the site has compiled a list of the most expensive and beautiful jewelry owned by monarchs. Find out which product has become the leader of our rating.

The main symbol of the power of Russian monarchs, the Great Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire, is in first place in our Top 3. She crowned all the emperors in Russia, starting with Catherine II the Great - from 1762 to 1917.

Jewelers decorated the silver regalia with 4,936 diamonds weighing 2,858 carats and two rows of large matte pearls (75 pieces) with a total weight of 763 carats. The jewel is crowned with a rare mineral - a noble bright red spinel weighing 398.72 carats.

The large imperial crown is made in the form of a headdress of two hemispheres, symbolizing the union of East and West on the territory of the Russian Empire.

The world-famous Crown of the British Empire confidently took second place in the ranking jewelry monarchs from site. the product does not belong to the British Queen personally, but to the state.

The crown was made in accordance with the crown of St. Edward: a crown with four alternating crosses and four fleurs-de-lis, above which four arches extend from the crosses. The composition is crowned with a ball with a cross. Inside there is a velvet cap with an ermine edge. The crown is set with 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies.

The Imperial Crown or the Crown of Charlemagne closes the top three. This jewel- the oldest of all. It was made at the end of the 10th century for the coronation of German monarchs, starting with Conrad II.

The crown of Charlemagne differs from other known crowns - its base is made in the form of an octahedron of gold plates, and not a circle. The plates of the regalia are made of high quality gold, and are decorated with 144 precious stones and pearls. Pearls and stones are placed in frames without a back wall, creating the effect of radiance from the inside. The crown is crowned with an arc with a cross, front side which is encrusted with precious stones and pearls. The cross symbolizes victory.

The main regalia, confirming the power of monarchs, is considered a crown or crown. The rulers, competing in the splendor and luxury of symbols of power, decorated their crowns made of gold and silver with rare and very expensive stones. In this review - the most famous crowns of the world, among which it is not so easy to determine the most-most.

The most famous crowns in history

The crown of the kings and emperors of the Holy Roman Empire has several names, one of the most famous is the crown of Charlemagne, and it was made at the end of the 10th century.

Crown of Kings and Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire.

This oldest jewelry masterpiece, unlike other crowns, the original shape in the form of an octahedron, is decorated with 144 precious stones and pearls. Initially kept in Nuremberg, when there was a threat of the capture of this city by the troops of Napoleon, who sought to get it for his coronation, the crown was transported to Vienna and hidden there. It is now kept in the Vienna Museum.

Crown of the British Empire.

The famous jewel, made in 1911, is not the property of the Queen, but belongs to the state, and its main repository is the Tower Fortress Museum, and the current Queen Elizabeth II puts on the crown only on the occasion of the annual opening ceremony of Parliament or other state celebrations. And although the crown has a relatively small weight, 910 grams, the queen, in order to get used to it and not be embarrassed at the ceremony, puts on the crown in advance and walks in it for several hours. On these rare days, you can see the queen with a magnificent crown flaunting on her head at breakfast at home or while reading the newspapers.

Big Crown of the Russian Empire.

This jewel, which overshadowed the crowns of all foreign rulers with its brilliance and splendor, was conceived by Catherine II for her coronation in 1762. Famous jewelers who worked on its creation managed to create this miracle in just two months.

An elegant openwork frame in the form of two hemispheres (symbolizing East and West) made of gold and silver, reminiscent of an oriental headdress, was made by the chief court jeweler Eckart. But Eckart entrusted the selection of stones for the crown and its decoration to the jeweler Pozier, who brilliantly coped with this. Rows of frosted pearls perfectly emphasize the sparkle of a placer of diamonds, and a real treasure crowns the crown - a rare mineral, a bright red ruby ​​weighing about 400 carats, brought back in the 16th century from China. Today, this national treasure is exhibited in the famous Diamond Fund.

Diamonds and pearls of the Grand Crown.

Red spinel Big crown.

Crowns and Crowns of Russia

At a time when Europe crowned its rulers with luxurious crowns, in Russia they were replaced by gem-studded crowns, the most famous of which is the Monomakh's hat. Ivan the Terrible was the first to be crowned with her.

The famous Cap of Monomakh.

The transition to imperial crowns in Russia occurred thanks to Peter I. Having himself crowned with the Cap of Monomakh, he ordered to make the first Russian crown of gilded silver, which his wife Catherine I was lucky to become the owner of.

The first Russian crown.

Empress Anna Ivanovna ordered a new crown for her coronation, and it was made in accordance with her tastes and wishes, many precious stones were used from the crown of Catherine I.

Crown of Empress Anna Ioannovna.

From 1972 until the fall of the empire, all Russian emperors were crowned with the famous Grand Imperial Crown. And for the coronation of queens, several smaller copies of this crown were made, but only one of them has survived.

Small imperial crown.

Nicholas II with his wife wearing imperial crowns.

A selection of photographs with royal crowns and tiaras, made of gold and adorned with precious stones. Weighed such signs of greatness and domination over the country quite a lot. For example, Monomakh's hat, as far as I remember, weighed more than half a kilogram. So kings and kings also suffered with uncomfortable things on their heads.

Crown of the Danish King Christian IV, 1595

Crown of the Danish King Christian V, 1670

Crown of King Augustus the Strong of Poland, 1697

The steel crown of Romania, 1881, was cast in Bucharest from the steel of a captured Turkish cannon captured by the Romanians during the war of independence against the Ottoman Empire, for the coronation of King Carol I of Romania

The Crown of Saint Edward, used at the coronation of a new monarch of Great Britain. Created in 1661 for the coronation of Charles II. It is believed that gold from the crown of Edward the Confessor, a monarch who ruled in the 11th century, was used to make it.

Miniature crown made at the request of Queen Victoria in 1870

Crown of Queen Mary, consort of George V, 1911

Crown of Sophia Magdalena of Denmark, 1731

Pahlavi crown, coronation crown of the Shahinshah of Iran, 1925

Crown Prince of Norway, 1846

Iron crown of the Lombard kingdom. According to legend, the hoop inside is made from a nail from the cross of the Savior, presented by Pope Gregory the Great to the Lombard princess Theodelinda, who ordered to make a crown from it for the coronation of her husband Agilulf (593). In 1805, after the renewal of the Italian kingdom, Napoleon crowned her.

