Polish crown jewels

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Replicas of the Crown of Boleslaw I the Brave, the royal orb and sceptre used for the coronation of Stanislaw II August in 1764 Crown jewels Poland 1.JPG
Replicas of the Crown of Bolesław I the Brave, the royal orb and sceptre used for the coronation of Stanisław II August in 1764
Regalia of King Augustus III Kohler Regalia of Augustus III.jpg
Regalia of King Augustus III

The only surviving original piece of the Polish crown jewels (Polish : Polskie klejnoty koronne) 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.

Contents

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 regalia used by the Saxon kings, and some remainders of older Polish monarchs which were appropriated by king Augustus II, also the Elector of Saxony — like a cup of Queen Jadwiga so-called roztruchan, and the magnificent scale armour, so-called karacena, of King John III Sobieski [1] [2] [3] [4] — are today on display in the Grünes Gewölbe and the Rüstkammer in Dresden, Germany.

History

Polish replica of the Holy Lance, Wawel Cathedral Treasury Maurycy.jpg
Polish replica of the Holy Lance, Wawel Cathedral Treasury
Crown of Boleslaw I the Brave Korona Boleslawa Chrobrego.jpg
Crown of Bolesław I the Brave

In AD 1000, during his pilgrimage to the tomb of Saint Adalbert in Gniezno, the capital of Poland until about 1040, Emperor Otto III officially recognized Duke Bolesław I the Brave as King of Poland (see Congress of Gniezno), crowning him and presenting him with a replica of the Holy Lance, also known as Saint Maurice's Spear. [5] This relic, together with the vexillum attached to it, was probably the first insignia of the nascent Kingdom of Poland, a symbol of King Bolesław's rule, and of his allegiance to the Emperor. [5] It remains unknown what images, if any, were painted or embroidered on the vexillum. [5]

Starting from 1320 the regalia of the Polish kings were kept in the treasury of the Wawel Cathedral. [6] In 1370 Louis I of Hungary decided to transfer the Polish regalia to Hungary and they were returned in 1412 to Andrzej of Rożnów embassy by Emperor Sigismund of Luxemburg. [6] During the reign of the Jagiellons the regalia were moved from the cathedral to the Wawel Castle and placed in the specially prepared Crown Treasury. In the 17th century they were repeatedly brought to Warsaw for the coronations of the Polish Queens. [7] During the Deluge in 1655, the royal insignia were evacuated from the castle by Jerzy Sebastian Lubomirski, Grand Marshal of the Crown and hidden in the old castle in Stará Ľubovňa. [8] They were stored there until 1661. In 1703 during the Great Northern War they were hidden again, first in Silesia, then in Moravia. During the double election of 1733, the regalia were stolen by the follower of Stanisław I Leszczyński, Franciszek Maksymilian Ossoliński, Grand Treasurer of the Crown, who concealed them in the Holy Cross Church in Warsaw. [9] In 1734, however, they were recovered from the hideout and deposited in the Jasna Góra Monastery, where they remained till 1736. [6] In 1764, with the consent of the Sejm, the royal insignia were transported to Warsaw for the coronation of King Stanisław II August. [10] Later returned to the Wawel Castle, where they were kept till the Third Partition of Poland in 1795.

On 15 June 1794 the Prussian Army entered Kraków and captured Wawel Castle, subsequently turning it into a fortress. Shortly thereafter, the city commandant, general Leopold von Reuts began a correspondence with Berlin on the fate of furnishings of the Polish kings' residence. [11] In the greatest secrecy, by order of king Frederick William II of Prussia, he was commanded to transfer the content of the Crown Treasury to the Secret Councillor Anton Ludwig von Hoym, who was to secure its transport via Silesia to Berlin. [11] The locksmith brought by the Prussians broke the locks of the treasury and then opened all the boxes. [11] The valuables were transported in 1794 and found their place in the collection of the Hohenzollerns in Berlin. [11]

