New-York tribune., 1908-01-06
LIN THE GOTTA At LAST.
Romantic History of the House of
Demidof.

Copyright 1905 by the Brentwood Company. All
rights reserved1
At length the Demidoffs have achieved the dis
JUNCTION Of figuring dn the pages OF the Almanach
de Gotha, where their will be found IN
the issue of 1908, the first time in the annals
Of their house, under the style Of Princes and
Princesses of San Donate. OF course they are not
among the reigning houses in Part I of the Al
manach. yet among the medatzed-that is.
formerly sovereign families-in Part H. but in
Part III, along with dukes, such those Of Rich
mond, Rohan, Gramont Bedford and Czes princes
such Bismarck and Massino. and Spanish
grandees such the Dukes of Alba and of Medi-
naceli.
widespread belief prevails to the effect
that the nobility of the Dendofs is exclusively OF
Italian origin, impression to which the well
known story of of the Narishkines. attached to
the Russian Embassy at Paris. running pen
through the title of prince predxed to the name
Of Anatole Demdoff when the latter was posted
on the bulletin board Of the French Jockey ClOo
d candidate for election. with the remark
There Princes Demidoh in Russia, mas
no doubt contributed. The fact of the matter Is
that the founder of the house. Nikita DemidoT the
blacksmith of the Ural Mountains. was ennooled
by Peter the Great in 1724-that is to say, shortly
before that monarch's death The patent OF nobility
carried with it title. but invested the former
blacksmith with ali the privileges and immunItes
then enjoyed by the Muscovite arstocracy, inciud-
ing that of owning serfs- His great-srandson.
Nicholas Derni6or, married to one OF the Strog-
anofs. acquired the palace and fef of San Donate
Florence. at the end OF the eighteenth century
This fef carried with It the FIorentine title of
count whicE was confirmed TO Nicholass eldest
son. Anatole by the reigning grand duke Of Tus-
cany in 1887. and three years later. on the eve OF
Anatce Derndoff's 4arriage TO Princess Mathlde
Bonaparte, daughter Of ex-King Jerome OF west
phaiia- the Grand Duke of Tuscany promoted the
bridegroom-elect from count TO a Prince OF San
Donate. The marriage resulted in a separation IN
1876 and two years later Anatole Den1idof secured
from the Grand Duke of Tuscany the right To
transmit his Tuscan title of Prince Of San Donate
his brothers son. Paul Paulowitch Den1idof
Not until 1872 did the Der1idoffs receive the au-
thorfzatton from the Muscovite crown TO make use
Of the title of Prince OF Donate the permission
enabling them then for the first time to bear the
title at ST Petersburg. and in 1884 King Humbert
issued decree extending to all the descendants OF
Paul Dernidoff the right of styling themselves
Princes and Prfncesses Of San Donate.
Paul Paulowitch De.1idof twice married
the first time 10 the lovely Princess Marie Nets
chersky- The latter, maid of honor TO the late
Czarina Marie. was the object of the infatuation
Of Alexander III before the death OF his older
brother. the Czarowitch Nicholas had placed him
in the position Of heir apparent to the throne. On
Alexander II discovering mis- sons attachment ne
endeavored put stop to Il by persuasion. and
when this method failed. Alexander declaring that
he would never marry any one else and that he
had Dghted his trotf to the princess, the Emperor
sent him away from his capital TO the Caucasus on
military duties During his absence the princess
was forced TO accept an offer OF marriage which
Pau! Denidoff had been instructed-nay. COM
nlanded-by the late Emperor Alexander II to make
80 her. Neither Paul the princess was de-
sirous OF becoming welded Denidof preferred
the JOYS Of bachelorhood, while the princess felt
that her heart belonged to the Grand Duke Alex
ander. Both however. were forced TO yield to the
orders of the autocrat the princess giving way
when alleged proofs shown to her that her
imperial lover had abandoned her. The wedding
took place at St. Petersburg III the absence OF
the grand duke and only late did the princess
discover that the proofs Of Alexander's alleged
IIufaithfuIness had been of fictitious character
Marie died a. few weeks after giving birth 10 her
first child Elm, the present chief OF the House
Of Dernidcff and the affectionate interest when
Alexander III displayed from the princes earliest
childhood until his death IN the young fel-
lows welfare and happiness showed that not even
the nearly thirty years of happy married life with
efface from his heart the romantic memory OF
beautiful Marie AIetschersky- After her death
Paul DeuidoT married again. namely, Princess
Helen Trebetskof. b. whom he had six more
children OF these. one, daughter, Is married to
Count Alexander SchouvaIoff another. Marie, IS
The wife Of Prince Simon Abamalek-L-azarer, one
NJ those Russian mobiles who claim lineai descent
from, the Biblical Royal House of David. while
stf11 another daughter, Aurora by name. married
Prince Arsene Karageorgevitch. the disreputaoie
l,rrther of King Peter of Servia, was obliged 10
54,-o-ce him in 1886. and died three years ago as
the v7fe of Count Nicholas Noghera-
HOW PRINCE ELM GRADUATED.