Crowns of Charles VII, Holy Roman Emperor (Augsburg and Frankfurt), 1742

Crown of the Holy Roman Emperors, 11th century. She was crowned until the collapse of the empire in 1806.

Crown of George V or Imperial Crown of India, 1911

Crown of the Austrian Empire, 16th century

Crown of Saint Stephen, crown of the Hungarian kings, 11th century

Crown of the Korean State of Silla, 5th century

Crown of Queen Elisabeth of Bosnia of Hungary, 14th century

Crown of Wilhelm II, King of Prussia, 1888

Crown of Ranavaluna III, the last queen of Imerina, the kingdom that ruled Madagascar, 19th century

Crown of Anne of Bohemia, wife of Richard II, 14th century

Crown of Napoleon, 1804

Crown of Margaret of York, wife of Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, 15th century

Crown of Louis XV, 1722, the only surviving French crown from the Old Order. The rest were destroyed by the evil revolutionaries.

Crown of Queen Kunigunde of Luxembourg, wife of Henry II, 11th century

Crown of Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III, 1855

Crown of Bolesław the Brave, coronation crown of Polish kings. Made in 1320, a replica of the crown, in 1036 taken to Germany by the Queen of Poland, Ryksa of Lorraine

Crown of King Maximilian I of Bavaria, 1807

Crown of the Grand Dukes of Baden, 19th century

The jewels of monarchs have always made human hearts tremble. Indeed, even the most ordinary diamond, set by a master in gold for a crowned person, becomes the most august value and begins to shine differently. What can we say about the unique representatives of the world of stones, which traditionally took their place in the symbols of royal power. The crown - the immutable sign of the ruler's distinction from mere mortals - had to be convincing.

And that is why the lords of all times have spared no expense in making this special piece of jewellery: the finest precious stones, the finest gold, the best masters jewelry business. Today, most of these masterpieces rest peacefully on pillows in museums, under reliable protection. The same crowns that still adorn representatives of the "acting" dynasties no longer have such power as before, and are perceived rather as a tribute to tradition. But there were times when people were ready to pay with their lives, their own or someone else's, for the opportunity to put a crown on their heads for at least a few days. This is because this precious symbol was immutably associated with the divine nature of supreme power and forced anyone to bow before its owner. But the rulers succeeded each other, the names of many were lost in the labyrinths of centuries, and the crowns that once crowned their heads still arouse admiration and riddles for historians.

Sign of the Chosen

It is well known that the tradition of celebrating the winner with a triumphal wreath came from the ancient era. Initially, in "simple" times, these insignia were made from living branches, and not necessarily laurel. Wreaths could also be woven from oak or olive - it depended on which of the gods acted as the patron of the competition. Actually, the Latin word "corona" means "wreath". But time passed, and the natural material was replaced by eternal gold. In the era of Roman luxury, crowns began to be decorated with precious stones, and the richness of these decorations could be used to judge the status of the owner. The barbarians who destroyed Rome probably adopted the tradition of decorating the heads of their leaders with a golden circlet. And then, for many centuries, the august persons of the European powers tried to outdo each other with the luxury of crowns. The largest, most amazing, most expensive stones and relics were used for decoration. Only the weight of the future crown limited the imagination of the monarchs, everything else did not matter. So, in the manufacture of a crown for the Russian Empress Catherine II, the craftsmen performed a miracle in two months: a crown of gold and silver, on which 4936 diamonds and 75 large pearls sparkled, weighed a little less than two kilograms.

Coronation has always solved all issues of the legitimacy of succession to the throne - the one who is entrusted with the symbol of royal dignity is a full-fledged sovereign. This rite had no retroactive effect.

And then the dissatisfied had to either reconcile, or plot. In the event of a successful coup, the winner received the same crown. The sanctity of this symbol of power could not be shaken even by revolutions - in most cases, the matter ended with the restoration of the monarchy. In the Netherlands, for example, in 1815 it was decided to restore royal power after 200 years of the existence of the republic. It is curious that at the same time the most "budget" European crown was made - from gilded silver and a hat. The practical Dutch also did not spend money on real gems. However, this did not affect the prestige of the royal family.

Lombard gold

Perhaps the oldest European crown is considered to be the so-called "iron" crown of the Lombards. The exact time of birth of this crown is unknown due to the antiquity of origin. It is traditionally believed that this crown was made in the 6th century for Theodolinda, the queen of the Lombard tribe. True, some scientists believe that the crown was made earlier and its original “homeland” is Byzantium. One way or another, the legend claims that the Pope of Rome gave Theodolinda a nail from the Cross of the Lord and the queen ordered an iron hoop to be forged from the relic, with which the links of the crown were fastened from the inside. It is because of this detail that it began to be called "iron". If you do not look inside out, then the ancient sign of royal power consists of patterned gold plates decorated with enamel and precious stones. The diameter of the crown is also remarkable - it is too small for a crown that can cover the head. Scientists also argue about the size, but the "official version" says that two plates were lost at the time when the royal jewel was pledged. This happened in 1248, when the inhabitants of the city of Monza - the place of permanent residence of the crown - did not have enough money for the war. They were able to redeem the royal artifact only after 70 years.

But it was the official regalia of the Italian royal court, and emperors were crowned with it! By the way, when Napoleon Bonaparte proclaimed himself the ruler of Italy, he also symbolically put on himself the "iron" crown.

For less solemn occasions, he ordered a special, Italian crown, made in the royal fashion of the 18th century, which was more comfortable to wear. Later, the crown of the Lombards more than once overshadowed the Italian monarchs, and now it still resides in the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist in Monza. True, recent scientific research dealt her a crushing blow: it turned out that the miraculously stainless strip of the Lord's Nail is made of silver, and thus the legend of Queen Theodolinda is no good ... On the other hand, this crown crowned so many great people who believed in her mystical power that she is not afraid of any scientific revelations - she will forever remain the "iron crown", remembering Byzantium and Charlemagne.

