The Minneapolis journal., 1902-05-17
ALFONSO XIII.
IS KING
He Attains His Majority and
Takes the Oath To-day
at Madrid.
Scenes of Medieval Splendor
and Magnidcence---An
Eventful Day.

Madrid, May liking Alfonso at
tanned his majority to-day and became
king in fact as we'll as in name, having
reached the age, IS, prescribed, by the
constitution.
Beautiful weather favored this, the CEN
trail day Of the fetes. At an early hour
all the bands of music of the troops per-
formed beneath the windows Of the king
apartments.
The royal procession was formed on the
plaza de Armas, in front of the palace,
shortly before p. m. and proceeded to
the chamber Of deputies, where, ir the
presence Of the senators and deputies the
king took the oath to uphold the consti-
tuition.
A Great Procession.
The procession was a spectacle of medi-
eval magniticence. Great grooms on
horseback opened the march. They were
followed by four buglcrs and cymbal play
ers from the royal stables, whose horses
were led by grooms on foot; four mace
bearers on four horses with oriental
trappings, led by hand two of the kings
riding horses, two of the queen regents 8
riding horses, ready saddled, led by
grooms, and six other royal horses, COW
cred with handsome velvet cloth OF red.
blue, green and yellow, embroidered with
armorial bearings in gold and silver.
Then came twelve Of the prlnclpal out
riders who directly preceded a line of
quaint, historical coaches. emblazoned
with armorial bearings ,and embelllshed
with massive gilt ornamentatlon
The procession, which emerged from the
courtyard of the palace amid the booming
IoI 1Iyo1 n
through the streets, gay with flags and
bunting, to the chamber of deputies, be-
fore the steps of which had been erected
q purple canopy.
The King Takes the Oath.
A delegation, consisting of twelve SEN
ators and twelve deputies, received tnelr
majesties at the steps and, preceded by
the mace bearers, they were conducted
thrcr gh the ante chambers, filled with
courtiers and others who were unable 10
find accommodation in the chamber ltsell:
The king queen regent andRthe prince ana
princess of the sAsturias ascended a. pat
form, facing the semi circular, g1lded
hall, around which the benches were nlieo
to their capacity by senators, deputies,
courtiers and minister's ...s
The king and queen regent who had
entered together, took the center seats,
and the prince and princess of the Astu-
rias seated themselves in the others. On
the left of the king stood table on
which was Bible with d silver crucittx
On the other side of his majesty was a
stool on which was golden crown blaz-
ing with jewels and scepter.
AS the royal party entered the hall
everyone rose and remained standing un-
til the queen regent pronounced the
words: BE seated" The president Of
the chamber, Senior Vega Armijo, who ap-
preached the table on which the Bible
rested, then said, amid impressive silence
gust mother are assembled TO receive from
your majesty the OATH which in accordance
with the constitution, you come to take, tt
maintain the constitution and laws.
senor Armijo then drew near to the
king and held out the Bible, at the same
time keeping open a book containing thu
formula of the oath. His majesty, plac
ing his right hand on the Bible, thel
uttered the following words:
I swear, by God, upon the Holy Bible, t
maintain the constitution and the laws. l
so I do may God reward me. If I do not
may He call me to account.
The queen regent, the royal party an
all others present, listened standing
King Alfonso then again seated himsel
on the throne: and the others also re
seated themselves.
The president of the chamber returne
10 the table and from there addressing tn
king, said:
majesty has taken to maintain the constitu
tion and laws.
At the same moment the booming Q
twenty-one guns was again heard, an
nouncing to the city that the king ha
fho