Crown jewels
Crown jewels are those that belong to the
sovereign and pass to the next sovereign to symbolize the right to rule. They usually include one or more
crowns,
scepters,
orbs,
swords, and/or
rings.
See also: regalia.Benin
*
DanhomèThe enormous collection of the
Ahosu (Kings) of the Danhomè (Dahomey) is kept in the city of
Abomey. Since the 1980s the Getty Foundation and UNESCO have been trying to save the old palaces. The royal palaces are today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The royal insignia which symbolised the power of the king were the
kataklè (three-legged stool), the
afokpa (
sandals), the
avotita (
woven cloth decorated with
appliqué work), the
awè (
parasol), the
mankpo (
recade or
ceremonial staff), the
so (
gun) and the
hwi (
sabre). In the course of the war against the French colonial power, many items were looted. Most of the items can be seen either in Abomey, or the
Musée de l'Homme in Paris.
Links*
UNESCO|Royal Palaces of Abomey*
Historical Museum of Abomey*
History Channel|Royal Palaces of Abomey, Benin*
BeninThe regalia of the
Kingdom of Benin, which stretched for its most part into
Nigeria, were the
Benin bronzes, which were plundered by the British colonial powers in their war. Most of it is kept today in the
British Museum, which refuses to return them to the successor states of
Edo and
Warri, Nigeria.
Links*
Africa Reparations Movement|Campaign for the return of the Benin BronzesBurundi
The traditional emblem of the
Mwami (
king) was the
Karyenda drum. These holy drums were kept at special drum-sanctuaries throughout the country and were brought out for special ceremonies only. One such place is in
Gitega, location of the
ibwami royal court.
Central African Republic
Please see Emperor Bokassa and the Central African Empire.Egypt
* Ancient EgyptThe treasures of the
Pharaohs can be seen in the
Egyptian Museum in
Cairo and throughout other museums in the world.
* Kingdom of EgyptMost of the Crown Jewels of the
Mehmet Ali Dynasty are at the Museum at
Abdin Palace in Cairo.
Links*
Egyptian MuseumEthiopia
The crown jewels of
Ethiopia are in
Axum.
Ghana
*
AshantiThe symbol of the royal power of the
Asantehene (ruler of the
Ashanti) is the sacred
Golden Stool, the
Sika 'dwa. It is used for the coronation and symbolizes the power of the Ashanti. It is kept alongside with other royal regalia at the Royal Palace in
Kumasi.
Nigeria
Nigeria is a
federal republic. It contains numerous kingdoms, some which had a huge significance in the
history of Nigeria, before they were subdued by the
British during
colonialism. Nevertheless, even today some rulers have been able to maintain their
religious,
cultural, and to some extent
political powers. The regalia had often not only political significance, but also, in the southern kingdoms for example, were vital for religious rituals. In this case, the ruler was seen as a link between this earth, and the spiritual side. Also in the north did the Muslim
emirs and
sultans have religious functions as commanders.
List of some of the kingdomsAbeokuta -
Adamawa -
Benin -
Borno -
Edo -
Fika -
Gombe -
Ibadan -
Ijebu -
Ile Ife -
Ilorin -
Jos -
Kano -
Katsina -
Lagos -
Onitsha -
Oshogbo -
Oyo -
Sokoto -
Tiv -
Warri -
Zaria (Zazzau) -
ZamfaraThe
royal regalia is normally kept in the capital city of the respective state.
See also List of Nigerian traditional states.Links*
Kingdoms of NigeriaRwanda
Close to the old capital of
Butare lies the nearby
Nyabisindu, formerly known as
Nyanza, the traditional seat of
Rwanda's monarchy. The Royal Palace at Nyanza, a domed construction made with traditional materials, has been restored to its 19th century state and is now maintained as a museum. Further historical artefacts are kept at the
National Museum in Butare.
