Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-29
Romantic Love and Violence
Influenced the Life of
Francis Ferdinand.
BRAvED EMPEROR'S ANGER
TO MARRY A COUNTESS
Gave Up Throne for Children Be.
cause of Devotion to Woman
Who Died With Him.

Archduke Francis Ferdinand. who
was slain yesterday, was heir pre-
sumptive to the throne of Austria. He
was born December Is, 1863. His IA
Their. the Archduke Carl Ludwig, was
a brother Of Emperor Francis Joseph.
and his mother was Maria Annunziata,
daughter of Ferdinand IL of Naples
Francis Ferdinand was still boy
when his mother died.
In 1893 his father, then over fifty,
married Princess Maria Theresa Won
Braganza, the eighteen year old
daughter of King Miguel of Portugal.
The new stepmother established an eN-
emplary home. Ferdinand always held
her in high esteem. She and her
daughter. the Archduchess Maria
were the only ladies pres
ent as witnesses of Francis Ferdinand
marriage to the bohemian
countess, Sophie Chotek, who later was
elevated to the rank OF Duchess of
Hohenberg by the emperor.
Francis Ferdinand became the heir
presumptive when the Crown Prince
Rudolph. the only son of Emperor
Francis Joseph. met tragic death in
tragedy. the result of an uncountenauc-
ed love for young baroness.
Became Heir to Throne.
With the crown prince thus removed.
the first choice as an heir to Francis
Joseph fell to his brother. the Arch
duke Carl Ludwig. but he already was
an old man, and he declined the honors
in favor of his eldest son. Francis
Ferdinand The title of heir was never
officially conferred upon Francis Ferdi
nand. but from his twenty-siNth year
his training for the throne was car
ried on.
His escapades had been such as are
SO often ascribed to royal lads, but II
Is said that many of the criminal
FRANKS related about him were really
those of his wilder brother, Otto. The
story was once widely printed that III a
drunken freak he stopped peasant
funeral near Prague and amused HIM
self by leaping his horse half dozen
times over the bier. This and many
such instances were officially lnNestl-
gated by parliament and declared TO
be mendacious Islander.
Francis Ferdinand, according to his
admirers. had an altogether different
personality than such stories Indicate.
He had thorough military training,
extending over twenty years. ana IN
1891 he was made a general He re-
organized the general staff of the
Austro-Hungarian army with such sue
cess as to excite the admiration of all
Europe. AS hobby he took up loco
motive engineering, and received di-
ploma as full-hedged railroad engi-
neer He was said to enjoy nothing
SO much as running an engine. He
also became recognized as one OF the
best shots in his country, and the walls
of his chateau at konopischt were
hung with the antlers of some 1000
stays and chamois, as well as the
heads of tigers killed in India, the
tusks of elephants slain in Ceylon and
the pelts of bears shot in the Rocky
mountains.
Visit to United States.
His visit to the United States was made
in 1892. at the time of the worlds fair in
Chicago. He made diary of the trip.
which continued around the world. This
diary is an interesting piece of trave'
literature. displaying shrewd comments OF
appreciation of things he saw and did.
He thought this globe-touring would es-
pecially contribute to his education as
future monarch.
He also wrote two volumes of Alpine
poetry, and put on paper for the first
time many of the old melodies of his
native Syria.
His admirers insist that his life was
singularly free from scandal. with the eN
ception of his infatuation for the former
Bohemian countess. While she belonged
to one of the most ancient noble families
of Bohemia her birth rank WAS far helor
that of the imperial house of the Austrian
Hapsburgs. Under the Hapsburg law no
member of the imperial family can he
married without the consent of the soy
ereign.
AS the emperor's nephew and heir.
Francis Ferdinand's love affairs had been
closely watched. By arrangement of the
Austrian cabinet he was to become be
trothed to d princess of SaXony. but SO
uncompromising was his refusal that the
matter was dropped. He had fallen IN
love with the former Bohemian countess
then maid Of honor to the widowed
Crown Princess Stephanie. For nine
years this attachment was subject or
gossip in Vienna. When his uncle. the
emperor. protested against plans for mar
rage. the archduke reminded him of his
previous advice.
Quoted Emperor's Advice.
II heard you once say" he repeated
that in choosing a wife an emperor
should pay no attention to politics and
should follow the impulse of mis- own
heart" This was chapter out OF
Francis Joseph's own life.
Francis Ferdinand stubbornly resisted
the nine years Of opposition on the part
answered all arguments with the reply.
THE Austrians would not like to seek
an unhappy man on the throne" There
was no question that the two were deep
ly in love, and ever continued so. Francis
Joseph, however was never pleased with
his nephew's conduct. But he gave his
imperial consent to the marriage upon
condition that the archduke strictly on
serve the Hapsburg laws and never at
tempt to place his morganatic vile on
the throne, or establish the right OF sue
cession for his children. He also eleVat.
ed the wife to the title of duchess OF
-.
The terms of the archduke's oath were
explicit and binding. They set forth that
the marriage was not ''ebenbuertige' OF
to one highly horn.
The oath concluded as follows:
I'VE pledge our word that We recoe-
nize for all time the present declara-
ton. of whose significance and scope We
are fully conscious, both for US and our
wife. and for our children by this mar
rage, and that we never will attempt 10
revoke this. our present declaration. nor
undertake anything calculated to entee-
Die or to ahrogate the binding lor'e