The coronation of Empress Farah, of Iran in 1967. The Nader throne is in the background, studded with an array of some 26,733 ruby, diamond, and emerald gems, all set in a matrix of 23k gold.

A coronation is a ceremony marking the investment of a monarch with regal power through, amongst other symbolic acts, the placement of a crown upon his or her head. Where the monarch is anointed, the ritual may have religious significance. Coronation has been little practiced in recent years, although it remains the norm for the formal installation of the monarch of the Commonwealth Realms. The Coronation of Empress Diba Farah, the last of the Pahlavi dynasty, Iran. ... The Coronation of Empress Diba Farah, the last of the Pahlavi dynasty, Iran. ... Farah Diba-Pahlavi Farah Diba, as she appeared during the visit of US president Richard Nixon to Iran on May 30, 1972. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Look up monarch in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Pope John XXIII after being crowned with the 1877 papal tiara. ... To anoint is to apply perfumed oil. ... A ritual is a set of actions, performed mainly for their symbolic value, which is prescribed by a religion or by the traditions of a community. ... The Commonwealth Realms, shown in pink A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the 16 sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations that recognise Queen Elizabeth II as their Queen and head of state. ...

Formerly, in many kingdoms and empires, the coronation was a highly solemn ceremony in which anointing with holy oil, followed by ratification as the proper occupant of the throne, were important parts. This is still the case in the United Kingdom, one of the few nations that continue formal coronations to this day, and was true for the historical monarchies of France, and many other former Kingdoms and Empires. Places where monarchies maintain rule appear in blue. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Chrism (or holy oil) is a consecrated oil used to anoint confirmandi in the Catholic sacrament of confirmation (or chrismation) and newly ordained priest receiving the Catholic sacrament of Holy Orders. ... The thrones for The Queen of Canada, and the Duke of Edinburgh in the Canadian Senate, Ottawa is usually occupied by the Governor General and her spouse at the annual State Opening of Parliament. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

In Antiquity

The coronation of Pope John XXIII using the papal tiara in 1958.

The shahs of the Achaemenid Persian Empire were crowned with the diadem by a high priest of the Zoroastrian religion. This work is presumed to be copyrighted, but its source has not been determined. ... This work is presumed to be copyrighted, but its source has not been determined. ... Pope John XXIII (Latin: ), born Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli (November 25, 1881 – June 3, 1963), he was elected as the 261st Pope of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City on October 28, 1958. ... The Papal Tiara, also known as the Triple Tiara, in Latin as the Triregnum, or in Italian as the Triregno, is the three-tiered jewelled papal crown of Byzantine and Persian origin that is the symbol of the papacy. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Persian Empire was a series of historical empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau. ... This article is about a type of crown called a diadem; for alternate meanings, see Diadem. ... Zoroastrianism (Persian: آيين زرتشت) also known as Mazdaism by some followers and Zarathustrianism by others, is a monotheistic religion. ...

The Roman Emperors, traditionally acclaimed either by the senate or by a legion speaking for the armies as a whole, were confirmed by the other body, without a coronation. The Eastern diadem was introduced by Diocletian. In theory, the Imperial crown should be imposed by a representative of those who conferred the sovereign authority that it symbolized. And in the 4th century the Prefect Sallustius Secundus crowned Valentinian I (in whose election he had taken the prominent part). But the Emperor seems to have felt some hesitation in receiving the diadem from the hands of a subject, and the selection for the office was likely to cause jealousy. Yet a formality was necessary. In the 5th century the difficulty was overcome in an ingenious and tactful way. The duty of coronation was assigned to the Patriarch of Constantinople, possibly at the coronation of Marcian (AD 450), but certainly at the coronation of his successor Leo (457) (Bury 1923). A modern reconstruction of a roman centurion around 70 AD The Roman legion (from Latin , from lego, legere, legi, lectus — to collect) was the basic military unit of the ancient Roman army. ... Medallion of Valentinian I. Solidus minted by Valens in ca. ... The Patriarch of Constantinople is the Ecumenical Patriarch, ranking as the first among equals in the Eastern Orthodox communion. ... Another but lesser Marcian was a son-in-law of Byzantine Emperor Leo I and his queen Verina. ... Leo I coin. ...

Since the feudal age

King Karl IV of Hungary, Queen Zita and Crown Prince Otto.
Official coronation portrait, Budapest, December 1916.

