Greek crown jewels

Last updated

The crown jewels of the Kingdom of Greece are a set of symbolic regalia (crown, sceptre, and orb) that were created for King Otto shortly after his election to the throne in 1832.

History

After his election to the throne of Greece in 1832, Otto ordered a crown, orb, sceptre and sword from Fossin et Fils Goldsmiths in Paris; the sword, however, was made by Jules Manceaux. The regalia arrived in Greece in 1835 and was modelled on the regalia of Bavaria but they did not have any precious stones (especially the crown) and thus they resemble funerary European regalia. They were made of precious metals, mainly gold and perhaps partly silver. He established them as the royal regalia of the Crown of Greece but they were not used for a coronation as Otto was never crowned. [1] In 1862, a coup overthrew Otto and the king was forced into exile. As he left returning to Bavaria, Otto took with him the regalia. With his death, they were bequeathed to Prince Luitpold, Otto's successor and pretender to the Greek throne. [2]

Almost a century later, in December 1959, Albrecht, Duke of Bavaria, head of the House of Wittelsbach and descendant of Prince Leopold, sent his son Maximilian-Emmanuel to Athens in order to formally recognize the rights to the throne of the House of Oldenburg. The Prince then handed over all the regalia that Otto had taken with him into exile to King Pavlos of the Hellenes. [2]

In 2023, they were located in Tatoi Palace by employes of the Ministry of Culture and are to be exhibited in the Old Royal Palace's trophy hall. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crown jewels</span> Objects of metalwork and jewellery in the regalia of a current or former monarchy

Crown jewels are the objects of metalwork and jewellery in the regalia of a current or former monarchy. They are often used for the coronation of a monarch and a few other ceremonial occasions. A monarch may often be shown wearing them in portraits, as they symbolize the power and continuity of the monarchy. Additions to them may be made, but, since medieval times, the existing items have been typically passed down unchanged, symbolizing the continuity of a monarchy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen Anne-Marie of Greece</span> Queen of Greece from 1964 to 1973

Anne-Marie is a Danish princess who was Queen of Greece as the consort of King Constantine II from their marriage on 18 September 1964 until the abolition of the Greek monarchy on 1 June 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Otto of Greece</span> King of Greece from 1832 to 1862

Otto was King of Greece from the establishment of the Kingdom of Greece on 27 May 1832, under the Convention of London, until he was deposed in October 1862.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom</span> British royal regalia

The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, originally the Crown Jewels of England, are a collection of royal ceremonial objects kept in the Jewel House at the Tower of London, which include the coronation regalia and vestments worn by British monarchs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Crown of Hungary</span> Coronation crown used by Hungarian monarchs

The Holy Crown of Hungary, also known as the Crown of Saint Stephen, named in honour of Saint Stephen I of Hungary, was the coronation crown used by the Kingdom of Hungary for most of its existence; kings were crowned with it since the twelfth century. The Crown symbolized the King's authority over the Lands of the Hungarian Crown, and it was a key mark of legitimacy. Through the history of Hungary, more than fifty kings were crowned with it, with the last being Charles IV in 1916. The only kings not so crowned were Wladyslaw I, John Sigismund Zápolya, and Joseph II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tatoi Palace</span> Greek palace associated with the former Greek Royal Family

Tatoi was the summer palace and 42 km2 estate of the former Greek royal family. The area is a densely wooded southeast-facing slope of Mount Parnitha, and its ancient and current official name is Dekeleia. It is located 27 km (17 mi) from the city centre of Athens and 2.5 km (2 mi) from Kifissia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French Crown Jewels</span> Symbols of French power, 752–1825

The French Crown Jewels and Regalia comprise the crowns, orb, sceptres, diadems and jewels that were symbols of Royal or Imperial power between 752 and 1870. These were worn by many Kings and Queens of France as well as Emperor Napoleon. The set was finally broken up, with most of it sold off in 1885 by the Third Republic. The surviving French Crown Jewels, principally a set of historic crowns, diadems and parures, are mainly on display in the Galerie d'Apollon of the Louvre, France's premier museum and former royal palace, together with the Regent Diamond, the Sancy Diamond and the 105-carat (21.0 g) Côte-de-Bretagne red spinel, carved into the form of a dragon. In addition, some gemstones and jewels are on display in the Treasury vault of the Mineralogy gallery in the National Museum of Natural History.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Austrian Crown Jewels</span>

The Austrian Crown Jewels are the regalia and vestments worn by the Holy Roman Emperor, and later by the Emperor of Austria, during the coronation ceremony and other state functions. The term refers to the following objects: the crowns, sceptres, orbs, swords, rings, crosses, holy relics and royal robes, as well as several other objects connected with the ceremony. The collection dates from the 10th to the 19th centuries, and it reflects more than a thousand years of European history. It is kept in the Imperial Treasury at the Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danish Crown Regalia</span> Symbols of the Danish monarchy

