DEATH OF EX-QUEEN OF SPAIN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12544, 11 April 1904, Page 5

DEATH OF EX-QUEEN OF SPAIN.

— <» ..... 'AN EVENTFUL CAREER. By Telegraph.— Association.—Copyright. (Deceived April 11, 12.14 a.m.) Madrid, April 9. The death is announced of ex-Queen Isabella, of Spain. Isabella 11.. ex-Queen of Spain, was born at Madrid, October 30, 1830. Her father, Ferdinand VII., had been induced, by the influence of his wife, to issue the Pragmatic Decree, revoking the Salic law ; and at Ida death, September '£9, 1833, his eldest daughter, then a child, was proclaimed Queen, under the regency of her mother, MariaChristina. This event proved the signal for civil warfare, as the -claims of the late King's brother were warmly supported by certain classes of the people. Tiie war of succession lasted seven years, and the country was desolated, by the struggle between tho contending Carlist and Christina parties, until the Cortes confirmed Hie claims of Isabella by pronouncing sentence of exile on Don Carlos and his adherents. In 1810 tho Queen-regnant, finding it impossible to carry on tho Government without making concessions to publio feeling, for which she was indisposed, retired to France, resigning her power Into the hands of Kspartero, whom she had been previously compelled to summon to the head of affairs. Tor the following three years, whilst that constitutional leader was able in great measure to direct her education and training, the young Queen was subject to purer ami better influences than she hud before experienced. She was declared by a decree of the Cortes to have attained her majority, October 15, 1843, and took her plane among the reigning Sovereigns of Europe. Maria-Christina returned to Madrid in 1845, and her restoration to influence was marked by the marriage of Isabella 11. to her cousin. Don Francisco d'Assisi, the elder son of her maternal uncle, Don Francisco tie Paula, which took place October 10, 1816. Sacrificed to the Intrigues of a party whose interests were based on this uncongenial union, Isabella If. never knew the beneficial influence of domeslie happiness; estrangements and reconciliations having sucaeeetad each other alternately in her married life. It de-serves special mention, however, that during her reign Spain rose to tuko rank among fhe great (Powers of Europe, while tiie internal progress of the country advanced with rapid strides. On September 16, 1868. r. great revolution broke out in Spain, starting with the fleet off Cadi/, and gradually spreading over the whole* peninsula. The speedy result, was the formation of a Republican Provisional Government under Prim, Serrano, and others at Madrid, and the flight of Queen Isabella to France. On November 6 Hot Majesty took up her residence in Paris, where she remained during her exile, with the exception of an interval spent at Geneva during the Franco-Prussian war. On dune 25,- 1870, she renounced her claims to the Spanish throne in favour of her eldest son, tho Prince of the Asturias. After eight years of exile she returned to Spain.