A coronation following the Byzantine formula was instigated with the coronation of King Clovis of the Franks at Rheims (497), in which a dove was made to descend with an ampoule of oil, with which the king was anointed. All succeeding kings of France were anointed — with the same oil, miraculously resupplied — and crowned at Rheims. Image File history File linksMetadata Karlfamily. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Karlfamily. ... Karl I, a. ... From left to right: Otto von Habsburg, his son Karl, Cardinal Mindszenty and Ottos mother Zita in 1972 Zita of Bourbon-Parma (German: Zita von Bourbon-Parma) (May 9, 1892 - March 14, 1989) was the last Empress of Austria and Queen of Hungary. ... His Highness the Archduke of Austria Otto von Habsburg (as citizen of Germany) or Otto Habsburg-Lothringen (as citizen of Austria), sometimes known as Archduke Otto of Austria (Franz Josef Otto Robert Maria Anton Karl Max Heinrich Sixtus Xavier Felix René Ludwig Gaetano Pius Ignazius von Habsburg-Lothringen), born November... Non-contemporary coin with obverse legend Clovis Roy de France Clovis I (or Chlodowech or Chlodwig, modern French Louis, modern German Ludwig) (c. ...

Coronations were often centuries-old ceremonies with a great many formal and solemn traditions. Usually the climax of the coronation ceremony is the monarch's recital of an oath, followed by a religious leader placing a crown on the monarch's head. Some monarchs have crowned themselves: this was the custom of the Shahs in Iran, the Tsars of Russia and self-proclaimed monarchs like the Bonaparte Emperor of France. A ceremony is an activity, infused with ritual significance, performed on a certain occasion. ... The word tradition, comes from the Latin word traditio which means to hand down or to hand over. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with President of the United States oath of office. ... A crown is a symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a god, for whom the crown is traditionally one of the symbols of power and legitimacy (See Regalia for a broader treatment). ... Shah is an Iranian term (Persian and Kurdish) for king, and has also been adopted in many other languages. ... Look up Tsar in Wiktionary, the free dictionary For the US community of Czar, see Czar, West Virginia. ... A self-proclaimed monarchy is a monarchy that is proclaimed into existence, often by a single individual, rather than occurring as part of a longstanding tradition. ... Of Corsican origin, the Bonaparte (originally Buonaparte) family is the family of Napoleon I, who was elected as first consul of France on November 10, 1799 with the help of his brother, Lucien Bonaparte, president of the Council of Five Hundred at Saint-Cloud. ... An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. ...

Tsar Nicholas II of Russia after his coronation in 1896.

The crown is not the only item bestowed on a sovereign at his or her coronation. Usually there is an orb and scepter and — depending on the country — other items from the crown jewels, all highly charged with historic, religious, and territorial symbolism. Nicholas II of Russia after his coronation in 1894. ... Nicholas II of Russia after his coronation in 1894. ... Nicholas II of Russia (18 May 1868 - 17 July 1918) (in Russian Николай II (Nikolai II)) was the last Emperor of Russia, King of Poland and Grand Duke of Finland. ... Queen Elizabeth II held a globus cruciger, called the Sovereigns Orb, for her coronation portrait in 1953. ... A sceptre or scepter is an ornamental staff held by a ruling monarch, a prominent item of kingly regalia. ... Crown jewels are those that belong to the sovereign and pass to the next sovereign to symbolize the right to rule. ...

The ceremony usually takes place in the premier Cathedral or most holy basilica of a country, often in the present or former monarchical and/or ecclesiastical capital. In the United Kingdom, the coronation ceremony takes place in Westminster Abbey, with the monarch seated on the ancient St. Edward's Chair or Coronation chair (which then again includes the Scottish Stone of Scone). The French monarchs were crowned at Notre-Dame de Reims. A cathedral is a Christian church building, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy, such as the Anglican, Catholic and some Lutheran churches, which serves as the central church of a diocese, and thus as a bishops seat. ... St. ... British coronations are held in Westminster Abbey. ... The Abbeys western façade The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster, which is almost always referred to as Westminster Abbey, is a mainly Gothic church, on the scale of a cathedral, in Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. ... King Edwards Chair, sometimes known as St. ... The Stone of Scone, (pronounced scoon) also commonly known as the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone (though the former name sometimes refers to Lia Fáil) is a block of sandstone historically kept at the now-ruined abbey in Scone, near Perth, Scotland. ... Façade of the Notre-Dame de Reims The Notre-Dame de Reims (Our Lady of Rheims) is the Cathedral of Reims, where the kings of France were once crowned. ...

