Danish Crown Regalia
Encyclopedia
Danish Crown Regalia are the symbols of the Danish monarchy. They consist of three crowns, a sceptre (symbolising supreme authority), an orb (a globus cruciger
, symbolising the earthly realm surmounted by a cross), a sword of state and an ampulla.
The Danish
Royal Regalia are kept at Rosenborg Castle
. The oldest of these is Christian III's sword of state from 1551.
They further include King Christian IV
's diamond; pearl- and gold-embroidered saddles; objects carved from ivory and rock-crystal; lapidary pieces of precious stones, and brooch
es in the form of fantastic animals.
During the time of the elective monarchs
, the clergy and nobility placed the crown on the king's head at the coronation ceremony.
After the introduction of absolutism in 1660, the crowning of the king was replaced by anointment, for which the king arrived in the church wearing the crown and was consecrated to his calling by being anointed with oil. For the anointing of Christian V, a new crown was made along with a throne of narwhal
teeth (supposedly the mythical unicorn
's horn) and three silver lions, the latter created by Ferdinand Küblich. This was inspired by the biblical description of King Solomon's throne, which was said to be composed of unicorn's horn and gold and guarded by twelve golden lions.
With the 1849 Constitution, anointing was discontinued and since then the crown jewels have only been used on the occasion of a deceased monarch's castrum doloris
('camp of woe') where the crown is placed on the coffin, the other regalia laid at casket's foot, and the casket surrounded by the three lions. The lions were formerly also displayed in Parliament during the annual opening session, but this tradition was discontinued almost 100 years ago. They were also displayed before the throne in the throne room of Christiansborg Palace when the Danish kings granted audiences on particularly formal occasions.
Rosenborg also houses four sets (parure
s) of Crown Jewels still worn by Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark, and the Royal Regalia which gave a monarch
their authority to rule. It includes the crown of King Christian IV, which is a fine example of Renaissance gildswork, the better known crown of King Christian V and a smaller crown for the king's consort. The Royal Collection has other important items and jewels, as well as precious prayer-books, and items belonging to the Order of the Elephant
and the Order of the Dannebrog
(such as the large diamond and pearl star of the Order of the Elephant worn on the coronation mantle).
The crown was made by Didrik Fyren in Odense
helped by the Nuremberg
goldsmith Corvinius Saur in the years 1595-1596 for the coronation of Christian IV. It is made of gold, enamel, table cut gemstones and pearls and weighs 2895 g.
The circlet is ornamented with six sets of table cut diamonds between two large round pearls with enameled putti on either side. Between each of these sets are star-like ornaments of triangular and square table cut diamonds. On the upper rim of the circlet are six large and six small arabesque-like points. At the center of each of the larger points is an enameled allegorical figure of one of the king's ruling functions and virtues. The three points above the king's forehead and behind each of his ears bears a "pelican in her piety." The point on the right of the king's forehead bears a representation of Fortitude
riding a lion, while that on the left bears the image of Justice
as a woman holding a sword and a pair of scales. The point above the back of the king's neck bears the traditional image of Charity
as a mother suckling her child. On the inside these points are decorated with the coats of arms of various regions of the realm. The six smaller points each bears a star-like design in trianglar and square table diamonds with a large pear shaped pearl at its top.
Originally an open crown, in 1648 it was closed with arches and an orb and cross, but Christian V later removed these again, using the diamonds and gold from them in the making of his own crown. It was used for the last time at the 1648 coronation of Frederick III
.
of Christian III was made in 1551 by Johann Siebe. It is made of gilded silver and decorated with enamel and table cut gemstones.
Prior to the introduction of absolute monarchy the sword was the first of the regalia presented to the king.
s and has a blue enamel grip decorated with diamonds.
wanted his son and heir-apparent, the later Christian V, to be in possession of the visible symbols of power at the moment he himself died and his son inherited the title. Therefore he secretly commissioned several crown regalia, including a crown, to surround the anointing of the absolute monarchs with as much glory as possible.
The crown was first used for the coronation of Christian V and the last time for the coronation of Christian VIII in 1840. Today the crown is used as a symbol of the monarchy and the state. Its only ceremonial use is when it is placed on the castrum doloris of a deceased monarch.
The crown is the visible sign of royal power and was made by the royal goldsmith Paul Kurtz
in Copenhagen in the years 1670-1671. As the crown of the first absolute monarch it was made as a closed crown to look different than the open crowns of the elected kings, possibly inspired by the imperial crown of Charlemagne
.
