Regalia of the Netherlands

Items symbolising the Dutch monarch's authority and dignity

Dutch Royal Regalia in the Nieuwe Kerk in 2013: the crown on the left and the sceptre and orb on the right

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.[1]

Dutch monarchs are not and have never been crowned but are instead sworn-in and inaugurated in a ceremony at the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam. The regalia are never bestowed upon or worn by the monarch. Instead, the crown, sceptre, and orb are placed on what is called a credence table during the ceremony while the sword and standard are carried by different officials.

A number of jewellery worn by the Dutch royal family are termed as the Crown Jewels and are not part of the regalia, nor is the royal mantle part of the regalia.

## Regalia

[edit]

The Crown of the Netherlands

The regalia of the Netherlands consist of the following:

* the crown, symbolising the sovereignty of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which currently consists of the Netherlands in Western Europe and three overseas countries in the Caribbean: Curaçao, Sint Maarten and Aruba. It also symbolises the dignity of the Sovereign as head of state. The renowned Amsterdam jewelry firm Bonebakker was commissioned to make the crown. The execution were left to master gold- and silversmith Theodorus Gerardus Bentvelt.[2] It is made of gilded silver, adorned with coloured stones and imitations of pearls,[3] and has eight arches with a monde and cross at the top.
* the sceptre, symbolising the reigning King or Queen's authority;
* the orb, symbolising the Sovereign territory;

Both sceptre and orb were made by court jeweler Meijer from The Hague.[4]

* the sword of state, standing for the Monarch's power;
* the gonfalon of state (Rijksvaandel or Rijksbanier), a banner of white moiré silk suspended from a gilded spear, painted with the coat of arms of the Netherlands as decreed on 24 August 1815, symbolising the nation. The arms of the Netherlands have changed since 1815, but the depiction on the gonfalon has not.[5] The artwork was by Bartholomeus van Hove.[6]

During the inauguration, the monarch also wears a royal mantle (Dutch: koningsmantel). The mantle, which is not part of the regalia, is made of purple velvet and is trimmed with ermine. 83 lions, embroidered in gold, adorn the mantle. The mantle was first used in 1815 and has been redesigned several times to fit the various monarchs and reflect the changing fashions. The lions are old and were part of King William I'st mantle. Part of the fur has been renewed or replaced and in 1948 the velvet was in such a poor condition that the Swiss couturier who was responsible for its adaptation had no choice but to replace it with a modern fabric.[7]

## Usage

[edit]

Procession to the inauguration of Queen Juliana in 1948. The sword of state is carried by Lt. Gen. Hendrik Johan Kruls.

Dutch monarchs have never been physically crowned. During royal inaugurations, the crown, sceptre and orb are displayed on a table in the Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, where the inaugurations take place. The Gonfalon of State and Sword of State are carried in the royal procession from Dam Palace to the Church and are held on either side of the royal dais in the Church during the swearing in ceremony.[8]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ A.J.P.H. van Cruyningen, De inhuldiging van de Nederlandse vorst. Van Willem Frederik tot Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard (unpublished MA thesis, Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen, 1989) 61.
2. ^ Emeis, M.G. (1967). Bonebakker 1792 – 1967. Amsterdam.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
3. ^ Van Cruyningen, 61–62.
4. ^ Van Cruyningen, 62.
5. ^ Kl. Sierksma, Nederlands vlaggenboek. Vlaggen van Nederland, provincies en gemeenten (Utrecht/Antwerpen: Het Spectrum 1962, 17.
6. ^ "Fotocollectie " Zoeken - gahetNA". beeldbank.nationaalarchief.nl.
7. ^ Kleren voor de elite. p.36
8. ^ Van Cruyningen, passim.

## Literature

[edit]

* Dieuwke Grĳpma; Kleren voor de elite, 1999 ISBN 9789050184472

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Regalia of the Netherlands.

* Dutch Royal House.
* Pictures from the National Archive Image Database

* v
* t
* e

Crowns

Albania|

* Helmet of Skanderbeg (Vienna)

Austria|

* Archducal hat of Austria (Klosterneuburg)
* Imperial Crown of Austria (Vienna)
* Brilliant Crown of Empress Elisabeth (de) (missing)
* Archducal hat of Tyrol (Mariastein)
* Ducal hat of Styria (Graz)
* Archducal hat of Joseph II (Vienna)

Bohemia|

* Crown of Saint Wenceslas (Prague)
* Crown of the Środa Treasure (Środa Śląska)

Brazil|

* Crown of Pedro I (Petrópolis)
* Imperial Crown of Brazil (Petrópolis)
* Coronet of the Imperial Prince of Brazil
* Coronet of Laurels of Princess Isabel