A coronation ceremony is generally religious in character, because from the earliest times it was believed that monarchs were chosen by God, in accordance with the Divine Right of Kings, hence the crown was bestowed by God himself. While this belief is now not generally held, many sovereigns are still proclaimed as Monarch "By Grace of God", even though legally nearly all are subject to the constitution, some even subject to parliamentary sanction. The Divine Right of Kings is a European political and religious doctrine of political absolutism. ...

The coronation of the Commonwealth Realms' Queen Elizabeth II
Westminster Abbey, 1953.

Before 1917 many Russian peasants, unofficially, prayed to God and the Tsar; while in Japan the Emperor was believed to be a descendant of Amaterasu the sun goddess . Hence, the concept of monarch, coronation, and God are inexorably linked. Image File history File links Queencrown. ... Image File history File links Queencrown. ... The Commonwealth Realms, shown in pink A Commonwealth Realm is any one of the 16 sovereign states of the Commonwealth of Nations that recognise Queen Elizabeth II as their Queen and head of state. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor), (born on 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen independent nations known as the Commonwealth Realms. ... The Abbeys western façade The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster, which is almost always referred to as Westminster Abbey, is a mainly Gothic church, on the scale of a cathedral, in Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. ... 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... The Sun goddess emerging out of a cave, bringing sunlight back to the universe. ...

A monarch succeeding by right (e.g. hereditary) does not have to undergo the ceremony of coronation to ascend the throne and execute the duties of the office. King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom, for example, did not reign long enough for a coronation ceremony to occur before he abdicated, yet he was unquestionably the King of the United Kingdom and Emperor of India during his brief reign. This is because in Great Britain, the law stipulates that the moment one monarch dies, the new monarch assumes the throne. The British King is usually proclaimed King in an outdoor ceremony at St. James's Palace within hours of the death of his predecessor. In France, the new monarch ascended the throne when the coffin of the previous monarch descended into the vault at Saint Denis Basilica, and the Duke of Uzes proclaimed 'Le Roi est mort, vive le Roi' (French: 'The [old] king is dead; long live the [new] King!') Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David Windsor), later The Prince Edward, Duke of Windsor (23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972), was the second British monarch of the House of Windsor. ... Abdication (from the Latin abdicatio disowning, renouncing, from ab, from, and dicare, to declare, to proclaim as not belonging to one), the act whereby a person in office renounces and gives up the same before the expiry of the time for which it is held. ... A Reign is a period of time a person serves as a monarch or pope. ... St Jamess Palace and The Mall by Jan Kip, 1715. ... West façade of Saint Denis The Basilica of Saint Denis (French: Basilique de Saint-Denis, or simply Basilique Saint-Denis) is the famous burial site of the French monarchs, comparable to Westminster Abbey in England. ... The term duke is a title of nobility which refers to the sovereign male ruler of a Continental European duchy, to a nobleman of the highest grade of the British peerage, or to the highest rank of nobility in various other European countries, including Portugal, Spain and France (in Italy... Uzès is a picturesque town and commune in the Gard département, Languedoc, about 15 miles north-northeast of Nîmes. ... The King is dead. ...

From 1305 to 1963 the Popes were crowned with the Papal Tiara in a coronation ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Following the decision of the last crowned Pope Paul VI to lay the Papal tiara on the high altar of the basilica as a symbol of humility, the next three popes have declined to wear it, and have thus had a ceremony of papal inauguration rather than coronation, as the placing of a crown or coronet of some description upon the head is a requisite of a coronation ceremony. While John Paul I, John Paul II (who also completely abandoned the use of the sedia gestatoria, a portable throne) and Benedict XVI opted for an inauguration instead of an old-fashioned coronation, a future pope can in theory opt for the coronation ceremony. Events August 5 - English troops capture William Wallace Wenceslas III becomes king of Bohemia Archbishop of Bordeaux, Bertrand de Got, was elected as Pope Clement V. Philip IV of France accused the Knights Templar of heresy. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... The Pope (from Greek: pappas, father; from Latin: papa, Papa, father) is the head of the Catholic Church. ... The Papal Tiara, also known as the Triple Tiara, in Latin as the Triregnum, or in Italian as the Triregno, is the three-tiered jewelled papal crown of Byzantine and Persian origin that is the symbol of the papacy. ... The Basilica of Saint Peter from Castel SantAngelo. ... This is the current Article Improvement Drive collaboration! CAST YOUR VOTE for next weeks article For other uses, see Rome (disambiguation). ... Pope Paul VI (Latin: ), born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini (September 26, 1897 – August 6, 1978), reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and as sovereign of Vatican City from 1963 to 1978. ... Look up Altar in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... St. ... Pope Paul VI (1963-1978) is crowned at the last papal coronation to date, in 1963. ... Pope John Paul I (in Latin ), born Albino Luciani (October 17, 1912 – September 28, 1978), reigned as pope and as sovereign of Vatican City from August 26, 1978 to September 28, 1978. ... Pope John Paul II (Latin: ), born Karol Józef Wojtyła [1] (May 18, 1920 – April 2, 2005) reigned as pope of the Roman Catholic Church for almost 27 years, from October 16, 1978 until his death, making his the second-longest pontificate. ... Error creating thumbnail: convert: unable to open image `/mnt/upload3/wikipedia/en/2/26/A022ht_5_SedeGest. ... Pope Benedict XVI (Latin: , born Joseph Alois Ratzinger on 16 April 1927) is the 265th[1] and reigning Pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, and sovereign of Vatican City State. ...

