AN UNHAPPY QUEEN.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14523, 19 August 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

AN UNHAPPY QUEEN.

Queen Maria Pia, ex-Queen of Portugal, died in Turin, Italy on July sth. It is difficulty to imagine a life so full of catastrophe as hers. Maria Pia, who w:is in her 74th year, was the sister of King Humbert" of Italy, who was stabbed to death at Mouza in 1900. Her son, King Carlos, and her grandson. Louis, were shot in the open struct* of L-'sbou on Fcbruarv 1/ 1908. Finally, her grandson. Manuel, lost his kingdom in 'the Portuguese, revolution of October last year/ and

she herself had to flee the country where she had lived for forty years. Slio was born in 1.3.17, and was the god-daughter of Pope Pius IX., alter whom she was named Pia. When barely 10 she was married, first at Turin by proxy, and then at Lisbon in person to Ring Louis of Portugal. She lost, her husband in I8S<), but continued to exorcise great influence, not altogether gone], over affairs of State during the lifetime of Dom Carlos. She was a great beauty, very proud, and very masterful, anil it cannot be said that her connection with-Portugal was lieaefieial to the country and its people. She was constantly "borrowing" from the Exchequer, and it was found after the proclamation of the Republic that she had thus appropriated no less than £OO,OOO.