The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-05-20
THE ROYAL
WIDOWS OF
EUROPE
REMARKABLE GROUP OF
LIVING WOMEN, ONCE
RULERS
ASSUME HONORABLE,
Influential POSITIONS
GH rss N fsfs
Each, Except EI7EnpTess
Eugenla, a Power Behind
the Throne

Queen Alexandra, in becoming the
Dowager OF England, assumes one OF
the most influential and honorable
positions that a woman can hold
And she becomes the seventh in the
remarkable group Of royal widows,
all alive today, who have swayed or
are swaying the politics of Europe.
Russia, italy, Spain, Holland, Port
ugal and even republican France have
oval widows and all but the Inflated
Edgenle are powers behind the
thrones.
The story of the Empress Eugene
is the most brilliant and romantic ot
all; her fate the most tragic and un.
happy She was the daughter OF a
Spanish woman, the Countess of Mon
tito, and was brought to Paris about
the time of the coup detat by which
Louis Napoleon confirmed for a time
his tenure of the throne OF France
She met the emperor in 1881 and he
was attracted by her dazzling beauty.
But he did not marry her until he
had been snubbed by most OF the mar
riageable women Of royal blood in
the courts of Europe. They were
welded, however, In January, 1853
and thereupon Eugene began to ex.
ercise her great political power and
display her taste for splendor.
For twenty years their brilliant
stormy and expensive reign continu-
ed, but Eugenie's Influence was cred
tied in the end with the downfall OF
the empe or She forced upon him
the war with Prussia. He was made
prisoner and she had to flee in dis
gulse after his release.
In three years he died in the quiet
place where they had made their
abode at Chlselhurst. And some years
later their son, Louis, was killed in
Africa. Since then the former en-
press has lived in secluded state at
Peterborough. She is now the doy-
enne of Europe's royal widows. She
is 81 years old.
Hollands Dowager.
most interesting figure in Eu-
rope, though one who has always
welded her power SO quietly as to be
little spoken OF, is Dowager Queen
Emma, mother of Wlhemina OF Hol-
land.
This remarkable woman married
the selfish, ll-reputed King William
III of Holland when he was nearing
his seventeen year, but She conduct
ed herself with such admirable sa-
gacity That even he, dying, WAS able
to recognize her ability in govern
ment, and in 1883 provision for her.
regency during the infancy OF their
daughter was enacted.
Wilhelmina was then but years
old, The king soon died and for
fourteen memorable years, although
herself an invalid, Queen Emma di-
rected the difficult affairs of Holland
with a master hand. A foreign born
princess, she won the deepest respect
OF her subjects.
One of her most admirable actions
was her complete retirement after her
daughter assumed the throne and
was married. She still lives very
quietly, but in the enjoyment of the
sincere regard of the people of Hol-
land
A similar but far more difficult task
was that imposed upon and accom-
plised by the Queen Christina as re-
gent of Spain
She was an Austrian archduchess
and was chosen 10 become the second
wife of the dissoulte Alfonso XII.
Spain was in an uproar of political
intrigue at the time and when In 1855
Alfonso died the storm of revolution
seemed likely TO break about the head
of the Young queen regent.
II became known. however, that she
was about TO become mother, and
The revolutionary party decided 70
postpone action against the throne.
Six months after the death of The
king son was born~-the present
King Alfonso OF Spain,
Throughout his infancy. ard youth
Christina had the many cares of tur,