The Iron Crown of Lombardy, dating from the seventh century, is said to contain one of the nails used in the crucifixion of Jesus. The Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne used it at his coronation ceremony in Lombardy, as did several succeeding emperors. Even Napoleon used the crown when he claimed to be King of Italy. Two attempts to create an Order of the Iron Crown were made, first by Napoleon, then by King Victor Emmanuel; both came to nothing.
Apparently Julius Evola outlined his own ideas about the Order. Evola both acknowledges the inception of ascetic orders following the fall of the Roman Empire, while denying any link to the Lombardian Iron Crown, despite using the same name. (The published translation is incorrect, either accidentally or deliberately to obscure the ancient connection.)
I’ll not bother to comment on the eight points as they are generic and innocuous in themselves. Certainly, it is unlikely to ever be implemented as they stand. While Cordelia for Lear has the good sense to stop at that point, another site adds a section about qualifications and structure.
What is curious about this ascetic order, especially since there are provisions for passing on membership to sons, is a comment about an affiliated formation of women who would serve as sexual surrogates for the men. Methinks Evola is trying to show he’s “got game”, but I don’t see the appeal. Maybe the dateless computer geeks who seem to be reading Evola these days relish the idea of 50 men sharing the same half dozen or so thots. This would be sure to lead to attachments and the inevitable jealousies and conflicts that would disrupt the group. Any man with real world experience, instead of living in his mother’s apartment, can grasp this. Believe me, the women will turn out to be very demanding, to the point of diverting attention from the order’s purpose.
Then there is the delicate problem of recruitment. Perhaps in decadent Rome, such an order can find suitable women. But in Evola’s ancestral Sicily, those women are likely to be some man’s daughter or sister. I can guarantee this idea would not have gone over very well and the Sicilians had their own secret order to deal with such issues.
We have made available several posts about actually existing knightly orders, for example at Random Thoughts on Chivalry. Notice the profound difference in values from what Evola proposes. I suggest that anyone interested in a chivalric or ascetic order should take a look at previously successful endeavors and not the laundry list of a man who was never part of any order.
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