The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-04-27
THAT IRON CROWN.

Let no other hand dare to touch it,"
said Napoleon as he placed the iron
crown upon his brow.
1t seems to have been weakness of
the great Napoleon to crown himself, for
he also performed the act in the Cathe-
dral of Notre Dame at Paris. In the one
instance he rudely repulsed bishop,
and in the other a pope, who were about
to place crown upon his head.
The mystery of the origin of the iron
crown. the interesting history connected
with it, the noble-and ignoble-heads
it has adorned, all make it an object of
Importance.
Now, after browning "a monarchs, it
rests on velvet cushion in glass case
in the cathedral at Monza, locked and
sealed and guarded. Only by the pay
ment of 81 can the curious obtain even
glimpse of it. 1t is composed of six
quadrangular pieces OF gold united by
hinges and is adorned with % gems of
various colors and "a enameled Jewels
Lining the inner part is the much dis
puted strip Of iron. The popular tradi-
ton that this strip is made out of nail
from the true cross is gradually becom
ing disbelieved although the clergy still
maintain the right of the strip to be
considered holy.
The story is that Helena, the mother
of Constantine, found the nails with
which Christ was crucifed, and of one
of them made horseshoe and of the
other diadem. The diadem, all of gold,
but lined in the interior with thin
strip of iron, was given by Pope Gregory
the Great to Theodolinda. and by her to
the Church Of San Giovanni Battista,
which she had founded at Monza. There
is another crown in the church given by
Theodolinda and called for her, but as
it is Of gold and makes no claim to being
holy. being simply votive Offering no
particular interest attaches to it.
Some writers say that the nail was
not placed in the iron crown, but in the
helm of Constantine; that the lining
strip of iron is simply band to hold
the inflexible crown in shape. 1t is only
since 17l7 that the crown has been con-
sidered sacred relic, and discussions
and suppositions have been advanced in
regard to it. 1t is not mentioned in the
reign of Theodolinda, nor until some
centuries afterward. Those who oppose
the 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,
as did Rafael Toscana in his verses:
With iron here lin Milan) they encrcle the
brow,
With straw in Monza and with glltterlng gold
in Rome.
There we're other iron crowns in the
history OF the past, among them one
made for Henry VII, in the form of a
garland of laurels, ornamented with rich
and precious stones, but all of these have
been lost or stolen, so that the one at
Mona alone remains.
Between the years of 1859 and 1866
the iron crown was absent from the little
velvet cushion in Mona. 1t was carried
off by the Austrians, but was returned
in 1866 to the king of Italy. The por-
traits of all the kings who have worn
this crown are also preserved in the ca
thedral at Monza. The last three were
Charles V. at Bologna in 1880; Napo.
leon, May 26. 1905, in the famous pin
nacled cathedral at Milan, and in the
same place Ferdinand l, Sept 6, 1888.
There are other treasures guarded in
the church at Monza-chalices and holy
vases, gems and crowns of silver and gold.
These are venerated and worshiped, and
many of them have been there since the
time OF Theodolinda, but others have
been placed there at different times by
the Lombardian sovereigns. There was
formerly crown in the church that had
been given as a votive offering by
Agilulfo. the husband of Theodolinda.
1t contained the inscription, "Agilulfo,
by the grace of God, glorious man and
king of Italy, offering to San Giovanni
in the church of Monza." The inscrip.
ton was noteworthy because in it was
used for the first time the words "gratia