Archive for the ‘Germany – Bavaria’ Category
The Orb, State Sword and Sceptre
The 96 centimetre long State Sword;
The Royal Orb – made of gold;
The 89 centimetre long Royal Sceptre set with brilliants, emeralds and sapphires and the top is surmounted by a small round crown.
Crown of the Queens of Bavaria
On 1 January 1806 Elector Maximilian Joseph IV of Bavaria (Bayern) was proclaimed King Maximilian Joseph I of Bavaria. Royal insignia were immediately commissioned from craftsmen in Paris: a crown, sceptre, sword and belt, imperial orb and seal container for the king, and a crown for the queen.
Among the artists at Napoleon’s court who worked on this crown were Marie-Étienne Nitot (jeweller) and Jean-Baptiste Leblond (goldsmith), Paris.
The insignia were duly delivered to Munich, but political events precluded a coronation ceremony. In fact, no king of Bavaria was ever to wear the crown in public. On occasions such as the accession of a ruler to his throne and his lying in state the insignia were presented on special cushions.
Crown of Bavaria
The Crown of the King of Bavaria was ordered and designed 1804-1807 for Maximilian I after Napoleon had raised Bavaria to kingdom status. It was commissioned to the French goldsmith Jean-Baptiste de Lasne, who drew inspiration from the crown of Louis XV of France. Maximilian’s alliance with Emperor Napoleon earned him the royal title and vast territiorial increases at the Treaty of Pressburg (1805). This made him one of the chief members of the Confederation of the Rhine. His daughter was married to Napoleon’s stepson, Eugène de Beauharnais.
Maximilian I ordered the magnificent regalia which can be seen today in the Treasury at the Residenz in Munich. Made by Biennais, the most famous French goldsmith of the day, the Royal Crown of Bavaria is set with rubies, diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and pearls. The Wittelsbach Diamond was removed and sold in 1931 by the Wittelsbach family.
Like other royal insignia, the crown was not worn by the sovereign. It was placed on a cushion at his feet during official ceremonies in the throne room of his official residence.
Duchess Elisabeth Marie Christine Franziska in Bavaria
Duchess Elisabeth Marie Christine Franziska in Bavaria (born 4 October 1973 in Munich). She married Daniel Terberger (born 1 June 1967) on 25 September 2004. They have two children:
Maximilian Ludwig Terberger (born 30 August 2005 in Bielefeld)
Ottora Elisabeth Victoria Lucia Terberger (born 13 December 2007)