Links*
Virtual Rwanda|Nyanza Royal Palace*
Rwanda Tourism|Kigali & ButareSouth Africa
See Zulu Kingdom.Tanzania
*
ZanzibarUganda
There are several
kingdoms in
Uganda. During the upheavals after gaining independence, the monarchies were abolished. Only in the 1990s were the various kings restored to their thrones. Although they do not wield any political powers anymore, they are still a symbol of unity and continuance to their people. The royal regalia normally consisted of the
Royal Drums, and are kept at the various palaces in the capital cities of the Ugandan states.
See Ugandan Royal Regalia. The kingdoms*
Ankole*
Buganda*
Bunyoro*
Busoga*
ToroBurma
The treasures of
Burma´s
Konbaung Dynasty are kept in the National Museum in
Yangon. They include items such as the
Sihasana Pallanka (
Great Lion Throne), and various other items. Other items can be seen in the old capital city of
Mandalay.
Brunei
The royal regalia of
Brunei are kept in the
Royal Regalia Building, which was completed in
1992, in
Bandar Seri Begawan. Also housed are the
Royal Chariot, the gold and silverceremonial armoury and the jewel-encrusted crowns.
China
China has never had an official regalia for the various dynasties; however, there exists numerous crowns, robes, jewels and headwear made especially for coronations and other official events. They usually contain very large Manchurian pearls and most date from the
Qing Dynasty. The most important item for the assumption of the throne were the
Imperial Seals, which gave the owner the
mandate of heaven authority. These are kept either in the
Forbidden City or the
National Palace Museum.
India
The
Imperial Crown of India is kept at the
Tower of London.
See also: Moghul Empire and the Princely States.Indonesia
Indonesia has various
kingdoms and
sultanates, all with their own unique history. The most known
royal courts are distributed amongst the islands of
Java,
Madura,
Bali,
Sumatra,
Kalimantan,
Sulawesi, and
Sumbawa. There are 23 royal courts or more which still exist today, headed either by a
sultan or a
ruler. Although today only
HM the
Sultan of Yogyakarta wields any political influence as the
governor. In Indonesia the royal courts are either called
kraton or
istana. Below are some of them listed:
*
Yogyakarta Kraton Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat and
Puro Pakualaman;
*
Surakarta (Solo)
Kraton Surakarta Hadiningrat and
Puro Mangkunegaraan;
*
West Java Kraton Kasepuhan of
Cirebon,
Kraton Kanoman, and
Kraton Kacirebonan;
*
Madura Kraton Sumenep;
*
Riau Istana Siak;
*
Palembang Istana Palembang Darussalam;
*
North Sumatra Istana Maimun of
Kesultanan Deli;
*
West Kalimantan Istana Amantubillah Mempawah, and
Istana Alwatzkubillah;
*
East Kalimantan Kutai of
Tenggarong;
*
Sumbawa Istana Bima;
*
Central Sulawesi Istana Luwu;
*
South East Sulawesi Istana Walio of
Buton Island;
*
South Sulawesi Istana Saoraja of
Bone and
Istana Balla Lompoa of
Gowa.
*
Aceh *
Bali Various royal regalia and other items used for court functions may be viewed in some the respective palaces.
Links*
On East Java|Art and Culture*
Joglosermar|Karaton Surakarta HadiningratIran (Persia)
Iran has a large collection of royal treasures dating from the
Safavid dynasty, to
Nader Shah, the
Qajar dynasty, especially by
Fath Ali Shah and
Nasser-al-Din Shah, and
Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. The Imperial Jewels are on display at the
Central Bank in
Tehran.
Links*
Imperial Jewels of IranJapan
("Three Sacred Treasures") consist of the Holy Sword
Kusanagi (草薙剣), the Holy Jewel
Yasakani no magatama (八尺"曲玉), and the Holy Mirror
Yata no kagami (八'鏡). The sword and the mirror are kept at the
Shinto shrines in
Nagoya and
Ise in
Central Japan, and the jewel at the
Kokyo Imperial Palace in
Tokyo.
The
enthronement cerenomy is traditionally held in
Kyoto. The
Imperial Throne is kept at the
Gosho Imperial Palace in Kyoto.
Laos
The regalia of
Laos are kept in the
Royal Palace in
Luang Prabang.
