Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-06
A HISTORIC HOUSE.
REieSiNe FAMILY or aApssURa.
'"'eres'ins Historical and Legendary Scrsp.
or Misfortune and S.eces..

'H'erts'ifs Historical and Legendary Scrsp
or Misfortune and Saece.s.
irsr's Letter TO san Fr,ncisco Chrsnicle.i
Gcnealosically considered. a fsw GA,
'"r'es more or less are OF no PARTICULAR con
sequence TO great many Americans. IN,
extreme old age in ancestral trees is some
thing which people arc proud Of IN In
eastern hemisphere. know French no
blemap whose sole hobby e. The antIani,,
OF his family name. In his old chateau
have seen rich tapestry which represent
sscenc from the dcIugc and a man pursu
>uiug Noah with The words, " Non ans
S'ercf stS PAPERS dtS rs"
Tue imperial family ~ Austria is no
quite 30 SHY as all that, but II can easil,
trace hack It's anc, stry into the nintt
century. The fisrsburgs were counted
cRong a., rulers OF the csrth almost 21(
years before the RohcnzNliers % Prussia
came into power. and ! myself have been
inside 81 house where the family once
lived witch was erected more than 500
ycsrs AGO. n was Wills away on nv re-
cent vacation that visited this old castle.
one 81 Tho most remarkable that ever saw.
MOI far from lrugg, which nest!cs in =
lovely Tla,n Just whore three riyers-the
Ettr>s litt RHis duI tut fiiNliltb- uUiic
their waters, lies q place called AItsnberg.
sRi II was from this quaint little village
that assembled on horseback 10 The TOP OF
certain high hill or mountain, where
sisnds stone house. the actual ancestral
residence o! Francis Joseph and his impe-
iial kiBsfolk.
NOT An IMPOSING STRUCTURE.
The tall. rudey-huilt and r0ugh.looking
pic hiss no appearance % greatness about
IL. and. although II Is occupied. | should
not ikS TO lodge in il, even for one night.
u j. 20 ruined and dirty. Nevertheless.
through these same narrow and uuglaZcd
windows that let HIGHT into small. smoke.
stained ROOMS and dismantled halls, an
empress has gazcd on broad lands all her
husbands own. and whose occupants were
h,s loyal yassalS. la size ana in thick.
ness % its walls the old chateau OF the
Uapsburgs seems 20 have been anything
hut stronghold. and this is explained by
story which in effect runs as follows:
Ever so long AGO one 81 the counts OF iIaps-
burg grew 50 powerful that the German
EMPEROR became Jealous. Fearing his
Msicsly's anger. and wishing 10 insure
himself q safe place Of retreat IN the midst
~ ms estates. the Count. who was then at
var In Burgundy. sent his brother with
sll the money that could be raised tO
build a house that would he a credit
10 Tie family and a stronghold in case OF
need. The wars at an end, the Count
FASTENED TO his estates, expecting to see \
lordly cSatle Of great strength. and was
both surprised and annoyed 10 fnd no.
thing but nOt-ovcr stout, small, tall, and
shsbby.lt oking building. His brother let
him go ~ bed in bad humor. but when
Al. H. -.
morning the Count saw the hillside and
plain covered with an army 81 well-dressed
iroops. which made him think the country
wfs invaded by an enemy.
.'DO not fear brother said the one who
had built the chatelu; these soldier are
aurir.cnds. II is thus have used your mo.
ney. snd hope you will find them the best
furniture, and even The strongest walls,
that We could possibly have for our family
csil'e."
ABIT OF HISTORY.
Il, vss in this same house. constructed
rarlY IN the eleventh century. and which
visited. where lived toward the end OF the
thirteenth century the Count Rodolphe
NspSLurg. nobleman highly esteemed
through Upper Austria. as the North OF
switzerland was sometimes called. fIe had
couTsgcously extended the borders OF his
estate. but as he was supposed not to rank
=, one Of the leading princes OF the empire.
10 vas bis custom to remain quiet, slmOst !
secluded, in bis own home. One day |
the imperial throne became vacant. |
The electors were unable TO agree !
upon one who should be crowned |
and during number Of years q state OF !
disorder existed. Finally the electors de- !
iermined 10 meet again and not 10 separate /
until they had given the empire a chef |
who should he noted for his wisdom. his !
wealth. and his Illustrious lineage. Their ,
choice fell on RodOlphe Hapsburg. and so /
great was the prestige and sacredness al
i,chcd TO the title Of emperor OF the /
Holy Roman Empire" at that time that when
The news Of Hapsburg's election reached /
Bssie. to which place the Count was then
lssing siege on bis own account, the city
ut once offered to open it, gates and
receive him and bis army as friends. The
Emperor forgot the wrongs which the
Count may have had, and the city never
had cause " complain Of rs loyal conf.
sence. The whole Of the province OF
Aargau gave itself up to rejoicings and
serry.making. The ladies Of Brugg and
Aitfnburg went in a body to the Hapsburg
castle 10 give the Empress their cOngrstu-
lations. and all the uoblemen round about
formed the escort OF the Emperor Ro-
a0iphc when be rode 10 Aix-la.C hapelle 10
receive the crown II Cbarlemagne. Such
VS. the imperial origin OF the present
Tcisniug family at Vienna.
CENTURY LATER.
Time- in fact about n century and hslf
Of years-passed on and the Hapsburgs
were firmly seated on the throne. Mean
while, however. The Swiss Confederation
bad come into existence, us seven csntons
for the most part formed at the expense Of
AuSlrisn dukes. For forty years the Holy
,,hole Church bad been tie victim OF a
'chism. caused by certsin cardinals. DIS
pleased With Urban W., whom they de.
posed a. Pope and elected the Count OF
icneva in his place, Europe being divided |
n allegiance between the two. The Coun-
III Of Pisa deposed both Of them. but as this
&c, did hot help matters council was
allied TO meet at Constance. There.
VI the shore Of the beautiful Lake
hat I crossed when on my way to Zurich,
VI the bishops, the ENJOYS OF all Christian
I0N ereignS, representatives Oi all free cities
md the universities. assembled in solemn
-oncISve. Hundreds Of noblemen fiockcd
ntO Constance in order In We with each
,theT in the msgnificense Of their display. /
nd the streets OF the town were full OF
Priests. monks, servants, and other strsn-
,cfs. The Council met N the even then
I'D cathedral, the same one. by the way,
n the nave Of which John lIuss was de.
'r1ded and condemned 20 the flames.
Al three OF the rival popes were
'Idefed W present themselves at the
~ Of the Council; bu, only one.
cin MIL, dared 10 obey, and in all pro.
ability be would not have done 80 had lac
10, felt cure OF the devotion Of Frederick
on iIsDsbuIg. who escorted him TO Con-
lance az the head OF 900 armed followers. Z
he Council Insisted that all the pretendcrs
hOuld sign reDuu ciatiOn Of the Pontid-
iai dignity, and John XIII. did so, but
few days aiterward took advantage Of
which had drawn every body
ui OF Constance. to make bis escape dis
ui,ed - position. When the news
cached Harsburg, IN the midst Of tiltlng
i5icb. he gave HIS antagonist THE victory
nd sci on 10 Join his ecclesiastical friend.
SEVERE SENTENCE.
The Council was very indignant, and
uhcd all its major and minor thunders at
be- Two fuglilyes. and So Siglsmond had
fiyste gTudge against Frederic, he pro-
ounced the ban OF the Empire against the
alter. Declaring him deprived OF his Dig
rites and calling on the poor fellows vas
ais 20 sssassinate him whenever they got