FRENCH SLAVE AND EMPRESS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 89, 8 January 1908, Page 3

FRENCH SLAVE AND EMPRESS.

It. is not generally known that tlio Sultan of Morocco is partly of French descent, but such is; the case; and strango was the fortuno that placed a young French girl on tho tiirono of Morocco within comparatively recent times. Tho present Sultan of Morocco is of lineal descent from a beautiful French slavo girl, Davia. 1 About 1760 a ..Cbrsican merchant- named Franchosini, returning from tho island of Sardinia with his newly-mado bride, was captu'rod by-, an Algcrino , corsair. Tho young couplo wero taken to Algiers 1 ; exposed for sale', and purchased by a rich native. Franchesini had tho good fortuno, not to bo-separated from his 'wife, and sho had two sons and a daughter, Davia. Ho'contrived to win tho gpod graces both of his master'and of tho Pasha, amassed a fortune, arid was eventually allowed to return 1 to Corsica, then French territory. Together with Ins family arid numerous gifts from tho Algorino Pasha, Franchesini'set sail, for his nativo land, but his vessel was overtaken by'a Barbary pirate, most of tho crew wero thrown overboard, tho ship set on fire, and tho unlucky Frenchman .and his whole family carried off to Morocco. . • • ' Agriin tho family of Christian slaves was put to'public auction and purchased by a powerful Tunisian' noble. , Onco again" Franchosini obtained the favour of not boing separated from his wifo and again ho gained the .good will of his master, so much so that' ho was taken' before tho Sultan himself, who treated him graciously and asked to see his family. His (laughter Dayia was then only scvoii years old -but tho _child's extraordinary beauty must have • impressed tho Moorish sovereign, (or he loaded tho Frenchman with gifts. ;. Franohesini, however, yearned to return to his .own land and implored that favour from tho Sultan, who granted it on condition that Davia should bo loft behind to. bo reared in tho seraglio. Tho condition was a hard 0110 hut was acceptedi ho sailed and with' "his ".wifo and sons reached Corsica in safety. Onco in Corsica, ho broodetl over tho humiliation of leaving his beloved young daughter in a Moorish harom, and conceived tho project of equipping an expedition to kidnap ono of tho MooriSi princes and obtain his child by way of exchange or ransom. Ho chartered a vessel and, landed at Sallee, but was, struck down with fever and died a fow days subsequently. The expedition deprived of its leader, returned to Corsica. ■ For a long, period nothing .was heard of Davia until, in 1730, agents , of tho Sultan of Morocco arrived in Corsica to traco the Franchesini family. The littlo Davia had grown'up and was now empress. Her mother and brothers returned to Morocco, wlioro they were received with royal honours, and a paiaco with fivo hundred slaves was set apart for their use; as a special mark of favour Davia was permitted to join thorn. Siio had unbounded influence over tho aged ruler, who recognised her ability as well as her beauty; this monarch, however, was poisoned in ono of the many palace revolutions by ono of his sons, who succeeded him. Davia remained unmolested by tho new Sultan and died of tho jilaguo in 1802. Her mother remained in Morocco with 0110 of her sons, .Augustin, and tho other son becamo Consul-Gcnoral for Morocco at Genoa where ho died about 1820.' , i . '

Regarding this .most,'interesting Sultana, it appears that, about 1785 the .celebrated doctor and explorer Murigo Park was called to Morocco.by Sidi Mohamcd to treat ono of ■his : soils, M'uloy Absulem, for sonio defect Of vision.' An account of this-will bo found

in his book,-' "Tho Threo Voyages of Mungo Park to Morocco and tbo Interior of Africa." Park relates therein-that-while staying in Morocco, tho; Emperor granted him as'a special favour.the; to enter his general seraglio, also authorising the women to removo. their veils and appear with uncovered facos, contrary'to Mohammedan rules. "After having visited many of the ladies," writes tho .worthy doctor, "I was about leaving the' harem when' tho Empress and first favourite dispatched one of her women to beg n;o to go to her. This Sultana was. called Alla .Douyaw or Davia. When I entered her . apartment, I was struck with her-beauty. ~ Sho was at.that time tho chief Sultana, welcomed me affably, and informed mo that sho was not African, hut was born at Genoa and.of European parents; but that having'' bcon wrecked off. tho coast of Morocco when a child, sho had been place_d in tho Sultan's harem. She had been suffering from her teeth, and when I informed her that I could euro her within a fortnight, her joy was unbounded. "I had nevertheless committed an act of extreme temerity in visiting Davia, and if

the Moorish Sultan had been mado awaro of tiio fact it might have ,",one hard with mo, but, tho attendants wero bought over, tho Sultana bid her women bo silent, and thus I subsequently passed many an agreeable hour witli tho favourite. She was lively and entertaining, and liked to hear about tho manners and customs of Europe, and her quick arid intelligent turn of mind enabled her to absorb rapidly whatever I had to impart." —"Now York Evening Post."

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