Crown of the Netherlands
Encyclopedia
The current Crown of the Netherlands is of relatively modern origin. In 1813 the new "Sovereign Ruler" of the Netherlands
, Prince William of Orange
, son and heir of the exiled Stadtholder William V of Orange was sworn in Amsterdam
. There was no crown present at the ceremony.
When, in 1815, William was proclaimed "King of the Netherlands" in Brussels
, he was not crowned but there was a crown present, a huge and unusable construction of gilded copper, pearls made of pasted fishskin and colored glass. The four holes in the ring, the peculiar size and the lack of a bill in the accounts that do contain the jeweler's bill for the gilded silver orb and sceptre suggest that it was the old "funeral crown", used by the Stadtholders in the 18th century and then tied to a cushion on top of the coffin when driven to the vault in Delft
. This crown still exists. It may have been used for royal funerals in the 19th century.
The Dutch College of Arms (the "Hoge Raad van Adel") approved of a new royal coat of arms
with crown on 24 August 1815. From then on, the heraldic crown and the actual crown would differ.
The heraldic crown was described as "a bejeweled golden ring with golden fleuron
s and pearls, eight rising arches studded with pearls and topped with an orb with a cross. The crown is not lined with velvet."
In 1840, King William I abdicated and a new crown was made. This small crown contains no real diamonds or pearls. It was made of gilded silver, balls covered with fish skin and glass with coloured foil behind it. The lining was made of red silk. William II and his successors chose not to wear it, but to leave it on a special table during the ceremony when both king and parliament take the oath. The crown was used in royal funerals.
In 1898, 24 of the 74 pearls were removed as the crown was prepared for the installation of Queen Wilhelmina. The crown has not changed since then. It was the monarch's private property until 1963. It was given to a foundation controlled by the Royal family and has never been on display, except for the investitures of 1898, 1948, 1980, a funeral in 1934 and an exhibition in 1990.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Prince William of Orange
William I of the Netherlands
William I Frederick, born Willem Frederik Prins van Oranje-Nassau , was a Prince of Orange and the first King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg....
, son and heir of the exiled Stadtholder William V of Orange was sworn in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. There was no crown present at the ceremony.
When, in 1815, William was proclaimed "King of the Netherlands" in Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, he was not crowned but there was a crown present, a huge and unusable construction of gilded copper, pearls made of pasted fishskin and colored glass. The four holes in the ring, the peculiar size and the lack of a bill in the accounts that do contain the jeweler's bill for the gilded silver orb and sceptre suggest that it was the old "funeral crown", used by the Stadtholders in the 18th century and then tied to a cushion on top of the coffin when driven to the vault in Delft
Delft
Delft is a city and municipality in the province of South Holland , the Netherlands. It is located between Rotterdam and The Hague....
. This crown still exists. It may have been used for royal funerals in the 19th century.
The Dutch College of Arms (the "Hoge Raad van Adel") approved of a new royal coat of arms
Coat of arms of the Netherlands
The Greater Coat of Arms of the Realm, , is the personal coat of arms of the monarch of the Netherlands . The government of the Netherlands uses a smaller version without the mantle or the pavilion or sometimes even only uses the shield and crown...
with crown on 24 August 1815. From then on, the heraldic crown and the actual crown would differ.
The heraldic crown was described as "a bejeweled golden ring with golden fleuron
Fleuron
Fleuron may refer to:* The Fleuron, a British journal of typography* Fleuron , an architectural element* Fleuron , a typographical element* Svend Fleuron , a Danish writer...
s and pearls, eight rising arches studded with pearls and topped with an orb with a cross. The crown is not lined with velvet."
In 1840, King William I abdicated and a new crown was made. This small crown contains no real diamonds or pearls. It was made of gilded silver, balls covered with fish skin and glass with coloured foil behind it. The lining was made of red silk. William II and his successors chose not to wear it, but to leave it on a special table during the ceremony when both king and parliament take the oath. The crown was used in royal funerals.
In 1898, 24 of the 74 pearls were removed as the crown was prepared for the installation of Queen Wilhelmina. The crown has not changed since then. It was the monarch's private property until 1963. It was given to a foundation controlled by the Royal family and has never been on display, except for the investitures of 1898, 1948, 1980, a funeral in 1934 and an exhibition in 1990.
See also
- Dutch Royal RegaliaDutch Royal RegaliaIn comparison to many European monarchies' regalia, the Dutch Regalia are relatively new, having been commissioned by King Willem II in 1840. An earlier, more modest set of regalia made of silver were commissioned by King William I in 1815....
- CircletCircletA circlet is a crown with neither arches nor a cap ....
- CoronetCoronetA coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. Unlike a crown, a coronet never has arches.The word stems from the Old French coronete, a diminutive of coronne , itself from the Latin corona .Traditionally, such headgear is – as indicated by the German equivalent...
- DiademDiadem (personal wear)A diadem is a type of crown, specifically an ornamental headband worn by Eastern monarchs and others as a badge of royalty. The word derives from the Greek "διάδημα" , "band" or "fillet", from "διαδέω" , "I bind round", or "I fasten"....
- HelmetHelmetA helmet is a form of protective gear worn on the head to protect it from injuries.Ceremonial or symbolic helmets without protective function are sometimes used. The oldest known use of helmets was by Assyrian soldiers in 900BC, who wore thick leather or bronze helmets to protect the head from...
- TiaraTiaraA tiara is a form of crown. There are two possible types of crown that this word can refer to.Traditionally, the word "tiara" refers to a high crown, often with the shape of a cylinder narrowed at its top, made of fabric or leather, and richly ornamented. It was used by the kings and emperors of...
- Papal tiaraPapal TiaraThe Papal Tiara, also known incorrectly as the Triple Tiara, or in Latin as the Triregnum, in Italian as the Triregno and as the Trirègne in French, is the three-tiered jewelled papal crown, supposedly of Byzantine and Persian origin, that is a prominent symbol of the papacy...
- Crown jewelsCrown jewelsCrown jewels are jewels or artifacts of the reigning royal family of their respective country. They belong to monarchs and are passed to the next sovereign to symbolize the right to rule. They may include crowns, sceptres, orbs, swords, rings, and other objects...
- List of Royal Crowns