Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 289, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 December 1910 — Romance of Old Portugal [ARTICLE]

Romance of Old Portugal

The recent deposition of King Manuel of Portugal and the events in the young king’s life that led up to it will no doubt bring back to the minds of some of the older residents of the city the story of Ellse Hensler, the Springfield girl who married a king and became the Countess Edla. The king she married was Don Ferdinand 11. of Portugal, a great grandfather of King Manuel. Ellse lived in Springfield' about 60 years ago, probably for about four years. The Henslers were humble people and lived simply. The daughters, Ellse and Louise, were well received here and were given a good musical education, especially Ellse, whc had quite a remarkable voice. Signor Guidi, an Italian, at the time a “well known teacher of the voice, took an interest in EUse and it was when Signor Guidi went to Boston that the Henslers went there, largely through his influence. He believed that Elise had a future as a singer and wished her to be where he could continue teaching her. Ellse Hensler after her removal with her family to Boston continued her studies. She was perseverant in her work and progressed so well that she not only appeared in concerts in the large cities in this country, but also in Europe, where she sang before royalty. It wav' while singing in Lisbon several years after the death of Queen Maria that King Ferdinand heard her voice and felt the attraction that led him to marry her. Ferdinand was the titular king of Portugal, having been the second husband of Queen Marla 11. of Portugal. Ferdinand married Marla in 1836, when he was 20. The queen died in 1853, and he was regent during the minority of his son, Pedro V., who was-the far ther of the assassinated King Carlos, the grandfather of the deposed King Manuel The regency ended in 1855, and - on June 10, 1869 he married Miss Hensler. When the European powers decided the time had come to restore Spain to a monarchy following the overthrow of the short which existed from 1873 to 1875, considerable' pressure was brought to bear upon Ferdinand to Induce him to accept the vacant throne. But his wife could never be queen of Spain, and it is possible that this fact alone induced him to refuse. This absolute refusal on his part to accept the throne of Spain, with all the pomp and splendor of royalty in exchange for the romantic life that he was living with his morganatic wife, had far-reaching consequences. The com plleations and Jealousies resultant an the attempt to find a king acceptable to all the powers helped to bring on the Franco-Prussian war, and Alsace and Lorraine went hark to Germany, whence they had been wrested by Napoleon Bonaparte. In consequence of these peculiar historical facts, which geographically practically changed all western Europe,. Ellse Henslei-. Counter Edla, became famous throughout the world as "the woman who changed the map of Europe " During the life of the king they lived In ths .beautiful castle of Clntra. It is certain that their life was above reproach. In 1885 the king died, and after that the countess lived in retirement in a cottage near the castle. .