An original artwork by Keno Don Hugo Rosa opens the third chapter of *The Crown of the Crusader Kings* (2001), published in Italy in 2002 as *Zio Paperone – La corona dei re crociati*. It is a clear example of the dual nature of Don Rosa’s work: a recognisable signature of the Disney universe and, at the same time, a direct successor to Carl Barks, the creator of Duckburg with Archimedes Pitagorico, Grandma Duck, the Beagle Boys, the Depot, Number One and so on and so forth.
What makes the artwork on display at the Comics Museum even more valuable is the fact that it features, right at its centre, one of Barks’ many inventions: Genghis Khan’s crown.
Don Rosa picks up from a specific episode, “Return to Xanadu”, in which Scrooge McDuck loses the precious artefact. From there, he devises a new treasure hunt: the search for the twin crown of the Crusader Kings, linked to the Templar tradition. The journey takes in Brutopia, Paris and the Caribbean and follows a structure typical of Don Rosa’s work: clues, travel, historical reconstruction and narrative continuity with previous stories.
