A CAPTURED CROWN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 November 1924, Page 13

A CAPTURED CROWN.

The crown of the Emperor Theodore of Abyssama, which, after being kept W ® ass oa,se a, t the Victoria and Albert Museum, South Kensington, London, since 1869, is now to be returned to its former home m Africa, ver y eventful history This crowir was brought to Britain by oir Robert, afterwards Lord Napier of Magdala, after the capture of Magdala and the death of Theodore in the Abyssinian War of 1868. It is a ponderous piece of silver-gilt filigree work, many sizes too large 'for any ordinary head. It is lavishly decorated with little squares and diamonds of red and blue glass, varied with diminutive pain.tipgs. A feature is the strange looking pipe which projects several inches through the centre of toe dome, apparently for ventilation. The King’s intention to present this crow'n to the Empress Judith w'as announced wdien he granted a farewell audience to Prince Ras Tafari, the heir-apparent and Regent of Abyssinia, whose recent visit to Great Britain created much interest.

It is interesting to note that the only son of the Emperor Theodore was educated at Rugby. He died in 1879, at the age of nineteen, and was buried in St. George’s Chapel, Windsor.