Stump the German

[Eva Elisabeth]

Roger, please re-read my hint #2, I had worded it the wrong way round and have now corrected the error.

Hint #5: It's not a statue of Jesus, but the gentleman's era is closer to Jesus' than to ours.

[RJNorton]

(02-03-2015 12:02 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Hint #2: Laurie once revealed on this forum ("Presidents and First Ladies Trivia" thread) the gentleman in the photo was her anchestor..

I looked back, and in August 2013 Laurie wrote, "Be gentle to Charlemagne, please! Years ago, a cousin traced one line of our family in order to get into the DAR. She was so intrigued, she kept on going; and the line went back to Charlemagne."

[Eva Elisabeth]

Brilliant, Roger, the gentleman is Charlemagne, Karl der Große, or Charles the Great (742 - 814).

He was King of the Franks, King of the Lombards, and finally (on Dec.25, 800) coronated as the first recognized Imperator Romanorum *("Emperor of the Romans") in Western Europe since the collapse of the Western Roman Empire three centuries earlier. He united most of Western Europe during the Middle Ages and laid the foundations for modern France and Germany.

[* by the full title "Karolus serenissimus Augustus a Deo coronatus magnus pacificus imperator Romanum gubernans imperium" ("Charles, most serene Augustus crowned by God, the great, peaceful emperor ruling the Roman empire")]

Charlemagne made Aachen, where I was born and raised, his imperial capital (and over the next 500 years, most kings of Germany destined to reign over the Holy Roman Empire were crowned in Aachen). The photo shows a mask reliquary, located at Cathedral Treasury in Aachen. In the cathedral is also the throne of Charlemagne and the subsequent German Kings:
   
Well I feel a bit sorry as for this hard trivia task now, but I was so thrilled to learn from the recently published book (hint #4) that Charlemagne and his adventurous life played, on the evening of April 14, a major role for two MAIN characters in the assassination saga - I couldn't resist...

Now - who were these two well-known persons, and how was Charlemagne "amongst" them?

Hint #6: One was male, one female.
Hint #7: The original source the new book refers to is a well-known diary.

[Eva Elisabeth]

For the first time I've decided to give up on a trivia question and apologize that it was obviously a very poor one. Well, I thought a king would make you think of legends, and of telling or reading such to someone. And this is what Fanny Seward did on the evening of April 14 - she read to her father from the "Legends of Charlemagne" by Thomas Bulfinch.

In her recently published Fanny Seward bio, Trudy Krisher writes: "As a subject for her ailing father, Charlemagne was a fitting choice. The eight-century leader had undertaken war in order to bring peace and unity to a diverse people torn by unending conflict. Likewise, Abraham Lincoln, aided by Fanny's father, had served as a similar leader eleven centuries later."

Here's the book:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/4927/4927-h/4927-h.htm

Roger and Roger, thank you for guessing on this question, and for correctly identifying Charlemagne!

[Rogerm]

Eva. This was an excellent question. And, to use German word order and to germanize, a little the past participle, I could say that, "You have with this question most of us ge-'stumpted.'

[L Verge]

Speaking of world leaders, who wove a crown of thorns and attached it to an autographed picture of himself and sent it to Jefferson Davis at Christmas in 1866?

[STS Lincolnite]

(02-03-2015 07:46 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Speaking of world leaders, who wove a crown of thorns and attached it to an autographed picture of himself and sent it to Jefferson Davis at Christmas in 1866?

Pope Pius IX is the answer you are looking for. However, the story about the crown of thorns appears to be false. Only the picture was sent. The crown of thorns was most likely woven by Varina Davis.

Coincidently, I was reading about this subject a couple of weeks ago. I refer you to the following web article that I was reading at that time. For more information regarding the topic read the original posting that this article links you to and the comments that follow.

http://cwmemory.com/2009/09/27/update-on...of-thorns/

[Eva Elisabeth]

(02-03-2015 07:34 PM)Rogerm Wrote:  Eva. This was an excellent question. And, to use German word order and to germanize, a little the past participle, I could say that, "You have with this question most of us ge-'stumpted.'

Thanks, Roger - if one liked the question it was worth it...

Speaking of Good Friday and your Jesus guess, btw, (most likely) in 800, Charlemagne was presented with several reliquia of Jesus' birth and death, amongst these the bloodstained waistcloth Jesus wore at the crucifixion (thus on Good Friday). It has also been part of the Cathedral Treasury of Aachen Cathedral since and is shown to the public once every seventh year.
   

[L Verge]

(02-03-2015 10:03 PM)STS Lincolnite Wrote:  

(02-03-2015 07:46 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Speaking of world leaders, who wove a crown of thorns and attached it to an autographed picture of himself and sent it to Jefferson Davis at Christmas in 1866?

Pope Pius IX is the answer you are looking for. However, the story about the crown of thorns appears to be false. Only the picture was sent. The crown of thorns was most likely woven by Varina Davis.

Coincidently, I was reading about this subject a couple of weeks ago. I refer you to the following web article that I was reading at that time. For more information regarding the topic read the original posting that this article links you to and the comments that follow.

http://cwmemory.com/2009/09/27/update-on...of-thorns/

Thank you so much for the clarification about the crown of thorns. It makes sense that Pius IX would have little time for arts and crafts while he was trying to preserve the Vatican's property rights. The threats and warfare going on around him among various Italian states were some of the reasons why he agreed to the extradition of John Surratt to stand trial in America. He knew he might need the help of the U.S. - if nothing else than to assist in his escape if need be.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Who is this gentleman?
   

[RJNorton]

Wild guess - Henry David Thoreau?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Great guess, Roger! It isn't Thoreau, but this gentleman became famous in a quite related business.

Hint #1: He was a German.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Hint #2: He was a painter.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Hint #3: He painted an avatar.

[RJNorton]

Gustave May (Die Letzten Augenblicke des Prasidenten Lincoln)?