The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-12-04
FIGHT OF
KING FERDINAND
Bulgaria's Ruler Owes Much to
the Cleverness Of His
Bourbon Mother.

Iondon.-The present ruler OF buf
karia Is one OF the many men Who
owe almost everything to a clever mother.
Princess Clenentine. OF Bourbon, oaoeh-
ter of Louis Philippe. king OF France, was
one of the abiest d~iplomatists In Europe,
and exceedingly wealthy.
She not only made her son prince OF
Bulgaria, bu, sustained him on the throne,
when without her help his fan was GER
tain, and she saved him from excommu-
nication by the pope when his heir was
baptized into the Greek church All lhe
ability OF the Bourbons seemed 20 center
in this remarkable woman.
King Ferdinand J.. who, being a prince
OF the house of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha'
is a near kinsman OF King Edward VII,
will! he As in February. In person lie is Il
handsome. soldierly man, bearded and al
ways Well groomed.
He is not only an earnest student, VIII.
a special leaning toward Botany and ornt>
nhology. but also a man of highly culti~
waited taste. He is credited with a lnuch
greater preference for the ldentliicatioh
of rare plants than for the study OF the
enemy's line OF battle.
He has made a complete study of the
difficult language and The history of his
people, and is a greet stickler for the GER
.emonies OF his little court. In fact. the
-ostentation of the Bulgarian court,where
more formalities exist than even In VI
.enna OF ST. Petersburg, caused much an
.noyance among all classes In the early
years of his reign, but 1t had In the end
the effect that was doubtless intended, for
1t impressed the Bulgarians with a sense
of their own national Importance. and did
much to strengthen the movement III IA
j.. vor of independence.
Ferdinand had u pretty uphill fight as Il
ruler, for it was only in the tenth year OF!
his reign that he was formally recognized
by the powers as the legitimate prince OF
Bulgaria. His frequent journeys to the
rapita1o of El,~ppe .fDNOlyeI Sllch pXDepSe.
and kept hirn away from Sofia so much,
that for a time his popularity among his
own people suffered.
1t was said openly that Prime Minister
Stambuloft was the ruler. and he a mere
\ ngurehead, and that his absences from
Y Bulgaria we're due to a dread of assassi-,
nation. Plots against him We're frequent,
but they were all unsuccessful. notably
the military conspiracy. of which Major
PanitZa ,Ras the moving spirit.
1t was clot until he took the reins from
the hands of Stambuloff, who was dcs-
tined TO become the victim of an assassin
q little latter, that his strength of charac-
ter and his fearlessness We're fully rccog-
nized. Es lis quick at detecting any con-
spiracy sGainst himself.
On his marriage in 1893 with Princess
Marie Louise. OF Bourbon-Parma, Prince
Ferdinand, as he then was, gave an I'M
dertaking that political considerations
should rot keep the children of the mar
Ato6C 1aOS1A A~Ah6 tOASAN Ap AA stS ~
man Catholic faith. But in Bulgaria. the
czar is s. nearer neishbor than the pope.
orthodox Bulgaria chafed at the idea OF
= Roman Catholic dynasty. and the car
let it be known that the conversion OF
little Boris. 'Ferdinand's eldest son. was
desirable.
Therefore. Boris and his brother, Cyril
after HIM. were duly converted. to the
great gyisf sof their mother. who. how
ever, had small influence in a family dom
mated by 'he- motherinlaw. the masterfu'
Princess Cle1nentine.
Two ltttle daughters. Princess Eudoxia
and Princess Nadeshda. were born tic
Ferdinand later. The birth of the second
laughter in 1899 was followed q day late,
by the death Of her mother. Only eigh,
months ago Ferdinand married a Protest
ant prinsess. Eieonore. of Reuss-koest
ritz.
Thus the household at Sofa is now made
up OF a Roman Catholic father. orthodox
children and a Protestant stemnother
Assurance has been formally given thai
any issue OF this second marriage will bs
brought up III the fathers faith.