Riddles of the royal cap

While Europe was crowning its monarchs with magnificent crowns, in Russia a Monomakh's hat, trimmed with fur, was placed on a representative of the supreme power. As befits an ancient artifact, this sign of royal dignity, of course, causes controversy. So, the chronicles say that the precious headdress was donated to the Kyiv prince Vladimir Monomakh by his grandfather, the Byzantine emperor Constantine IX, as a sign of continuity from one Orthodox power to another. But although the version was considered “the only true one” for centuries, modern historians have carefully compared the dates of the lives of both rulers, and the version has become very doubtful. There are also suggestions that the golden cap remained in the royal treasury from the time of the Golden Horde and is of Asian origin. But in any case, this ancient headdress is a work of art.

The top of the cap (represents a skullcap) is made of 8 gold plates covered with patterned filigree (a pattern similar in technique to filigree) and decorated with eight large precious stones - four rubies and four emeralds. The hat is crowned with a chased “apple”, on which a cross decorated with pearls is mounted, which was probably added later, as well as expensive sable fur, which replaced the gold pendants. The first to "marry the kingdom" with this regalia was Ivan the Terrible. And this tradition, having passed to the rest of the Russian monarchs, held on until 1682, when two heirs were immediately elevated to the throne - Ivan and Peter. For the sake of such an amazing case for Russian history, for the youngest - Pyotr Alekseevich - a “cap of the second outfit” was made, in the image and likeness of the main crown, but somewhat simpler. However, the coronation of the "copy" did not prevent Peter I from becoming one of the greatest Russian monarchs. However, Monomakh's cap was never used again for a wedding to the kingdom - the age of imperial crowns was coming. And the golden headdress with a vague past has successfully survived to this day, miraculously surviving in troubled times, is kept in the Armory Chamber of the Kremlin and still keeps its secrets.

Great Jewels of Great Britain

It would seem that Great Britain, a stronghold of monarchical traditions, could boast of the most ancient crowns of kings. But alas, this island did not escape the revolution, and most of the treasures of the crown were destroyed or sold during the reign of Oliver Cromwell (1653-1658). Some of the legendary gems from the treasury of the royal house were nevertheless returned, and now they adorn the crown of the British Empire, delighting everyone with their history.

Starting from the top, the cross that crowns the crown contains a St. Edward's sapphire. During the life of the monarch, this stone adorned the royal ring. And, according to legend, one day the king gave it to a beggar as alms. But after some time, two pilgrims from the Holy Land brought the ring to Edward. At the same time, they told a wonderful story about an old man who led them out of a sandstorm, and in the morning brought the royal jewel and asked to give it to the owner. Soon the king died, and when, years later, his grave was opened, the body turned out to be incorrupt. This was recognized as a miracle, the king was canonized, the ring was returned to the treasury, and centuries later, a sapphire crowned the crown.

Another famous stone - the ruby ​​of the Black Prince - adorns the imperial crown in front. And although this is not a ruby ​​at all, but a large noble spinel, the stone also has its own history: another Edward, nicknamed the “black prince” because of the color of his armor, received it as payment for military assistance. The stone was passed down through the royal family and is said to have saved the life of Henry V at the Battle of Agincourt.

Under the "ruby" is the "Small Star of Africa", also known as the Cullinan II (weight 317.4 carats). His ancestor, the Cullinan diamond itself, weighed ten times as much and was presented to Edward VII. But the stone, although huge, had a far from brilliant appearance and several cracks. After sawing it up by Dutch jewelers, a whole family of Cullinans of various sizes was born, and the most important of them adorned the royal scepter, and the smaller one, the imperial crown.

And finally, the last large stone in this jewel is located strictly opposite, on the back of the crown - this is the so-called Stuart sapphire, inherited from the extinct dynasty. The stone wandered from Scotland to England and back for a long time, until it found its place on the crown of the united Great Britain. In total, the royal crown is decorated with 2868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies, but its weight is only 910 grams. The previous version of this crown was heavier, which caused noticeable inconvenience to the monarchs. However, compared to the crown of St. Edward, which weighs more than two kilograms and is used for official coronation, the imperial crown is not so burdensome. By the way, these British crowns are not the property of the royal house, they belong to the state. And in "free time from work" they lie in the Tower, playing the role of museum exhibits. So, to see them up close, it is not at all necessary to ask for an audience with the queen.

Famous and little-known crowns of the world.-mini encyclopedia (updated)

helped in writing the information portal "VESTNIK K"

Italy V-VIII century Iron crown of the Lombards Gift of Our Lady

Iron crown of the Lombards Since now, the crown is kept in the Church of St. John the Baptist in the Italian city of Monza. When the so-called iron crown of the Lombards was made is unknown, most likely between the 5th and 8th centuries. All the kings of the Lombards were crowned by her. Charlemagne, having captured the kingdom of the Lombards, also placed the iron crown on himself. In fact, it is gold with precious stones and cloisonné enamel, only the inner hoop is made of iron. According to legend, after the Bavarian princess Theodelinda, a right follower of the Roman church, became the queen of the Arian Lombardy at the end of the 6th century, Pope Gregory the Great sent her a holy relic as a gift - a nail from the Cross of the Lord, acquired by Emperor Constantine and his mother Helen on Golgotha. The same ordered to turn it, decorating it with gold plates with stones (so that only a small rim on the inside is iron), into a crown, which has since been kept in the reliquary of the Monza Cathedral. and one crown in the world did not serve its purpose so long as the crown of the Lombards. In 1805, Napoleon Bonaparte wished to be crowned with her. Putting on the iron crown, he proclaimed: "God gave it to me and woe to him who touches it."

Despite the halo of holiness that surrounded the Iron Crown, the fate of this oldest regalia in Europe was stormy. Repeatedly, she had to leave the reliquary of the Cathedral in Monza, where she was preserved - in the middle of the 13th century, for example, the city authorities had to give her as a pledge to the Umilian fathers in order to cover the costs of another war; during his "journeys" the crown missed a few stones.

With a special bull, Pope Innocent IV secured the exclusive right to own the relic for the Monza Cathedral - but more than once the crown had to change location (in last time- during the Second World War, when she was taken to the Vatican), but now she has been returned to her homeland.

Crown of Constantine Monomakh

The crown is in the National Museum in Budapest.

