The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-01

L
Wittelsbachs blood OF the re!gnina
mouse Of Bavaria; mingled with that
OF the Rothschilds. His mother be-
DYNASTY, having been Bertha Roths-
enid, OF Frankfort and Abandoned
JUDAISM Tor Christianity on wedding
me late Prince lie Wagram.
the frst Prince de Wagram was
AleNandre de Bcrthier. the most IA
nous OF all the generals OF the tirst
Emperor Napoleon. The Emperor Sc
cured Tor his iuvoritc Bcrthicr q royal
ot!us. IN the person or Duchess Marie
OF Bavaria, OF that ducal branch OF
the Wittelsbschs to which the late
Empress OF Austria, the late Duchess
TAiencon. and the famous ocui!st
Duke CHARLES Theodore. OF Bavaria
oeionged. Berthier. whose family had
been ennobled by King Louis XIV. in
| 'O3, and which hailed from Versailles
was the nero Of the battle OF Wagram
poleon's victories In fact, Napoleon
was won't to remark. in speaking ar
terwards OF the BATH OF Waterloo
All! II had only had Berthier there
lntimatlng that with him, in lieu OF
Grouchy and Ney, he would have won
the battle, instead OF being defeated
by Wellington.
Eerthier however. had killed HIM
self lust three days before the battle
OF Waterloo took place. His was
tragic end. on the overthrow OF Ma.
poleon in 1911. and his exile to Elba.
Berthier, who had teen created by Ma
poieon Prince and Duke of wagram
and sovereign prince OF Neuchatel. al
lowed himself TO be persuaded b. his
VIE and by her royal relatives at
Munich to abandon the cause of the
emperor, and TO make his peace with
Louis Xviii, who bestowed upon HIM
the highest honors. Napoleon resented
this more bitterly than anything else
~ connection with his overthrow.
When he quilted Eiba a year later and
resumed for 100 days the possession OF
his throne in Paris, Berthier. who was
In Bavaria at the time, felt unable to
resist the longing TO rejoin mis- ola
70 ask whether ne would receive him.
While Napoleon gladly welcomed all
his other former officers, without re-
preaching them for their desertion.
not even Marshal Ney, he sent back an
iniimation 10 Bertnier that he would
only consent to receive him II ne
would appear before him arrayed in
the uniform OF the rank. and with the
him By Louis XVIII. on receiving this
message At Bamberg, Bcrthier was so
overcome by remorse that. leaving his
wife and little children on some pre-
text or other, he threw himself out
OF one.of the windows OF the castle,
killing himself instantly on the rocks
over hundred feet below. Thanks 10
the influence of the widowed duchess's
Prince and Duke of Wagram were con.
iirmed as French peerages upon her
boy, Alexandra, though. OF course,
there was no question of his being
continued as sovereign Prince Of
Neuchatel. principality which was
handed over to the King of Prussia.
and which now belongs TO the Swiss
republic.
sake, Alexandra. second Prince and
Duke of Wasram, on growing UP. mar
rled Zenaide Clary. niece of Queen
Desiree OF Sweden, and also or the
consort OF King Joseph Bonaparte, who
lived so many years at Bordentown.
n. j.
The third duke and prince. who has
Just been laid to his rest was the son
of this union Until a few years be-
fore. his death. the late duke was in
receipt of an annuity from the French
government amounting to almost $780,
900 year. bestowed upon his grand
his Victories. But now the annuity.
like all those others that figured on
the Grand Livre de France" as be-
slowed by Napoleon. have been COM
muted.
The. country seat OF the new Duke
and Prince of Wagram is the Chateau
of Crosbois. In the Department OF the
Seine-et- Disc. within forty minutes by
assert that the place was n gift by
Napoleon, and there is no truth in the
story. according to which II was given
to the marshal for assuming the blame
when Napoleon accidentally. shot out
the eye OF Marshal Massena. Buc de
Rivoli, at battue in the forest OF
Fontaincbleau. Messena. who was
perfectly. aware to whom he owed the
injury, had the presence of mind to
Immediately turn upon his comrade
Marshal Berthier, and to bitterly assail
the latter for his internal careless
ness" while Berthier. taking the cue,
instantly acknowledged that he was
at fault and expressed his deep con.
triton. Napoleon having the Incredible
impudenoe to also abuse him for his
stupidity.
The fact OF the matter is that Gros.
bois. grand old place. built OF brick
and stone in 1890 by Samuel Bernard,