Polish Crown Jewels
2024733
200981057
2008-03-26T03:41:59Z
Udibi
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{{TOCleft}} [[Image:Korona Boleslawa Chrobrego.jpg|right|thumb|Replicas of [[Bolesław Chrobry]]'s crown jewels]]
The only surviving original piece of the '''[[Poland|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 Castle|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 [[Electorate of Saxony|Saxon]] kings and some reminders of the [[Polish monarchs]] (like a cup of Queen [[Jadwiga of Poland|Jadwiga]] so-called ''roztruchan'', or magnificent [[karacena]] armour of King [[Jan III Sobieski]] appropriated by [[Augustus II the Strong|Frederick Augustus I]], [[Elector of Saxony]])<ref>[http://www.wilanow-palac.art.pl/index.php?enc=344 Karacena Jana III Sobieskiego]</ref><ref>[http://www.nasza-arka.pl/rozdzial.php?numer=6&rozdzial=4 Racjonał, psałterz i roztruchan]</ref><ref>Lileyko Jerzy, ''Vademecum Zamku Warszawskiego'', Warszawa, 1980. ISBN 8322318189</ref> are today displayed in the [[Grünes Gewölbe]] and the Rüstkammer in [[Dresden]], [[Germany]].
==Components==
[[Image:Sigismund III on his death-bed.JPG|right|thumb|[[Sigismund III]] on catafalque displayed in the Guard Chamber at the [[Royal Castle, Warsaw|Royal Castle]] in [[Warsaw]] (fragment). 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.]]
[[Image:Kremlin Armoury 2.jpg|right|thumb|Silver White Eagle heraldic base for the royal crown]]
[[Image:Silver regalia Augustus III.jpg|right|thumb|Silver regalia of King [[Augustus III of Poland]] and Queen [[Maria Josepha]]]]
According to an inventory of the State Treasury at the [[Wawel]] in performed in [[1633]] by the [[Kanclerz]] [[Jerzy Ossoliński|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 [[Richeza of Lotharingia|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, Warsaw|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 [[Commendation ceremony|homage]]s
* the so-called "''Funebralis'' Crown" made of silver
* three [[sceptre]]s and three silver [[orb]]s
* 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 [[Battle of Grunwald|Grunwald]] by King [[Jogaila|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.<ref name="Rożek">Rożek Michał, ''Polskie koronacje i korony'', Kraków 1987. ISBN 8303019147</ref><ref name="crowns_angelfire">[http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/Crowns.html POLAND'S CROWNS]</ref><ref>[http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polskie_insygnia_koronacyjne Polskie insygnia koronacyjne]</ref>
Also a private treasury of the [[House of Vasa|Vasa]]s (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 [[Italian coin florin|florin]]s and used for his coronation in [[Uppsala]] as the [[List of Swedish monarchs|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 (history)|Deluge]]<ref name="Rożek" /><ref name="crowns_angelfire" /><ref>[http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korona_Moskiewska Korona Moskiewska]</ref>
* a silver [[Coat of arms of Poland|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 (history)|Deluge]] and lost war against the [[Ottoman Empire]] by King [[Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki|Michał Korybut]] to Tsar of Russia.<ref>[http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1026/is_4_160/ai_79030147/pg_5 Gifts to the czars]</ref><ref>[http://www.zamek-krolewski.com.pl/awc011.htm Treasures of The Kremlin]</ref>
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]]).<ref name="crowns_angelfire" /><ref>[http://www.wawel.krakow.pl/en/index.php?op=8,1,5 Crown Treasury and Armoury]</ref>
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 [[crown]]s, 2 [[sceptre]]s and 2 [[orb]]s made in about [[1733]]. (The original ''Crown Regalia'' were hidden - see [[War of the Polish Succession]]).<ref name="insygnia_wikipedia">[http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insygnia_Augusta_III_Wettina_i_Marii_J%C3%B3zefy Insygnia Augusta III Wettina i Marii Józefy]</ref> The jewels were exhibited in [[Warsaw]] till [[1939]] and in [[1940]] they were stolen by German forces.<ref name="insygnia_wikipedia" /> 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.<ref name="insygnia_wikipedia" /> Today are deposited in the [[National Museum in Warsaw]].<ref>Estreicher Karol (1945?), ''The Mystery of the Polish Crown Jewels''. London: Alliance Press Limited</ref><ref name="insygnia_wikipedia" />
===Gallery===
<gallery>
Image:Sigismund III of Poland Rubens.jpg|Portrait of King [[Sigismund III Vasa]] in coronation robes (detail). The King is wearing the "Muscovy Crown"
Image:Swedish Crown.jpg|The "Swedish Crown", detail of a portrait of [[Władysław IV]] in coronation robes
Image:Portret koronacyjny Władysława IV Wazy.jpg|Portrait of King Władysław IV Vasa in coronation robes, wearing the so-called "Swedish Crown"
Image:Coronation robe Wladyslaw IV.jpg|Coronation robe of Władysław IV (detail) with [[Coat of arms of Poland|Polish]] and [[Coat of arms of Sweden|Swedish]] [[Coat of arms|Coats of arms]]
</gallery>
==References==
{{reflist}}
==See also==
{{commonscat|Polish Crown Jewels}}
*[[Szczerbiec]]
*[[Royal coronations in Poland]]
*[[Gniezno Cathedral]]
*[[Wawel Cathedral]]
*[[St. John's Cathedral, Warsaw|St. John's Cathedral]]
*[[Royal Casket]]
*[[Płock Diadem]]
==External links==
* [http://www.wawel.krakow.pl/en/index.php?op=8,1,5 Crown Treasury and Armoury]
* {{pl icon}} [http://replikiregaliowpl.com/index.html Polish Crown Replicas]
* {{pl icon}} [http://www.wawel.diecezja.pl/dzial.php?id=galeria Wawel Cathedral]
* {{ru icon}} [http://www.kreml.ru/ru/main/exhibition/International/?ID=36 The Moscow Kremlin Museums] Silver [[Coat of arms of Poland|White Eagle]] heraldic base for the royal crown. Presented by King [[Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki|Michał Korybut]] to Tsar of Russia.
* {{pl icon}} [http://www.mnw.art.pl/index.php/zbiory/zbiory_studyjne/zbiory_sztuki_zdobniczej/ The National Museum in Warsaw] ''Silver regalia'' of King Augustus III and Queen Maria Josepha.
{{Crowns}}
{{Crown Jewels}}
{{National symbols of Poland}}
[[Category:Crown jewels]]
[[Category:Polish monarchy]]
[[Category:Art and cultural repatriation]]
[[pl:Polskie insygnia koronacyjne]]