New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-07-03

at the wonderful Golden Fleece exhibition which
Las just been opened in the old Belgian city of
I Dt where the order was founded in 1870 by
IiIlp the Good, Duke OF Burgundy in the very
palac4' now the Hotel de Vile where the exhibit
Noh Is IN progress. King Edward Emperor Mich
o!ts. inc Kaiser, the Regent of Bavaria the King
% 'usal, as well as the great national picture
galleries. Of Europe. have loaned famous portraits
- hilsillS OF the order arrayed in its insignia,
"4l!4e emperor Francis Joseph has sent all sorts
fonso $50. ieiIcs connected herewith King Al
iohso being represented by a detachment of hal
pefdiers OF his Palace Guard, who in their pictu-
iNs costume furnish an additional attraction
ana interest TO tae show. The halberdiers and
ther TWO officers are TO remain on duty at the
4'I'.lCioH as long as II lasts, at the expense of
me hlng, whose loan includes all those historic
collars and ancient badges of the order that form
part Of the crown jewels Of Spain. The mere in
trinsc value Of the exhibits is estimated at about
100000 bur from an historical point Of view
they are absolutely priceless. and every student OF
history who can afford 1t should make a point Of
visiting Bruges this summer For never again will
there be such an interesting collection OF the kind
gathered under one roof
All sorts OF legends and stories some of them of
possible and others Of an impossible kind related
concerning the origin of the order. The two most
generally accepted stories, however, are the
effect that il founded by Duke Philip in honor
OF the magnificent golden tresses of of the
most beautiful OF his favorites and that ii was in
recognition Of the fact that Bruges in his day the
fchest city IN Europe, owed its prosperity TO. its
Woollen trade.
The grand mastershp remained in the possession
OF OF The dukes of Burgundy until the death OF
tharIeS the Bold without male issue, when It passed
10 MS SOn-.f-laW, the Emperor Macmillan OF Ger
many From that time It's chieftanship has be-
longed 10 the imperial house Of Hapsburg which
until 100 occupied the throne OF Spain. AT the be-
ginning Of the eighteenth century, when the death
OF the last apsburg ruler of Spain resulted in the
succession TO the throne of the French Duke Of
Aujou. grandson of Louis XIV a violent Quarrel
ensued on the subject Of the Golden Fleece. The
new King insisted that It a Spanish order.
while the German Emperor claimed that It be-
longed exclusively 10 his house and that from the
moment the latter ceased TO occupy the throne OF
Spain the connection Of the order with the
Spanish Crown terminated ipso facto. Until about
d quarter OF a century ago no person VINO nad re-
eeived the Fleece from the Crown of Spain
permitted TO wear II at the Court of Vienna, and
the first to ignore the rule unless I am much mis-
taken, was Emperor William
on ordinary occasions the jewelled badge, con-
sistng Of the Golden Fleece of ram. is worn
round the neck by a broad crimson MORE ribbon.
which on grand occasions is replaced by a gold
and jeweed chain. The insignia are returned 20
the chapter the death of each knight by his
surviving relatives and heirs. Each Golden Fleece
now in existence has figured on the breasts of
famous men in bygone times. Thus. the Fleece be-
slowed upon the late Prince Bismarck was nun
dreds OF years ago suspended from the neck Of the
Duke OF Alva, the Spanish despot Of the Neither
lands, who virtually destroyed the grandeur ana
prosperity of Bruges at the close Of the sixteenth
century; while the Fleece that belonged 10 Duke
Philip of Burgundy founder of the order is to-day
in the possession of Don Carlos. pretender to the
throne of Spain. and. shameful to relate, used
casionaLy TO be pawned by him AZ the Mont de
Pete at Milan and at Venice before his first wifes
Inheritance of the great fortune of her uncle and
aunt, the late Count and Countess Of Chambord.
placed him in ai!uence
IN Austria. in Spain. the Knights Of the
Golden Fleece have precedence over every one
else all cousins of the sovereign by courtesy,
exempt from the Jurisdiction OF ordinary tri-
bunals and claim trial by the chapter OF
the order, no matter with what crime they are
charged. In Austria non-Catholics are vigorously
barred from the order. and Roman Catholic as
well as noble ancestry is a sine qua In fact.
there was considerable criticism when the Emperor
OF Austria conferred the order upon the Duke Of
Orleans the time of his marriage To Arch
duchess Maria Dorothea of Austria, owing 70 the
fact that the dukes grandmother the late Duchess
Of Orleans. q Necklenburg princess, had lived ana
died q Lutheran. In Spain the Crown is much
more liberal Plebeian ancestry is no disqualified
ton a number of statesmen who have been self
made men having been decorated herewith More
over Spain bestows II freely Protestant royalty
and foreign statesmen, and King Edward the
Prince Of Wales, Emperor William ana the lata
Prince Bismarck all received their Golden Fleeces
from Spain as did also King Edwards father, the
Iare Prince Consort and the late Duke OF yelling
ton. hARQLISE DE- f'-\ } t-->D1'