Polish Crown Jewels
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The only surviving original piece of the Polish Crown Jewels from the time of the Piast dynasty is the ceremonial sword - Szczerbiec. It is currently on display along with other preserved royal items in the Wawel Royal Castle Museum, Kraków.
Several royal crowns were made, including several during the 16th Century, a "Hungarian Crown", a "Swedish Crown" used by the Vasa kings, and others that were subsequently lost or destroyed. The crown jewels used by the Saxon kings and some reminders of the Polish monarchs (like a cup of Queen Jadwiga so-called roztruchan, or magnificent karacena armour of King Jan III Sobieski appropriated by Frederick Augustus I, Elector of Saxony)[1][2][3] are today displayed in the Grünes Gewölbe and the Rüstkammer in Dresden, Germany.
[edit] Components
According to an inventory of the State Treasury at the Wawel in performed in 1633 by the Kanclerz Ossoliński, the Crown Regalia (Jewels) of the Rzeczpospolita (kept in 5 chests) consists of:
- the Crown of Bolesław the Brave - according to a legend it was handed over to the first Polish monarch by Emperor Otto III, but in reality it was made in 1320 in Kraków for Władysław I the Elbow-high (the authentic crown of Bolesław the Brave was in 1036 taken away to Germany by Rycheza); it contained of a total of 474 precious stones and pearls; the crown was traditionally used in the coronation ceremony of Polish kings together with the Szczerbiec and was used last time for the coronation of Stanisław August Poniatowski on November 25, 1764 in St. John's Cathedral in Warsaw.
- the so-called "Queens Crown" consisted of 8 parts and 142 precious stones and pearls
- the so-called "Hungarian Crown" made for John II Sigismund Zápolya according to Crown of Saint Stephen; inherited by King Sigismund Augustus in 1571 and used in the coronation ceremony of Stefan Batory; bequeathed to the State Treasury in about 1576
- the so-called "Homagial Crown" for receiving homages
- the so-called "Funebralis Crown" made of silver
- three sceptres and three silver orbs
- a silver chain with the relic of the holy cross
- the Ruthenian crosses and relics
- Latin Bible copied on parchment
- Cornus Rynocerotis (rhinoceros horn)
- Szczerbiec
- two Teutonic Order swords received at Grunwald by King Władysław Jagiełło
- the sword of Bolesław the Bold
- three hats fringed with pearls
- a large chest with jewel boxes, which contained a large ruby, a 0.94 carat diamond, 200 diamonds, a large emerald, among others.[4][5][6]
Also a private treasury of the Vasas (kept at the Royal Castle in Warsaw) consisted of:
- the so-called "Swedish Crown", also known as the "Purchased Crown" was a type of corona clausa consisting of 5 larger and 5 smaller parts and 262 precious stones and pearls; the crown was made for Sigismund Augustus; after King's death it was pawned to Giovanni Tudesco; later it was ransomed by King Sigismund III Vasa for 20,000 florins and used for his coronation in Uppsala as the King of Sweden on February 19, 1594; in 1623 King Sigismund III bequeathed it to the Rzeczpospolita, and in 1633 it was bequeathed to the State Treasury after King's death.
- the so-called "Muscovy Crown" made in about 1610 for Prince Władysław Vasa's coronation as a Tsar of Russia (never used); it was the type of corona clausa and was later bequeathed by King Władysław IV Vasa to the Rzeczpospolita. After King's death (1648) it was appropriated by King John II Casimir and bequeathed to the State Treasury in 1668; pawned lawlessly in 1700 by King Augustus II the Strong, it was appropriated by Frederick I of Prussia (part of so-called Pawn of the Rzeczpospolita) as a result of German claiming to the outlays sustained during the Deluge[4][5][7]
- a silver White Eagle heraldic base for the royal crown (pure silver, partly gilded, 89 cm heigh); the eagle was created for King John II Casimir in Augsburg by Abraham Drentwett and Heinrich Mannlich in about 1666; presented in the times of a military weekness of the Rzeczpospolita after the Deluge and lost war against the Ottoman Empire by King Michał Korybut to Tsar of Russia.[8][9]
All of the Crown Regalia were robbed by the Germans (except for the "Muscovy Crown") in 1795 after the Third Partition of the Rzeczpospolita and destroyed on the order of Frederick William III of Prussia in March 1809 (except for the Szczerbiec).[5][10]
In 1925 Polish Government purchased the silver regalia of King Augustus III and Queen Maria Josepha in Vienna for $ 35,000 (175 000 zł). It consisted of 2 crowns, 2 sceptres and 2 orbs made in about 1733. (The original Crown Regalia were hidden - see War of the Polish Succession).[11] The jewels were exhibited in Warsaw till 1939 and in 1940 they were stolen by German forces.[11] Later they were found by the Soviet troops in Germany and sent to the USSR where they remained until 1960, when they were returned to Poland.[11] Today are deposited in the National Museum in Warsaw.[12][11]
[edit] Gallery
 Portrait of King Sigismund III Vasa in coronation robes (detail). The King is wearing the "Muscovy Crown" |
 The "Swedish Crown", detail of a portrait of Władysław IV in coronation robes |
 Portrait of King Władysław IV Vasa in coronation robes, wearing the so-called "Swedish Crown" |
 Coronation robe of Władysław IV (detail) with Polish and Swedish Coats of arms |
[edit] References
- ^ Karacena Jana III Sobieskiego
- ^ Racjonał, psałterz i roztruchan
- ^ Lileyko Jerzy, Vademecum Zamku Warszawskiego, Warszawa, 1980. ISBN 8322318189
- ^ a b Rożek Michał, Polskie koronacje i korony, Kraków 1987. ISBN 8303019147
- ^ a b c POLAND'S CROWNS
- ^ Polskie insygnia koronacyjne
- ^ Korona Moskiewska
- ^ Gifts to the czars
- ^ Treasures of The Kremlin
- ^ Crown Treasury and Armoury
- ^ a b c d Insygnia Augusta III Wettina i Marii Józefy
- ^ Estreicher Karol (1945?), The Mystery of the Polish Crown Jewels. London: Alliance Press Limited
[edit] See also
- Szczerbiec
- Royal coronations in Poland
- Gniezno Cathedral
- Wawel Cathedral
- St. John's Cathedral
- Royal Casket
- Płock Diadem
[edit] External links
- Crown Treasury and Armoury
- (Polish) Polish Crown Replicas
- (Polish) Wawel Cathedral
- (Russian) The Moscow Kremlin Museums Silver White Eagle heraldic base for the royal crown. Presented by King Michał Korybut to Tsar of Russia.
- (Polish) The National Museum in Warsaw Silver regalia of King Augustus III and Queen Maria Josepha.
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