Evening star., 1922-04-30

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ly against the proposed marriage OF
Charles and Zita, and affairs looked
very dark for the young couple.
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A BATTLE OF intrigue ensued. The
valiant old Duchess of Parma
made q subtle and persistent fight
for the marriage of her daughter
and the archduke. which would be
quite fine alliance for the Bourbon
Parma clan. Ske enlisted her friends
to argue for the match at court,
| made her own solicitations to the
| emperor, and heartened Charles in
his determination to marry Zita.
The young arcflduke needed no
heartening. He was utterly in love.
The turning point OF the neht came
with the winning of the heir-appar-
| ent, the Archduke Franz Ferdinand,
who was a partisan OF the Ger
mans and already opposed TO tho
match. He was won over by cour-
teous attentions to his wife,. who,
AZ a morganatic spouse, held q posi-
tion OF small honor. Charles and
Zita showered attentions upon tho
unfortunate lady. who was afterward
to be murdered at Sarajevo. and this
quite captivated the Archduke Franz
Ferdinand.
In little while the emperor con-
sented to tho marriage and Charles
and Zita stood happily at q gor-
geous cathedral ceremony. The prin-
cess OF the dispossesoed Bourbons-
Parma had gained the privilege OF
mothering successor to the Austrian
crown. and she might even. one day.
became empresa Then came the
murder of the Arohduke Franz Fer
dinand and Charles and Zita became
the heirs OF the aged emperor. Zita
would become an empress.
y + 4 y
CHE and Charles lived tho life Of an
Austrian officer and his wife.
Children were born to them, and the
young archduke was seen rolling q
baby carriage in the streets OF
Vienna
The war came and with It uneasfy
ness. Zita, the Italian Bourbon, was
more greatly than ever disfavored by
the German party. especially as both
she and Charles were much Influenced
by the pro-ally Duchess of Parma
and as her brothers appeared fighting
in the Belgian army.
The Emperor Franz Joseph died
and Charles and Zita became emperor
and empress of Austria Hungary.
The intrigues against Zita increased.
Charles famous letter to her brother
Sixtus. in which he expressed the
opinion that France had a just claim
to Asace-Larraine, increased the
hatred Of the German faction. Evil
stories were circulated about her.
Then the downfall OF the Austrian
monarchy and Charles and Zita and
their children were driven into exile.
Zita. born a dethroned princess and
now dethroned again. took her mis-
fortunes with fortitude. She heart
ened Charles, and encouraged him in
his attempts to regain the Hungarian
crown. She accompanied him by
aeroplane in his last adventure in
Hungary. and went with him to exile
In Madeira. The Hapsburg fortune
is confiscated and they are In want.
She is seen hurrying to Paris. where
one of her children has remained and
has fallen ILL., Her husband contracts
pneumonia. She offers her blood to
save him. He dies and she Is a widow
with her small children and in pov-
erty.
A century and a half ago a Haps-
burg queen, Maria Theresa, deprived
of her crown. went, with her young
child on her arms. and appealed to
the fiery Magyars of Hungary. They
rallied around her, overthrow her
enemy and placed her on her throne.
The Empress Zita makes an even
moro appealing figure than Maria
Theresa did What does that mean
politically?