This crown is a gift from Emperor Constantine IX Monomakh to the Hungarian King Andrew I (1047-1061), probably on the occasion of his marriage to Yaroslav the Wise's daughter Anastasia. The crown was made in Constantinople in the imperial workshops, presumably between 1042 and 1050. The crown of the Byzantine emperor Constantine IX Monomakh. Presumably between 1042 and 1050. Gold, cloisonné enamel. Found in s. Nitraivanka (now Ivanka near Nitra, Czechoslovakia) in 1860 while plowing.

Detail of the crown with the image of the emperor. Length 11.5 cm. Gold, cloisonné enamel.

The Hungarian National Museum has seven rectangular, slightly rounded gold plates at the top, which once formed a crown. The plate shown here depicts Emperor Constantine IX in ceremonial attire and with a crown on his head. AT right hand he holds a flag (labarum). His name is written in Greek letters near his head. To the left of Constantine is the Empress Zoya, to the right - the Empress Theodora, both in long cloaks with a golden collar. On the shorter plates adjacent to it, a dancer is depicted, one in a white, the other in a green tunic. On the following plates, allegorical figures are visible, on the right of Justice, on the left of Obedience. Separate plates on both sides are framed with an ornament of green leaves and colorful birds. The crown was made in Constantinople, in the imperial jewelry workshop. It was probably presented as a gift to the Hungarian king Endre I (reigned 1046-1061).

In its present form, it is a reconstruction.

Cap of Monomakh and Cap of Monomakh of the second outfit

One of the most ancient regalia kept in the Armory of the Moscow Kremlin.

Monomakh's hat was made at the end of the 13th - beginning of the 14th century. The name of the crown is associated with the legend about the sending of royal regalia by the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomakh to his relative - Prince of Kyiv Vladimir Vsevolodovich. Hat made of eight gold plates decorated with filigree in Greek style, pearls, rubies, emeralds and tourmalines, was received by kinship from the Byzantine emperor Prince Vladimir, and later from the Kyiv princes she passed to the princes of Vladimir, and then to Moscow. grandson Dmitry. Later, all the great princes and tsars were crowned with her to the kingdom, right up to Ivan Alekseevich, who was installed in the kingdom at the same time as his younger brother Peter Alekseevich (future Emperor Peter I). In 1698, Ivan, as the eldest, was crowned with a Monomakh's hat, and for Peter a gold Monomakh's hat of the second outfit was specially made.

Astrakhan hat of Mikhail Fedorovich

The Astrakhan cap is stored in the Armory of the Moscow Kremlin.

The Astrakhan hat of Mikhail Fedorovich or the Hat of the first outfit of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, crowning the emblem of the kingdom of Kazan, was made for Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich - the first representative of the Romanov dynasty - in 1627-1928. The hat was made by jewelers in the workshops of the Moscow Kremlin. On the hemispherical thulium of this crown there are slotted figured cuffs - typically Russian "towns" with precious stones: sapphires, emeralds, rubies, pearls, interspersed on a light, symmetrically located slotted and chased pattern of the crown. Their abundance in combination with white, blue and green enamels creates a sonorous colorful range. The cap symbolized that the territory of the Astrakhan Khanate was not Russian from time immemorial, but was annexed to the Russian state at a certain time. The blue color of the field of the coat of arms speaks of one territorial and geographical feature of the region - its location in the lower reaches of the Volga River. Along with the hat, the Kremlin jewelers also made for Mikhail Fedorovich a scepter and an orb, the so-called "Big Outfit". The Russian tsar sang the "big outfit" only on especially solemn occasions - during the "grand entrances" and during the reception of foreign ambassadors. The Astrakhan hat of Mikhail Fedorovich is stored in the Armory of the Moscow Kremlin.

Crown of Saint Stephen

The crown is currently kept in the National Museum of Budapest.

The "Greek crown" - of Byzantine origin, was donated to Hungary by the Byzantine emperor Michael VII Duka (1071 - 1078) in 1076. One of the national relics of the Hungarian people. This crown consists of two parts, each of which previously existed separately from the other. Upper the crown was made in the form of a helmet from two thin gold plates covered with engraving. In 1000, Pope Sylvester II (who was rumored to have magical powers) placed it on the head of the first Hungarian Christian king, Stephen (Stefan), to commemorate his conversion to Christianity. When King Stephen was canonized in 1083, this unique crown took on a special meaning. The lower crown, resembling a diadem, was sent 75 years later to King Geza I by the Byzantine emperor Michael Duka - in recognition of the Hungarian kings as equals. Lower part of the crown covers the forehead and is made of a gold band adorned with pearls. Above it rise triangles and semicircles covered with blue and green cloisonné enamel. Large precious stones and Byzantine enamel miniatures with the faces of Christian saints are inserted in the center of the strip. Both of these crowns were combined into one presumably at the beginning of the XII century. A single crown was later crowned with a double (six-pointed) cross, which was supposed to give even greater authority to the power of the Hungarian kings. Gold chains hang from each side of the crown, on which ruby ​​pendants are attached.

The last time the crown was used for its intended purpose was in 1916, when Emperor Charles I of Austria was crowned with it. Then, in the palace in Buda, a special room was allocated for the crown, which was guarded by 24 people. There she remained until 1944. When the units of the Soviet Army approached Budapest, a whole train was loaded with Hungarian valuables (documents, gold and jewelry), which was being prepared for shipment to the USA. Among these things was a black massive box, securely locked and carefully guarded: in it was the crown of St. Stephen. In the course of such violent upheavals, individual elements of the crown were damaged, and the cross bent. In the early 1950s, the United States of America did not want to agree to the demand of the Hungarian government to return the crown of St. Stephen to their homeland. And only in 1978, 33 years after her stay in the USA, she returned to Budapest and is now kept in one of the halls of the National Museum named after Ferenc Szechenyi. For many centuries (with short breaks) the image of this crown has been an integral part of the Hungarian national emblem. One more event from the "biography" of the crown of St. Stephen should be mentioned. In 1981, experts examined it and suggested that the crown that returned from across the ocean was not at all the one that Pope Sylvester II sent to King Stephen. According to some experts, the real crown may have been returned to Rome as early as 1045 - after the death of King Stephen, but its location remains a mystery.

