Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-02
Tomb of CharIemagne Repeat
eddy Disturbed.
VISIT PAID BY OTTO III
Sarcophagus Of Silver Provided by
Frederick Barbarossa.
TRANSFER MADE IN 1915
Kafsef Criticised for Allowing Bro
cades That EMBODIED Charlemagne's
Bones to Be Photographed.
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

BIZ WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
There was a good deal of talk last year
about an act OF sacrilege committed by
order of the German kaiser in opening
the sarcophagus of Charlemagne in the
ancient cathedral at Aix-la-Chapelle. II
was represented at the time that the vio-
lation of the tomb Of the founder OF the
holy Roman empire was merely to grau1y
the curiosity of William IL concerning the
stature of his distinguished predecessor,
who is said to have been giant. This
charge, however turns out to be an IN
justice. The grave of Charlemagne was
not disturbed. 1t was. sarcophagus
which once contained his bones, but they
are now dust, and the object was to pho
tograph certain precious silk robes In
which his body was wrapped at the time
of his burial in the year S14.
The rest of Charlemagne has been four
times disturbed. He has had four resur-
rections. His tomb was first opened Isl
years after his death. in the year 100
by his brilliant young successor on the
throne of the holy Roman empire. Otto
III, called THE Wonder of the World
because Of his intellectual endowments
He was born in $50. succeeded to the
throne in 900. when he was sixteen years
old. and was the most brilliant and ambi-
tiOus man of his time He designed to
make Rome the capital of a new uni
versal empire, of which he should be
king.
Visit of Otto III.
He went to Aix-la-Chapeile, it is said
to consult his great ancestor concerning
this ambition. Another version is tina,
he believed that the end of the world
was at hand. and wished to question the
great monarch. face to face, on that sub
ject. However, attended by the Arch
bishop of Mainz and many dignitaries
he personally entered the vault and
found Charles the Great seated upon
a marble throne, draped in his imperial
ter in his hand, his sword hanging from
his girdle and AZ open Bible lying upon
his knee.
The readers Of the History Of the Holy
Roman Empire" by James Bryce, British
ambassador at Washington, will remem-
Der the masterful manner in which he
treats this dramatic incident. and in the
great hall of the Kathaus at AK is a
celebrated picture pOrtraying the scene
In the Germanic museum at Nuremberg
is another picture. with little s-ariation
and legend still has cred.nce among
the peasants in some parts of Germany
that Charles the Great is still sitting upon
his throne in the vault underground in
imperial state. awaiting the day when he
shall be called to resume his reign over
the German empire
The end of the world did not come, the
young emperor got no satisfaction from
his ancestor. and returned to Rome
where he died two years later. His body
was brought from Italy to lie at the feet
of Charlemagne. and his empty comb now
stands in the center Of the choir in from,
OF the reading desk in the cathedral.
Body Transferred.
The tomb Of Charlemagn was looted al
this time. The body was transferred to 6
silver coffin and left in the vault The