Many European monarchies have dispensed with the ceremony of coronation altogether. Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands had an oath-taking and induction ceremony rather than a coronation, and in Sweden, no king has been crowned since Oscar II in 1873. In Spain, although the crown is present and evident at the ceremony it is never actually placed on the monarch's head. Today's coronations of constitutional monarchs are more akin to political inaugurations. Belgium actually never had a crown (except as a 'virtual' heraldic emblem), the formal installation is a solemn oath on the constitution in parliament, symbolic of the restricted rule of the king under the then cutting-edge constitution of 1831. Beatrix of the Netherlands (Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard van Oranje-Nassau) (born January 31, 1938), is the Queen of the Netherlands and a princess of Orange-Nassau and Lippe-Biesterfeld. ... Oscar II (Oscar Fredrik) (January 21, 1829 – December 8, 1907) was King of Sweden and Norway from 1872 until his death. ... 1873 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calaber). ... A constitutional monarchy is a form of government established under a constitutional system which acknowledges a hereditary or elected monarch as head of state. ... An inauguration is a ceremony of formal investiture whereby an individual assumes an office or position of authority or power. ...

King Haakon VII and Queen Maud of Norway.
They were photographed wearing their coronation crowns and robes in 1906.

Among the last grand coronation ceremonies the World saw were that of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi of Iran in 1967 and that of the Central African Republic's president Bokassa in 1977. Bokassa crowned himself Emperor in an imitation of Napoleon I's pomp. Furthermore grand ceremonial is still customary in some South East Asian monarchies, notably for the King of Thailand, the Sultan of Brunei and Malaysia, where every five years one of the continental state monarchs (Sultans and one Radja) is crowned Yang di-Pertuan Agong (Paramount Ruler), i.e. elective head of state of the federation. Also, upon the eventual death of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles of Wales will most certainly have an extremely grand coronation, in keeping with British Imperial tradition, and because he may at the same time receive the title of Head of the Commonwealth (subject to agreement of the member states of the Commonwealth). The Coronation of Haakon VII and Queen Maud of Norway File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Coronation of Haakon VII and Queen Maud of Norway File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The World in plate carrée projection The World In English, world is rooted in a compound of the obsolete words were, man, and eld, age; thus, its oldest meaning is age or life of man. Its primary modern meaning is the planet Earth, especially when capitalized: the World. ... His Majesty Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi (اعلیحضرت محمدرضا شاه پهلوی; October 26, 1919 – July 27, 1980) also knows as Aryamehr, was the last Shah of Iran, ruling from 1941 until 1979. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Jean-Bédel Bokassa (February 22, 1921 – November 3, 1996) was the military ruler of the Central African Republic from January 1, 1966 until his overthrow as Emperor on September 20, 1979. ... Flag of the Supreme Head of Malaysia Yang di-Pertuan Agong, a Malay title usually translated as Supreme Head, Supreme Ruler or Paramount Ruler, is the official title of the constitutional head of state of the federation of Malaysia. ... Elizabeth II in an official portrait as Queen of Canada (on the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002, wearing the Sovereigns badges of the Order of Canada and the Order of Military Merit) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) (born 21 April 1926), styled HM The... Prince Charles may refer to: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, current heir-apparent to the British throne Any of the previous British royals named Charles, Prince of Wales The former Belgian regent, Prince Charles of Belgium This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might...

See also

• Royal coronations in Poland

Royal coronations in Poland: This is a list of royal coronations in Poland. ...

