The Washington herald., 1911-10-21
TODAY'S WEDDING
MAY SHIFT CROWN

"GA O11kA = NANO w ~
To-day an event takes place In the vii
lage Of Schwarzau, in Lower Austria
! CNieder Oestreich), not far from Vienna,
which mny be fraught with far-reaching
| consequences for the dual monarchy. 1t
is the wedding of Archduke Karl Franz
Ferdinand, Granddaughter Of Emperor
Franz Josef and ultimate heir presump-
! tive to the imperial throne of the House
of Hapsburg-Lorraine, and Princess Zits,
of Parma, a daughter Of the mediatized
House of Tuscany, which is closely con-
| nected with the reigning dynasty Of Aus
| Sria.
The nuptials of the princely pair are to
be private and unattended by either the
Emperor or any of the members of his
house, save a very limited number of the
nearest relatives of both the bridegroom
and the bride, who are needed to sign
the documents for the archives Nor
has there been any Official. cogniZance
taken by the powers, who are not to be
represented, either by special envoys
or by their accredited ambassadors or
ministers.
What this union means to the empire
has been detailed several times in this
column. When years ago Crown Prince
Rudolf died, either by his own hand or
| by assassination as a sequel to a liaison,
the succession, according to the Salic
law devolved upon Archduke Franz Fer
dinand, the son of the Emperors broth
er. But this prince contracted a NOR
ganatic marriage to which Franz Josef
| consented only on condition that, should
there be male issue from the union they
were to be barred from the succession
10 this Franz Ferdinand quite readily
agreed. This clause made the bridegroom
Of to-day, then only lad, the heir pre-
sumpttve to the dual throne.
But things have changed since then.
Franz Ferdinand is perfectly happy with
his morganatic wife, who was a Count
ess Chotek of Chotewka and Wongin. OF
the Hungarian branch OF a noted house
OF Bohemian magnates He has, besides,
will of his own, and IS said to be de-
termined to make his wife, who IN the
meantime, has been raised TO the rank
OF Duchess of Hohenberg, his en-
press. so soon as he shall ascend the
throne upon the death of the aged En-
peror.
To Judge from the reception accorded
the duchess when she visited Potsdam
with her husband, there can hardly be
any doubt that Kaiser Wilhelm is with
him and will support him. when the
time arrives. by open recognition of
the duchess as Empress. Furthermore,
to-days bridegroom. they tell in vi
emma exclusive circles, has no ambi-
tion in that directIon:" that he prefers
10 lead the life of private grand
seigneur rather than to be burdened
with the responsibilities Of a ruler over
an always turbulent empire. which is
composed of the most heterogeneous ele-
mcnts Of population.
In other words. young Karl Franz Fer
dinand has been licked into shape" by
his powerful relative. Who as the head
Of the house upon becoming Emperor.
could make things quite unpleasant for
the young arChduke should he feel dis
posed to cross lis plans. Otherwise, he
would have hardly picked out sickly
Princess Zita. one OF twenty-five chill
dr"n Of n father who ended his days in
the Se"lCsion OF ar asylum, and who
cannot he deDended upon to uphold the
Hapsburg dynasty through her issue.
1t may he taken for granted that
Franz Ferdinand will be successful in
legitimizing his sons by his morgan
attic wife. As to Hungary, there can
he no manner Of dOUb, about the out
come, for the iery Magyars already
have gone on r.cOrd that they will ac
Cept the Duchess of HOhenberg as their
queen, and some OF them at a gather
ing at Budapest several years ago.
went to the length OF forming a
league. swearing upon their sabers to
spill their last drop OF blood for their
who undoub,edly is OF
Savish blood. In fact. there is no law
in Hungary which makes It imperative
that a Hungarian king must wed only
a COnsort Of equal blood ("ebenbuer-
tig). He may choose whomsoever he
lists.
But as to Austria, the case is more
difficult. Every one of the arch
duchesses of the house OF Hapsburg is
determined that the morganatic wife
shall not be the empress and lord 1t