The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-05-12

I The hon Cyopa assumed by he Emperor Napoleon,
a. d.. IS05.-The annals OF all civilized countries
abound with instances Of the estimation attached 10
the regaiis, seals armor and weapons used by emf
nent rulers, pussaDt warriors, Sc and their pIeser
walton considered of such importance, that officers
distinguished TO- Intelligence and yalor, have been
appointed solely for that purpose. Thus The crown
OF David, Solomon's seal, Ulysses seal, Numae
spear the ialchion Of Cincnnatus Brian sword, les
bow, Walaces claymore, Edwards tTuneheOn, Ma
poleons telescope, the inyincibe sword Of freedoms
hero, aud the staff Of her sage, own immortal
Washington and Franklin, are yenerated relies, and
objects Of national solicitude and affection Among
the most remarkable articles of regaa, still IN
isence and connected with the most extraordinary
events recorded in ancient and modern history, the
| iron crown Of Milan holds wondrousy consplcu-
Gus place, aud as only few years have passed since
the Emperor of Austria assumed the crown OF Italy,
our readers Will, we trust, be entertained wlth a
sketch of the origin and successive relations Of this
interesting and admired relic of bygone centuries,
the authenticity of which be easily established
by reference TO the archives of Rome Milan Paris,
Madrid and Florence.
The devout and intellectual Queen Helena, the
mother OF Constantine the Great on her return from
a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, A. d. 1925, brought
with her among many other sacred relies which she
obtained with great toll aud the expenditure OF much
treasure, several parts of the identical cross on
which our blessed Savior was crucihed, and one OF
| the nails by which he was fastened to the cross.
|
| could not endure SO long and be afterwards fit for
use but the sincere Christian believes that the omn
potent God can pres rye, easily lac can create,
the work OF his Almighty power. The pious Helen
caused he nail TO be reduced into circle of the
most slender dimensions, and sent il II his helmet
After his death the relic was encascd in a gold cir
cle ornamented with precious gems and deposited
with great reverence In Constantnople, where it
NAMED until the year 1874, when Saint Ambrosia
spoke of it in his funeral sermon of Theodore the
he q .,re Ia. nat l.l
rulers head was crown; therefore this crown was
preserved with care and was delivered by the EN-
peror Constantine Tbero Augustus to the son OF the
Senator Gordien, who renowned the dignity Of a
Roman Pr1tor to consecrate himself to his God
Gordien's son elevated to the papacy with the
title of Gregory who is celebrated for having que
ed all dissensons and bl ssed the pc pie of Italy
with harmony and peace, and through his Piety and
influence inspired 1heodonda, who erected IN the
city of Agathea (now Sanitary the magnificent
temple, of which a beautiful description is given by
Vercillius, in his t" Historic Lieraire."
Gregory the first sent the crown to Theodolinda,
proof Of his gratitude for er zeal to convert
Agiluphe, Duke of Turin, who, having abandoned
Aranism, had been elevated, after his aburaiion to
the throne OF Lombardy, Theodolinda ed TO be
built at Monza palace ard temple, and in the
temple she deposited the crown-(there is a splendid
basrelei still TO be in the temple, representing
the ustrious Queen offering the precious relic 10 st
John the Baptist) The iron crown was used by
anu successoTs, even 10 inc tilhe Vi
the bapless Older of the Lombards, who was sue
ceeded by his heroic son-in-law, Charlemagne
This identical crown which had encircled the au-
gust brow of Charlemagne, in the thirteenth
fury pledged TO the Duke Della Torres for moneys he
had loaned. Ii was ransomed by the Pope, and re-
stored to the Chapter of Monga, A. ID. 1854 From
that period, il remained in It's depository until the
sixteenth century, when the iron crown seen IT.
radiating the brows of Charles 9Th but, after the
death OF that po,enae, an interval of ages elapsed
without lis being worn by any prince emperor.
In 1905, Napoleon determined 10 renew the ceremo-
ny Of GROWING in the noble Cathedral Of Milan.
The fact is stated by historians that Napoleon placed
the iron crown on his own head, and these memora-
BILE words are ascribed to him" God gave it to me
woe be unto him who touches it." II is singular
fact that Napoleon died island named after ST
Helena who conveyed the sanctifed iron Of which
the crown was formed from Calvary TO Constantine
pie.
1t is known, however, that his father-n-law re-
ceived the crown in 1914. At that date, VeDitian
Lombardy constituted a kingdom, and the En-.
peror Francis ordered that the soveregns should So
lemnly receive their accession 10 the throne the
iron crown Of Milan.