The Spanish Crown

[An Ard Ri]

The Spanish Crown.

The Spanish Regalia consists of an 18th century silver gilt crown and scepter,most of the Spanish Crown jewels were either lost ,sold or stolen during the various upheavals of the 19th and 20th centuries.Today the crown is very rarely seen,it was last seen at the reburial of King Alfonso XIII in 1980.

Photo

http://antoniosoria.es/wp/wp-content...ona-espana.jpg

[Iamthestate]

What a shame! I find it sad that even a monarch such as Juan Carlos, who had every right to opt for a full-fledged coronation, complete with the beautiful and historical regalia, instead went for a more drab civil swearing in ceremony.

[An Ard Ri]

Spanish Monarchs were never crowned,there's no Coronation Tradition in Spain.Monarchs in Spain are proclaimed before the Cortes (Parliament).Later Their Majesties and members of the Spanish and invited Foreign Royal families attended an "Enthronement Mass" at the Church of San Jerónimo el Real in Madrid.

Las imágenes de la coronación de Juan Carlos I en el NODO, Noticias en el Archivo de RTVE - RTVE.es A la Carta

[Iamthestate]

Then why have a crown? I was wondering if at some point in history, that spanish monarchs came before the church at their enthronement and not the government.

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by Iamthestate

Then why have a crown? I was wondering if at some point in history, that spanish monarchs came before the church at their enthronement and not the government.

No European Monarchs are crowned except the British,all other Monarchies have either never had a tradition of Coronations or have done away with them.The Spanish Regalia is present at the Proclamation before the Cortes and is thus symbolic,the King was also enthroned in a Religious Mass a few days later.King Juan Carlos may not have had a Coronation but his Proclamation and Enthronement ceremonies were delivered with a lot more pomp and pageantry than other European Monarchies.

Juan I of Castile (1379) and Ferdinand I of Aragon (1414) were the last Monarchs to have Coronations in Spain.

[Iamthestate]

Thanks! I was glad to see such a mighty display in the earlier video

[ciarano177]

But considering the fact that they've a crown and sceptre why don't they use it for as an example state opening of parliament?

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by ciarano177

But considering the fact that they've a crown and sceptre why don't they use it for as an example state opening of parliament?

The last time the Royal Crown was seen in public was in 1981 at the reburial of King Alfonso XIII at the El Escorial.

[ilMilanese]

As An Ri Ard wrote, the kingdom of Spain never had a coronation cerimony but an Enthronement during which the new king is proclamed officially, take an oath and receives the oath and the homage from the Greats of Spain, officials and other important person of realm. Today the cerimony take place at the Parliament, the new king take an oath on the constitution and take a speech.
During the Enthronement cerimony on a pillow appears the crown and the scepter.

The royal regalia of Spain had been destroyed during the fire of royal palace in 1734's christmas eve. After this, no crown was created more but, during the reign of queen Isabel II, beginning to be used a old crown known as Corona tumular de los reyes de Españ (funeral crown of kings of Spain).
Some sources want the crown was made during XVIII sec. for king Chales III, others want that it was made in 1766 for the funeral of queen Elisabetta Farnese, wife of king Philip V and mother of king Charles III.
The crown was made by silversmith Fernando Velasco with golden silver. It is really too big to be worn. The height is 39 cm; the greater diameter is 40 cm and the smallest is 18,5 cm. The weight is about 1 kg.
Around the crown you can see the Lion (Léon's arms); Pomegranate (Granada's arms); Castle (Castiglia's arms); 7 Lilies and Eagle. This last symbols are not clear to me.
Spain have not eagles in his coat of arms but only during Francisco Franco's dictatorship. So this eagle could be the arms of kingdom of Sicily.
The lilies are the arms of house of Bourbon, but 3 not 7.
7 lilies are also the arms of the duchy of Parma e Piacenza.
Charles III was duke of Parma e Piacenza (1731-1735), king of Neaples and Sicily (1734-1759) and than king of Spain (1759-1788). So I think that this crown was originally made for this king's funeral.

The royal sceptre was originally a commander's mace made in XVI sec. as a gift from the emperor Rudolf II to his cousin king Philip II but some sources want this mace as a russian gift to king Charles II.
The sceotre is made with silver, enamels, garnets and crystal. It is long 68 cm.