The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-22
ny la MAnaUIsE DE FoNTENoY.

II
place suddenly on board q train.
while on hts way 10 Bad Kissingen.
was in the ncighborhood OF eighty.
and in 1908, his sorrow. following the
death OF his morSanatic wife, ended
by bringing about softening of the
brain TO such a degree that his ply
sicians notified his ministers that he
had become Incapable OF continuing to
act regent OF Reuss- Greiz lie had.
at the time OF his marriage TO his
morganatic wife in 1890. surrendered
the reins of government OF his own
sovereignty OF ReussGera to his eldest
son. Prince Henry XNVII. OF Reuss,
who ever since that time has been act
ing as regent OF Reuss Gera, and who,
when his father became non compos
mentis. three years ago, assumed also
the regency OF Reuss- Greiz. thus unit
ing both principalities under one re-
sency.
Prince Henry xvii therefore now
becomes. through his fathers death.
sovereign Prince OF Reuss-Gera. but
remains only regent of Rcuss- Greiz.
The reason for this is that the nom!-
nal ruler OF Reuss- Greiz. namely.
Prince Henry XXIV.. is still alive. But
he is completely imbecile as well as
blind. deaf and dumb, and therefore
forever incapable OF relgning.
The father and predecessor OF this
royal imbecilc was very eccentric
individual, who was so autocratic
that he would not allow house TO
be built in his capital or tree TO
be cut down without his sanction and
who insisted upon personally admin
istering the birchings and canings OF
the public school children condemned
to that punishment by their teachers,
on the ground that as the father OF
his country. he alone was qualified
for the task. He was at dnggers
drawn with the court of Prussia. espc-
cially with the late Prince Bismarck,
on account of some unintentional af-
front received at state banquet at
Berlin. Not only did he forbid his
to Bismarck or to old Emperor Will
liam. but he even prohibited his lieges
from donning any sign OF mourning
on the latter's death
The new sovereign OF Reuss Gera
and regent of Reuss-Greiz. Prince
Henry XXVII.. IS married TO Princess
Elise of Hohenlohe, and is general
of the Prussian army. In which he
received his military training in the
Hussar Regiment of the Guard, which
Emperor William commanded prior to
his accession to the throne. This
Prince Henry and the Kaiser are not
only former regimental comrades
therefore, but are likewise warm
friends. and all the former anita gonism
between the courts of Reuss-Greiz and
Of Berlin has passed away
It may sound rather strange that
the only non morganatic son and sue
ccssor OF Prince Henry XIV. sovereign
of Reuss- Gcra, should be styled Prince
Henry XVII But this is due to the
old methods OF numbering the male
members of the two houses Of Reuss.
all Of whom bear the name OF Henry,
with Roman numeral after 1t, to
distinguish them one from another.
The custom OF numbering them dates
from the fifteenth century In the
year 1901 each of the two branches,
namely, Reuss Greiz and Reuss- Gera,
started out With a fresh series of
numbers. In the older line, namely,
that of Reuss -Grciz, this has gone on
unbroken until the present insane,
deaf. dumb and blind sovereign of
Reuss- GreiH, Prince Henry XIV, the
only surviving male member of the
senior branch, which Will on his de-
misc become extinct. But In the young
err branch, of which tho new sovereign
OF Reuss- Gera. Prince Henry XVII,
is the head. the male scions have been
so numerous that n special rule had
to be made to begin fresh series of
numbers with each century. There
were no less than forty-seven Princes
Henry of Reuss of this line born in
the nineteenth century, tho two sons
of Prince Henry XVII. being known,
respectively as Prince Henry XIII
and Prince Henry xiv. 1T will be
noticed that these numbers are not
consecutive That Is because Prince
Henry Xiv. was tho son of a cousin.
Thus far there is only one male scion
OF the house of Reuss who has been
born since the beginning of the pres
ent century He came into the world
last fall. as son of Prince Henry
XXXIV, and is known as Prince Henry
]. 1 may add that I knew years ago,
as child, an old Prince of Reuss,
whose name was followed by tho
Roman numera1 LXXIV.. and who had
been born In the closing years of the
eighteenth century, century which
had been particularly prolific in
ReusseE He died in Dresden about