The circlet of the crown is divided in four by two large sapphire
s, a flat one that can be traced back to Frederick I
at the forehead of the wearer (presumably a gift to his father, Christian I, from the Duke of Milan
in 1474) and a thicker one at the back of the head and by a spinel
at one side and a garnet
at the other. The four curved segments of the circlet between these stones is decorated with volute
s made of table cut
diamonds.
On the upper edge of the circlet are eight acanthus
leaves, four larger and four smaller ones. These acanthus leaves are decorated with diamond-studded ribs. The front acanthus leaf is decorated with a large table cut diamond with Christian V's royal cypher
visible behind it. Attached to the backes of each of these acanthus leaves by screws are narrow diamond-studded half arches that meet at the top of the crown to support a sky blue-enamelled sphere decorated with diamonds and with a diamond-studded cross on top. On the top of this cross is a cabochon
ruby
.
The crown weighs 2080 g.
or because it was thought unnecessary to crown the queen since she had the right to wear any regalia through her marriage with the king.
However all the following queens consorts of the absolute monarchs were crowned. Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow
, the queen of king Frederick IV
, was crowned with a queens crown made for her, which was also used by Frederick IV to crown her successor Anna Sophie Reventlow. However Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
, the queen of king Christian VI, did not want to use the crown worn by her predecessor and had a new crown made by royal jeweller Fabritius in 1731.
This crown is made like that of Christian V but only taller and more slender. It is decorated with table cut diamonds that are assumed to come from the 1648 crown of Sophie Amalie.
in 1648. It is made of gold and ends in an elongated enamelled knob at the bottom decorated with diamond-studded ribs and an enamelled lily at the top with a royal crown above it.
for the coronation of Frederick III
in 1648.
symbolises the protecting, punishing and judging authority of the king. The sword was originally a wedding present from Christian IV to the 1643 wedding of Frederick III
. It was used for the anointments of all absolute monarchs and probably also for the coronation of Frederick III
.
Its cross-guard and grip is decorated with gemstones. The scabbard has a diamond-studded chape, is covered in red velvet and is decorated with the coats of arms of different parts of the realm. Above each coat of arms is a small diamond-studded crown.
a gold cylinder
and its lid enamelled with a variety of flowers and studded with table cut diamonds made by an unknown Copenhagen goldsmith for the coronation of Frederick III
in 1648.
Globus cruciger
The globus cruciger is an orb topped with a cross , a Christian symbol of authority used throughout the Middle Ages and even today on coins, iconography and royal regalia...
, symbolising the earthly realm surmounted by a cross), a sword of state and an ampulla.
The Danish
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
Royal Regalia are kept at Rosenborg Castle
Rosenborg Castle
Rosenborg Castle is a renaissance castle located in the centre of Copenhagen, Denmark. The castle was originally built as a country summerhouse in 1606 and is an example of Christian IV's many architectural projects...
. The oldest of these is Christian III's sword of state from 1551.
They further include King Christian IV
Christian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the king of Denmark-Norway from 1588 until his death. With a reign of more than 59 years, he is the longest-reigning monarch of Denmark, and he is frequently remembered as one of the most popular, ambitious and proactive Danish kings, having initiated many reforms and projects...
's diamond; pearl- and gold-embroidered saddles; objects carved from ivory and rock-crystal; lapidary pieces of precious stones, and brooch
Brooch
A brooch ; also known in ancient times as a fibula; is a decorative jewelry item designed to be attached to garments. It is usually made of metal, often silver or gold but sometimes bronze or some other material...
es in the form of fantastic animals.
During the time of the elective monarchs
Elective monarchy
An elective monarchy is a monarchy ruled by an elected rather than hereditary monarch. The manner of election, the nature of the candidacy and the electors vary from case to case...
, the clergy and nobility placed the crown on the king's head at the coronation ceremony.
After the introduction of absolutism in 1660, the crowning of the king was replaced by anointment, for which the king arrived in the church wearing the crown and was consecrated to his calling by being anointed with oil. For the anointing of Christian V, a new crown was made along with a throne of narwhal
Narwhal
The narwhal, Monodon monoceros, is a medium-sized toothed whale that lives year-round in the Arctic. One of two living species of whale in the Monodontidae family, along with the beluga whale, the narwhal males are distinguished by a characteristic long, straight, helical tusk extending from their...
teeth (supposedly the mythical unicorn
Unicorn
The unicorn is a legendary animal from European folklore that resembles a white horse with a large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead, and sometimes a goat's beard...