Crown of Saint Wenceslas

It is currently kept in St. Vitus Cathedral in Vienna. Everything related to the crown of St. Wenceslas began in 1344 and the main role in this was played by Charles IV, then a 28-year-old Luxembourgish prince with the title of Margrave of Moravia. The prince ordered to make a new Czech royal crown. The crown of St. Wenceslas was first used on Sunday, September 2, 1347 at the coronation of Charles IV. The crown of St. Wenceslas is made of pure gold (21-22 carats) and adorned with precious stones and pearls. The crown is the oldest part of the Czech royal regalia. The weight of the crown is almost two and a half kilograms, and, including the cross, reaches a height of 19 centimeters. Its diameter is similar - 19 cm. Each of the four semi-arcs is 14.5 cm each. The crown is decorated with precious stones: 19 sapphires, 44 spinels, 1 ruby, 30 emeralds and 20 pearls. The crown was made in 1347 for the coronation of Charles IV, Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, which he immediately dedicated to the main patron saint of the country - St. Wenceslas and bequeathed it as a state crown for the coronation of future Czech kings, his heirs on the Czech throne. However, perhaps until the end of his days (1378), Charles IV continuously changed the crown, installing additional rare gems in it, which he acquired specially for this. Thus, the crown has survived to this day in its unique form.

The crown of St. Wenceslas attracts everyone's attention both for its history and the legends that envelop it. According to one of the legends, the one who wears the crown of St. Wenceslas or even just tries it on, without having any rights, will be cursed and will soon die. The curse of the Czech kings overtook the Reichskommissar of German-occupied Bohemia R. Heydrich. In 1942, out of vanity, he tried on the crown and a few days later was killed by Czech patriots. Although, maybe it's just a coincidence.

Crown of the Russian Empress Anna Ioannovna

Currently, the crown is stored in the Armory of the Moscow Kremlin.

After the short reign of Peter II, Anna Ioannovna, the daughter of Peter I's half-brother, ascended the Russian throne in 1730, the precious stones were removed from the crown of her predecessor on the Russian throne, Catherine I. Petersburg the crown of Anna Ioannovna. It was the jeweler Gottlieb Wilhelm Dunkel.

About two and a half thousand diamonds, rubies and tourmalines skillfully selected in size are mounted in the silver frame of the crown. Most of them previously adorned the crown of Empress Catherine I, as well as dark red tourmaline placed under an irregularly shaped diamond cross. It was bought in 1676 from a Chinese bogdykhan by decree of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich and subsequently adorned several royal crowns in turn. The weight of this unique one hundred grams.

One of the first imperial crowns was the crown with which Tsar Peter I crowned Catherine I. But only one frame remained from it, because. subsequent generations used diamonds for their needs.

Great Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire

Currently, the crown is in the Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation.

The crown was made by the court jeweler Georg-Friedrich Eckart for the coronation of Empress Catherine II the Great in 1762. The famous masters were given only one condition - the crown had to weigh no more than five pounds (two kilograms). The crown was created in just two months, and became the most famous crown of the Russian Empire until the decline of the monarchy. It consists of two silver hemispheres, representing the union of East and West on the territory of the Russian Empire and uniting the two continents in the victory over the Ottomans. After Catherine II, all emperors in Russia were crowned with a large imperial crown - Paul I (1797), Alexander I (1801), Nicholas I (1826), Alexander II (1855), Alexander III (1883), Nicholas II ( 1896). The last time the crown of the Russian Empire was used was in 1906 at the opening ceremony of the Russian State Duma.

Small Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire

The Small Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire is one of the imperial regalia. The small crown was created by the jeweler Zeftigen for the coronation of Empress Maria Alexandrovna, wife of Alexander II in 1856. It is made of silver, 1393 diamonds and 2167 diamonds were used to decorate it. At the same time, the Small Imperial Crown can be called miniature: its weight is only 378 grams, and it was attached to the hair with a special hairpin. The crown was not a state regalia and was considered private property empresses. Currently, the Small Imperial Crown of the Russian Empire is kept in the Diamond Fund of the Russian Federation.

Diadem "Russian beauty"

Tiara "The Russian beauty" or diadem "Russian Beauty" is one of those pieces of jewelry that has become a material expression of the brightest feeling - love. The luxurious work of art was created by order of Emperor Nicholas I. The monarch presented a unique diadem made in the form of a kokoshnik to his wife. It was Nicholas I who ordered that all court ladies wear kokoshniks. This detail has become an element of the front toilet. True, at that time, the original Russian headdresses for women had already lost their original appearance. They started by appearance more like European "Arcels". Who knows, perhaps the emperor wished his wife to stand out from other ladies, so he presented her with an unusual diadem? The “Russian Beauty” was made in 1841. Over the years, the precious headdress was lost, so one can only guess about its greatness and

dazzlingglitter.In 1987, a group of jewelers and artists recreated the tiara, a copy was developed based on the descriptions of contemporaries of Nicholas I and the surviving images. The fate of the genuine diadem remains shrouded in darkness. The copy accurately conveys the appearance of the tiara with a symbolic name. You can be convinced of this by looking at the portraits of Alexandra Feodorovna in a precious dress. The Empress, like many other women, was not indifferent to the brilliance of diamonds. To make a copy of the tiara, it took one thousand diamonds, platinum and 25 pearls. The shape of the diadem really resembles an old kokoshnik, but it is so refined and even fragile that it is hard to imagine how this jewelry masterpiece can be picked up. A breath of wind seems to be enough to make the teardrop-shaped pearls begin to oscillate. However, the creators (V. Nikolaev, V. Sitnikov, G. Aleksakhin) tried to fix large pearls so that they retained mobility. As in the original. The arches on which they are fixed are studded with many sparkling diamonds. Indeed, only such a magnificent decoration is worthy of a Russian beauty! The tiara weighs about 400 g.

Today, the diadem "Russian Beauty", marked by a mysterious fate, has sunk into oblivion. But its skillful copy is available to the eyes of everyone. You can admire the platinum tiara in the form of a kokoshnik in the Kremlin Armory.

Crown of Saint Elizabeth

State Historical Museum. Stockholm

Elizabeth of Hungary (1207 -1231, Marburg) - a princess from the Hungarian Arpad dynasty, daughter of the Hungarian king Andrew II, a Catholic saint. Elizabeth devoted all her free time to serving the disadvantaged. When the famine hit, she fed up to 900 people a day. Her life tells how one day he met her on the street when she carried bread in her apron to give it to the poor. When he opened the apron to see what was in it, he found it full of roses. The crown is the oldest royal regalia of Thuringia.

