Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-02-27
Interesting History of Heads 1t
Has Adorned.
CROWNED THIRTY-FOUR MONARCHS
1t Now Rests on a Velvet Cushion In q
Glass Case-0ther Historical
Crowns.

the great Napoleon to crown himself,
for he also performed the act in the
cathedral 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 con-
nected with it, the noble-and ignoble
heads it has adorned, all make it an
object of Importance.
Now, after browning thirty -four mon
archs, it rests ON velvet cushion in a
glass case in the cathedral at Monza,
locked and sealed and guarded. Only
by the payment of 81 can the curious
obtain even a glimpse of it. 1t is COM
posed of six quadrangular pieces OF
gold united by hinges. and is adorned
with twenty gems of various colors
and twenty -four enameled jewels.
Lining the inner part is the much-dis-
puted strip of iron. The popular ira
dition that this strip is made out of
nail from the true cross is gradually
becoming disbelieved, although the
clergy still maintain the right of the
strip to be considered holy.
The story is that Elena, the mother
of Constantine. found the nails with
which Christ was crucified, and of one
of them made horseshoe and of the
other diadem. The diadem, all of
gold but lined in the interior with a
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 after her, but as it is all of gold
and makes no claim to being holy, be-
ing simply a votive offering, no partic-
ular 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 lin
ing strip of iron is simply band to
hold the flexible crown in shape. 1t
is only since 1717 that the crown has
been considered sacred relic and dis
cussions and suggestions 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 lin
ing strip of iron is the holy nail say
that if it was the Milanese would have
resented with the sword the calling of
it a crown of straw, as did Rafael Tos-
cana in his verses:
"with iron here lin Milan they encirele the
brow,
With straw in Monza and with gllttering gold
in Rome"
There were 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 these
have been fused or lost or stolen, so
that the one at Monza alone remains.
Between the years of 1859 and 1866
the iron crown was absent from the
little velvet cushion in Monza. 1t was
carried off by the Austrians, but was
returned in 1866 to the king of Italy.
The portraits of all the kings who have
worn this crown are also preserved in
the cathedral at MonZa. The last
three were Charles V. at Bologna in
1880; Napoleon, May 26, 1905. in the
famous pinnacled 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
worshipped and many of them have
been there since the time of Theodo
linda, but others have been placed
there at different times by the Lom-
bardian sovereigns. There was for
merly crown in the church that had
been given as a votive offering by
Agilulfo, the husband of Theodolinda
1t contained the inscriptions: "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 Del" (by the grace of Cod,
which have since been adopted by all
the sovereigns. This crown was melted
and sold in 1S04-the year before Ma
poleon was crowned with the iron
crown.
Napoleon founded an order Of
knighthood and called it the Order of
the Iron Crown.
Mona, the sleepy old town contain
ing the cathedral that guards this his
toric crown, lies in the shadow OF the
Alps. Looking toward them one sees
the snow glistening OH their peaks.
Turning in the opposite direction the
pinnacles of Milan's cathedral can be
seen white and shining in the sunlight,
while above the sky is blue, and at
ones feet flows the peaceful Lambro
1t is scene Of quiet beauty and sug
gests no thoughts of stormy times and
great revolutions. and yet such have
taken place in and. about Monza. In
late years many monentous questions
ofsstate have been settled here. -
/ The favorite palace Of the king and
queen is here, and here they come for