In 1800 the valuables were stored in the Berlin City Palace, where they were admired by Prince Augustus Frederick, Duke of Sussex, as he informed Julian Ursyn Niemcewicz. [12] In 1809 the Polish regalia were valued at 525,259 thalers and shortly after, on 17 March 1809, in accordance with the decision of Frederick William III of Prussia, all of them were melted down. [12] [13] The obtained gold was reused to make coins, while precious stones and pearls were handed to the Directorate of Maritime Trade in Berlin. [12]

Components

Detailed drawing by Krzysztof Jozef Werner of parts of the regalia such as the sword Szczerbiec, Crown of Boleslaw I the Brave, royal sceptre and orb (before 1794) Krzysztof Jozef Werner 001.jpg
Detailed drawing by Krzysztof Józef Werner of parts of the regalia such as the sword Szczerbiec, Crown of Bolesław I the Brave, royal sceptre and orb (before 1794)
Sigismund III on catafalque displayed in the Guard Chamber at the Royal Castle in Warsaw. Painted by Christian Melich, ca. 1632. The King was depicted with the "Muscovy Crown" on his head and the "Swedish Crown" put on a pillow next to him. Melich Sigismund III Vasa on catafalque.jpg
Sigismund III on catafalque displayed in the Guard Chamber at the Royal Castle in Warsaw. Painted by Christian Melich, ca. 1632. The King was depicted with the "Muscovy Crown" on his head and the "Swedish Crown" put on a pillow next to him.

According to an inventory of the State Treasury at the Wawel performed in 1633 by the Jerzy Ossoliński, Great Crown Chancellor the Crown Regalia of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (kept in five chests) consisted of:

Also a private treasury of the Vasas (kept at the Royal Castle in Warsaw) consisted of:

In 1697 a Freiburg goldsmith Johann Friedrich Klemm executed a replacement for the regalia, known as the Crown of Augustus II the Strong and intended for his coronation as a King of Poland. [18] It was never used however, because two monks broke into the State Treasury in the Wawel Castle and stole the original regalia. [18] The Augustus II Crown is kept in the Dresden Armory. [18]

All of the original crown regalia were looted by the Prussians (except for the "Muscovy Crown") in 1795 after the Third Partition of the Commonwealth and destroyed on the order of Frederick William III of Prussia in March 1809 (except for the Szczerbiec). [15] [19]

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 two crowns, two sceptres and two orbs made in about 1733. The original Crown Regalia were hidden by Franciszek Maksymilian Ossoliński during the War of the Polish Succession. [20] The jewels were exhibited in Warsaw until 1939 and in 1940 they were stolen by German forces. [20] 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. [20] Today they are deposited in the National Museum in Warsaw. [21]

Polish crowns Polskie korony.png
Polish crowns

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Szczerbiec</span> Polish coronation sword

Szczerbiec is the ceremonial sword used in the coronations of most Polish monarchs from 1320 to 1764. It now is displayed in the treasure vault of the royal Wawel Castle in Kraków, as the only preserved part of the medieval Polish crown jewels. The sword is noted for its hilt, decorated with magical formulae, Christian symbols, and floral patterns, as well as for the narrow slit in the blade which holds a small shield with the coat of arms of Poland. The name of the sword is derived from the Polish word szczerba, and its meaning is incorrectly perceived as "the Notched Sword" or "the Jagged Sword", though the edges of its blade are straight and smooth. Proper meaning and rendering into English would be "the Notching/Jagging Sword" — as "a sword that is meant to notch/jag other weapons".

<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">Władysław I Łokietek</span> King of Poland from 1320 to 1333

Władysław I Łokietek, in English known as the "Elbow-high" or Ladislaus the Short, was King of Poland from 1320 to 1333, and duke of several of the provinces and principalities in the preceding years. He was a member of the royal Piast dynasty, the son of Duke Casimir I of Kuyavia, and great-grandson of High-Duke Casimir II the Just.

