The real nature of this calamity is shown by the discussion which took place as to the suitable manner of the Emperor’s interment. He who had so long watched over the welfare of the Empire, he who had so often sat upon his steed as the battle hero, upon his throne as lawgiver, judge, and counsellor, and as teacher among the scholars of the academy, should he now lie in a coffin? They could not conceive of it. It was repugnant to the sentiment of all those whose hearts were overcome by their great loss. After earnest discussion they decided upon a form of interment which should reflect the greatness of that loss. Seated upon a marble throne with gold adornments, in imperial garb glistening with golden bees, the crown upon his head, sword and pilgrim’s scrip at his side, a Testament upon his knees, and a fragment of the Holy Cross at his breast, thus was the dead Emperor lowered to the crypt of the minster, which was filled with the costliest spices. One hundred and eighty-six years later, in the year 1000, the German Emperor Otto the Third, who was a victim of melancholy, opened the crypt, hoping that the sight of the great dead would restore peace and rest to his soul. The glare of torches revealed the majestic figure of the Emperor, still sitting upright on his throne. Otto, however, did not find the rest for which he had hoped. Had he realized the spirit of the Emperor, had he studied him in his great works, perhaps it would have brought him relief and the fresh incentive to activity might have resulted in more faithful performance of his duties as sovereign. A century and a half later the crypt was again opened by Barbarossa, who ordered that the precious remains of Charlemagne should be placed in a marble casket and buried in the Cathedral. While reflecting with reverence upon this picture of the Emperor in the crypt, we should also consider the picture of the living Emperor, as revealed in this story of his earthly pilgrimage. If we do this in the right way, refusing to be influenced by those harpies who pursue all great and noble men in history that they may besmirch their memories, we shall be inspired by the example of his great deeds to make our own pilgrimage a blessing both to ourselves and others. Footnotes [1]Ingelheim is a small town in Hesse, eight miles west of Mainz. [2]Johannisberg is a village near Wiesbaden, famous for its wine. [3]The Rheingau is a district on the right bank of the Rhine, also famous for its vineyards. [4]Aachen is the German name of Aix-la-Chapelle, famous for its baths and the Cathedral founded by Charlemagne, where his marble throne is preserved. [5]A canton of Switzerland, which was once subject to the monastery of Saint Gall. [6]The Alemanni were a German race which occupied the region from the Main to the Danube. [7]The Burgundians were also a German race which invaded Gaul and founded the Kingdom of Burgundy.