The Washington herald., 1907-09-22

sofia, Sept. H-Prince Ferdinand has
just celebrated the twentieth ami
versary Of his succession 10 the throne
Of Bulgaria. There were plenty of feteS
in the city. but it is doubtful if the prince
or people entered into their spirit. for the
prince is most unpopular, and if the truth
be conceded. most unhappy This black
sheep in the old European royalty has
few friends; his own people are against
him, and he lives in terror Of assassina-
tion.
The youngest son of the late Prince
Augustus, Duke Of saxe-Coburg, and the
good Princess Clementine Of Orleans. a
daughter of Louis Philippe, he was born
in 1851 He was an officer in the Aus
trian army, when. in 1887. Prince Alexan-
der Of Battenberg abdicated and Ferdi-
nand was offered the position of success
sor which he promptly accepted. II was
10 Stambuloff. the greatest statesman
Bulgaria ever had, that he owed hts ele-
walton. 1t was Stambuoff who Gained
the angry storm of anarchy who turned
the tide OF revolution and restored order
in Bulgaria-the fighting pit Of Europe
and placed the weak prince on his throne.
Prince an Migrate.
To Stambuloff Ferdinand owed every
thing, and he repaid his debt with base
ingratltude. In 1895 Stambuloff was
shamefully murdered on the streets Of
Sofia The murderers were known. az
were those Of Alexander Of Servia: there
we're no arrests; the crime was unpun-
ished, for It was known that the foot
steps Of investigation could logically stop
only at the very throne itself
Francis Joseph of Austria announced
that never again could Ferdinand darkeu
the doorway OF his court, and. despite
the princes appeals and implorings, the
Emperor has never admitted him.
Ferdinand married Princess Louise of
Bourbon-Palma, and in the marriage con-
tract sOlemnly promised that their chill
dren should be brought up Catholics.
Ferdinand was and Is a Roman Catho-
lie, and so was his bride: but his idea
was that his children should be brought
up as orthodox Greeks. in order that
they might be more in touch with the
religious sentiment of the Bulgarian peo-
pie, and he proposed to insert a clause in
the marriage contract TO this effect
Princess Marie Louise, however, was a
devout Catholic, and utterly refused to
consider the match unless Prince Ferdi-
nand gave her solemn pledge that their
children should be Roman Catholics The
Pope, too, interviewed, and said that he
would not sanction a marriage in which
one Of the conditions was the alienation
OF the children from the Romish church:
and in consequence OF the pressure
brought 10 bear on him. Prince Ferds-
nand gave the required pledge that he
would abandon the idea of having his
children brought up as Orthodox Greeks.
Breaks His SoIem Pledge.
His eldest son. Prince Boris. was born
IN 1884 and was baptized as a Roman
Catholic by a Roman Catholic priest.
Two years later Prince Ferdinand sud
denly announced his intention OF having
Prince Boris converted 20 the Orthodox
Greek faith, and the ceremony of con-
version was performed with much pomp
and ceremony in the cathedral at Sofia.
The entreates of his wife to remember
and respect his solemn pledge 10 her. and
r
would henceforth be an outcast from tho
Roman fold, failed TO move Ferdinand.
He desired TO obtain favor with his peo-
pie, and little two-year-old Boris was
given over 70 the Orthodox Greek Church
for this purpose. The perversion OF her
boy was terrible blow TO Princess. Marie
Louise. and she never recovered from II
Henceforth she was an unhappy woman.
and her early death, after six years Of
welded life. during which she endured
many sights and cruelties from Fer1i- /
nand, was q welcome relief from worldly
sorrows.
Tries TO Be King.
Some years ago. shortly after his recog- /
milton by the present Gar as relgnine /
prince of Bulgaria, he was on the point /
Of proclaiming himself King OF Bulgaria, /
and would undoubtedly have dom. so had /
not Russia vetoed his project in defer /
enCe 10 the suscepribnties of the Sublime /
Porte The veto was disagreeabIe sur /
prise 10 Prince Ferdinand, who so little /
expected il that he had caused one Of the /
leading painters az Munich TO design 1
kings crown, the design taking the form
not OF a mere pen or pencil sketch, but /
OF a full-fedged oil painting. at a cost Of /
$1,000.
ferdinand the man is curiously Jewish /
looking and many of his acouajntonces
regard him as very Ike in personal an
pearance, if not IN character. to his /
cousin, the Duke Of Orleans He has fine
aristocratic tastes. and should he ioin. as
seems not unlikely, the many kings in
exile, who wander about the continent.