Frederick III was the last emperor of the Holy Roman Empire to be crowned by the Pope in Rome. By ordinary understanding, a coronation should have required quite a few preparations, such as ceremonial robes, jewels, and ornaments.
Fifteenth-century Florence was practically piled high with splendor, gathering treasures from every corner of the world. Since Cosimo and both his sons were ill, only Florentine officials could accompany this most honored guest.
From dawn until dusk, after looking at countless pearls, gemstones, silks, woolens, and velvets, His Majesty bought nothing at all. Only after the Florentine officials had nearly walked their legs off did Frederick III finally purchase a single item. Fortunately, the officials were well-mannered, or they would have cursed him outright.
He bought cotton cloth, only one copper coin per foot. Even the officials' servants could not be bothered to buy it. Yet this stingy, penny-pinching, shabby sovereign actually haggled with the shopkeeper, and after the officials had accompanied him on foot for so long, they had not seen him give anyone so much as a reward.
Although Georgiana bought things in every city during this trip, the assessment she received, if not stingy, was certainly far from generous. Her jewelry was not luxurious or imposing enough either; some even said it was inferior to that of a wealthy merchant's wife. So Bonaparte simply bought the "Mughal Diamond" and gave it to her.
The diamond weighed a full three hundred carats. It could have been set into a crown or a scepter, and all the gossip vanished at once.
No matter how low-profile Bonaparte was at home, this was how he behaved abroad. Thankfully, Georgiana had not disgraced him too badly so far, and since she had always been so "frugal," everyone simply took it as her style.
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