's horn) and three silver lions, the latter created by Ferdinand Küblich. This was inspired by the biblical description of King Solomon's throne, which was said to be composed of unicorn's horn and gold and guarded by twelve golden lions.
With the 1849 Constitution, anointing was discontinued and since then the crown jewels have only been used on the occasion of a deceased monarch's castrum doloris
Castrum doloris
Castrum doloris is a name for the structure and decorations sheltering or accompanying the catafalque or bier that signify the prestige or high estate of the deceased. A Castrum doloris might feature an elaborate baldachin and would include candles, possibly flowers, and in most cases coats of...
('camp of woe') where the crown is placed on the coffin, the other regalia laid at casket's foot, and the casket surrounded by the three lions. The lions were formerly also displayed in Parliament during the annual opening session, but this tradition was discontinued almost 100 years ago. They were also displayed before the throne in the throne room of Christiansborg Palace when the Danish kings granted audiences on particularly formal occasions.
Rosenborg also houses four sets (parure
Parure
A parure is a set of various items of matching jewelry, which rose to popularity in 17th century Europe.Beyond various items of matching jewelry, a parure is an entire wardrobe, or suite, of matching jewelry...
s) of Crown Jewels still worn by Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark, and the Royal Regalia which gave a monarch
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
their authority to rule. It includes the crown of King Christian IV, which is a fine example of Renaissance gildswork, the better known crown of King Christian V and a smaller crown for the king's consort. The Royal Collection has other important items and jewels, as well as precious prayer-books, and items belonging to the Order of the Elephant
Order of the Elephant
The Order of the Elephant is the highest order of Denmark. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional monarchy in 1849, is now almost exclusively bestowed on royalty and heads of state.- History :A Danish religious...
and the Order of the Dannebrog
Order of the Dannebrog
The Order of the Dannebrog is an Order of Denmark, instituted in 1671 by Christian V. It resulted from a move in 1660 to break the absolutism of the nobility. The Order was only to comprise 50 noble Knights in one class plus the Master of the Order, i.e. the Danish monarch, and his sons...
(such as the large diamond and pearl star of the Order of the Elephant worn on the coronation mantle).
The old regalia
The term old regalia is used to describe the crown regalia used prior to the introduction of absolute monarchy in 1660.The crown of Christian IV
Odense
The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
helped by the Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
goldsmith Corvinius Saur in the years 1595-1596 for the coronation of Christian IV. It is made of gold, enamel, table cut gemstones and pearls and weighs 2895 g.
The circlet is ornamented with six sets of table cut diamonds between two large round pearls with enameled putti on either side. Between each of these sets are star-like ornaments of triangular and square table cut diamonds. On the upper rim of the circlet are six large and six small arabesque-like points. At the center of each of the larger points is an enameled allegorical figure of one of the king's ruling functions and virtues. The three points above the king's forehead and behind each of his ears bears a "pelican in her piety." The point on the right of the king's forehead bears a representation of Fortitude
Courage
Courage is the ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation...
riding a lion, while that on the left bears the image of Justice
Justice
Justice is a concept of moral rightness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, or equity, along with the punishment of the breach of said ethics; justice is the act of being just and/or fair.-Concept of justice:...
as a woman holding a sword and a pair of scales. The point above the back of the king's neck bears the traditional image of Charity
Charity (virtue)
In Christian theology charity, or love , means an unlimited loving-kindness toward all others.The term should not be confused with the more restricted modern use of the word charity to mean benevolent giving.- Caritas: altruistic love :...
as a mother suckling her child. On the inside these points are decorated with the coats of arms of various regions of the realm. The six smaller points each bears a star-like design in trianglar and square table diamonds with a large pear shaped pearl at its top.
Originally an open crown, in 1648 it was closed with arches and an orb and cross, but Christian V later removed these again, using the diamonds and gold from them in the making of his own crown. It was used for the last time at the 1648 coronation of Frederick III
Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
.
Christian III's sword of state
The sword of stateSword of State
A sword of state is a sword, used as part of the regalia, symbolizing the power of a monarch to use the might of the state against its enemies, and their duty to preserve thus right and peace.It is known to be used in following monarchies:...
of Christian III was made in 1551 by Johann Siebe. It is made of gilded silver and decorated with enamel and table cut gemstones.
