The Empress of Russia visits Bavaria--The Duchess Sophie's Engagement
and Marriage--An Unexpected Meeting with the Duchesse d'Alençon--A
Last Attempt to forge the Links of Hymen around Ludwig
In the latter half of September, 1868, the Empress of Russia came to
Munich accompanied by a numerous suite. Her unsuccessful matrimonial
project did not seem to have diminished her interest in the Sovereign
of Bavaria.
Ludwig received her with the same respect and warmth as before, and
entertained her with a magnificence the like of which had not been
seen before in his realm. He had caused the apartments in Schloss
Berg which were placed at the Empress's disposal to be done up in
exact similarity, according to description, to her rooms in the
Russian Palace. A state luncheon at the Palace at Munich and a state
performance at the theatre, alternated with excursions to his castles
in the vicinity of the capital.
The Tsarina spent an evening with the royal family on the "Roseninsel,"
where her young friend had arranged an Italian night with music and
singing, and at which the singers of the opera took part. The whole
of the lake of Starnberg was illuminated with Bengal lights. In
the gardens and courtyard of the château were erected allegorical
statues. Every rose-bush hid a surprise. Countless numbers of rockets
were sent up into the air above the lake, and moved, many-hued, in
the wind. Music was played on a vessel, so clothed in leafage that it
resembled an islet, and on which the inhabitants and summer visitors
to Starnberg had taken up their position, adding by their applause
to the general festivity of the entertainment. It was like a tale
from the "Thousand and One Nights." The Russian Empress expressed the
opinion later that she had never experienced anything so romantic as
this evening.
The Grand Duchess Maria did not accompany her mother on this
occasion. The King's engagement to his cousin, and his breaking off
of it, had convinced the Empress that, amiable as he was as a friend,
she would probably do wisely in cooling her ardour to possess him as
a son-in-law.
There is no doubt that the broken engagement had injured the Duchess
Sophie's reputation; but it proved, nevertheless, that the incident
had by no means diminished her chances of making another advantageous
match. A reigning German Prince--a near relative of the King--went
in the summer of 1868 to Munich with the intention of learning to
know her, and of asking her hand. Another suitor had meanwhile been
before him. On the 1st of July, 1868, the Duc de Nemours and his son
had visited Possenhofen; and on the 11th of July of the same year,
during a visit to Baden-Baden, the engagement of Sophie to Prince
Ferdinand of Orleans, Duc d'Alençon was publicly announced. [14]
Shortly afterwards the Prince and his father went to England to make
arrangements for the new home. The wedding took place on the 28th
of September, 1868, at eleven in the forenoon, in the royal chapel
at Possenhofen. At the marriage, which was performed by the Abbé
Haneberg, were present, besides the bride's parents and brothers,
the Count and Countess di Trani, the Hereditary Princess Helene of
Thurn and Taxis, and several of the Bavarian princes and princesses,
also the Duc de Nemours, with both his daughters, the Comte de Paris,
the Prince de Joinville, with his wife and son, and other members
of the house of Orleans. The Empress of Austria and the ex-Queen of
Naples, the latter with her husband, who had shortly before visited
their paternal home, had left Bavaria immediately before the wedding.
The Neuesten Nachrichten of Munich, from which I have gathered these
details, is silent on the subject of an episode which has lately
become known through Freiherr von Völderndorff's reminiscences of
Prince Hohenlohe. In the midst of the ceremony Ludwig II. suddenly
appeared, accompanied by the Empress of Russia, who was his guest at
the time. His entrance had the most painful effect on all present. The
King remained for over an hour in the home of the bride, apparently
without in the least noticing the feeling of constraint which his
presence occasioned. His determination to congratulate his former
fiancée on her wedding-day was without doubt one of those momentary
impulses which were continually fluctuating in the neurotic man's
restless mind.
The Duc and Duchesse d'Alençon went to England, where they lived during
the first years of their married life. But Sophie often came back to
Possenhofen. Ludwig avoided meeting her with the greatest care. Many
years later they accidentally encountered one another at Seeshaupt
on the lake of Starnberg. An accident had happened to his horses,
and he had alighted from his carriage and had got up beside a peasant
who was driving past, in order to return to Berg. At that juncture
the Duchess Ludovica, with her youngest daughter by her side, drove
past. The King ordered the peasant to make way for her equipage. He
turned his head aside and took no notice whatever of the ladies.
After the marriage of the Duchess, a rumour was spread abroad
that Ludwig was again about to become engaged. He made a trip,
in the strictest incognito, from Hohenschwangau to Friedrichshafen
on Bodensee, travelling under the name of "Graf von Schyren," and
accompanied by a single servant. The King and Queen of Würtemberg had
invited him to visit them. Queen Olga, a Russian princess, who had
relinquished with regret the hope of seeing the Archduchess Maria Queen
of Bavaria, had at this juncture planned a new engagement. Princess
Emma of Waldeck-Pyrmont [15] was on a visit to the royal couple. The
Queen had made up her mind that this young lady, who was exceedingly
musical and a great admirer of Wagner's compositions, should make
the acquaintance of the King of Bavaria, with the view of a possible
matrimonial alliance between them. Ludwig appeared to be attracted
by the Princess, who in her turn was charmed with the gallant and
intellectual Monarch. The day spent at Friedrichshafen passed quickly
and pleasantly. Evening came, and Ludwig thought of returning to
his home. While he and the Princess were still sitting together at
the piano he became restless. He remarked that it was getting late,
and that the time for his departure was at hand. Almost immediately
he rose to depart. He took a warm farewell of the Princess, and a no
less hearty one of the King and Queen of Würtemberg, promising that he
would soon come again and perhaps stay longer. From the steamer, which
had been waiting for him, he waved several times to the King and Queen,
and the Princess, who were standing on the quay looking after him.
He never came back, however, and apparently forgot both the charming
day in Friedrichshafen and Princess Emma of Waldeck-Pyrmont.