Crown of Charlemagne

The imperial crown is located in Vienna, in the Museum of the History of Art.

Almost all German monarchs of the early Middle Ages were crowned with the crown of the German Empire, or traditionally called the "Crown of Charlemagne", starting from Conrad II (990-1039) - the first Roman-German emperor from the Franconian dynasty. The crown was made in the second half of the 10th century, possibly in the workshops of the Benedictine abbey in Reichenau or in Milan. Initially, the crown was kept in Nuremberg, but when Napoleon's troops began to approach the city, it was transported to Vienna and hidden there. Napoleon really wanted to get the crown for his coronation in 1804, but he never managed to find out where it was. In 1938, Adolf Hitler demanded that the crown be returned to Nuremberg, but during the Second World War, this priceless treasure was in a salt mine. After Austria was liberated by the Allied forces, the crown was found and returned to its place in Vienna.

Crown of the Bavarian Queen

Currently, the crown, along with other royal regalia of Bavaria, is kept in the Munich Residenz Palace, although Bavaria has not had a monarch since 1918. The crown of the Bavarian queen was made in 1807 for Queen Caroline Baden of Bavaria. According to other sources: The small crown of Queen Teresa of Bavaria, richly inlaid with pearls, was made by Bienne in 1806 - 1807, in 1867 King Ludwig II of Bavaria ordered his court jeweler Merk to remake it and cover with diamonds the entire free gold surface

Palatinate crown or Bohemian crown

It is currently kept in the treasury of the Munich Royal Residence.

Crown of the English queen ("Bohemian" or "Palatine" crown

gold, enamel, apphires, rubies, emeralds, diamonds, pearls,

height 18 cm, . diameter 18 cm), Western Europe, about 1370-80 seven cruciform teeth rise on a golden hoop, vertical and rather high. All of it is completely covered with pearls, rubies, sapphires, emeralds and diamonds, fixed in very high castes, so that it seems as if the crown bristled with gems. The crown is mentioned in England in a list of jewels compiled in 1399. It probably belonged to King Edward III or Anne of Bohemia, wife of King Richard II, who was deposed in the same year by Henry IV. Henry's daughter Princess Blanche married Elector Palatine Ludwig III in 1402 and the crown passed to the Palatinate Treasury in Heidelberg as part of her dowry. In 1782 it was transferred to the Munich Treasury along with other gems belonging to the Palatinate branch of the Wittelsbach family. This is the oldest crown in England.

Crown of Saint Louis

Crown Reliquary of Saint Louis. 13th century Silver, gems; gilding. Louvre. Paris. France. It was given by Saint Louis to the Dominican monks of Liege.

Saint Louis IX (1214 - 1270) - King of France from 1226.

Crown of Louis XV

The crown of Louis XV was used in the coronation of Louis XV in 1722 at Reims Cathedral, where all French kings were crowned until 1789. The crown is adorned with the famous "Regent" diamond, other diamonds, precious stones and gold. The crown was made by the French jeweler Laurent Rond, who used diamonds from the Mazarin collection, as well as rubies, emeralds and sapphires. All early French crowns were either stolen or lost. The "Crown of Louis XV" is the only one that has survived to this day, although some gems have been replaced with glass fakes. It is currently kept in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Crown of Empress Eugenie

The crown of Empress Eugenie was created according to the sketches of the court jeweler Lemonnier for the coronation of Empress Eugenie de Montijo of France in 1855. The crown is decorated with gold, diamonds, emeralds. Eugenia was the wife of Napoleon III, and although both were not crowned, the crown, commissioned by the king, was created specifically for her. She was the last French woman to wear the crown. Although most of the French royal regalia were sold in 1885, Empress Eugenie's Crown was preserved and is currently on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Empress Eugenia's pearl diadem

Empress Eugenia's pearl diadem, Gabriel Lemonnier's tiara, was of great historical importance. It was part of a massive commission from Napoleon III, who, in honor of his marriage to Eugénie de Guzman, Comtesse de Theba, commissioned the finest jewelers in Paris to create jewelry from precious pearls held in the state treasury. The design of the tiara combines naturalism with the austerity required for royal jewelry, and pearls are selected with amazing precision. The crown was made from 212 pearls and 1998 diamonds with a total weight of 63.30 carats. The largest teardrop pearl is located front center and is believed to be the "Napoleon Pearl", also known as the "Pearl of La Regent".

From ancient astrologers and sorcerers there was a belief that pearls are a lucky stone. Pearls promote longevity, give clarity to the look, and give the ruling wisdom. At the moment, you can admire this mastery of jewelry art only in France; since 1992, the diadem has been exhibited in the Louvre.

Sapphire, diamond and pearl tiara of Queen Marie-Amelie

The Queen Marie-Amelia diadem was designed and made for Queen Marie-Amelia upon her husband Louis Philippe's accession to the throne as King of France, after the July Revolution of 1830. The tiara is adorned with diamonds, sapphires and pearls. In the upper part of the diadem, seven sapphires are arranged in a row, the largest in the front in the center. All sapphires oval shape, bluish in color (most likely from Sri Lanka), surrounded by pink diamonds in the amount of 14 pieces. The diamonds are larger at the top. A little lower between the sapphires are six smaller round sapphires, also surrounded by 10 diamonds. Under the large sapphires are one pearl, under the small ones - two. Below are two bands, one of 71 pink diamonds, and the other lower - of more than 35 large pearls. round shape. Currently, the diadem is kept in the Louvre Museum.

Norwegian emerald and diamond tiara

The Norwegian diadem has a rich history and origin. The diadem originally belonged to Empress Josephine, the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. After her divorce in January 1810, the Empress kept all the decorations. Josephine had two children from a previous marriage to Alexandre de Beauharnais, and after her death the diadem passed to her son Eugene Beauharnais, who married Augusta Amelia, daughter of Maximilian I, King of Bavaria. They, in turn, had two daughters - Amelia and Josephine. The tiara first went to Amelia, but before her death in 1873, she bequeathed all her jewels, including the tiara, to her sister Josephine, who by then was Queen Consort of Norway and Sweden. Thus, the diadem remained in the Norwegian royal family, and became known as the Norwegian Emerald and Diamond Tiara.