Malaysia
The royal regalia of
Malaysia are kept in the
Istana Negara (
National Palace) in
Kuala Lumpur. The regalia is worn by
HM the
King (ms:
Yang di-Pertuan Agong), and
HM the
Queen (
Raja Permaisuri Agong) during certain ceremonies, such as the
election as
head of state,
HMs birthday, awards ceremonies, and the calling of parliament.
They consist of the
Tengkolok Diraja (
Royal Head Dress), the Queen´s
Gendik di Raja (
Royal Tiara), the
Keris Panjang di Raja (
Royal Long Kris or
Keris of State), the
Kris Pendek di Raja (
Royal Short Keris), the
Cogan Alam dan Cogan Agama (
Sceptre of the Universe and
Sceptre of Religion), the
Cokmar (
Maces), the
Pedang Keris Panjang dan Sundang (Royal sword, long
Keris and sword Keris), the
Payung Ubur-ubur Kuming dan Tombak Berambu (Yellow-fringed
umbrella and tassled lances), and the
Pending di Raja (
Royal Waist Buckle).
Malaysia is a
federal state, consisting of thirteen states and two federal territories. Out of these, nine are monarchies headed by
sultans. Royal regalia and other items of the rulers are kept in the respective palaces and courts. These are:
*
Johore *
Kedah *
Kelantan *
Negeri Sembilan *
Pahang *
Perak *
Perlis *
Selangor *
TerengganuPhilippines
*
Sultanate of Maguindanao*
Sultanate of SuluThailand (Siam)
The
Royal Regalia,
Royal Utensils, and the
Royal Eight Weapons of Sovereignty comprise a total of 28 items. The
Royal Regalia consists of the
Great Crown of Victory, the
Sword of Victory, the
Royal Staff, the
Royal Fan (or
Flywhisk), and the
Royal Slippers.The 28 items are traditionally presented to the
Kings of Thailand at their
coronation ceremonies. They are kept, amongst other royal items, at the
Grand Palace in
Bangkok.
Links*
The Thai Monarchy|The Royal RegaliaVietnam
The signs of the imperial power of the
Nguyen Emperors were the Great
Imperial Seal and the
Sword. When the last emperor
Bao Dai abdicated
1945 in
Hue, he handed them over to the communist authorities.
Austria (Austro-Hungarian Empire, Holy Roman Empire)
The
Austrian Crown Jewels (de:
Insignien und Kleinodien) are kept at the
Schatzkammer (Imperial Treasury) located in the
Hofburg Palace in
Vienna. They are a collection of imperial regalia and jewels dating from the 10th century to the 19th. They are one of the biggest and most important collection of royal objects still today, and reflect more than a thousand years of European history. The treasury can be quantified into six important parts:
* The Insignia of the Austrian Hereditary Homage
* The
Austrian Empire* The
Habsburg-Lorraine Household Treasure
* The
Holy Roman Empire* The Burgundian Inheritance and the
Order of the Golden Fleece* The
Ecclesiastical TreasuryThe most outstanding objects are the insignia of the hereditary
Empire of Austria. They consist of the Imperial Crown, the Imperial Orb and the mantle of the Austrian Empire, and the Coronation Robes of the
Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia. The Imperial Crown, Orb, Cross, and Holy Lance of the Holy Roman Empire are also highlights.
*The archducal hat is kept today at the
Augustinian Abbey of
Klosterneuburg, in
Lower Austria.
Please see archducal hat for further information.*The ducal hat of
Styria is kept at the
Joanneum in
Graz, Styria.
Please see ducal hat for further information.Czech Republic (Czech Kingdom, Bohemian Kingdom)
The jewels (cs:
korunovační klenoty), and the
Crown of Saint Wenceslas of
Bohemia (
Svatováclavská koruna) are kept in
Prague Castle (
Pražský hrad) and are displayed to the public only once every fifty years, except for the coronation of a new Grand Duke where the new Grand Duke is crowned with them.
