Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-27
MEMORY REVERED IN GOTTA
Reigning Family Greatly Beloved by
People of Duchy.
TRACES ANCESTRY FAR BACK
Descended From Victim. Who Ruled
That Part of Germany Fifteen
Hundred Years Ago.
RY WILLIAM f.. CURTIS.

Written for The star and Inc lineage hecoru-
Herald.
The capital of the Duchy of Saxe-Co-
burg and Gosha. situated upon the edge
of the Thuringian forest and commanded
nv the ancient castle of Friedenstein. is
one of the loveliest towns and most de-
sirable places of residence for quiet peo-
pie in all Europe. While it does not ap-
peal to those who seek excitement and
thrills il is an ideal home for students
artists and people Of small means, who
are content with such society.
There are many handsome villas with
spacious grounds and tasteful gardens,
extensive parks and pronenades. wide
streets and public squares. a good thea
ter. fine opera, a picture gallery and
schools of all kinds. which are patronized
by many English families who have sons
and daughters to educate.
There is a small museum filled with a
rare collection of curiOs and historical
generations in the ducal palace, and were
transferred to this modern, freproOf
structure in 1873 in order to make them
secure I do not know where have ever
many interesting objects. They arc ar
ranged with great taste and are kept with
great care. Their value is enhanced in
the eyes Of the people because they have
of them respected and esteemed rulers OF
the duchy The library Of 25O.OOO vol
umes is one of the finest in Europe.
Built by Ernest the Pious.
The palace. or castle. as it is called.
was built by Ernest the Pious in 1858.
and is huge building of four stories and
36S rooms. surrounding an enormous
quadrangle large enough for the maneu-
1r xx-t$H
ers 40 feet high at each end The front
windows overlook the city, the windows
on one side overlook a lovely park, and
the living rooms of the ducal family COM
mand viStas that make them very at
tractive. The apartments are homelike,
and although they are occupied only a
small portion OF the year, they are COM
Portable and attractive. In one of the
corridors are 30 sets Of antlers from
stays shot in the neighbOring preserve
They are the trophies Of the late duke,
gathered in seven seasons.
In the drawing rooms are many quaint
portraits. including several Of Prince AL
bert and Queen Victoria as children.
Prince Albert's playthings are preserved
in a cabinet. There Is a rare collection
of old silver and china that has been
handed down through many generations
of the ducal family. and manuscript
Bible beautifully Illuminated. which once
belonged to the Grand Duke Otto III,
who lived In the ninth century. The Chi
nese porcelain In several cabinets is par
ticularly good. and Is said to have been
collected by dukes who lived in the ff-
teenth and sixteenth centuries.
Most OF the ornaments that were for
me1y in the castle, the custodian told U.S.
had been sent over to the museum and
he advised us to pay special attention to
remarkable collection of rings that We
would find there. He said it was unsur-
passed except in the South Kensington
Museum of London, and I am sure that
he IL right.
The first commercial school in Ger
many. the first fire and the first life in
$urance companies were started at Gotha.
A Grandson Of Victoria.
Charles Edward, the reigning Duke Of
Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, is a grandson
OF Queen Victoria and son Of the late
Prince Leopold He has the English title
Of his father. the Duke Of Albany. He
is q young man Of twenty-six years and
was married few yeags ago to q daugh-
ter Of the Duke Of Schleswig-Holstein.
The people have great affection for him
and recognize in his character as well
as his appearance a close resemblance to
his grandfather. the late Prince Albert
The beloved husband of Queen Victoria,
who was born in the neighborhood at a
summer castle and was brought up in
Gotha- His elder brother Ernest, in
herited the ducal title.
There are many delightful associations
with Prince Albert in Gotha, although
he seldom came here after his marriage
Several portraits hang in the living
rooms of the castle. and his memory was
kept alive by repeated visits to Gotha
by Queen Victoria. who. as you remem-
Der. was a very sentimental woman. and
loved every place that reminded her Of
the man she idoliZed. The association
has been also strengthened by his son.
the late Duke of Albany, who reigned
here for nearly thirty years and had a
deep and sincere veneration for the sterl-
ing character of his father.
The ancestors of the late Prince Albert
were the same as those of the royal
family at Saxony. They were descended
from brave knight named Victim, who
ruled over this part OF Germany 1850
years ago. but. at the time of the refor-
nation, there was split. The elder
branch, known the Ernestines were
compelled TO relinquish their claims to
the crown when they became Protestants,
End the Albertines. or younger branch
which remained loyal to the church of
Tome. have since retained the throne.
Division of a Kingdom.
The old kingdom of ThurinEia was