British Isles|

* Crown of Princess Blanche (Munich)
* Crown of Margaret of York (Aachen)
* Crown of Scotland (Edinburgh)
* St Edward's Crown (London)
* State Crown of Mary of Modena (London)
* Tudor Crown (destroyed)
* Crown of James I (destroyed)
* State Crown of Charles II (broken up)
* State Crown of George I (London)
* Coronet of Frederick, Prince of Wales (London)
* Coronation Crown of George IV (London)
* Diamond Diadem
* Crown of Queen Adelaide (London)
* Imperial State Crown (London)
* Small Diamond Crown of Queen Victoria (London)
* Crown of Queen Alexandra (London)
* Coronet of George, Prince of Wales (London)
* Crown of Queen Mary (London)
* Imperial Crown of India (London)
* Crown of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (London)
* Coronet of Charles, Prince of Wales (London)

Bulgaria|

* Diamond Crown of Bulgaria (missing)

China|

* Futou
* Yishanguan
* Tongtianguan
* Mianguan

Colombia|

* Crown of the Andes (New York City)
* Crown of Simón Bolívar (Bogotá)
* Crown of José María Córdova (Rionegro)

Croatia|

* Crown of Zvonimir (missing)

Denmark|

* Crown of Christian IV (Copenhagen)
* Crown of Christian V (Copenhagen)
* Crown of the Queen (Copenhagen)

France|

* Crown of Charlemagne (destroyed)
* Crown of Saint Louis (destroyed)
* Crown of Henry IV (destroyed)
* Crown of Louis XV (Paris)
* Crown of Napoleon I (Paris)
* Crown of Napoleon III (destroyed)
* Crown of Empress Eugénie (Paris)

Germany|

* German State Crown (heraldic)
* Baden:
* Grand Ducal Crown of Baden (Karlsruhe)
* Bavaria:
* Royal Crown of Bavaria (Munich)
* Crown of the Queen of Bavaria (de) (Munich)
* Crown of Queen Therese of Bavaria (Munich)
* Brandenburg:
* Electoral Hat of Brandenburg (Berlin)
* Brunswick-Lüneburg:
* Ducal Crown of Brunswick-Lüneburg
* Hanover:
* Royal Crown of Hanover
* Mecklenburg:
* Wendish Crown (heraldic)
* Prussia:
* Crown of Frederick I (Berlin)
* Crown of Sophia Charlotte of Hanover (Berlin)
* Crown of Wilhelm I (missing)
* Crown of Queen Augusta (missing)
* Crown of Wilhelm II (Hohenzollern Castle)
* Saxony:
* Electoral Hat of Saxony (Dresden)
* Crown of Augustus II the Strong (Dresden)
* Funeral Crown of Augustus II the Strong (Dresden)
* Württemberg:
* Royal Crown of Württemberg (Stuttgart)

Greece|

* Crown of Greece (Athens)

Haiti|

* Crown of Faustin I

Hawaii|

* Crown of King Kalākaua (Honolulu)
* Crown of Queen Kapiʻolani (Honolulu)

Holy Roman
Empire|

* Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire (Vienna)
* Iron Crown (Monza)
* Crown of Rudolf II (Vienna)
* Imperial Crowns of Charles VII (Munich)
* Essen Crown (Essen)
* Reliquary Crown of John the Baptist (Aachen)
* Reliquary Crown of Charlemagne (Aachen)
* Crown of Empress Cunigunde (de) (Munich)
* Lily Crown of Empress Cunigunde (Munich)
* Reliquary Crown of Henry II (Munich)
* Salian Funeral Crowns of Spires (Speyer)
* Reliquary Crown of Otto II (Halle (Saale))

Holy See|

* Papal tiaras
* Papier-mâché Tiara (Vatican City)
* Napoleon Tiara (Vatican City)
* Tiara of Pope Pius IX (1846) (Vatican City)
* Spanish Tiara (Vatican City)
* Tiara of Pope Pius IX (Notre Dame, Indiana)
* Palatine Tiara (Vatican City)
* Tiara of Pope John XXIII (Bergamo)
* Tiara of Pope Paul VI (Washington, D.C.)

