The Washington herald., 1907-06-23
DOM MIGUEL
PEN SKETCH OF THE MAN WHO WANTS TO BE
KING OF PORTUGAL.

4 ElN OhE Ill VI I'LL H
KING OF I
While the public on both sides of the
Atlantic is familiar with the character
and the history Of Don Carlos, pretender
TO the throne Of Spain. and Of the Duke
Of Orleans, and Prince Victor Napoleon,
the rival claimants Of the crown OF
France, little or nothing is known of
Dom Miguel Of Braganza. the pretender
10 the throne Of Portugal Until a few
weeks ago he has been content TO live in
relative obscurity in Austria, where his
ties Of kinship with the Hapsburgs have
caused him to be treated as a relative
Of the imperial family-almost as one Of
its members. In fact, he has received
the colonelcy Of a crack Hussar regiment,
and the order of the Golden Fleece, pre-
cisely as II he had been an Austrian
archduke. Born in Austria, I'm 1888, and
looked upon up till now as an Austrian
in all but name and title, and was more
over believed TO be so thoroughly con-
tented with his lot that something akin
10 amazement has been created at Vienna
by his public announcement that he has
never renounced his claims to the throne
Of Portugal, and that when the hour
arrives he will be ready and delighted
TO take possession thereof In one word.
he has blossomed forth as a full fedged
pretender, and since there is a large
party in Portugal that is championing
his cause, and clamoring for his procla-
nation as King, in the place of Dom
Carlos, whose position is critical in the
extreme, a brief sketch Of Miguel may
be Of timely interest
Dom Miguel is often described as stand
ing for legitimism in Portugal in the
same way that his fellow-pretender, Don
Carlos. does in Spain But their position
is entirely different. True, they both en-
Jov the support Of the clergy and reli-
gi0us orders. 20 whom they have promised
a restoration Of the prerogatves, power,
and property Of which they have been de-
prived by liberal governments. For much
the same reason they have the sympathy
Of the great territorial aristocracy. whose
olden rights have been reduced TO a
minimum by radical legislation. But,
whereas on the other hand in Spain.
the order Of the succession TO the crown
was altered by King Ferdinand VII In
favor Of his daughter Isabella. without
any regard 20 the hereditary rights Of
his brother. the original Don Carlos.
on the other hand. the late Dom Miguel,
who reigued for time as King Of
Portugal before being compelled 10 alb
dicate and 20 leave the country. had
secured possession of his throne by a
wholly indefensible act Of usurpatiOn by
the violation of all his most solemn
pledges 90 the members Of his family.
70 his people. and TO the great powers.
Moreover. while there has never been
any question raised as to the birth Of
the younger brother of King Ferdinand
of Spain. there are very serious doubts
as TO the legitimacy of Dom Miguel s.
father. the reprobate ex-Eing Miguel of
Portugal
As for the present Dom Miguel. he IS
only in part Of royal blood. For his
mother who survives as a Beuedictine
nun did not belong to any Of the reign
ing houses Of Europe, but merely 10 one
of the families Of the mediatized nobility
being a princess Of Lowenstein Wertheim.
II was a nephew Of hers, Prince Lowen-
stein Of Wertheim. who was killed In the
Philippines in 1899 while fighting in the
ranks Of the insurgents. against the
American troops. As stated above
Dom Miguel was born i'm Austria,
some twenty years after his fathers
exile from Portugal, and, all told, he
has spent but three days in Portugal
which he visited secretly at the close
of the snian-Herz0govinian campaign
narrowly escaping arrest.
Of his six sisters, the eldest is married
20 Don Alphonse of Bourbon, the only
brother Of Don Carlos. The second is
Archduchess Maria Therese, widow Of the
Austria Emperors brother, Charles Louis
and step-mother Of the heir apparent
. a third sister is the wife Of Duke Charles
Theodore Of Bavaria, the celebrated ocu-
list. and a sister-in-law. therefore OF
the late Empress Of Austria and Of the
ex-Queen Of Naples. Another sister OF
Dom Miguel is the cOnsort of the reign
ing graudduke Of LuXemberE: while still
another sister has rs husband Robert OF
Bourbon. ex-s0vereign duke Of Parma.
Dom Miguel himself has been twice
married; his first wife having been q
princess of Thurn and TaXis, while hiy
present helpmate belongs 20 the same
family as his mother, namely, that Of
Lowenstein Wertheim.
He has two sons. and II is TO be hoped
for the sake Of Portugal that neither OF
them VII ever be intrusted with the con
troll Cf her destinies as King For tn,
second son. Prince Francis Joseph o
BraEanza. was arrested in London fol
a horrible offense when he visited Eng
land AZ the time Of King Edwards coro
nation. Indignantly repudiated and dis
owned by his kinsman, Archduke Francis
Ferdinand, the Austrian heir apparent
who was there as the representative o.
Emperor Francis Joseph, the younl
prince wa1 subjected 20 the ignominy o.
several appearances in the prisoners docl
OF an ENGLISH metropolitan police Cour
before the case was finally hushed up an,
stiheL. and the prince bundled out Of tn,
country. Il Is needless 10 add that hi
dismissal from the Austrian army. il
which he held a commission as lieuteu
ant Of the Seventh crack regiment o
HUssars. promptly followed and tha
since that time he has been to all intent
and purposes a social outcast. exclude,
from every reputable club, both I'm Aus
tria and elsewhere. As for the elder O
the two brothers. Prince Michael, he
regarded by many as responsible for tht
death of Prince Albert Of SaXony. tn
youngest brother Of the present King o
SaxOny.
Prince Michael had been dining, no
wisely. but too well. at a country hous
IN the neighborhood OF Dresden on hi