Of Gen. Mcclellan,
and The Comte de Paris retained 10 his
death the most cordial and friendly re-
lations with his old American comrades
of the Army of the Potomac.
II has been stated that Prince Charles.
the widower who is now about 10 seek
consolation for his bereavement in an
other matrimonial alliance belongs 10
! the Neapolitan branch OF the house Of
Bourbon While this may be understood
( by the close student Of history. it means
but little 20 the aver &c reader, and
since the prince in question may ind
himself one Of these DAYS in the position
.
I Spain. and the de facto. II not the De
f jure. regent Of the kingdom during his
little boys minority. IL may be of timely
/ interest 10 give here a brief sketch of the
various lines Of the house VI Bourbon,
{ and OF the principal members thereof
Four Lines StIH Exist.
Strictly speaking. there are to-day fouy
/ lines Of the house of Bourbon still in ex-
. o.
through the death without issue in 1883 of
Henri de Bourbon. Comte de Chambord.
I who was known by the royalists in
/ France as Henry Y. owing 10 the fact
( that his grandfather, King Charles Y.
I had abGicated in his favor at the time Of
/ the revolution AT Paris IN 1880 Henri de
( Bourbon was but ten years old at the
4 time. and as the people were convinced
! that his possession Of the crown as a
minor would merely lead % continue
/ ton of the objectionable features Of the
\ old King regime, II WAS decided 20 Of
/ fer the crown 70 Louis Philippe. Duke OF
/ Orleans. and the lads nominal reign did
not last more than twenty-four hours.
Since the death Of Henry V. Comte dc
/ Chambord, near a quarter Of a century
ago. and the extinction OF his line. il is
( the Spanish branch that has become en-
I titled TO the seniority. At its head is
/ Don Carlos, Duke OF Madrid. and legitim-
/ list pretender 10 the Crown OF Don Al
| f0nso, and he alone as chief mas the
1 right TO bear the arms OF the house of
Bourbon. without any Of the marks Of
/ cadency. The Neapolitan and Parma
I branches are merely onshoots OF the
/ Spanish line, though both are senior TO
I the Orleans branch which was founded
I by a younger son of King Louis XIII of
/ France, Ulat is 10 SLY more than two
/ hundred years ago. the Spanish and
senior branch deriving their origin from
/ Philip, Duke OF AnJou, grandson OF King
! Louis XIV of France. and first OF the
/ Bourbon kings of Spain. At the time
when Philip Duke OF Anjou. accepted
! the throne OF SPAIN at the beginning OF
! the eighteenth century, he renowned for
\ himself and his descendants his rights 10
/ the throne OF France as a son Of Louis
/ AINs eldest son. the Dauphiu II IS
on the strength Of this remuneration that
\ the Duke Of Orleans, in spite of his being
I merely the chief Of the remotest in rank
OF all the branches Of the dynasty
I claims to be the chief OF the latter in its
/ entirety. OF course his pretensions are
I preposterous. and their groundlessness
VAS publicly displayed in the extraordi-
nary lawsuit which took place sor,a
years ago at Paris, when the law courts
OF the french republic were called upon
to determine the rival claims to the CHER
/ tainShip OF the house OF Bourbon nur
/ forward by Don Carlos. the pretender 70
the throne Of Spain and by the DUKE
OF Orleans. pretender 10 the throne OF
France.
Basis of Carlos Rights.
Don Carlos rights to the chieftainshin
Of the dynasty arise from the fact that
/ he is the grandson of Charles. Count 81
Moldina, brother of Ferdinand VII King
of Spain. The latter died leaving two
daughters, and was persuaded by his am
bilious conSOrt, Queen Cristina. TO divert
the succession from his brother Charles
as next male heir. 10 his eldest daughter
/ who in consequence thereof succeeded 10
the crown as Isabella H. Isabella. who
died only couple Of years ago in Paris.
was the mother Of Alfonso XII. and
grandmother of the present King of
Spain. Charles. Of course. was not willing
to submit 10 this usurpation Of his rights
by his little niece. and then and there
inaugurated the Carlist wars. which
4 wreaked such havoc in the peninsula
| throughout the greater part of the nine
| teenth century, entailing an immense ex-
penditure Of blood and treasure, gravely
injuring the prosperity Of the kingdom.
and materially retarding its economic and
political development The representative
Of the disregarded rights Of Charles.
Count of Molina. is his grandson. the