Prior to the introduction of absolute monarchy the sword was the first of the regalia presented to the king.
Christian IV's accolade sword
The sword was used for accoladeAccolade
In the Middle Ages, the accolade was the central act in the rite-of-passage ceremonies conferring knighthood.-Ceremony:...
s and has a blue enamel grip decorated with diamonds.
The crown of Christian V
This crown is the official crown that was used for the anointments of Danish absolute monarchs until the end of absolutism in 1849. The first Danish absolute monarch Frederick IIIFrederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
wanted his son and heir-apparent, the later Christian V, to be in possession of the visible symbols of power at the moment he himself died and his son inherited the title. Therefore he secretly commissioned several crown regalia, including a crown, to surround the anointing of the absolute monarchs with as much glory as possible.
The crown was first used for the coronation of Christian V and the last time for the coronation of Christian VIII in 1840. Today the crown is used as a symbol of the monarchy and the state. Its only ceremonial use is when it is placed on the castrum doloris of a deceased monarch.
The crown is the visible sign of royal power and was made by the royal goldsmith Paul Kurtz
Paul Kurtz
Paul Kurtz is a prominent American skeptic and secular humanist. He has been called "the father of secular humanism." He is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the State University of New York at Buffalo, having previously also taught at Vassar, Trinity, and Union colleges, and the New School for...
in Copenhagen in the years 1670-1671. As the crown of the first absolute monarch it was made as a closed crown to look different than the open crowns of the elected kings, possibly inspired by the imperial crown of Charlemagne
Crown of Charlemagne
The Crown of Charlemagne was the ancient coronation crown of Kings of the Franks, and later Kings of France after 1237. It was probably originally made as a simple circlet of four curved rectanglar jewelled plates for Charles the Bald, but later, four large jewelled fleur-de-lis were added to...
.
The circlet of the crown is divided in four by two large sapphire
Sapphire
Sapphire is a gemstone variety of the mineral corundum, an aluminium oxide , when it is a color other than red or dark pink; in which case the gem would instead be called a ruby, considered to be a different gemstone. Trace amounts of other elements such as iron, titanium, or chromium can give...
s, a flat one that can be traced back to Frederick I
Frederick I of Denmark
Frederick I of Denmark and Norway was the King of Denmark and Norway. The name is also spelled Friedrich in German, Frederik in Danish, and Fredrik in Swedish and Norwegian...
at the forehead of the wearer (presumably a gift to his father, Christian I, from the Duke of Milan
Galeazzo Maria Sforza
Galeazzo Maria Sforza was Duke of Milan from 1466 until his death. He was famous for being lustful, cruel and tyrannical....
in 1474) and a thicker one at the back of the head and by a spinel
Spinel
Spinel is the magnesium aluminium member of the larger spinel group of minerals. It has the formula MgAl2O4. Balas ruby is an old name for a rose-tinted variety.-Spinel group:...
at one side and a garnet
Garnet
The garnet group includes a group of minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives. The name "garnet" may come from either the Middle English word gernet meaning 'dark red', or the Latin granatus , possibly a reference to the Punica granatum , a plant with red seeds...
at the other. The four curved segments of the circlet between these stones is decorated with volute
Volute
A volute is a spiral scroll-like ornament that forms the basis of the Ionic order, found in the capital of the Ionic column. It was later incorporated into Corinthian order and Composite column capitals...
s made of table cut
Diamond cut
A diamond cut is a style or design guide used when shaping a diamond for polishing such as the brilliant cut. Cut does not refer to shape , but the symmetry, proportioning and polish of a diamond...
diamonds.
