Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-31
VICTORIA BECOMES
QUEEN OF SPAIN
Alfonso Weds English Princess
With Great Pomp.
ENTHUSIASM AT MADRID
Sovereign and His Young Bride Greet
ed With Cheers.
MEDIAEVAL sPLEND0R REVIVED
Imposing Cortege Moves Through the
Gaily Decorated Streets Filled
With Joyous People.
Sovereign and His Young Bride Greet
ed With Cheers.
MEDIAEvAL sPLENDoR REVIVED

MADRID, May 31.-The marriage of King
Alfonso and Princess Victoria was ccle-
brated today with great pomp and popular
rejoicing.
The city awoke under a cloudess sky
with dazzling sunshine adding Its gIories
to the bewildering maze of color in which
the streets were enveloped. From an early
hour the centers presented an aspect of ex-
treme animation. The entire night had
been passed amid the din of fireworks
singing and dancing, and thousands of pro
vincials, unable TO secure shelter. spent the
night In cafes and in the streets. At 5
o'clock crowds densely packed the main
thoroughfare, and the troops took up their
positions. stopping all traffic and the whole
city took an air of feverish ex pc stance.
The esplanade fronting the royal palace
was occupied by regiments of the royal
guards in gala uniforms with glitter ng
breast plates and helmets. They formed
semi-circles. guarding the approaches TO
the palace from the crowds eager TO ga:n
points of vantage. The massive outlines of
the palace were without decorations save
the royal standard floating above Detach-
ments OF halberdiers, with quaint cockades,
stood with halberdiers at the princes gate
the route of the cortege hurried prepara-
tions were going on. Troops lined BON
sides of the street in solid ranks for mites.
The scene from the Puerto Del Sol to the
Pardo palace was one of striking briliancy
All the buildings were resplendent with the
yellow and red OF Spain. woven into sun
Dursts, huge rosettes and graceful stream
ers looped from roof to roof, and arches of
roses from which were suspended enormous
flower baskets and trailing vines Hinder
this dazzling canopy OF flags and flowers
Burged dense masses OF humanity in fes-
tival attire, the women wearing white man
tillas and bunches of bright flowers in their
black hair. and with bright-colored fans
whipping the air. The population of Ma
arid had turned out in body and was
augmented to twice its usual size by visit
tors from the country and neighboring
towns.
Princess Victoria came from the Pardo
palace to Madrid early in the morning. ac
companied by her mother Princess Henry
or Battenberg. and her ladies of honor and
escorted by regiment OF the royal guards
the brides party was installed in the min
istry Of marine. which had been sruntuous
~ prepared for her. There the PRINCESS nut
on her wedding dress and Queen Christina
greeted the bride. after which the ladies'
preakIasted together In the blue salon of
the ministry. -
Scene OF Medieval SpIendor.
The wedding cortege started from the
royal palace at 9:S0 a. m amid the ring
ing or church bells. the firing of artillery
salutes and the clamorous enthusiasm, of
the crowd massed along the route Ahead
rooe trumpeters In crimson velvet suits
OF the time OF Philip III, sounding the
approach of the royal party Following
them came the personnel of the royal
household; the heralds, mounted on stall
Hons from the royal stud and caparfsoned
In oriental style, each led by a cadet of
the royal riding academy and the eouer
ries and grooms from the royal stables
leading the kings favorite horses. with
gold-embroidered saddle cloths and COL
ored plumes. accompanied by pages and
riding masters and all the bewildering
equipment of a luxurious court
Next came n long line of gala coaches
OF the Spanish grandees, each Of n dis
tnctfVe color, with panels richly naipta1
gnded and Jewels. and drawn by magnf6'
cent horses In silver harness adorned
with tall piumes matching the livery.
WITHIN roae the nobility of spain-the
men with their breasts covered with or
ders and the women in wedding attire
But the brilliancy OF this part Of tho
cortege was far surpassed when the fa-
nous royal coaches came into view each
drawn by eight superb white horses with
golden and silver harnesses and loftv
colored plumage, looking like the coaches
depicted on some illuminated page of a
fairy book.
These coaches formed one OF the most
striking features Of the wedding cortege
They were marvels of luxury some of
tortoise shell. other of mahogany, set
with panels painted by famous artists, ali
ornamented with precious metals and en-
blazoned with the royal Insignia. They
were relics of bygone days. when kings
and queens rode in golden vehicles, but
they had been renovated in all their origi-
nal splendor for this occasion.
The most interesting coaches were the
Amanth coach. for the court ladies'; The
Cypher coach. for the lords In waiting
the coach Of the ducal crown, for the in
mother.
All the trappings and surroundings of
these magnificent vehicles were In keeping
About these glittering vehicles circled
retnneS OF grooms. pages, heralds and
others IN the snowy uniforms OF Louis
XIV. The coaches of the Spanish grandees
were hardly less remarkable than those
OF royalty, the main difference being that
they were drawn by only two horses a.
cordiag TO rigid rule.
Some OF the most notable OF these coaches
The peke OF Alba's coach Of yellow with
red wheels. the piumage OF the horses and
color; that OF the Marquis of Eiana a sew
enteenth century coach. adorned with pre-
cious paintings by Vicente Lopez: that Of
the Marquis de Mirafores distingtished
by it's wlhteness. all the plamage harnesses
and liyery being OF white: those OF the Duke
OF Sctonlayor and the Marquis dTovari
each 5f blue with red wheels and plumage
OF the same color: that OF the Duke OF
Tauames. brown. and OF the Count of
Heredia, green. There were some twenty
fve of these historic coaches of the
grandees each having its own peculiar
briliancy, and all forming slnguIarIy
dazzling pageant.
Following tho coaches OF the Spanish
princes and infantss were those of the yis-
itirg princes. including the Prince and
Princess OF Wales. the Archduke and Arch
duchess Frances Ferdinand OF Austria the
Grand Duke and Grand Duchess Vladimir