Page:The Book of Orders of Knighthood and Decorations of Honour of All Nations.djvu/48

18 perennem voluit' (Maria Theresa wished to give perpetual duration to the gracious favour of her mother), while the centre contains, beneath the Imperial crown, the initials in monogram, 'BE. C. and M. T.' (Elizabeth Christina and Maria Theresa). All the Knights wear it, without further distinction, appended to an Imperial Crown at the button hole of the left side, suspended by a black silk ribbon.

Annually on the 19th November (the feast of St. Elizabeth) solemn high mass is held in the Church of the Augustine Friars, at Vienna, in the presence of all the Knights, Generals, Staff and Sub-Officers of the Vienna garrison. The Catholic Knights are bound to say three times every day, a Pater Noster and Ave Maria for the deceased founder, and the reigning sovereign; while the non-Catholic Knights pay annually three ducats by way of alms for the Invalid Institution at Vienna.

THE ORDER OF THE IRON CROWN.

On the 17th March, 1805, the States-Council of the Italian —previously Cis-Alpine—Republics, changed the form of government into a Monarchy, electing Napoleon as the first hereditary King of Italy. He was crowned as such at Milan, on the 20th May of the same year. The crown used, on that occasion, was that of the ancient Longobardian Kings, which had been preserved in the Treasury of the church at Monza, near Milan. It consists of a golden hoop about four fingers wide, finely chased, and adorned with precious stones in the form of an antique diadem, behind which is attached an iron ring of about one finger wide, which, according to tradition, had been forged from the nail of Christ's Cross, and from which the title is derived. Napoleon founded, in com-