Iron Crown of the Lombards

Iron Crown of Lombardy
The Iron Crown of Lombardy, displayed in the Cathedral of Monza
Heraldic depictions
Details
Country	Kingdom of the Lombards Kingdom of Italy (Frankish) Holy Roman Empire Kingdom of Italy (Napoleonic) Kingdom of Lombardy–Venetia Kingdom of Italy
Made	ca. 4th or 5th century
Owner	Cathedral of Monza
Arches	None (Circlet)
Material	Gold
Cap	None
Other elements	Nail purportedly used at the Crucifixion of Jesus

The Iron Crown of Lombardy (Italian: Corona Ferrea; Latin: Corona Ferrea Langobardiae) is both a reliquary and one of the oldest royal insignias of Christendom. It was made in the Early Middle Ages, consisting of a circlet of gold and jewels fitted around a central band, which is said to be made of iron beaten out of a nail of the True Cross. The crown became one of the symbols of the Kingdom of the Lombards and later of the medieval Kingdom of Italy. It is kept in the Cathedral of Monza, outside Milan.

The Iron Crown is so called because it was believed to contain a one centimetre-wide band of iron within it, said to be beaten out of a nail used at the crucifixion of Jesus. The outer circlet of the crown is made of six segments of beaten gold, partly enameled, joined together by hinges. It is set with twenty-two gemstones that stand out in relief, in the form of crosses and flowers. Its small size and hinged construction have suggested to some that it was originally a large armlet or perhaps a votive crown. According to other opinions, however, the small size is due to a readjustment after the loss of two segments, as described in historical documents.

According to tradition, the nail was first given to Emperor Constantine I by his mother St. Helena, who had discovered the True Cross. Helena supposedly cast one nail into the sea to calm a storm, another was incorporated into a diadem and then mounted into Constantine's helmet, another was fitted to the head of a statue of the Emperor, and a fourth was melted down and molded into a bit for Constantine's horse. Since alleged pieces of the holy nails can be found in almost thirty European countries, Blom (2002) stated that: "Constantine also understood the value of these objects in diplomacy"; several were sent off to various dignitaries, one of whom was Princess Theodelinda. She used her nail as part of her crown, the famous Iron Crown of Lombardy.