The diadem is symmetrical about the middle line, along which there is a large square shape emerald surrounded by round diamonds. Just below the square emerald is a pear-shaped emerald, which is also located in the front center. In addition, the diadem is decorated with other pear-shaped, round and rhombic emeralds, also surrounded by diamonds; patterns in the form of zigzags and rosettes, studded with diamonds.

Empress Josephine's Diamond Tiara

Very few Faberge diadems exist. This one is known as the Empress Josephine tiara or sometimes the Leuchtenberg tiara, but as it was made by Faberge's WorkMaster Holmström in August 1890 for the Empress Maria Alexandrovna in 1814, she never wore it.

Austrian Imperial Crown

The Austrian Imperial Crown was originally the personal crown of Emperor Rudolf II. Therefore, it is also known as the crown of Rudolf II. The crown was made in 1602 in Prague by Jean Vermeyen, one of the most prominent goldsmiths of the time, who was specially called from Antwerp. The crown is made of solid gold and adorned with diamonds, rubies, pearls and sapphires. The crown itself consists of three parts: a crown, a high arc and a miter. The miter consists of two parts, between which there is an arc from the front to the back; made of gold, decorated with an enamel strip depicting birds and flowers along the edge. Mithra is divided into four sections, each of which bears a picture of key events in the life of Rudolf II. Mithra symbolizes the divine right to rule. Currently, the Austrian Imperial Crown is kept in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.

Crown of Saint Edward

The Crown of Saint Edward, also known as the Crown of England, is the official crown used at the coronation of a new British monarch. It was created in 1661 for the coronation of King Charles II. It is assumed that for its manufacture they used gold from the crown of St. Edward the Confessor, an English monarch who ruled in the 11th century. The shape of the crown is traditional for the royal regalia of England: a crown consisting of alternating four crosses and four fleurs-de-lis, above the crosses there are four half-arches that intersect each other curving lower and crowned with a ball with a cross. The arches are framed with rows of silver pearls with groups of precious stones. In the center is a velvet hat with an ermine edge. The crown is made of solid gold and adorned with 444 precious stones. Initially, the stones were installed only for the coronation procedure, after which the crown was dismantled, and the skeleton remained. However, in 1911 the gems were permanently installed.

The weight of the crown is 2.155 g, because of this, Queen Victoria and Edward VII refused to be crowned with the crown of St. Edward and were crowned with the lighter crown of the British Empire. The Crown of Saint Edward is one of the so-called Crown Jewels - royal regalia and jewelry belonging not personally to the monarch, but to the state. The crown is currently on public display at the Tower of London.

For 60 years (since June 2, 1953) the crown left the treasury of the Tower for the first time to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Elizabeth. Tied to the crown interesting story: Elizabeth II, preparing for the coronation, put on a heavy crown and wore it around the house, including while bathing children, who really liked looking at precious stones.

Crown of the British Empire

The Crown of the British Empire is the most famous of all the state regalia of Great Britain. It is only worn by the British Sovereign when leaving Westminster Abbey for a coronation, and on special occasions such as the State Opening of Parliament. This crown was made for Queen Victoria in 1837 and remade by the court jewelers for King George VI in 1937. For the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, the arches were reshaped to reduce their height. Although the crown contains 2868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies.

The Crown of the British Empire refers to the so-called Crown Jewels - royal regalia, jewelry that does not belong to the British monarch personally, but to the state. Precious stones of historical significance are inserted into the crown. Inset in the upper cross of the crown is a sapphire known as St. Edward's sapphire; in the front cross - the ruby ​​of the Black Prince; below the ruby ​​on the pediment is a Cullinan-II diamond (Small Star of Africa), a Stuart sapphire is inserted into the rear part of the rim of the crown. Currently, the Crown of the British Empire is on permanent display in the Tower, except when it is used in the opening of Parliament.

Small Diamond Crown of Queen Victoria

The Small Diamond Crown of Queen Victoria is a small crown commissioned by Queen Victoria in 1870. After the death of Prince Albert, Victoria's husband, in 1861, the Queen retired from public affairs and wore mourning attire. But under pressure from the government in 1870, she returned to public affairs and often wore this crown over her widow's veil, instead of the Imperial State Crown. The crown was made by R&S Garrard & Company and measures 9 cm in diameter and 10 cm high. The small crown was made up of four semi-arches and a cross sat at their intersection. Each semi-arch at the base ascended from the cross. Heraldic lilies were placed between the crosses. Due to its small size, the crown did not have fabric covering inside. The crown itself is made of silver and contains 1.187 diamonds.

First, Victoria used the new crown at the Official Opening of Parliament at Westminster on February 9, 1871, and later at all official ceremonies where she was required to wear the crown. In fact, the Small Diamond Crown belonged personally to the Queen, and not to the British Crown, and thus was not part of the British Crown Jewels. Since 1937 it has been on the permanent exhibition of the Tower.

Queen Victoria's emerald and diamond tiara

This amazingly beautiful diamond diadem with Queen Victoria's emeralds was made according to the sketches of the Queen's husband, Prince Albert, in 1845. On the one hand, this diadem is typical of the 19th century, and on the other hand, it is exceptional. The diadem is made in neo-gothic style. The decoration was made by the masters "Kitching". In 1882, during one of the balls on the occasion of the wedding of Prince Leopold, Duke of Albany, Princess Victoria of Hesse, granddaughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, wore this diadem. Perhaps it was the descendants of Victoria of Hesse, Marchioness of Milford Haven, who became the owners of this diadem.

The tiara consists of two parallel bands set with hundreds of small round colorless diamonds. The bands are interconnected by two vertically arranged round diamonds, between which there are large square-shaped emeralds. Above the stripes are zigzags with diamonds, and above them are large teardrop-shaped emeralds. Between large emeralds a little lower are smaller emeralds in the form of a rhombus, with a diamond at the top.

The tiara was featured in the tiara and diadem exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1997. The actual whereabouts of the diadem is unknown, but it is believed to be in the possession of one of Queen Victoria's descendants.