Hungary|

* Holy Crown of Hungary (Budapest)
* Crown of Stephen Bocskai (Vienna)

Iran|

* Sasanian crowns
* Empress's Crown (Tehran)
* Kiani Crown (Tehran)
* Pahlavi Crown (Tehran)

Italy|

* Iron Crown (Monza)
* Royal Crown of Savoy (it) (Turin)
* Crown of Theodelinda (it) (Monza)
* Grand Ducal Crown of Tuscany (missing)
* Crown of Constance of Sicily (Palermo)

Japan|

* Imperial Crowns of Emperor Shōmu and Empress Kōmyō (Surviving Portions)
* Benkan
* Emperor Kōmei Variant
* Kanmuri
* Raikan
* Imperial Crown of Empress Go-Sakuramachi

Korea|

* Crown of Baekje (Gongju)
* Crown of Gaya (Yongin)
* Crowns of Silla
* Gold Crown of Geumgwanchong (Gyeongju)
* Gold Crown of Cheonmachong (Gyeongju)
* Gold Crown of Hwangnamdaechong (Seoul)
* Gold Crown of Geumnyeongchong Tumulus (Seoul)
* Gold Crown of Seobongchong Tumulus (Gyeongju)
* Silver Crown (Gyeongju)

Liechtenstein|

* Ducal hat of Liechtenstein (missing; replica: Vaduz)

Lithuania|

* Gediminas' Cap (missing)

Madagascar|

* Crown of Madagascar
* Crown of Ranavalona III

Mexico|

* Imperial Crown of Mexico (First Mexican Empire)
* Imperial Crown of Mexico (Second Mexican Empire) (destroyed)
* Funerary crown of Maximilian I (Vienna)

Netherlands|

* Crown of the Netherlands

Norway|

* Norwegian Crown Prince's Coronet (Trondheim)
* Crown of Norway (Trondheim)
* Crown of the Queen of Norway (Trondheim)

Poland|

* Crown of Bolesław I the Brave (destroyed; replica: Stará Ľubovňa)
* Swedish Crown (destroyed)
* Muscovy Crown (destroyed)
* Hungarian Crown (destroyed)
* Homagial Crown (destroyed)
* Funeral Crown (missing)
* Queen's Crown (destroyed)
* Crown of Augustus II (Dresden)
* Funeral Crown of Augustus II (Dresden)
* Crown of Augustus III (Warsaw)
* Crown of Maria Josepha (Warsaw)
* Płock Diadem (Płock)

Portugal|

* Crown of João VI (Lisbon)
* Diadem of the Stars (Lisbon)

Romania|

* Crown of Elisabeta (Bucharest)
* Crown of Maria (Bucharest)
* Steel Crown of Romania (Bucharest)

Russia|

* "Cap of Monomakh"
* Crown of Kazan Tzardom
* Crown of Tsar Michael Fyodorovich
* Cap of Monomakh of the second set
* Diamond Crown of Tsar Peter I
* Diamond Crown of Tsar Ivan V
* Altabas crown of the third set
* Crown of Empress Catherine I
* Crown of Empress Anna Ivanovna
* Great Imperial Crown
* Maltese Crown
* Small Imperial Crown

Serbia|

* Karađorđević Crown (Belgrade)
* Nemanjić Crowns
* Crown of Stefan Uroš III (Cetinje)
* Crown of Stephen Bocskai (Vienna)

Spain|

* Royal Crown of Spain (heraldic)
* Royal Crown of Spain (Tumular Crown) (Madrid)
* Crown of Sancho IV (Toledo)
* Crown of Isabella I of Castile (Granada)
* Crown of the Crowned Virgin of the Kings (Seville)
* Crown of the Virgin of the Tabernacle of Toledo (Toledo)

Sweden|

* Crown of Eric XIV (Stockholm)
* Crown of the Queen (Stockholm)
* Crown of Queen Christina (Stockholm)
* Crown of the Heir Apparent (Stockholm)

Tahiti|

* Crown of Tahiti (Punaauia)

Tonga|

* Crown of Tonga (Nukuʻalofa)

Ukraine|

* Crown of Rus (missing)

Africa|

* Crowns of Egypt
* Silver Crown of Emperor Tewodros (Ethiopia)

Asia|

* Raven Crown (Bhutan)
* Shripech (Nepal)
* Crown of Sri Vikrama Rajasinha (Sri Lanka)
* Great Crown of Victory (Thailand)

See also|

* Coronation
* Crown jewels
* Heir apparent
* Heir presumptive
* King
* Monarchy
* Queen
* Regalia
* Royal family

* v
* t
* e

Regalia and crown jewels by country

* Albania
* Austria
* Brazil
* Bulgaria
* Czechia
* Denmark
* France
* Georgia
* Germany
* Bavaria
* Prussia
* Württemberg
* Greece
* Holy Roman Empire
* Hungary
* Iran
* Ireland
* Italy
* Lombardy
* Naples
* Sicily
* Tuscany
* Venice
* Japan
* Malaysia
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* Jewellery
* Nigeria
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* Serbia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Thailand
* United Kingdom
* Scotland
* Wales

* Extant monarchies in bold
* Former or historical sovereign states shown in italics

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template