Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-10-21
CROWNS OF ROYALTY.
THOSE WORN BY THE MANY
RULERS OF ENGLAND.
Victoria Knew What She Wanted and In.
sisted on Designing Her own Of
fetal Headdress-The Eaply
Saxon Crowns.

The early Irish and Saxon sovereigns
wore flet of gold which was
sometimes studded with jewels The
crown OF the MacMurrough family
anciently kings OF Leinster in Ireland.
which is still preserved in the British
Museum, consists OF plain band OF
gold. rising in front to a sort OF peak.
1t dates. without doubt back to the
tenth century. Ono OF the Oldest
diadems still preserved is the famous
iron crown OF Lombardy. Contrary
TO popular belief the only iron in its
composition is a solitary nail, said to
have been rescued by the Crusaders
from the wood OF the true cross.
When Napoleon conquered Italy he
caused himself to DO crowned with
this mediGval relic, now more ap-
propriately worn by King Humbert.
Otfa mighty monarch OF the West
Saxons. who hourished in the eighth
centur is depicted with string OF
jewels in lieu of crown. His sue
ccssors on the English throne i'm
proved upon this primitive chaplet
and gradually the crown began to be
rooted over King Canute's crown.
perhaps the very one he wore when
bidding the irresponsible breakers to
retire from Pevensey sands. is repre-
sented in the Cotton MS 1t bears a
quaint resemblance to church stee-
pie. and was probably modelled from
some such object When the body OF
Edward the Confessor was exhumed
during the reign OF james IL its
skull was encirced by golden fillet
one in h in depth and perfect, plain.
King Edgar as well as Lothaire and
the early French kings affected far
more elaborate diadems. Edgar's
crown. as given by the Cotton MS,
is highly ornamented with SCROLL
work. and appears 10 have been
square or at least rectangular in
shape.
Queens OF this epoch wore golden
coronets lightly fashioned and SER
rated a out the upper edge The
crown Of Harold Infex was decorated
with floral arches aud abundance of
iewelry. Fleurs-de-l made their APP
pearance on the French diadems with
the Capets and were adopted by the
English kings when they began their
claim to the throne of france
An etligy OF Queen Matilda consort
OF Henry /. existing at Rochester
Cathedral shows that pious Scotch
woman with n crown quite as large
as that of her spouse. Its ornaments
have been defaced by time. but it
would seem to have been simple de-
sign. Richard Cpur do Lion wore
diaGem adorned with trefoiIs. between
which spread fanciful pattern of
honeysuckles. The eiflgy of his
| queen Berengaria Mt the abbey of
PEspar gives an accurate idea OF the
diadem then allotted to royal females.
Handsomely shaped its trefolls are
surrounded by oak leaves and delicate
tracery. A thick roll OF gold runs
around the base and by comparing
/ it with the face OF the etligy its uepth
must have been about three inches
The crowns OF Henry III and Ed
ward | were comparatively plain, but
were heightened by trefoils and
crosses Edward IL with his char
ecteristic striving after splendor.
chose n more magnificent design. 1t
represented four large and four small
oak leaves rising in graceful curves
! from the jeweled circlet and having
sight small flowers between each leaf.
! This hand some emblem was inherited
and worn by Edward III and Richard
! H. The first OF the house OF Lancas-
ter Henry ", caused new crown to
be made. larger than its predecessor
and bearing eight large oak leaves
nd ai.rh 10 he
ornament was broken up and given
to his barons by Henry V as security
for his expedition to France. It's par
ticles were subsequently redeemed by
Henry VII
Queen Victoria's choice OF a crown
created quite "a sensation among court
officials She informed Lord Mel
bourne that she would prefer diadem
entirely covered and round at the top
so as To display the crown jewels 10
greater advantage. Her majesty's
Elizabethan obstinac, was unknown
at this period OF her reign and the
garter king alarms ventured to state
that such crown would initiate
against all rule and custom. and
would in fact be out OF The question.
At this -ejoinder her majesty's eyes
flashed fire and she exclaimed. This
gentleman may be king-at arms but
am Queen OF England and intend TO
wear any kind OF crown i please"
Lord Melbourne remarked. "Ld refine
le veuH," and wisely gave up the un-
equal contest The queens crown
was exactly as she had stated and.
although OF extreme splendor could
not be called beautiful Hundreds OF
jewels blazed around its surface the
most prominent the 'KohInoor.