Crown of Queen Mary

The Queen Mary crown was made for Queen Mary, wife of King George V of the United Kingdom, for her coronation in 1911. made The crown was made by "Garrard & Co" in London. Contains about 2,200 diamonds, including "Koh-i-Nor" weighing 108.93 carats, "Cullinan-III" weighing 94.4 carats and "Cullinan-IV" weighing 63.6 carats. In 1914 they were replaced artificial stones. The crown has eight semi-arches; semi-arches are removable, so you can wear the crown without the top, like a diadem. Many of the gemstones were used in the making of The Queen Mother's Crown in 1937. As a diadem, Queen Mary used her crown at the coronation of George VI and at state ceremonies.

Crown of the Queen Mother

The Queen Mother's crown was made of platinum for Queen Elizabeth, wife of King George VI of the United Kingdom, for her coronation at Westminster Abbey in 1937. The crown was made by Garrard & Co in London. It consists of four semi-arches, the semi-arches are removable, so you can wear the crown without the upper part, like a diadem. The weight of the crown is about 500 g, it is decorated with precious stones, in particular, the Koh-i-Nor diamond of 108.93 carats in the center of the cross; and a 17-carat diamond given to Queen Victoria by the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire in 1856. After her husband's death, the queen no longer wore the full crown. So at the coronation of her daughter Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, Elizabeth wore only a diadem. The Queen Mother's Crown is currently kept in the Tower of London.

Imperial Crown of India

The Imperial Crown of India was made by the London firm "Garrard & Co" in 1912 for the coronation of George V as Emperor of India in Delhi, since, according to the law, English regalia could not leave the UK. Later it was used for the king's visits to India. It is an English-style crown, with 6.100 diamonds and many emeralds, rubies, sapphires. The weight of the crown is 970 g, at that time it was estimated at 60,000 pounds. Like other British crowns, the Imperial Crown of India is made in the form of a circle with four crosses and fleurs-de-lis, above which rise eight semi-arches and join upwards in an Asian manner. His Majesty recognized himself as Emperor of India, but not as King. The Imperial Crown of India is currently kept in the Tower of London.

Pahlavi Crown

The crown is composed of Red velvet, gold and silver, inlaid with precious stones. The sun is the main motif of the crown with a large 60-carat faceted yellow diamond in the center. The sun is a symbol that symbolizes the Aryan origin of the Iranian people. The total weight of the crown is 2.08 Kg. Unlike the Kiani Crown, which is mostly natural pearls, the Pahlavi Crown is predominantly diamonds. 3380 diamonds in the crown, with a total weight of 1144 carats, the largest of which is the 60 carat yellow diamond described above. The 369 strikingly identical natural pearls on the crown are arranged horizontally in three rows right around the circumference of the crown. One of the rows is on the bottom edge, along the wavy side, and somewhere in the middle, along the top edge of the bottom half.5 emeralds in the crown, the largest of which is 100 carat

An agret with a combination of jewel motif and natural trail is attached to the front crest of the crown, vertically above the sunburst jewels.

The Pahlavi Crown was used for the coronation of Reza Shah Pahlavi in ​​April 1925, and for the coronation of his son and successor Mohammed Reza Shah Pahlavi when he finally decided to be crowned (he had been postponing this for over 25 years), in 1967,

Crown of Empress Farah

Gems for this unique crown were chosen from loose gems in the royal Iranian treasury. The entire crown is made of green velvet and white gold. In total, the crown contains 38 emeralds, 105 pearls, 34 rubies, 2 spinels and 1469 diamonds. The total weight of the crown is 1.481 Kg. The crown features a sunburst motif, with a large 91.32 carat emerald in the center, surrounded by a row of small white diamonds. Rays of the sun from six large natural pearls emanating from the center. Pearls alternate with rubies, and each ruby ​​is surrounded by a row of small white diamonds. Below the large central sunburst emerald is another large emerald surrounded by smaller white diamonds. There are four rows of small white diamonds running around the circumference of the crown. These two lines are in horizontal rows parallel to each other and closer to the base of the crown. Two others run around the crown in a close spiral, parallel row above the horizontal rows. The spiral string radiate from both sides of the second largest emerald below the sunburst. The rest of the pearls and rubies are placed in a symmetrical position on the crown. Two large spinels are placed in the center of another motif, on either side of the crown. Two large spinels approximately 83 carats each.

On October 26, 1967, the shah's coronation ceremony was completed. Immediately after that, Farah Diba, who had been sitting on the chair on the right during the solemn ceremony, stood up and slowly walked towards her husband. The officer carrying the crown of the empress handed it over to the shah, who, having received the crown from him, put it on his wife's head, crowning her as the empress of Iran, for the first time in the 2500-year history of Iran, a woman was crowned shah consort.

Emerald Diadem of Empress Farah Diba

Farah's favorite tiara, she often wore the tiara on formal occasions such as during her husband's official visit to the United States and Canada in 1965. Like the Nur-ul-Ain diadem, this tiara was designed and made by order of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi in ​​1958 by Harry Winston Inc. New York Jewelers, on the occasion of his marriage to Farah Diba,. Platinum is used for the frame of the tiara, and unlike other tiaras, the base of this tiara is double arched. The gems used on the tiara are diamonds and emeralds. Two rows of diamonds above the base of the tiara, and additional diamonds fill the space between the two arches. Diamonds are used in three different colors- pink, yellow and colorless The main element of the tiara is the 60-carat Nur-ul-Ain diamond, which is one of the largest pink diamonds in the world. All pink, yellow and colorless diamonds set in platinum. In the upper part there are seven large emeralds in a row, surrounded by diamonds. The largest emerald is in the middle front and weighs 65 carats, next to the left and right 48 and 44 carats, then 24 and 18 carats, at the end - two 10 carats each. The size of the diamonds in the center is larger, and decreases in the direction on both sides. The outer surface of the top row of diamonds is an almost smooth curve. Each emerald is arranged like the center of a flower, surrounded by small diamonds. All emeralds are spherical and cabochon. The largest emerald is located along the line of symmetry of the tiara, which corresponds to the depression between the two waves. The gemstones used in the tiara come from a variety of origins. Emeralds, possibly of Brazilian origin. Yellow diamonds of South African origin, and other pink and white diamonds, possibly of Indian origin.

Crown-t urban, 1800s, Nepal.