Page:Collier's New Encyclopedia v. 04.djvu/241

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FRANCIS JOSEPH I. 197 FRANCIS DE SALES, ST. attempted to maintain a constitutional and parliamentary regime in his domin- ions, and only through the respect and affection of his subjects and by means of his own personal influence, was the Dual Empire held together during the period of his long reign. On April 24, 1854, he married Elizabeth, daughter of Duke Maximilian of Bavaria. This marriage ended in an estrangement which was terminated only by the assas- sination of the Empress by an Italian anarchist in Geneva, on Sept. 10, 1898. The only son of Francis Joseph and Elizabeth, Rudolph, died mysteriously in his hunting lodge at Meyerling, Austria. This left an heir apparent, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, nephew of the Em- FRANCIS .JOSEPH I. peror, whose murder on July 18, 1914, at Sarajevo, Bosnia, precipitated the World War. Throughout the long reign of Francis Joseph, public calamity and private distress were mingled. It was reported that he v/as forced into actual hostilities against Serbia only through t|ie influence of his ministers and the German Emperor. The disasters suf- fered by the Austrian armies greatly depressed him, although he continued to perform his duties until within a few hours of his death, which occurred on Nov. 21, 1916. Francis Joseph's reign was the longest in modern history. It lasted 67 years and exceeded that of Queen Victoria by 4^y4 years. He was succeeded as Emperor by Charles Francis Joseph, nephew of Francis Ferdinand and son of Archduke Otto. FRANCIS I., King of the Two Sicilies, son of Ferdinand I.; bom in Naples, Aug. 19, 1777, and twice during the life- time of his father he carried on the gov- ernment of the kingdom under the name of viceroy; first in 1812, when a con- stitution was granted to Sicily; and afterward in 1820, during the troubles which broke out in Naples and Palermo. He mounted the throne in 1825, and died in Naples, Dec. 8, 1830. He was suc- ceeded ly Ferdinand II. (Bomba), who, dying in 1859, was followed by Francis II., who lost his throne in 1861. FRANCIS, DAVID ROWLAND, an American public official, born in Rich- mond, Ky., in 1850. He graduated from Washington University in 1870. He en- gaged in business and became a director and official in many important financial institutions. From 1889 to 1893, he was governor of Missouri. He was appointed Secretary of the Interior by President Cleveland, in 1896, serving for a year. He was president of the Louisiana Pur- chase Exposition in 1904. In 1916 he was appointed ambassador to Russia, serving until compelled to leave by the Bolshevik Government, in 1919. FRANCIS, ST., or FRANCIS OF AS- SISI, the founder of the order of Fran- ciscan friars; born in Assisi, Umbria, in 1182. He was the son of a merchant, and was said to be of dissolute habits; but on recovering from a dangerous ill- ness he became enthusiastically devout, undergoing every species of penance and mortification. Thinking his extrava- gance proceeded from insanity, his father had him closely confined. Being taken before the Bishop of Assisi, in order formally to resign all claim to his paternal estate, he cheerfully resigned everything. He was now looked upon as a saint, and great numbers joining him in his vow of poverty, he drew up rules for their use, which being sanctioned by Pope Innocent III., the order of Fran- ciscans was established. In 1219 he held a chapter which was attended by 5,000 friars. After having made a fruitless effort to convert the Sultan Meleddin, he returned to Assisi, where he died, Oct. 4, 1226, and was canonized by Pope Gregory IX. in 1230. FRANCIS DE SALES. ST., Bishop of Geneva, founder of the Order of Visita- tion; born of a noble Savoyard family, in the chateau of Sales, near Geneva, Aug. 21, 1567. He was educated by the Jesuits at Paris, studied law at Padua, and having a strong bent to theology and a religious life, entered the Church. He was sent, in 1594, with his kinsman, Louis de Sales, to preach in the Duchy