Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-06-13
THAT IRON CROWN.
.es7s on A VELVET CUSHION IN
nc CATHEDRAL AT MONA.

|N" anl CAretr-ohhoN :
- the Church at MonEa-
,r Inn other hand dare to touch it, "
..ia Napoleon as he placed the iron
rrowp upon his brow
!, seems to have been weakness OF
,,sat Napoleon to crown himself, for
also performed the act in the Cathe-
- ~ Notre Dame at Paris. In the one
.stapos he rudely repulsed bishop.
"a n the other pope. who We're about
= Mace a crown upon his head.
The mystery of the origin Of the iron
Gown the interesting history connect
i with it, the noble--and ignoble-
..ds Il has adorned, all make it an OBJ
keot Of Importance.
Now. after browning "a monarchs. it
.sts on velvet cushion in glass case
: tbe cathedral at Monza, locked and
ro,led and guarded. Only by the pay
.nsnt Of 81 can the curious obtain even
II ,limnse of it. 1t is composed Of six
snadrangular pieces Of gold united by
k;nges and is adorned with 90 gems Of
rarious colors and "a enameled jewels.
4 ming the inner part is the much dis
pn,ed strip of iron. The popular tradi-
I'M that this strip is made out Of nail
from the true cross is gradually becom-
inc disbeieved, although the clergy
rnIl maintain the right of the strip to
he considered holy.
a The story is that Helena, the mother
Il Constantine, found the nails with
which Christ was crucified, and of one Of
MEM made q horseshoe and of the other
diadem. The diadem, all of gold, but
lined in the interior with thin strip
h iron, was given by Pope Gregory the
4 treat to Theodolinda, and by her to the
t,burch Of San Giovanni Battista, which
she had founded at Monza. There is an
otber crown in the church given by
Tbeodolinda and called for her, but as
h is of gold and makes no claim to be-
ng holy, being simply votive offer
kng no particular interest attaches to it.
"a Some writers say that the nail was
hot placed in the iron crown, but in the
helm Of Constantine; that the lining
"trip of iron is simply band to hold
Bthe infexible crown in shape. 1t is only
kince l7l7 that the crown has been con-
kidered a sacred relic, and discussions
and suppositions have been advanced i'll
Regard to it, 1t is not mentioned in the
reign Of Theodolinda, nor until some
centuries afterward. Those who oppose
HE idea that the lining strip of iron is
The holy nail say that if it was, the Mil
anese would have resented with the
sword the calling of it crown of straw,
ss did Rafael Toscana in his verses:
|Rith iron here Gin Milan) they encircle the
La brow,
'El:h straw in Mona and with glittering gold
in Rome.
There were other iron crowns in the
|fistory of the past, among them ono
made for Henry VII, in the form of
garland Of laurels, ornamented with
fich and precious stones, but all of these
pave been lost or stolen, SO that the one
BIT Monza alone remains.
Between the years of 1859 and 1866
1he iron crown was absent from the lit
|NeYelyet cushion i'll Monza. 1t was car
pied off by the Austrians. but was re-
Burned in 1866 to the king of Italy.
8Tbe portraits of all the kings who have
l&orn this crown are also preserved in
fhe cathedral at Monza. The last three
'Fsre Charles Y, at Bologna in 1880;
Napoleon, May 26, 1906, i'll the famous
9nnaeled cathedral at Milan, and i'll
PIE same place Ferdinand I, Sept 6,
s3s
4nere are other treasures guarded in
the church at Monza-c halices and holy
faseS gems and crowns Of silver and
goo These are venerated and wor-
|falped and many of them have been
|faefe since the time of Theodolinda but
'ftheEs have been placed there at differ
En- times by the Lolnbardian sovereigns.
mere was formerly a crown in the |
fnuroh that had been given as votiye |
tfsHAg By Agilulfo, the husband of |
aeodollnda. 1t contained the inscrip- |
f9l, Agllulfo, by the grace of God, |
eloFieus man and king of Italy, Offering |
y T. Gan Giovanni in the church of Mon |
The inscription was noteworthy |
because in it was used for the first time |
tae words 'gratia Del" (by the grace Of |
NO. which have since been adopted |
q al the sovereigns This crown was
tlsRed and sold in 1904, the year before |
|f'apoieon was crowned with the iron |
Rtfown.
Napoleon founded an order of knight.
tood and called it the Order of Iron |
Brown.
Aonza. the sleepy old town contain
H. the cathedral that guards this his.
- crown, lies III the shadow of the |
|ftps Looking toward them one sees the |
r." eIlstenlng on their peaks. Turn.
fag IN the opposite direction the pima.
tlss Of Milan cathedral can be seen
Nafe and shining in the sunlight,
raiia above the sky is blue, and at ones
ss' no" the peaceful Lanbro. 1t is q
cue 81 quiet beauty and suggests no !
lsasais OF stormy times and great revo.
4''oa. and yet such have taken place
Wy ant Monza. In late years many
4alas ri questions of state have been
fs'..s4 = Ne. Chicago Record.
S. T. OSBORNE.