The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-11-30
Romance of Old Portugal

The recent deposition of King Manuel Of
Portugal and the events in the young kings
life that led up to it will no doubt bring back
to the minds Of some Of the older residents
Of the city the story Of Elise Hensier, the
Springfield girl who married a king and be-
came the Countess Edla.
The king she married was Don Ferdinand
II. of Portugal, a great grandfather of King
Manuel. Elise lived in Springfield about go
years ago, probably for about four years.
The Henslers were humble people and
lived simply. The daughters, Elise and Louise,
were well received here and were given a
good musical, education, especially Elise, who
had quite a remarkable voice. signor Guidi,
an Italian, at the time a we'll known teacher
of the voice, took an interest in Elise and 1t.
was when signor Guidi went to Boston that
the Hensiers went there, largely through his
influence. He believed that Elise had a fu-
ture as a singer and wished her to be where
he could continue teaching her.
Elise Hensler after her removal with her
family to Boston continued her studies. She
was perseverant in her work and progressed so
veil that she not only appeared in concerts in
the large cities in this country, but also in Eu-
rope. where she sang before royalty. 1t was
while singing in Lisbon several years after the
death of Queen Maria that King Ferdinand
heard her voice and felt the attraction that
led him to marry her.
Ferdinand was the titular king of Portugal,
having been the second husband of Queen
Maria II. of Portugal. Ferdinand married
Maria In 1886, when he was 20. The queen
died in 1853, and he was regent during the mi
nority of his son, Pedro ", who was the ia
Their of the assassinated King Carlos, the
grandfather of the deposed King Manuel. The
regency ended in 1855, and on June 10, 1862
he married Miss Hensler.
When the European powers decided the
time had come to restore Spain to a monarchy,
following the overthrow Of the short republic,
which existed from 1873 to 1875, considerable
pressure was brought to bear upon Ferdinand
to induce him to accept the vacant throne.
But his wife could never be queen Of Spain,
and It is possible that this fact alone induced
him to refuse.
This absolute refusal on his part to accept
the throne Of Spain, with all the pomp and
splendor of royalty In exchange for the roman
tic life that he was living with his morganatc
wife, had far-reaching consequences. The COM
plications and jealousies resultant on the at.
tempt to find a king acceptable to all the pow.
ers helped to bring on the F~ranco-Prussian
war, and Alsace and Lorraine went back to
Germany. whence they had been wrested by
Napoleon Bonaparte.
In consequence of these peculiar historical
facts, which geographically practically changed
all western Europe, Elise Hensler, Countess
Edla, became famous throughout the world as
1.-The woman who changed the map of Europe"
During the life of the king they lived in the
beautiful castle of Cintra. 1t is certain that
their life was above reproach. In 1885 the
king died, and after that the countess lived in
retirement In a cottage near the castle.