MANTLE OF KING WILLIAM II

MANTLE OF KING WILLIAM II – DATED AT 1133-1134 YEAR 528 OF THE HEGIRA – KUNSTHISTORISCHES MUSEUM, VIENNA

The so-called imperial pallium of Charlemagne, which was stored in the “Treasure Chamber” for many centuries and which was used in the coronations of the Holy Roman Empire, actually belonged to William II, king of Sicily: an Arabic script which runs along the hem of the selfsame mantle bears witness to this fact.

The marvelous embroidery symmetrically repeats, with great impetus, the scene of a lion downing a camel: it wishes to symbolize Christianity’s triumph over Islam.