THE TRIPLE CROWN OF THE POPE.

Inangahua Times, Volume IV, Issue 65, 7 September 1877, Page 2

THE TRIPLE CROWN OF THE POPE.

The Pa psil tiara is. like the crowns of sovereigns, sumptuously adorned with piwious stor.es. the mosfc promiocnt ot' which i*a splendid diamond. Rich as it is liowover, it is lur from eqAialing those, about (en in number, which were possessed by the Taiican. Tlie number, of these tiaras had been jroing on increasing s-ince Pope B^nifiue VIIE., and each surpassed its predecessor in value. Financial difficulties more than once forced the Popes to sell the jewels, set in these crowns, in. order to pay their debts ; at the accession of Pope Pius->VII. there was only one left. The original tiara at theVatican was a pasteboard one, with imitation jewels. After the Concordat, about 1801, Napoleon I made Pius VII a present of a new tiara, h is the same 'that is now used, and was valued sit 220,000 francs. Its cupola consists of eight ruliW, twentyftinr pearls, undone emerald,/ The cross is- cotn{ dsed of twelve brilliant--. The tails are s'u.Jded. with ttuies. twmtylour pearls, aud. one emerald. cross is composed .of twelve brilliaa.'s.; The tails > are studded with rubies an'd'pearls. Two gold* cords, serve to fix the tiara on the headt ;of the Pope, who, by the way, scarcely ever wears it. This tiara was carefully concealed in 1848, and only.taken out of- its hiding place after the French troops had entered Rbnie. Tho principal diamond-of the Papal, tiara has a btstrffjj attached' to it which begins from Charles the Bold,. Duka of Burgundy., rhis prince had a passion fop jewelry, and there was not a wealthier manJhan he in the fifteenth century, Wiienefrer he was 3ngaged''in a "campaign hisg6ld and silver, vessels, itis diamonds and jewels, invari-s ib'y accompanied him- ,Now, having ipen beaten by the Swiss at Grandson, he ]&i, leaving his treasures on'the field of mttie, and among them three beautiful liamondji. The first was discovered l>y n oldier under a cart. It was the largest md most valuable, having, been sold ttr\/" he Duke of Burgundy by the Great. Thelucky finder not'haviug tho lightest idea of the yalue of the stone [vug it into a field, but repenting of his ct, picked it up again. and sold it fora rowu (ecu) to a priest, who resold it for iiree to a Bernese citizen. The latter, r ho was better informed, disposed of it >r- 5000 ducats ; it passed through othelands for 7000, and was purchased for , i,OOO by the Duke of Milan, Ludovico il, / [oro, who sold it to Pope Julius 11. foi),000 ducats. The second diamond is le wellknown Fnncy, and a third adorns le crown of Austria, and, i& valued at 000,000, francs.— Galignani's Messen;r.