The Washington herald., 1909-05-02
LAST OF THE PRETORIANS
Disappearance of Institution That Has Been in Ex-
istence for 1000 Years.

Scandinavian subjects. A3d although I
cannot find any record of the presence OF
Swiss guards at Copenhagen during the
past century, yet I am able 20 refer 10
Shakespeare as my authority for the fact
that they formerly figured at the Court
Of Denmark. for Hamlet's step-father Is
made 10 exclaim: Where are my Switz-
ers? Let them guard the door
Among the last OF temporal sovereigns
TO retain q Swiss bodyguard were the
kings Of Naples. and It was solely due 70
the fidelity and bravery OF the late Fran
els rs Switzers that his now widowed
Queen Marie was able to make so heroic
Ia defense OF the stronghold OF Caeta
against the Geribaldian army.
II Swiss guards stin figure at the Vati-
can. arrayed in the picturesque uniform
designed for them By Michael Angelo 10
years ago. IL is because the papacy is an
international institution rather than g
purely Italian organization. II is, there
fore, only right and proper that the
guards intrustsd with the protection OF
the poDthf and Of his court should be re-
cruited from the one country in Europe
trality and for the policy OF holding aioof
from International complications.
Then. too. there are several hundred
families Of patric!ans and peasants IN the
Catholic cantons OF Switzerland who have
for 600 years enjoyed the highly prized
prerogative Of placing their sons az the
disposal OF the pontiR for terms Of serv-
Ice at Rome as members Of his body
Ep4-~- koe -.
withdraw this privilege. since, deprived
as he Is OF all temporal sovereignty. no
one can possibly consider his retention Of
bis Swiss bodyguard as leaning toward
absolutism-
Orientals were formerly almost as much
IN demand at foreign courts as Swiss, and
figured as recently as In the reign Of
Alexander III ct St Petersburg. where
the late Emperor's bodyguard OF M0slem
TCherkess. OF TuTcomans. were scarcely
able 70 utter q single word OF Russian
and disposed 10 regard the Muscovites as
the traditional and hereditary foes Of
their race. Until a hundred years ago
Moorish guards were among the most
picturesque features Of the Court of Mad
rid. and there were few continental mon
archs who did not have their HeydUcks
or Moslem bodygUaTds.
The celebrated Mamsluke Of the first
Napoleon retains a niche IN history as
having on several occasions preserved
from assassination his master, across
whose door he was wont 20 sleep: and the
great emperor, so suspicious Of every
one else. even OF the most devoted OF his
generals, placed the blindest confidence
in this duslzy retainer, who had a 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 NapOleonic era
The association OF this Mamaluke with
Napoleon dated from his sojuorn IN
Egypt
But II Is difficult 10 account for the Pre-
dilection which the petty rulers of Ger
many used to display for Heyducks IN
fact. the only explanation that I can
find for their strange taste for these Mos
lem guards. whose very creed taught
them hatred and lack OF faith toward
Christians. and who. therefore. deserved
20 be regarded with the utmost suspicion
ard Gistrust. was that. Ike OtheIIO. they
had 10 religious scTuples which would IN
terfere with the cutting OF threats OF any
@ their employers subjects.
King Alfonso Of Spain has one OF the
strangest bOdyguards in all Europe II
differs from most OF those mentioned
above II that Il Is composed. not OF aliens.
but OF fellOw-Countrymen. known as
the Monteros de Espinosa- Their duty Is
10 provide for the safety OF the monarch
while he L sTuu1 Herf7u Il f-o- - fe .,
them that is intrusted the guard OF the
entire royal palace from dusk until s
o'clock IN the morning.
And while one Of them is stationed at
the entrance Of the sleeping apartment Of