East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1859-08-25
Sketch Of the Austrian Empire.

MacGregor's admirable work on Eu-
rope enables us To nse some very inter-
esting particulars on the -;so and pro
gress of Austrian monarchial power;
The house of Austria derives its origin
and the foundation of its power from Ro-
dolph, Count of Hapsburg, in Switzcr-
land. Rodolph, who was one of the
ablest princes of his age, baving extend
ed his authority over the greater part of
Switzerland, and distinguished himself
by his ability and bravery, was raised, in
1878, to the imperial throne. His eleva-
ion was owing principally to the wish of
the electors to have an emperor of un-
doubted ability, capable of putting down
the anarchy that hadlongprevailed in the
greater part of the States included with
in the limits of the Empire, and who, at
the same time, was not powerful enough
to occasion any fear Of his subverting the
privileges of the different States. The
family Of the anciaent dukes of Austria,
of the house of Hamburg, having become
extinct a short while previously to the
elevation of Rodolph, their States were
aiken possession of by Ottocar, King of
Bohemia, whose ascendency threatened
the independence of the Empire. But
Rodolph. having secured the sanction of
of the Diet, declared war against Otto
car, whose forces were totally defeated
and himself killed in the decisive battle
of Marchfiold, in 1878. This formidable
competitor being removed, Rodolph had
little difficulty in procuring from the diet
the investure of the duchy in favor of his
eldest son; and it has ever since continu-
ed in the possession of his descendant, and
formed one of the principal sources of
their power.
Albert, the son ofRodolph, did not in
herit the talents of his father. The
Swiss revoluted from his dominionin 1871
and after heightened contest achieved
their independence. But not withstand
ing this event, and the elevation of sew
eral princes of other families to the i'm
perial throne, the power Of the House of
of Austria rapidly increased, and in no
very long time its dominisons embraced
some of the largest and most important
countries Of Europe. 1t has been prin-
cipally indebted for its extraordinary
aggrandizement to fortunate alliances
The marriage, in 1477, of Maximilian,
son OF the Emperor Frederic III, with
the daughter and hei,ess of Charles the
Bold, the last Duke Of Burgundy, brought
TO the House Of Austria all the rich in
heritancc Of the latter in the Low Coun-
tries, Franche Come and Artois. An
other marriage opened to the House of
Austria the successor to the Spanish
monarchy, including its vast possessions
in Italy and the New World. And Fer
dinand /, having married in 1921 Anne,
sister of Louis, Kingof Hungary and Bo-
hemia, succeeded, on he death Of the lGt-
ter at the battle Of Mobscz in 1926, to
these States. There is, therefore, cs
much of truth as Of point in the lines,
.Bella gerant ALT tn felix Austria nubc,
Nam quisc Mars aliis Dat ubi regina Venrs"
Charles ", the most powerful mon
arch of the House OF Austria, concluded,
in 1921, treaty with his brother Fer
dinand, by which he assigned to him the
hereditary possessions Of the family in
Germany. And there can be little doubt
that this arrangement was for the advan-
tagc of both branches of the house--that
of Austria, properly socalled, and that Of
Spain.
The great power aad ambition Of the