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

Coronations in Poland officially began in 1025 and continued until 1764, when the final king of an independent Poland, Stanisław August Poniatowski, was crowned at St. John's Cathedral in Warsaw. Most Polish coronations took place at the Wawel Cathedral in Kraków, but crownings also occurred in Poznań and at Gniezno Cathedral. Whenever practical, Polish coronations were conducted as close as possible as to the date of the previous sovereign's funeral. This was explained by Joachim Bielski in the sixteenth century as osoba umiera, korona nie umiera, or "the person dies, the crown dies not". With the emergence of an independent, republican Poland after World War I, coronations in the Polish state have been rendered obsolete.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wawel Castle</span> Castle in Kraków, Poland

The Wawel Royal Castle and the Wawel Hill on which it sits constitute the most historically and culturally significant site in Poland. A fortified residency on the Vistula River in Kraków, it was established on the orders of King Casimir III the Great and enlarged over the centuries into a number of structures around an Italian-styled courtyard. It represents nearly all European architectural styles of the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crown of Queen Maria Josepha</span>

Crown of Maria Josepha was made for Maria Josepha of Austria for her coronation as queen consort of Poland in 1734.

The Crown of Augustus II was intended for his coronation as a King of Poland. The crown was made in 1697 by Freiburg's goldsmith Johann Friedrich Klemm. It was not used, however. The Augustus II's crown is kept in Dresden Armory (Rüstkammer) in Dresden, Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crown of Augustus III of Poland</span>

The crown of Augustus III was made in 1733 for Augustus III's coronation in Kraków in 1734.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gniezno Cathedral</span> Brick Gothic cathedral in Gniezno, Poland

The Royal Gniezno Cathedral is a Brick Gothic cathedral located in the historic city of Gniezno that served as the coronation place for several Polish monarchs and as the seat of Polish church officials continuously for nearly 1000 years. Throughout its long and tragic history, the building stayed mostly intact, making it one of the oldest and most precious sacral monuments in Poland.

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

The Swedish Crown, also known as the "Purchased Crown", was a part of the Polish crown jewels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grunwald Swords</span> Battle swords

The Grunwald Swords are a pair of simple bare swords sent as a mocking "gift" by Ulrich von Jungingen, the Grand Master of the Order of Teutonic Knights, to King Władysław II Jagiełło of Poland and Grand Duke Vytautas of Lithuania. The swords were sent on 15 July 1410, just before the Battle of Grunwald (Tannenberg), as a symbolic invitation to engage Jungingen's forces in battle. After the Polish–Lithuanian victory, both swords were taken as a war trophy by King Władysław II to Kraków, Poland's capital at the time, and placed in the treasury of the Royal Wawel Castle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crown of Bolesław I the Brave</span> Part of the Crown Jewels of Poland

The Crown of Bolesław I the Brave, also known as the Corona Privilegiata, was the coronation crown of Polish monarchs and the centrepiece of the Polish crown jewels. The original crown was made for the coronation of Ladislaus the Short in 1320 and symbolised the regalia bestowed upon Bolesław I the Brave by Emperor Otto III over three centuries earlier. Following the Partitions of Poland, the crown along with other insignia was stolen from the royal treasury at Wawel Castle in Kraków and melted down.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Paul II Cathedral Museum</span>

The John Paul II Cathedral Museum is a museum in Kraków, Poland. It is situated on Wawel Hill, between the Vasa Gate and the former seat of the Castle Seminary, in the Cathedral House, which is composed of two 14th-century buildings.

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

The so-called Muscovy Crown was a part of the Polish Crown Jewels. It was made in about 1610 in anticipation of Prince Władysław Vasa's coronation as Tsar of Russia, which was also known as Muscovy. Due to his father's opposition and a popular uprising in Russia, he never actually took the Russian throne, despite being elected by the Seven Boyars. Nevertheless, until 1634 he used the title of Grand Duke of Muscovy.

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

The Hungarian Crown was a part of the Polish crown jewels. It was made in the 16th century, resembling the Crown of Saint Stephen, as a private crown of John II Sigismund Zápolya.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Funeral Crown</span> Part of Polish crown jewels

The Funeral Crown, also known under its Latin name as the Corona Funebris or Funebralis, was a part of the Polish Crown Jewels. It was probably lost before 1669.

