Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-28
FAMOUS CROWNS.
Many Dfadems Which Figure n
Legend and History.
Q.ondon Standard)


Together with many other ancient Gus
toms and venerable usages. that Of the
habltual use Of the crown as an article
OF royal headgear has long since fallen
into decay. AT the present day. save at
monarch's coronation and on rev
important state occasions. kings ana
queens have given up the practice OF ap-
pearing I'm public with this mark on
royalty grazing their brows. In early
times. however. such was not the case.
Originally, the crown was the PERSONA
property Cf the monarch who wore H.
and. like the rest OF the royal WARDROBE
was donned whatsoever he thought Mt.
Judging from old pictures. one would
imagine that he rarely went abroad
without first placing II upon his head
Of a certainty never held a court without
wearing IL; and though he did not ac-
tually 20 crowned into battle, for TINS
was obviously too risky. jewelied coro-
net placed upon his helmet invariably
took its place. Nor Is this altogether 70
be wondered at. when We consider with
what veneration the people or nose
times viewed the royal crown. A pre-
tender TO the monarchy, were he but
fortunate enough 20 seize the crown and
place II upon his head, gained immune
rable followers by this act alone; while
the accidental loss Of the royal diadem,
according 10 some historians, affected
King John more than did the threats or
the barons and the army OF Frenchmen
which Philip sent over 20 wrest the
kingdom from him.
CROWN OF LOMBARDY.
The Oldest. II not the most famous. OF
all European crowns extant - certainly
the so-called iron crown Of Lombardy.
This crown, which was made In Rome
during the sixth century, was originally
presented by Pope Gregory the Great 10
the Gothic Queen Theodolina as mark
Of gratitude for having prosecuted and
driven from her dominons the Arian
heretics This crown is really a broad.
fiat ring OF gold. adorned with enamelled
flowers. emeralds. rubies. and sapphlres
in their rough and uncut state. but de-
rives its name Of the iron crown from a
thin band OF iron inside the circle Of
gold and jewels According 10 tradition,
this thin band OF iron is one OF the nails
taken from the true cross and hammered
out into a ring; and. although this has
been questioned by Muratorl and hosts OF
others, and numerous weighty arguments
have been advanced against this view.
many Italians at the present day cherish
the tradition. and always refer 10 the |
crown as u sacro chiode. or the holy nail. |
Many are the kings, Charlemange among |
the number. who have had this diadem |
placed upon their heads, Napoleon the |
Great likewise sharing the honor. 1t was |
at Milan, IN May. 1906. before the jigni- |
taries OF the empire and representatives |
OF his royal and imperial allies, that the |
Emperor crowned himself with tho iron |
crown, repeating. at the same time the |
motto, God has given II 10 me; woe |
10 him who touches il" In 1859. how.
ever the iron crown was taken from /
Lombardy by the Austrlans on their re-
treating. and was clrried first 10 Mantua. |
and afterwards TO Vienna Here for some |
time It remained, until by the treaty |
which coded Venetia 10 the Italians, IN /
1866, II was sent back 10 it's old home
dral at Monza, where, together with the
other relics Of Queen Theodolina, the
crown OF her husband, Agulph, her |
iewelled comb. and golden hen and seven |
II remains TO this day.
Almost as old were the eight crowns /
belonging to the time OF the old Gothic /
kings Of Spain, which some forty years
ago were found in the neighborhood OF
Toledo While excavations were I'm pro-
sress on the site Of an ancient cemetery
at Fuente di Guerrazar these crowns
a circle of gold one foot in diameter,
bears the name Of Receswinthus, whose
date was somewhere about the middle
of the seventh century. 1t is plentlfully !
adorned with rubles, pearls. and sap
phlres, beneath which Is a row OF little
crosses Of cornelian and gold. while from
these are suspended letters OF gold form
ing the words. REX Offeret." This GUS
tom Of Offering crowns 10 churches. where
hey were placed over the altar. appears
10 have been common among early kings,
Tor we also find that Canute offered his
,rown 10 Winchester Cathedral, and that
{ was placed in a prominent position.
,losa to the high altar. OF the remaining
seven crowns. one Is that OF his Queen,
he others, probably, belonging 10 Gothic
mobiles. are OF a much simpler design.
,eIng merely bands Of gold. decorated
With a few Jewels.
CROWN OF HUNGARY.
Although legend imputes the manufac-
ure OF the sacred crown OF Hungary 10
he hands of angels, and that II was made
y them especially 10 adorn the sacred
rows OF the sainted King Stephen; histo-
y gives its origin somewhat differently.
70 far as one can gather, II appears " be
Z twofold origin, partly Roman and
artly Byzantine, being in reality two
rowns. placed one upon the other. The
rst was sent by Pope Sylvester H.. 10 !
tephen when he was crowned, I'm 1O0l
cling Of gold, richly adorned with pre-
ious stones. Some 10 years afterwards
certain Duke Geyza, Hungarian noble.
nan, received as a gift from Michael
lucas, Emperor OF the East. fine
byzantine crown Of most elaborate work
lanshp. These crowns were united and !
lmost worshpped by the Hungarians. The
ouble crown was placed I'm the castle OF
fen under the custody OF two mobiles. !
no were held responsible for lts safety |
'ntil this crown was placed upon his |
cad no King could rule, and II he died ! !
fter election, but before coronation, his
anne was struck of the list Of Kings.
low many times this crown has been
st and recovered only 10 be again lost
nd again subsequently found we are I'M ,
bic TO say. Even so late as 1873, on the
sfeat and flight Of Kossuth. this crown. ]
hich up to then had been safe IN the
ands Of the Provisional Government
lddeny disappeared. After much de-
lting as 10 what happened to IL, whether
had been put into the meltng-pot by {
ossuth, or sold for old gold 10 the Turks
Hungarian peasant happily appeared 10 :
live the mystery. For sum OF money
2 pointed out certain tree among the Z
lots OF which he affirmed Kossuth and
IS friends had buried the crown. and
ere, sure enough. 1t was found. After {
lis II was with due solemnity restored
the Castle OF Ofen. and has not since
zen lost
The Old crown OF Scotland. which is =
opposed 70 have been made for King
ebert Bruce, consisting OF two circles OF J
I'D. the upper one being surmounted By
row Of crosses and feur-de-lis. the 4
wer by the usual precious stones IN
MIH ia NuN
lstle. During the usurption Of CromwelI
is crown. with the rest OF the royal
gala, was very nearly lost. on the