MENTAL AND MORAL HEREDITY IN ROYALTY.
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3. | Castile: Isabella, the Catholic, wife of Ferdinand of Aragon. | |
Isabella was probably a reversion due to the remarkable and repeated inbreeding from John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster and John the Great of Portugal. Her illustrious descendants were numerous. Among others may be mentioned the emperor Charles Quint, Don John of Austria and Alexander Farnese. | ||
4. | Coligny: Caspard, the great admiral. | |
The great admiral was the product of the union of the Colignys with the Montmorencys when both families possessed illustrious names. He also left great descendants (Maurice of Nassau and others). | ||
5. | Henriette: poetess, a grand niece of the admiral. | |
6. | (new) Douglas: Archibald Earl of Angus. | |
Not a conspicuous example of heredity. His son Gavin was distinguished as a poet. | ||
7. | (new) Egmont: Lamoral,-1558. | |
Had two sons of some distinction. | ||
8. | Hanau: Amelia, married William V. of Hesse-Cassel. | |
As regent, 'extraordinary energy, wisdom and virtue.' William the Silent, the illustrious founder of the Dutch Republic, had thirty-two grandchildren, four of whom were distinguished. Amelia was one of these four. | ||
9. | Hohenzollern: Frederick William, the Great Elector of Brandenburg. | |
True founder of the eminence of the Hohenzollerns and greatest man in Germany in his day. He was one of the numerous great grandchildren of William the Silent. | ||
10. | Lorraine: René II., Duke of,-1508. | |
Defeated Charles the Bold. Mother was a daughter of René, Duke of Aragon (distinguished). | ||
11. | Lorraine: Claude, first Duke of Guise, son of the above. He served in the army with distinction at Marignano and other places, and was created Duke of Guise by Francis I. His fame was exceeded by his son, Francis, who became one of the greatest commanders of his time' and also by his grandson, Henry, the bitter opponent of the Protestants. | |
12. | (new) Orange: William the Silent, illustrious founder of the Dutch Republic. Sprang from comparatively mediocre stock, but his genius was wonderfully well perpetuated owing to his remarkably brilliant alliances. | |
13. | Palatine: Sophia, Electress of Hanover, an undoubted example of hereditary talent, owing to her many brilliant relations, and one of the connecting links between the genius in the families of Orange and Hohenzollern. | |
14. | Parthenay: Catherine, Vicomtesse de Rohan,-1631. | |
"A spirited and gifted French lady, was a Huguenot. She distinguished herself at the siege of La Rochelle in 1627, and later published some poems." The famous Duke of Rohan was her son. He was called 'the perfect captain,' also wrote valuable memoirs and a treatise on war. The father and aunt were both distinguished. | ||
15. | (new) Romanhof: Peter the Great of Russia. | |
It is a question whether Peter is to be regarded as a new variation or a reversion to his great grandfather, Feodor, who was the greatest man in Russia in his day. His only other very brilliant relation was Sophia, his half sister. |