The Washington herald., 1908-06-28

Special Correspondence The Washington Herald
Vienna. June l5.-The Emperor Francis
Joseph, who Is on the verge of seventy
eight years OF age. stood for three hours
to-day on the royal stand in the famous
RingstrasSe 20 witness the passage of the
most imposing national pageant in his
tory.
For most of the time the sun was broil-
ing hot, but the aged monarch seemed
quite unconscious of the trying nature
of his ordeal, and from beginning TO end
Of the magnificent five-mile historic pro-
cession which passed before him was as
intensely interested as any of the half
million persons whose privilege il was to
be present.
The pageant which was in celebration
Of the Emperor's sixty years reign, had
taken four months 70 prepare. and had
cost $4,000. IL was on such an immense
scale that the whole inner city OF Vienna
appeared TO have been transformed into
a vast theater, in which hundreds Of
thousands of spectators could watch the
immense company OF DOOO performers. in
cluding 400 horsemen. Many spectators
paid from 500 to $500 for seats facing the
pavilion which accommodated the royal
party.
Austrian arfstocrats OF the most IA
nous families marched OF rode In the pro-
cesslon In the roles of their ancestors
who had distinguished themselves and
won their historic titles as statesmen and
generals hundreds Of years ago. In many
cases, too. they wore the very armor
and trappings OF the time represented
which had lain for centuries, undlsturbed
In their family castles.
Group Represents Dynasty.
First came group representing the
founder OF the Hapsburg dynasty. King
Rudolph l. surrounded by the chivalry
Of his age. Most of the members Of this
group belonged to families which can
trace their titles back to the time Of Ru-
dolph's reign at the end Of the thirteenth
century. and included Prince Auersperg.
Prince Fuerstenberg. Prince Lfechten-
stein, Count Harrach, four Counts Khuen-
burg, and about forty other counts and
barons whose families have the proud dis
unction of being as old as the dynasty.
the Austrian equivalent OF the English
coming over with the Conqueror."
King Rudolph, represented by Count
Eltz carried his helmet In his hand and
bowed 10 Francis Joseph as he passed
the monarch replying with a military
salute TO the greeting OF his ancestor.
This group. like several OF the others.
afforded a remarkable study I'm medieval
armor- The knights We're all on horse
back, and armed with lance and sword
and their helms and shields were gay with
the crests and eSCutcheons which are
NOWADAYS only erohTaz,,ca
riage panels Of their descendants.
After King Rudolph followed a living
picture Of an expedition OF Viennese citi-
zens setting out to destroy one Of the
robbcr barOns castles which were a ter
ror 70 the countryside I'm the fourteenth
century. The artillery Of the period
great catapults 10 throw stone balls-tbe
ballista and the battering ram, and n
kind of movable redoubt on wheels. ex-
cited much interest as they rumbled slow
ly by.
Rudolph ~. called the Founder formed
the central figure OF the next group. He
was followed by builders, masons and
carpenters In the dress of medieval
burghers dragging a model OF st. Steph-
ems Cathedral. which he founded. as well
as the Vienna Universty-and by a num-
Der Of church dignitaries in gorgeous
vestments.
A procession Of twenty knights. with
attendant squires and pages. on their
way 10 a tournament. was portrayed in
the fourth group
The next group represented a particu-
larly interesting scene In Austrian hrs
tory-the double marriage OF two grand
children Of the Emperor Maximilian
which brought the crowns or Hungary
and Bohemia 10 the house OF Hapsburg
The aged Emperor Macmillan and the
King OF Bohemia were carried by in lit
ters. and the Kings OF Poland and Hun
gary rode on horseback In gorgeous cos
tunes, After them followed the youthful
brides. twelve and ten years old, IN a
golden carriage. accompanied by other
carriages full or court ladies, represented
by a number OF ladies II the aristocracy.
dressed in ancient brocades and velvets.
Siege OF vienna,
Several military groups representing the
storms which the Austrian empire passed
through in the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries came next There was the first
siege Of Vienna by the Turks, with a
long column OF landsknechts-the mer-
cenaries Of the time-headed by Count
Robert Salm, the descendant OF Count
Niklas Saln, who organized the defense
Of the city. The picture OF the second