Danish Crown Regalia are the symbols of the Danish monarchy. They consist of three crowns, a sceptre, globus cruciger, the sword of state and an ampulla . The Danish Royal Regalia are kept in the treasury 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 brooches in the form of fantastic animals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regalia of Norway</span> Items symbolising Norwegian monarchs power and majesty

The regalia of Norway are items that symbolise the Norwegian monarch's power and majesty. Little is known of the old Norwegian regalia which have since been lost. The majority of the modern regalia date from 1818 and were made for the coronation of Jean Bernadotte as King Carl III Johan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polish crown jewels</span> Regalia of Poland

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 at the Wawel Royal Castle Museum in Kraków.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regalia of the Netherlands</span> Items symbolising the Dutch monarchs authority and dignity

The regalia of the Netherlands consists of a number of items symbolising the Dutch monarch's authority and dignity. In comparison to many European monarchies' regalia, the Dutch regalia are relatively new: having been commissioned by King William II in 1840. An earlier, more modest set of regalia made of silver was commissioned by King William I in 1815.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greek royal family</span> Branch of the Danish royal family that formerly reigned over Greece

The currently deposed Greek royal family was the ruling family of the Kingdom of Greece from 1863 to 1924 and again from 1935 to 1973. The family is a branch of the Danish royal family, itself a cadet branch of the House of Glücksburg. The family had replaced the House of Wittelsbach that previously ruled Greece from 1832 to 1862. The first monarch was George I of Greece, the second son of King Christian IX of Denmark. The current head of the family is Pavlos, who assumed the role on 10 January 2023 upon the death of his father, former King Constantine II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Regalia of the Russian tsars</span> Insignia of tsars and emperors of Russia

Regalia of the Russian tsars are the insignia of tsars and emperors of Russia, who ruled from the 13th to the 19th century. Over the centuries, the specific items used by Tsars changed greatly; the largest such shift occurred in the 18th century, when Peter the Great reformed the state to align it more closely with Western European monarchies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coronations in Europe</span>

Coronations were previously held in the monarchies of Europe. The United Kingdom is the only monarchy in Europe that still practises coronations. Other European monarchies either have replaced coronations with simpler ceremonies to mark an accession or have never practised them. Most monarchies today only require a simple oath to be taken in the presence of the country's legislature.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monarchy of Greece</span> Ruling sovereigns of Greece from 1832 to 1924 and 1935 to 1973

Monarchy of Greece or Greek monarchy is the constitutional form of government by which a hereditary sovereign (Basileus) reigns as the head of state of Greece. Monarchy in Greece lasted from 1832 to 1924 and from 1935 to 1973.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Portuguese crown jewels</span>

The Portuguese crown jewels, also known as the Royal Treasure, are the pieces of jewelry, regalia, and vestments that were used by the Kings and Queens of Portugal during the time of the Portuguese Monarchy. Over the nine centuries of Portuguese history, the Portuguese crown jewels have lost and gained many pieces. Most of the current set of the Portuguese crown jewels are from the reigns of King João VI and King Luís I.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coronation of the Danish monarch</span>

The coronation of the Danish monarch was a religious ceremony in which the accession of the Danish monarch was marked by a coronation ceremony. It was held in various forms from 1170 to 1840, mostly in Lund Cathedral in Lund, St. Mary's Cathedral in Copenhagen and in the chapel of Frederiksborg Palace in Hillerød.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coronation of the Swedish monarch</span>

Coronations of the Swedish monarchs took place in various cities during the 13th and 14th centuries, but from the middle of the 15th century onward in the cathedrals of Uppsala or Stockholm, with the exception of the coronation of Gustav IV Adolf, which took place in Norrköping in 1800. Earlier coronations were also held at Uppsala, the ecclesiastical center of Sweden. Prior to Sweden's change to a hereditary monarchy, the focus of the coronation rite was on legitimising an elected king.

References

  1. Λόρεντς Σέλιγκ, 2000. "Τα βασιλικά εμβλήματα του Όθωνα", στο Κασιμάτη, Μ.Ζ. (επιμ.), Αθήνα Μόναχο, Τέχνη και Πολιτισμός στη νέα Ελλάδα, σσ. 179–187.
  2. 1 2 Ricardo Mateos Sainz de Medrano, La Familia de la Reina Sofía, La Dinastía griega, la Casa de Hannover y los reales primos de Europa, Madrid, La Esfera de los Libros, 2004, p. 130.
  3. "Τα βασιλικά εμβλήματα του Όθωνα βρέθηκαν στο Τατόι". in.gr (in Greek). 2023-07-17. Retrieved 2023-07-17.