The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1893-07-26
A WANDERING CROWN.
Wonderful vicissitudes of the Sill.
yer Coronet OF. Hungary.
Tragic Incidents In tho History OF the
Various Rulers Who Have Worn the
Famous Emblem of Double
Monarchy.

"More precious to the loyal Magyar
heart than all the mbarras de richesses,
whether of barbaric rudeness or me-
dieval splendor, is the ancient silver
crown OF Hungary-battered, dinted
and black as old iron. We gaze on it,"
says a writer in the Argosy, with rev.
erential awe; for surely no crown in
the world has undergone such wonder
ful vicissitudes. When the royal line
OF 0rfad became extinct Hungary was
filed with confusion. The pope
crowned one candidates; the diet elected
another. who Immediately donned the
coronation robes and the silver crown.
His pretensions were speedily sup
pressed by the king of Bohemia, who
surrounded the walls Of Buda with his
tsoops, and carried off both king and
crown to an impregnable Bohemian
fortress.
lotto of Bavaria was then chosen by
the Hungarians as their future ruler,
on condition that he should first re-
cover the famous crown, with which
the fortunes of Hungary have ever
been SO closely connected. The Ba-
varian prince agreed to the conditions,
and, Disgusting himself in the garb Of
a merchant, he set forth ON his quest
and reached Bohemia in safety. He
speedily learned that the country was
on the verge of ruin; war had deci-
mated the population and exhausted
the national finances. The land was
untitled and the resources of the king
dom at the lowest ebb. Under these
circumstances the value Of the Hun
garian crown as a trophy Of victory
was at discount. The misfortunes Of
the impoverished state and the dire
necessities to which 1t was reduced de-
stroyed chivalrous sentiment and ma
tional pride. The supposed merchant
profted by the situation, and soon en-
tered into such successful negotiations
with the harassed and pauperized
government that he was enabled to Sc
cure the possession of the silver crown.
Elizabeth, the widowed queen of
King Albert of Hungary, was the next
to disturb the safety Of the silver
crown. The death of the king had
plunged the country into vortex of
strife and confusion. In the midst of
the contest she resolved to escape
from the dangers which threatened
her, taking with her the ancient
crown. After taking refuge in Ger
many she was reduced to abject power
ty, and In her distress she pawned the
historic crown of Hungary to EN-
peror Frederick for three thousand
ducats. Indignation fred every patri-
otic Magyar heart; war was declared,
and, after much bloodsiied, the bat
tered crown was recovered by the Hun
garian army and taken back in triumph
10 Buda, where 1t was locked up in
fortress and guarded night and day by
two state dignitaries chosen from the
Magyar nobility. The strife and tu-
multi which for 50 many centuries sur
rounded the silver crown only in
creased its moral value and heightened
its significance, finally winning the
due recognition of Hungarian needs
and requirements. The brave Magyar
race stoutly refused to denationalize
itself by incorporation with Austria,
and at last the necessity of self-gov-
ernment for Hungary was admitted.
Francis Joseph of Hapsburg was SOL
emnly crowned king Of Hungary az
well as emperor Of Austria, and ae-
cepted'w with the silver crown the double
responsibility of the double monarchy"