Imperial Crown

Imperial Crown, crown created in the 10th century for coronations of the Holy Roman emperors. Although made for Otto the Great (912–973), it was named for Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman emperor. The crown is made of eight round-topped plaques of gold hinged together and kept rigid by an interior ring of iron; it is decorated with jewels and enamel in the Byzantine style. It was designed to surmount or incorporate a mitre, which was...