On the upper edge of the circlet are eight acanthus
Acanthus (ornament)
The acanthus is one of the most common plant forms to make foliage ornament and decoration.-Architecture:In architecture, an ornament is carved into stone or wood to resemble leaves from the Mediterranean species of the Acanthus genus of plants, which have deeply cut leaves with some similarity to...
leaves, four larger and four smaller ones. These acanthus leaves are decorated with diamond-studded ribs. The front acanthus leaf is decorated with a large table cut diamond with Christian V's royal cypher
Royal Cypher
In modern heraldry, a royal cypher is a monogram-like device of a country's reigning sovereign, typically consisting of the initials of the monarch's name and title, sometimes interwoven and often surmounted by a crown. In the case where such a cypher is used by an emperor or empress, it is called...
visible behind it. Attached to the backes of each of these acanthus leaves by screws are narrow diamond-studded half arches that meet at the top of the crown to support a sky blue-enamelled sphere decorated with diamonds and with a diamond-studded cross on top. On the top of this cross is a cabochon
Cabochon
A cabochon , from the Middle French caboche , is a gemstone which has been shaped and polished as opposed to faceted. The resulting form is usually a convex top with a flat bottom. Cutting en cabochon is usually applied to opaque gems, while faceting is usually applied to transparent stones...
ruby
Ruby
A ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone, a variety of the mineral corundum . The red color is caused mainly by the presence of the element chromium. Its name comes from ruber, Latin for red. Other varieties of gem-quality corundum are called sapphires...
.
The crown weighs 2080 g.
The queen's crown
The queen-consort Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel was not crowned and did not wear a crown either because she belonged to the reformed church and was thus not a member of the Church of DenmarkChurch of Denmark
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark, Church of Denmark or Danish National Church, is the state church and largest denomination in Denmark and Greenland...
or because it was thought unnecessary to crown the queen since she had the right to wear any regalia through her marriage with the king.
However all the following queens consorts of the absolute monarchs were crowned. Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow
Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow
Louise of Mecklenburg-Güstrow was Queen consort of Denmark and Norway as the first spouse of the King Frederick IV of Denmark....
, the queen of king Frederick IV
Frederick IV of Denmark
Frederick IV was the king of Denmark and Norway from 1699 until his death. Frederick was the son of King Christian V of Denmark and Norway and Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel .-Foreign affairs:...
, was crowned with a queens crown made for her, which was also used by Frederick IV to crown her successor Anna Sophie Reventlow. However Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
Sophia Magdalen of Brandenburg-Kulmbach
Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach was queen-consort of Denmark and Norway as the wife of King Christian VI of Denmark and Norway.-Background:...
, the queen of king Christian VI, did not want to use the crown worn by her predecessor and had a new crown made by royal jeweller Fabritius in 1731.
This crown is made like that of Christian V but only taller and more slender. It is decorated with table cut diamonds that are assumed to come from the 1648 crown of Sophie Amalie.
The Sceptre
The sceptre was made by an unknown Copenhagen goldsmith for the coronation of Frederick IIIFrederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
in 1648. It is made of gold and ends in an elongated enamelled knob at the bottom decorated with diamond-studded ribs and an enamelled lily at the top with a royal crown above it.
Globus cruciger
The globus cruciger symbolises Christian world supremacy. It is a golden globe decorated with a band of enamel and diamonds. On top of this is a half-circle of enamel and diamonds. It is topped by a diamond-studded cross. It was made in HamburgHamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
for the coronation of Frederick III
Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
in 1648.
Sword of state
The sword of stateSword of State
A sword of state is a sword, used as part of the regalia, symbolizing the power of a monarch to use the might of the state against its enemies, and their duty to preserve thus right and peace.It is known to be used in following monarchies:...
symbolises the protecting, punishing and judging authority of the king. The sword was originally a wedding present from Christian IV to the 1643 wedding of Frederick III
Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
. It was used for the anointments of all absolute monarchs and probably also for the coronation of Frederick III
Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
.
Its cross-guard and grip is decorated with gemstones. The scabbard has a diamond-studded chape, is covered in red velvet and is decorated with the coats of arms of different parts of the realm. Above each coat of arms is a small diamond-studded crown.
Ampulla
The ampulla was used to contain the anointing oil. It isa gold cylinder
Cylinder (geometry)
A cylinder is one of the most basic curvilinear geometric shapes, the surface formed by the points at a fixed distance from a given line segment, the axis of the cylinder. The solid enclosed by this surface and by two planes perpendicular to the axis is also called a cylinder...
and its lid enamelled with a variety of flowers and studded with table cut diamonds made by an unknown Copenhagen goldsmith for the coronation of Frederick III
Frederick III of Denmark
Frederick III was king of Denmark and Norway from 1648 until his death. He instituted absolute monarchy in Denmark and Norway in 1660, confirmed by law in 1665 as the first in western historiography. He was born the second-eldest son of Christian IV of Denmark and Anne Catherine of Brandenburg...
in 1648.