Friday, July 19, 2013

Horsewhipped royals

July 19, 1919

Three members of the Princely family of Isenburg-Birstein"were horsewhipped recently by an angry carter."  The carter's horses were  spooked by the Isenburgs' automobile.

The New York Times reports that that Prince Alfons, Princess Antoinette and Prince Viktor were "motoring to Altenburg," where they were to meet with the Duke of Altenburg.  En route, they "encountered a farmer with a load of wood."

His horse "shied before the automobile," and upset the cart, as the wood fell into a ditch.  He used his whip to lash  out at the princess and princes, taking out his whip,  "leaving angry weals on the faces of all three."

The man now faces charges at Gera for his "misdeed."  A century ago, he could have been charged with treason.

The three are children of the late Karl, Prince of Isenburg-Birstein and his wife, Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria.

1 comment:

L'Artisan said...

My great-grandfather was chief forester to this family in the early 1900s. Thanks for an interesting post!