Coronation crown

Crown of St. Stephen used to crown Hungarian Kings

A coronation crown is a crown used by a monarch when being crowned. In some monarchies, monarchs did not wear the one crown but had a number of crowns for different occasions; a coronation crown for the moment of coronation, and a state crown for general usage in state ceremonial. This is especially so for the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth Realms, as the coronation in Westminster Abbey is the coronation of the monarch of all the Commonwealth Realms (there are no separate coronations).

Famous coronation crowns

• 1877 Papal Tiara - used to crown Popes Pius XII and John XXIII;
• St. Edward's Crown - traditional English then British coronation crown. The current St. Edward's Crown has been used a number of coronations since the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, but not, in fact the majority. The monarchs crowned with St. Edward's Crown were Charles II (1661), James II (1685), William III (1689), George V (1911), George VI (1937) and Elizabeth II (1953). King Edward VII intended to be crowned with St. Edward's Crown but in the event used instead the lighter Imperial State Crown (St Edward's Crown being judged too heavy for the King to wear soon after his illness).
• Crown of Charlemagne - the coronation crown of Kings of France up to and including King Louis XVI. It was destroyed during the French Revolution.
• Crown of St. Stephen - no Hungarian king was ever regarded as being truly legitimate without first being crowned with it. The original was a gift from Pope Sylvester II and was used to crown St. Stephen I, the first Christian king of Hungary, in 1000 or 1001. It was later stolen and replaced with the current version, which is featured on Hungary's coat of arms.
• Crown of Saint Wenceslas - coronation crown of Kingdom of Bohemia since 1347.
• Crown of Bolesław I the Brave - traditional coronation crown of the Polish monarchs. According to legend Bolesław I the Brave received it from Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor. The original crown was lost in the course of history. It was only in 1320 that a new set of regalia was prepared for the coronation of King Władysław I the Elbow-high and survived as long as until the 18th century.

See also

• State crown
• Imperial crown
• Royal crown
• Consort crown
• Circlet