Summary

Medal Couronnement a Milan, 'Coronation in Milan', Issued by France, 1805
Artist: Bertrand Andrieu
Minted by Paris Mint

Obverse Description

Head laureate right; around, NAPOLEON EMPEREUR.; below in small letters DENON DIR. ANDREIU. F.

Reverse Description

The crown of Agilulfus, King of Lombardy; around above, NAPOLEON ROI D'ITALIE; in exergue, COURONNE . A . MILAN . / LE . XXIII . MAI . / M.DCCCV . / DENON . DT . * JALEY . FT .

Edge Description

Plain

Significance

"Bonaparte having assumed the title of Emperor of the Gauls, solicitations were sent from all parts of Italy, entreating him to take upon himself and his heirs the Italian diadem. On the 23rd of May, 1805, he was crowned at Milan with the greatest splendour and magnificence. Seated on a superb throne, he had on his right the honours of the empire, on his left, the honours of Italy, before him the honours of Charlemagne; he was invested with the usual insignia of royalty by the Cardinal Archbishop, and ascending the altar, he took the iron crown, and placing it on his head, exclaimed, being part of the ceremony used at the enthronement of the Lombard kings, "Dieu me la donne, gare a qui la touche;" God gives it me, beware those who touch it.

Being thus invested, he constituted a new order of knighthood by the name of the Iron Crown, and soon completed the organization of the new kingdom, appointing Prince Eugene Beauharnois the first Viceroy.

Agilulfus, whose crown is here represented, was crowned King of the Lombards, at Milan, A. D. 591; in a great degree the reign of Bonaparte assimilates itself with that of the Lombard King Agilulfus." Laskey p. 88-89

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