COURT AND STATE CEREMONIES.
Court celebrations, such as coronations, triumphal processions, acts of homage and investiture, funerals, etc., assumed in time a uniform charac ter with a fixed ceremonial in the different European countries, as had long been the case with the festivals of the Church. Upon all these occa sions a degree of pomp was displayed which in each succeeding age con stantly increased in inagnificence, until the French Revolution, by its rudely-contrasted exhibitions, led to more just ideas of royal dignity and a better taste. Italy at first, and afterward Spain and France, were the models in matters of this kind, and, as all the other courts proved apt pupils, we find a pretty uniform ceremonial at Madrid and Stockholm, at Paris and Vienna, and so too at Warsaw and Moscow as these cities came under the influence of European civilization.
Royal Processions.—Figures 1 and 2 (pl. 48) give an idea of the elabo rate arrangements of the royal processions : the former represents the entry of the elector and the emperor Charles VII. into Munich; the latter is the funeral of the countess palatine Hedwig, who died in Nuremberg in 1657 and was there interred in the church of the Saviour. The origi nal picture of Figure 1 represents eleven coaches, each drawn by six horses, three sedan-chairs, and more than one hundred and thirty mounted men, besides an innumerable caravan of pedestrians, for the most part clad in gala costumes. The coffin of the countess was followed by more than three hundred and fifty mourners. The procession was arranged as fol lows. Two halberdiers awaited the train in front of the church-door; four others, with reversed lances, preceded it. Next followed three mar shals, with their suites, selected from the patrician class of the city. The cross was borne by the pupils of the two principal schools, accompanied by their teachers. Next in order came the clergy in full vestments, au additional marshal leading the officials, servants, and other dependants of the deceased, while a chief marshal, followed by three subordinate ones, immediately preceded the hearse.
The hearse was drawn by four horses draped in black GM 48, fig. 2). The coffin was enveloped in ri black pall, partially covered with a white cloth ornamented with the family arms. Sixteen noblemen supported the pall, while an equal number of torch-bearers surrounded the hearse. Three marshals, who may be recognized by their staves in our illustration, and two torch-bearers, followed it. Then came the principal mourners, the
reigning elector, Christian August, ambassadors of royal personages, and representatives of the city of The was completed by the female relatives of the deceased with their suites, and filially the gen eral public.
Similarly imposing were the ceremonies at the reception of foreign embassies, of royal suitors, and at royal marriages. Most pompons of all were the demonstrations at the return of the emperor from his coronation or when lie visited a city to receive its homage.
coronation of a German emperor retained many peculiar customs and consisted of two entirely distinct events: the coro nation proper, and the court and public festivities which accompanied it. The rite of coronation, a ceremony continued through so many centuries, underwent a certain degree of change in the course of time, but the essential features were as follows. The place of coronation was at first Rome, afterward Aix-la-Chapelle, and filially Frankfort-on-the-Main. When the newly-elected emperor made his appearance in the city intend ed for the ceremony, the three electors spiritual, the archbishops of May ence, Treves, and Cologne, proceeded with their clergy to the cathedral. While Rome was the place of coronation the act was performed by the pope in person. The emperor elect, magnificently costumed and accom panied by a brilliant suite, proceeded to the cathedral to meet the digni taries there assembled. The archbishop of Cologne, after swinging the censer, presented to him the crucifix and the book containing the Gospels to be kissed. Having been led to the altar, he knelt upon a cloth of gold while the archbishop recited the ritual. He was then conducted by the other two archbishops to a golden chair, where he remained during the celebration of the mass. Choral music accompanied the service, and while the monarch, together with the entire crowd of attendant divines, again knelt before the altar, the litany of the saints was chanted. There upon the archbishop of Cologne, upon whom the act of crowning de volved, addressed certain stated questions in Latin to the assembled princes. They all in reply thrice declared that they would recognize the emperor-elect as their sovereign. An abbot then addressed the same questions in German to the people. Again the emperor knelt at the altar, where the celebrant archbishop, laying aside his gloves and ring, after invoking a blessing, anointed him with oil.