The crown is named and dedicated after the
Duke and
Patron Saint Wenceslas I of the
Premyslids dynasty of Bohemia. The crown has an unusual design, with vertical
fleurs-de-lis standing at the front, back and sides. Made from
gold and
precious stones, its weight is 2.475
kg. It was made for King
Charles IV in
1346. Since
1867 it has been stored in
St. Vitus Cathedral of Prague Castle. The jewels have always played an important role as a symbol of Bohemian
statehood.
Links (all text in Czech language)
*
History of jewels *
Pictures and details (requires QuickTime)Denmark
The crown jewels and other royal regalia of
Denmark are kept in
Rosenborg Castle in
Copenhagen.
Please see Danish Crown Regalia.
France
What is left of the crown jewels of
France are on display in the
Louvre in
Paris.
 |
The French Crown Jewels. |
Germany
* Anhalt
* Baden
* Bavaria (
de: Bayern)In
1806,
Napoleon Bonaparte conquered the
Holy Roman Empire. He restructered the many German states and the
Duchy of Bavaria was promoted to a 'Kingdom'. The ruling
Wittelsbach Duke became
Maximilian I became King of
Bavaria. With his new status, the King ordered new regalia to be made. It can be seen today in the
Treasury of the
Residenz Palace in
Munich.
The
Bavarian Coronation Set consists of the Crown of Bavaria, the Crown of the
Queen (originally made for Maximilian's Queen,
Caroline Frederika of
Baden, the State Sword, the Royal Orb, and the Royal Sceptre.
Please see Bavarian Crown Jewels.
Links*
Residenz in Munich* Hessia (
Hessen)
* Mecklenburg
* Saxony (
Sachsen)The treasures of the Kings of
Saxony are kept in
Dresden.
Please see Saxon Crown Jewels. * Thurn und Taxis
* Prussia (
Preußen)The crown and the insignia of the
Kingdom of Prussia are kept at
Hohenzollern Castle in
Sigmarigen,
Baden-Württemberg.
Please see Prussian Crown Jewels.
Links*
Preussen.de|Schatzkammer* Württemberg
* Holy Roman EmpireThe Imperial Regalia like the
Holy Crown of
Charlemagne, the
orb, the
sceptre, the
Holy Lance, and various other items are kept in the
Schatzkammer Treasury in
Vienna,
Austria. ''Please see
Imperial Regalia.
Links*
Kunsthistorisches Museum Vienna|The Holy Roman EmpireGreece
* Hellenic Kingdom
Hungary
The crown jewels of
Hungary are on display in the Parliament Building in
Budapest.
Ireland
The jewels were kept at
Dublin Castle.
Italy
* Lombardythe
Iron Crown of the
Kingdom of Lombardy is kept at the Cathedral of
Monza. The coronation robe is kept in the
Schatzkammer in
Vienna,
Austria.
* Kings of ItalyThe Crown jewels of the Kingdom of Italy (
1861–
1948) are custoded in the
Bank of Italy; the value of crowns, diadems and various jewels is valued at over €2,5 Billion.
Monaco
Monaco features a
heraldic crown on its
coat-of-arms, but does not possess any crown jewels or regalia per se. The coronation ceremony consists of a festive mass in the
cathedral of Monaco, followed by reception where the new
prince meets his
subjects. The
throne and other items can be viewed in the
palace of Monaco, which is open to the public.
Netherlands
Norway
The crown jewels, or royal regalia, of
Norway are together with some other old treasures placed in
Nidaros Cathedral, in
Trondheim.
Poland
 |
Hilt of Szczerbiec |
The only surviving part of the
Polish Crown Jewels is from the
Piast dynasty and consists of the coronation
sword known as the
Szczerbiec. It is currently on display along with other royal items in the
Wawel Royal Castle Museum,
Kraków. Most of the Crown Jewels were plundered by foreign invaders such as the Swedes, Germans and Russians.
One of many royal crowns was made for King
August II,
Elector of Saxony when he became King of Poland in
1697. Since the original set was stolen, a new set was made for the coronation in Kraków. Today it is displayed in the Royal Castle in
Dresden,
Germany.
