New-York tribune., 1909-05-02

find any record of the presence of Swiss guards
at Copenhagen during the last century. yet am
able to refer to Shakespeare as my authority for
the fact that they formerly figured at the court OF
Denmark For Hamlet's stepfather is made TO
exclain: Where are my Switzers? Let them
guard the door
Among the last of temporal sovereigns 10 re-
tain Swiss bodyguard were the kings OF Ma
pies and it was solely due TO the fidelity and
bravery Of the late Francis lis Switzers that his
now widowed Queen Marie was able to make so
heroic a defence Of the stronghold Of Gaeta
against the Garibaldian army.
If Swiss guards still figure at the Vatican,
arrayed in the picturesque uniform designed
for them by Michael Angelo four hundred years
ago, it is because the Papacy is an international
institution rather than purely Italian organ
ization- It IS therefore only right and proper
that the guards intrusted with the protection Of
the Pontin and Of his court should be recruited
from the country IN Europe that stands
more than any other for neutrality and for the
policy Of holding aloof from International COM
pIications. Then, too there are several hun
dred families of patricians and peasants in the
Catholic cantons of Switzerland who have for
six hundred years enjoyed the highly prized
prerogative of placing their sons at the dis
posaI of the PontiR for terms of service at
X has seen no reason to withdraw this priv
ilege. since, deprived as he is of all temporal
sovereignty. no one can possibly consider his
retention of his Swiss bodyguard a leaning
toward absolutism.
OrIentals formerly almost as much in
demand at foreign courts as Swiss, and figured
as recently as IN the reign OF Alexander III at
st. Petersburg, where the late Emperors body
guard of Moslem Tcherkess, or Turcomans. were
scarcely able to utter a single worCeof Russian,
and were disposed to regard the AIuscovites as
the traditional and hereditary foes Of their race
Until hundred years ago Moorish guards were
among the most picturesque features Of the
court of Madrid and there were few Continental
nlonarchs who did not have their Eeyducts, or
Moslem bodyguards. The celebrated AIameIulle
Of the first Napoleon retains q niche IN his
tory having on several occasions preserved
from assassination his master, across whose
door he wont to sleep; and the great EN-
peror, suspicious OF every else. even Of
the most devoted Of his generals. placed the
blindest confidence in this dusty retainer, who
had number Of men Of his own race under
his orders. and whose features and appearance
have been preserved in many a painting por-
traying episodes Of the NapoIeonc era.
oRIENTALS IN EUROPEAN COURTS.
The association OF this Mameluke with Napo-
leon dated TroIn his So1Ourn in Egypt. But II IS
difficult TO account for the prediction which
the petty rulers Of Germany used to display for
Heyducks. In fact the only explanation I can
find for their strange taste for these Moslem
guards whose very creed taught them hatred
and lack Of faith toward Christians and who
therefore deserved TO be regarded with the ut
most suspicion and distrust. that. like
Othello. they had no religious scruples which
would interfere with the cutting of the throats
Of any OF their employers subjects.
King Alfonso of Spain has one of the strang-
est bodyguards in all Europe. It differs from
most Of those mentioned above IN that 1t is
composed not of aliens, but Of fellow country
men Known the Monteros de Espnosa,
their duty is TO provide for the safety of the
monarch while he IS slumberIng. In fact, it is
to them that is intrusted the guard of the en-
tire palace from dusk until o'clock in the
morning. And while one Of them is stationed
at the entrance Of the sleeping apartment Of
each of the royal personages in the palace 9th
patrol, in felt slippers, without ceasing the
halls and corridors Of the immense and some
what gloomy palace which constitutes the met
ropolitan residence Of the kings Of Spain.
The corps founded, long before the king-
dorns Of the Peninsula became united under one
crown. by Don Sancho Garcia. Count Of CASTLE
in recognition of the services of a hdalgo of the
village Of Espinosa, in the province Of Burgos,
who had saved the life Of his eldest son. After
him the kings Of Castle maintained the corps
exactly the count had founded It. and since
the union Of the various kingdoms into tbs
monarchy Of Spain the sovereigns of the latter
have always been guarded while they sleep by
this ancient body. The membership thereof is
hereditary, and one but a hidalgo and native
Of the village of Espinosa is admitted thereto Il
is under the command Of the grand master Of
the palace and is not bound 70 render obedi-
ence to any one else.
On the death Of king Of an infanta Of
Spain its members guard the body and do not
leave il until the termination Of the obseuuies;
while on the document which certifes the death
Of the royal parsonage their signature is af-
fixed to the Identification Of the body In al