The Wedding Ceremony

Escorted from both sides from German and Polish princes in magnificent robes, and announced from a hundred trumpeters and drummers, the bride was guided to the church of St. Martin. In a small adjoining chapel she was dressed by the noblewomen of the court and then escorted to the high alter by the emperor himself.

Firstly after passing through a cordon of princes and in silk and satin arrayed ladys of the court. After the marriage the choir and the organist attuned the archbishop with Te Deum Laudamus. And as they escorted her out, she looked down and her veil hung over her eyes and she wept bitterly.

In the evening the Emperor called the bride to the first dance, before the newlyweds (under the careful observation of the Princes,) retired to the bridal chambers. ”I was later told” ,said the margrave’s scribe ”that the bed, the covers and the pillows were decorated with precious pieces of gold.”

As the wedding gifts were handed over the next morning, the margrave again acted as master of ceremonies, and he, instead of the bridegroom presented the bride with a precious necklace in a goldcase, which was worth about 10. 000 Hungarian Gilders.

“Out of love and friendship” said he in the language of the queen.

She answered him saying she would accept the gifts in love and friendship too, and would do everything to please her husband, just as her parents had instructed her to do. Then came the embarrising appearence of the emperor, who didn´t really want to give any gifts.

After the margrave had warned him of the consequences of his intention, he sent count Haug von Werdenberg with a brooche, which he said was worth 1 000 gilders, but the other guests knew it was only worth the half.

Eating and drinking, music and dance, and of course the jousting in the old town, which the ladies observed from the windows lessened in the following days.

Until finally on Friday the margrave, and Saturday the emperor returned to their homelands.