Source

• Bury, J.B. 1923. History of the Later Roman Empire

Crown Jewels

Austrian Crown Jewels | British Crown Jewels | Bavarian Crown Jewels | Bohemian Crown Jewels | Danish Crown Regalia | Dutch Royal Regalia | French Crown Jewels | German Crown Jewels | Greek Crown Jewels | Hungarian Crown Jewels | Imperial Regalia of the Holy Roman Empire | Iranian Crown Jewels | Honours of Scotland | Honours of Wales | Irish Crown Jewels | Imperial Regalia of Japan | Nigerian Royal Regalia | Norwegian Royal Regalia | Polish Crown Jewels | Portuguese Crown Jewels | Prussian Crown Jewels | Romanian Crown Jewels | Russian Crown Jewels | Serbian Crown Jewels | Spanish Crown Jewels | Swedish Royal Regalia | Crown jewels are those that belong to the sovereign and pass to the next sovereign to symbolize the right to rule. ... Contrasting with heir presumptive, an heir apparent is one who cannot be prevented from inheriting by the birth of any other person. ... An Heir Presumptive (capitalised) is the person provisionally scheduled to inherit a throne but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an Heir Apparent or of a new Heir Presumptive with a better claim to the throne. ... Look up monarch in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Places where monarchies maintain rule appear in blue. ... A queen regnant is a female monarch who possesses all the monarchal powers that a king would have without regard to gender. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Members of the British royal family A royal family is the extended family of a monarch. ... Image File history File links Srpske_Regalije. ... The collective term Austrian Crown Jewels or insignia (de: Insignien und Kleinodien) denotes the regalia and vestments worn by the Holy Roman Emperor, and later the Austrian Emperor during the coronation ceremony and at various other state functions. ... Coronation Chair and Regalia of England The collective term Crown Jewels denotes the regalia and vestments worn by the sovereign of the United Kingdom during the coronation ceremony and at various other state functions. ... In 1806, as part of his wholescale re-ordering of the map of Europe, Napoleon I of France upgraded the independent German duchy of Bavaria to full kingdom status. ... The Bohemian Crown Jewels include St. ... The Danish Crown Jewels are kept at Rosenborg Castle. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... Crown Jewels of France, on display at the Louvre The French Crown Jewels were the crowns, orbs, diadems and jewels that were the symbol of royalty and which were worn by many Kings and Queens of France. ... The word German Crown Jewels can mean a variety of things. ... The royal crown of King Otto of Greece When Otto of Bavaria became King of Greece in 1832 he brought with him some Wittelsbach crown jewels, a crown, orb and sceptre which he declared to be the Crown Jewels of Greece. ... St. ... The Imperial Regalia, or crown jewels (in German Reichskleinodien, Reichsinsignien, or Reichsschatz) are the regalia of the Emperors and Kings of the Holy Roman Empire. ... The Iranian Imperial Crown Jewels, also called the Imperial Crown Jewels of Persia , is a set of crowns, diamonds, thrones and other items collected by the various people who were the Shah of Iran (or Shah of Persia) during the 2,500 year existence of the monarchy. ... The Honours of Scotland, also known as the Scottish regalia and the Scottish crown jewels, dating from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, are the oldest set of Crown Jewels in the British Isles. ... Coronet of 1969 The Honours of the Principality of Wales are the Crown Jewels used at the investiture of Princes of Wales. ... The so-called Irish Crown Jewels were heavily-jewelled insignia of the Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick. ... A representation of the Imperial Regalia of Japan. ... Nigeria is a federal union. ... The crown jewels, or royal regalia, of Norway include nine regalias: The kings crown, the kings sceptre, the kings orb, the queens crown, the queens sceptre, the queens orb, the crown of the crown prince, the sword and the anointing horn. ... Hilt of Szczerbiec Only survived original part of Polish Crown Jewels from times of Piast dynasty is ceremonial sword - Szczerbiec. ... The Prussian Crown Jewels is a set of crowns, sceptres and orbs used to crown Kings of Prussia. ... The Steel Crown The Crown of Queen Elisabeta Detail of the Scepter of King Ferdinand I The Romanian Crown Jewels consist of three crowns: the Steel Crown, the Crown of Queen Elisabeta and the Crown of Queen Maria; two scepters: the Scepter of Ferdinand I and the Scepter of Carol... The Imperial Crown of Russia is the crown that was used to crown Emperors of Russia until the abolition of the monarchy in 1917. ... Serbian Royal Regalia. ...