Portugal
The royal Crown of
Portugal was made in
1817. It was created in
Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, in the workshop of Don
Antonio Gomes da Silva, for King
John VI. Today, the crown along with other royal regalia is kept in the
Ajuda Palace,
Lisbon.
Romania
The Romanian Crown Jewels consist of three crowns: the
Steel Crown, the
Crown of Queen Elisabeta and the
Crown of Queen Maria; and two scepters: the
Scepter of Ferdinand I and the
Scepter of Carol II.They are displayed at The National History Museum of Romania in Bucharest.
The National History Museum of RomaniaRussia
The coronation regalia, such as the
Great Imperial Crown, the
Imperial Orb of
Catherine II the Great, the
Imperial Sceptre with the
Orloff diamond, the
Shah diamond, and others are kept at the
Kremlin Armory Museum in
Moscow.
Please see Imperial Crown of Russia and Monomakh's Cap.Links*
Jewels of the Romanovs: Treasures of the Russian Imperial CourtSerbia
Spain
The old regalia of Spain was destroyed in the
Great Fire of Christmas Eve
1734. In the 19th century , King
Alphonso ordered a new crown and sceptre to be made. They are displayed at accession ceremonies and at the opening of the
Cortes (
Parliament).
The crown is made of gold, and it features half-arches resting on 8 plates bearing the emblems of the Kingdom. They are kept today by the
Patrimonio Nacional (the Crown Heritage).
Links*
Patrimonio NacionalSweden
Sweden's Crown Jewels are kept deep in the vaults of the
Royal Treasury, underneath the
Royal Palace in Stockholm. The symbols of
Swedish monarchy are still in use for weddings, christenings, funerals, and the opening of the
Riksdag (
Parliament). Among the oldest priceless objects are the sword of
Gustav Vasa and the crown, orb, sceptre and key of King
Erik XIV and numerous other sovereigns.
Please see Swedish Royal Regalia.
Links*
The Royal Court of Sweden|Regal SymbolsUnited Kingdom
 |
Some of the English and British crown jewels being held by Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. They include the Imperial State Crown, the Sceptre with the Cross, and the Sovereign's Orb. |
* EnglandThe crown jewels of
England and now of the
United Kingdom are kept in the
Tower of London.
Links*
England's Crown Jewels* ScotlandThe "
Honours of Scotland", are on display in
Edinburgh Castle.
* WalesThe "
Honours of the Principality of Wales".
The original regalia of the Welsh princes have been lost.
Llywelyn's coronet was kept after its capture with the English crown jewels between
1284 and
1649.
Vatican
*The
Papal Tiara is kept in the
Vatican City,
Italy.
For further Information, please see Papal Regalia and insignia.Chile
* The
Kingdom of Araucania and Patagonia has a crown, presented to Prince Philippe of Araucania in
1986 by a group of Araucanian "nobles". Previously, the Royal House had no crown. Made of
steel and containing stones from the
Rio Bio-Bio, it is on display at the Museum of the Kings of Araucania.
Bolivia
*
Inca EmpireBrazil
The
Imperial Crown of Brazil alongside with other regalia and mementos of the
Brazilian Empire are kept at the
Imperial Museum (
Museu Imperial) in the former palace of Brazilian emperor
Pedro II, in
Petrópolis,
Brazil.
Links*
Museu ImperialPeru
*
Inca EmpireMexico
* Aztec EmpireRegalia such as the
feather-crowns of
Emperor Moctezuma and other items such as
thrones can be viewed in the
National Museum of Anthropology and History in
Mexico City and other museums throughout the world.
* Mexican EmpireThe Museum at
Chapultepec Palace in Mexico City has a fine collection of items belonging to
Emperor Maximilian and
Empress Carlota. Imperial crown jewels and regalia as such did not exist.
Links*
Pictures of the Imperial House of MexicoHawaii
*
Kingdom of HawaiiSome of the Crown Jewels and the original
Thrones of the Kingdom of Hawaii reside within the custody of the
Bishop Museum. Copies of the thrones can be seen at
Iolani Palace. Some lie in state with the bodies of royalty at
Mauna Ala (Royal Mausoleum of Hawaii).
