Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-08-26
Famous Crowns.

Famous Crowns.
The oldest of the crowns of Europe is
the Iron Crown of Lombardy, now re-.
stored to its resting place of centuries in
the cathedral of Mona, the sunny little
town which, from the Alpine slopes, looks
down upon imperial Milan, whittier many
time its treasure was borne TO be placed
on the brows of a German Kaiser at his
second coronation. His firstwas at Aehen,
by the tomb of Charlemagne, where he
received the silver crown of Germany; his
second at Milan his third at Rome, where
the Pope conferred on him the golden
crown of the Empire, But the Iron Crown
was the most venerable of all. For
! 300 years the Iron Crown has held the
foremost place among the diadems OF Eu-
rope, for il was formed by the skillful
hands of Roman goldsmiths in the sixth
century, and sent by Pope Gregory the
Great 10 the Gothic Queen Theodolinda,
when she had freed Lombardy from the
Arian heresy its form Is simple, as one
might expect from its ancient date. 1t is
broad flat ring or diadem of gold,
adorned with enameled flowers and pre-
cious stones; stones not cut into facets, as
in modern iewelry, but emeralds, sap
phires and rubies in their rough, uncut
form as they came from the mine. But
| inside this circle of gold and jewels is a
thin band of iron, from which the crown
takes its name, and this iron, tradition as.
serts, is one of the nails of the cross ham
mered out into ring. Long and angry have
been the battles fought by antiquaries on
| this point. Those who deny its authentic
| ity, headed by Muratori, certainly bring
weighty arguments TO the support of their
view; but the tradition has survived all
their learned folios, gallant champions
have fought, pen in hand, in its defense,
and still, in the language of the people,
the crown of Mona is called IL sdcr0
ehtodo, :" the holy nail" 1t graced the Inn
perial front of Charlemagne and long
succession of German Emperors, ending
with Charles V. But the last sovereign
who wore il was Napoleon !. In May,
1905, he assembled at Milan the dignita-
ries of the Empire, the representatives Of
his royal and imperial allies, and a splen.
did circle of Marshals and Generals, and
in their presence he placed 1t ON his head,
repeating the proud motto OF the Iron
Crown: ''God has given it to me; woe to
him who touches itl'' In 1859 the Aus
TRANS, retreating from Lombardy, took
the Iron Crown with them TO Mantua, and
subsequently 10 Vienna. There 1t re-
manned until, by the treaty which coded
Venctia 10 Italy, in 1866, IL was restored to
its bid home in the sacristy of the cathe.
dral at Mona, and there il rests to-day,
amid the other treasures of Theodolnda
her ieweled comb, her golden hen and
II. al 3 hflg AZ IA IN
and its seven provinccs), and the crown OF
her husband Agilulph.
Next In age TO the Iron Crown, but far
exceeding il in value and beauty Of work.
manship, are the crowns Of the old Gothic
Kings of Spain, discovered seventeen
wears ago near Toledo. They were found
in some excavations which were made In
an ancient cemetery at Fuentc di Guerra
gar, two leagues from that city. They are
eight in number, and their intrinsic value
Is estimated at E2yO0O sterling. The
largest, splendid circle Of gold one foot
in diameter, bears the name Of King lie.
ceswinthus, who reigned in the middle oil
the seventh century. The diadem IL
adorned with fine ru5ies, pearls and sap
phires, and round it runs row OF little
crosses OF carneian and gold.
OF the modern crowns OF continental
Europe perhaps the most remarkable is me
wellknown triple crown or papal tiara, or
perhaps we should say tiaras, for there are
four OF them. The tiara Is seldom worn
by the Pope; it Is carried before him In
procession, Lut, except on rare occasions,
he wears mitre Ike an ordinary Bishop.
OF the existing tiaras, the most beautiful
ID that which was given by Napoleon l.. 10
Plus VII in 1906. III is said 10 be worth
upwards OF $1,000. It's three circlets are
almost incrusted with sapphircs, eneralds,
rubies, pearls and diamonds; and the
great emerald at It's apex, said TO be The
most beautiful In the world, IL alone val
ued at ~, 900 ancs.-ChaH,bers' J0urta0t.
+. X. ELLIOTT, writer on agricult-
ure, has been collecting certain data IN re-
gard 10 fruit culture, and gives the total
market value Of the crop OF the entire
country at S47 100000. New York leads
all the States In amount with SI,UO,UOo.
California; figures are largest in proper.
ton TO population, being 5000, 900, this
sum probably including The yield from
vineyards. The total sum for the New
England States Is put at S6,OOO,OO the
individual States not being itemHed.
THE English Court Of Appeal in Chan
Gerry has recently given full effect to the
rule in favor Of ancient lights, Liver
pool iler.manufacturer being forbidden,
by the erection Of shed on the rear OF
his own premises, from cutting OIL the
light enjoyed by chapel since 1910. lie
was also held to be amenablc to the court
In respect to interference with the chapel
services by noise.
About 100000 gallons, or over VI ,OOO,.
600 worth, Of ice-cream are manufactured
In Boston every year, and the average con.