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

The Homagial Crown, also known under its Latin name as the Corona Homagialis, was a part of the Polish Crown Jewels. It was mentioned for the first time in the 15th century in the inventory of the Wawel Royal Treasury. It was probably the coronation crown of Władysław II Jagiełło.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queen's Crown</span> Part of historical Polish Crown Jewels

The Queen's Crown was a part of the Polish Crown Jewels until it was destroyed in 1809. It was mentioned for the first time in the inventory of the Wawel Royal Treasury in the 15th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jagiellonian tapestries</span>

The Jagiellonian tapestries, are a collection of tapestries woven in the Netherlands and Flanders, which originally consisted of 365 pieces assembled by the Jagiellons to decorate the interiors of the royal Wawel Castle in Kraków, Poland. The collection is also collectively known as the Wawel Arrasses, as the majority of the preserved fabrics are in the possession of the Wawel Castle Museum and the French city of Arras, which was once a manufacturing centre of this kind of wall decoration in the beginning of the 16th century. The works became state property of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland according to the will of Sigismund II Augustus.

References

Notes

  1. Jan III Sobieski's Karacena Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine at the Wilanów Palace Museum
  2. Hanna Widacka. "Karacena Jana III Sobieskiego". www.wilanow-palac.art.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  3. "Kultura artystyczna dworu królewskiego i katedry". www.krakow2000.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on November 24, 2003. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  4. Lileyko Jerzy (1980). Vademecum Zamku Warszawskiego (Vademecum of the Royal Castle in Warsaw) (in Polish). p. 129. ISBN   83-223-1818-9.
  5. 1 2 3 Lileyko 1987 , p. 12
  6. 1 2 3 Rożek 1987 , p. 78
  7. Rożek 1987 , p. 60
  8. Rożek 1987 , p. 83
  9. Rożek 1987 , p. 89
  10. Rożek 1987 , p. 90
  11. 1 2 3 4 "Kradzież i zniszczenie". www.replikiregaliowpl.com (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2011-07-15. Retrieved 2010-10-30.
  12. 1 2 3 Monika Kuhnke. "Rabunek od czasów zaborów do II wojny światowej". www.zabytki.pl (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2020-11-22. Retrieved 2010-10-30.
  13. "Bling it on! Stunning royal jewellery goes on show at 'Rule and Dazzle' exhibition" . Retrieved 2019-09-15.
  14. Rożek 1987 , p. 82
  15. 1 2 Margaret Odrowaz-Sypniewska. "POLAND'S CROWNS". Angelfire (in Polish). Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  16. Michał Myśliński (2007). Klejnoty Rzeczypospolitej. Zawartość Skarbca Koronnego na Wawelu w świetle jego inwentarzy z lat 1475-1792 (in Polish). Instytut Sztuki Polskiej Akademii Nauk. ISBN   978-83-89101-71-6.
  17. Barry Shifman (October 2001). "Gifts to the czars". findarticles.com. Magazine Antiques. Archived from the original on 2008-01-05. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  18. 1 2 3 Rożek 1987 , p. 145
  19. "Crown Treasury and Armoury". www.wawel.krakow.pl. Archived from the original on 2009-05-07. Retrieved 2009-02-16.
  20. 1 2 3 Lileyko 1987 , pp. 106–107
  21. Karol Estreicher (1945). The Mystery of the Polish Crown Jewels. Alliance Press Limited. p. 25.
  22. Gudavičius, Edvardas. "Gedimino kepurė" [Gediminas' Cap]. Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 18 June 2023.

Bibliography

  1. Lileyko, Jerzy (1987), Polskie Regalia Polskie (Polish Regalia) (in Polish), Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza, ISBN   83-03-02021-8 .
  2. Rożek, Michał (1987), Polskie koronacje i korony (Polish coronations and crowns) (in Polish), Krajowa Agencja Wydawnicza, ISBN   83-03-01914-7 .

Bibliography