This post will be the longest post to date, just for the fact of dealing with Sweden and Austria in one go. As we said earlier, Europe provides us with the greatest concentration of crowns in the world and as our meridian cuts west ward we cover several of the small countries in Europe while dealing with the larger ones. We begin with a very small exhibit in Croatia (32 on the map). Then to Austria for one of the most historically important and extensive collection of crowns (33 on the map). The Czech Republic has on of the most fairy tale like crowns in the world with accompanying history (34 on the map). Stockholm in Sweden house the largest complete collection of Crowns in Europe (35 on the map). Then we finally also backtrack slightly to Finland (36 on the map) as I forgot to add it to my previous post..
Croatia/Zvico Bacic/Sacred Art Expo (Permanent Display
1crown)
http://home.hu.inter.net/~jekely/crown.htm
Austria/Vienna/Shatzkammer Hofburg (Permanent
Display 3 crowns, 1circlet, 1empty frame)
Imperial Crown of Charlemagne
The crown of the Holy Roman emperors, called the
crown of Charlemagne, is the oldest in Germany. It is imbued with
legendary, even esoteric mystique and no-one could claim legitimate rulership
without being crowned with it. To this day legend has it, that he who owns it
will rule all Europe. It was pursued by Hitler
and Napoleon desired to be crowned with it but the custodians of the crown kept
it hidden. It is a splendid example of early medieval craftsmanship and style,
with strong religious symbology and many precious stones.
Imperial Crown of Rudolf II
In later years the Holy
Roman empire was all but dissolved except in name. This name
eventually fell under the Austrian Empire. The crown made for Emperor Rudolph
II is a grandiose testimony of this highly eccentric and artistic man, as well
as of the height of the renaissance civilization at his court in Vienna. Like
its Russian Imperial counterpart it is also a miter type crown. This one is however
clearly not Russian but decidedly Teutonic.
Crown of Duke Stephan Boskcais
This crown is commonly referred to as the Crown of Transylvania and could have served as such albeit for a short time.
Arch Ducal Hat of Joseph II (empty frame)
This crown would constitute the Crown of the Heir Apparent for the Imperial throne of Austria. It is today, merely and empty frame.
Austria/Klosterneuburg/Klosterneuburg Abbey (Permanent
Display 1crown)
Arch Ducal Hat 1616
In Austria, the royal Princes were
called Archdukes. This is a surviving crown used by a person of that rank.
Austria/Graz/Joanneum Museum (Permanent Display 1crown)
Arch Ducal Hat of Styria 15th Century
Austria/Tirol/Mariastein Church (Permanent Display 1crown)
Austria/Vienna/ Kunsthistoriches Museum (Permanent Display
1crown)
The Crown/Helmet of Skanderberg
This is the official coronation crown and crown of state for the small country of Albania that used to be an independant kingdom.
Czeque Republic/Prague/St Vitus Cathedral ( Periodic Display of 1crown)
Crown of St Wencelas 14th Century
Of extreme, beauty and set with many precious
stones, the Crown of St. Wencelas is revered as a true relic. Said to contain a
piece of the crown of thorns in the cross at the apex of the crown, it is kept in the ancient vaults of St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague. It
is rarely displayed for the public and then only for special occasions. Seven keys are required to unlock the special vault containing the crown. These keys are dispersed among; the President of the Republic, the Prime Minister, the Archbishop of Prague, the Chairman of the House of Deputies, the Chairman of the Senate, the Dean of the Metropolitan Chapter of St. Vitus Cathedral and the Mayor of Prague.
Czech Republic/Prague/Prague Castle (Permanent Display 1 crown)
Funerary Crown of Ottokar II
Sweden/Stockholm/Royal Palace (Permanent Display 10crowns, 1coronet)
The Royal Crown of the Kings of Sweden 1560
In most countries with reigning royal families,
the crown jewels in essence, are owned by posterity and the state and reserved
solely for the use of the royal family. Sweden is an exception, in that the
royal regalia and all other jewels are the private property of the King and
held in the Bernadotte Trust for the future generations
The Queen Consort's Crown
Extreme intricate workmanship gives the crown of
Queen Maria Eleonora its purposefully intended sparkle. This Queen who ruled in
her own right, knew how to impress as is evident by this spectacular crown. It
is considered the official crown to be used by the Consort Queens even though in modern times the Swedish Royal family do not wear the crowns but they are merely displayed at high state functions.
The Crown for the Hereditary Prince of Sweden displays a single silver wheat sheaf on the front. This is the symbol for the princes of Sweden.
A small "Queen Victoria style" coronet made for the use of a queen.
The crown of Prince Frederick Adolf 1771
The crown of Prince Carl 1771
The crown of Prince Oskar 1844
The crown of Prince Wilhelm 1902
The crown of Princess Eugenia 1860
The crown of Princess Hedvig Elisabet Charlotta 1778
The crown of Princess Sophia Albertina 1771
http://www.kungahuset.se/monarkin/kungligasymboler/riksregalierna.4.7c4768101a4e888378000989.html
Sweden/Strangnas/Strangnas Cathedral (Permanent Display 1crown)
Crown of King Eric IX
Sweden/Uppsala/Uppsala Cathedral Museum
(Permanent Display of 6funerary crowns)
Funerary Crown of King Johan III
Funerary Crown of Gustav Vasa
Funerary Crown
Funerary Crowns
Funerary Crown made from silver wire and pearls
Sweden/Stockholm/State
Historical Museum
(Permanent Display 1relic crown, 1 medieval circlet)
Crown of St.Elizabeth
Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, donated two crowns to be reworked in forming a crown/lid for the holy reliquary of St Elizabeth. This was the result.
Early Medieval Circlet from a Royal Lady's burial vault
Finland/Kemi/Gemstone Gallery (Permanent Display 1crown)
In 1918 a crown was planned and designs were drawn up for the proposed King of Finland. However, the political situation changed before the new crown could be manufactured for the coronation of independent Finland's first monarch. By the end of 1918 the uncrowned monarch had abdicated and Finland instead adopted a republican constitution. In the 1990's the original designs were used to create the crown made of silver gilt and decorated with the arms in enamel of the various provinces of the country. Two arches rise from the base and is not topped by an Orb and Cross like in most European crowns, but rather a gold rampant lion as found in the Coat of Arms of Finland. Strictly speaking this crown cannot be seen as a replica as the original was never made. Thus it could be referred to as a belated genuine crown but one that will sadly never be used officially.
(All images on this blog are considered defaulted to the public domain due to age and ready sourcing from the internet. If an image on this blog is disputed it will be altered or removed following written protest from an authentic source. please contact me at danielgswan@hotmail.com)
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