ROYAL INSIGNIA.
Plate 49, copied from the exhaustive work of Fr. Bock, represents a German emperor in full costume (Jig. 1), the several parts of the corona tion robes, and several crowns belonging to different kingdoms.
Imperial ancient ritual of the coronation ceremony desig nated several pauses in the church services, in which the emperor was clad with silk stockings and shoes, a shoulder-cloth or Immo-ale, and beneath this a long dark tunic, Ionic- ; this was covered by a light-colored garment, the alba, which, although very long, was drawn up far enough to expose the tunic below, and over this the massive sink of considerable width and fully eighteen feet long, which, by reason of its great length, required skilful draping.
The remaining articles of the imperial robe, as we have seen (p. 306), were placed upon the monarch at the altar. Of these the most important and imposing was the mantle (fifr. II). It consists of red taffeta, and is of Moorish manufacture, having been made in Sicily, though not orig inally for this purpose. It shows in the centre a palm tree, and on each side a lion overpowering a camel. The Arabic inscription along the bor der states that it was made at Palermo in 1133. It was probably brought to Germany, as part of her inheritance, by Queen Constance, spouse of the emperor Henry VI., and was added to the imperial state wardrobe during the reign of Frederick II., who had lost all the older imperial insignia and treasures in the defeat at Vittoria. The richly-jewelled shoes (Jit,r. 7), the stockings, and the gloves (fry. 6) arc also of Saracen work manship, but the eagle worked in the palm of the gloves indicates that they were made for Germany.
The so-called "eagle dalmatic" (pl. 49, fig. 1o) is included among the imperial robes, though it does not really belong to the coronation costume. It is a magnificent garment, probably worn by the emperors in their pas sage from the palace to the church. The true dalmatic is shown in Figure 12, and is a noticeable specimen of medieval embroidery. It was worn by the emperor when he sang the Gospel during the coronation ceremony at Rome, where this garment is still preserved in St. Peter's. Originally, the imperial title was conferred only by the coronation at Rome, but, though the ceremonial was afterward transferred to other cities, the title was retained.
The Crown too (fig. 2), which was long supposed to have belonged to the age of Charlemagne, is itself more probably a piece of Italian work, dating from the end of the eleventh or the beginning of the twelfth cen tury. An inscription on the circle ascribes it to the emperor Conrad, prob ably the third of that name. The fiat gold tablets which constitute the head-band contain alternately figures in enamel, and are set with pearls and large uncut precious stones.
We also present an illustration of the famous " iron crown " (fig. 4), a name, however, which does not occur earlier than the thirteenth cen tury. It is supposed to be of Greek workmanship from the times of the Carlovingians. It takes its name from an iron ring which was made, it is
said, of a nail from the cross of Christ, and which holds the gold plates together. However, it is doubtful whether it was ever used as a crown. The Hungarian crown 3) consists of two distinct parts. The broad plate extending over the head probably belonged to the crown which Pope Sylvester II. gave to St. Stephen in the year moo, but the circle with its pointed crests and enamellings, which give information as to its history, was a present from the Byzantine emperor Michael to Gejza of Hungary, who became king in the year 1074. The Bohemian crown (fig. 5) is an ordinary piece of gold-work of the time of Charles IV.
The Sword of Ceremony (fig. S), which was used in conferring knight hood, has probably the same origin and date as the gloves, etc. The sheath is ornamented with enamelled squares, which are set with precious stones and edged with filigree-work. The knob of the handle was renewed by the emperor Charles IV. The sheath of the second sword (fig. 9), which is called the sword of St. Mauritius, is ornamented with royal figures in relief set in enamel. A third sword, which is preserved in the cathedral at Aix-la-Chapelle apart from the other treasures, belonged to Charlemagne, and was presented to him by the caliph Haroun al Raschid.
The Book of the Gospels which was used in the coronation service is also preserved at Aix-la-Chapelle. It dates from Carlovingian times, and was, according to tradition, taken from the tomb of the great emperor, but its present binding belongs to the fifteenth century.
Relics.—Among other articles, the description of which would lead us too far, and which in part have been lost, are several relics that belonged to the German imperial treasures, especially a spear-point containing a nail from the cross of Christ, etc. After divers vicissitudes the entire treasures found a resting-place at Nuremberg, where up to the year 1523 they were annually exhibited at Easter-tide. When they were required for use they were carried by an embassy of the senate to the place of coronation. During the French wars in the beginning of this century they were first taken to Ratisbon, and thence to Vienna, where they are still preserved in the imperial treasury.
The insignia of royalty lead us from the subjective review of the development of culture to a consideration of its forms and constitution, the Church and the State. These institutions, though themselves deter mined by that development, and again reacting upon it, were at the same tune more an outgrowth of extraneous circumstances, or in fortunate cases of theoretically established principles, and they thus represent the formal side of civilization rather than its essential elements. We have first, however, to devote attention to a factor common to both aspects of social development—one which, scientifically investigated, is found to be of far more consequence than would at first appear.