Coronation crown of Napoleon I
sometimes called the Charlemagne Crown after the original crown of that name destroyed during the French Revolution.

The Crown of Napoleon was a coronation crown manufactured for the self-proclaimed Emperor Napoleon I of France. He used it in his coronation on December 2, 1804. Napoleon called his new crown the Crown of Charlemagne, the name of the ancient royal coronation crown of France that had been destroyed in the French Revolution, a name which allowed him to compare himself to the famed mediæval monarch Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Holy Roman Emperor. Image File history File links Charlemagnecrown. ... Image File history File links Charlemagnecrown. ... Pope John XXIII after being crowned with the 1877 papal tiara. ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... A coronation is a ceremony in which a monarch is adorned with a coronation crown as a symbol of monarchy. ... December 2 is the 336th day (337th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1804 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... A royal family is the extended family of a monarch. ... During the French Revolution (1789-1799) democracy and republicanism replaced the absolute monarchy in France, and the French sector of the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Charlemagne (ca. ... The Franks or the Frankish people were one of several west Germanic tribes who entered the late Roman Empire from Frisia as foederati and established a lasting realm (sometimes referred to as Francia) in an area that covers most of modern-day France and the western regions of Germany (Franconia... The Holy Roman Emperor was, with some variation, the ruler of the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor of modern Germany, during its existence from the 10th century until its collapse in 1806. ...

Origins

Coronation of Napoleon, memorialised by Jacques-Louis David.

The French Revolution of the 1790s had led to the destruction of most of the ancient French Crown Jewels along with the eventual abolution of the French monarchy and the execution of King Louis XVI and Queen Marie Antoinette. Coronation of Napoleon, by Jacques-Louis David. ... Coronation of Napoleon, by Jacques-Louis David. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... During the French Revolution (1789-1799) democracy and republicanism replaced the absolute monarchy in France, and the French sector of the Roman Catholic Church was forced to undergo radical restructuring. ... Events and Trends French Revolution ( 1789 - 1799). ... 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 smelly poopy and which were worn by many Kings and Queens of France. ... Kings ruled in France from the Middle Ages to 1848. ... Louis XVI (August 9, 1754, Versailles – January 21, 1793, Paris) was King of France and Navarre from 1774 until 1791, and then King of the French in 1791-1793. ... Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France and Archduchess of Austria (born November 1755 – executed 16 October 1793) Daughter of Maria Theresa of Austria, wife of Louis XVI and mother of Louis XVII. She was guillotined at the height of the French Revolution. ...

When Napoleon I declared himself French Emperor a decade later he decided to create a new imperial regalia, the centre piece of which was his Charlemagne crown. Kings ruled in France from the Middle Ages to 1848. ... REGALIA is a Latin plurale tantum for the privilegies and insignia, characterisic of a King or other sovereign. ...

Usage

Napoleon on his Imperial throne (wearing his laurel leaf crown).
painting by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres in 1806.

In the coronation itself, which took place not in the traditional location of French royal coronations, the Cathedral in Reims, but in Notre Dame in Paris , he actually used two crowns. Initially he placed a laurel crown of the Roman emperors on his own head. (see image below) Afterward he briefly placed the imperial Charlemagne crown on his head, then touched it to the head of his empress, Josephine. Download high resolution version (409x656, 50 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (409x656, 50 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Self-portrait at age 24, 1804 Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres (August 29, 1780 – January 14, 1867) was a French painter. ... A cathedral is a Christian church building, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy (such as the Roman Catholic Church or the Lutheran or Anglican churches), which serves as the central church of a bishopric. ... Location within France Reims (English traditionally Rheims) (pronounced in French) is a city of northern France, 144 km (89 miles) east-northeast of Paris. ... This article is about the Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ...

Design

As was the norm with European crowns, Napoleon's crown is made up of eight half-arches which meet at a golden globe, on top of which is placed a crucifix. The crown itself is mock mediæval in style, reliant totally on gold and metallic decoration and devoid of the major covering with diamonds and jewels fashionable in crowns made later in the 19th century. A satellite composite image of Europe Europe is the worlds second-smallest continent in terms of area, with an area of 10,600,000 km² (4,140,625 square miles), making it larger than Australia only. ... Crown of Louis XV It has eight half-arches. ... For the California hardcore punk band see Crucifix (band) A small, handheld crufix. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

After the Empire

Emperor Bokassa

The Crown of Napoleon was used until his second overthrow in 1815. King Louis XVIII, brother of Louis XVI, was installed on the throne as King of France following Napoleon's overthrow. In contrast both to his brother and to Napoleon, the new king opted not to have a coronation. When his brother, Charles X became king in 1824 he reinstated the traditional monarchical coronation in Reims and was crowned using the remaining pre-revolutionary French royal crown, the Crown of Louis XV. No more French coronations, either imperial or royal, followed Charles X's overthrow in 1830. Image File history File links Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Empire This work is copyrighted. ... Image File history File links Emperor Bokassa of the Central African Empire This work is copyrighted. ... 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. ... The Battle of New Orleans 1815 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Louis XVIII (November 17, 1755 - September 16, 1824) was King of France and Navarre from 1814 (although he declared that he considered his reign to have begun in 1795) until his death in 1824, with a brief break in 1815 due to Napoleons return in the Hundred Days. ... Kings ruled in France from the Middle Ages to 1848. ... Charles X, King of France and of Navarre (October 9, 1757 – November 6, 1836) was born at the Palace of Versailles. ... 1824 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Crown of Louis XV is the sole surviving crown from the French ancien regime among the French Crown Jewels. ... 1830 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

When Napoleon III proclaimed himself French emperor in 1852 he opted not to have a coronation nor to wear Napoleon I's crown. Nevertheless a crown was specially created for Empress Eugenie, the Crown of Empress Eugenie. Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (April 20, 1808 - January 9, 1873) was the son of King Louis Bonaparte and Queen Hortense de Beauharnais; both monarchs of the French puppet state, the Kingdom of Holland. ... 1852 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Maria Eugenia Ignacia Augustina Palafox de Guzmán Portocarrero y Kirkpatrick, 9th Countess de Teba, aka Eugenia de Montijo (May 5, 1826 - July 11, 1920) was Empress of France (1853-1871). ... The consort crown of Empress Eugénie of France The Crown of Empress Eugénie was the consort crown of Eugénie de Montijo, the empress consort of Emperor Napoleon III of France. ...

Bokassa, the first and last Central African Emperor, wore a crown similar to Napoleon's (see image). 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. ... The Central African Empire was the name of the Central African Republic when president Jean-Bédel Bokassa declared himself Emperor Bokassa in 1977. ...

Sale of the French Crown Jewels

In the 1885, to impede any further attempts at royal or imperial restorations, the French National Assembly opted to sell most of the French Crown Jewels. Only a handful of crowns were kept for historic reasons, and they had their precious jewels replaced in them by decorated glass. Napoleon I's crown was one of the few kept. It is now on display in the Louvre museum in Paris. I.M. Peis Louvre Pyramid: the entrance to the galleries lies below the glass pyramid The Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre) in Paris, France, is one of the largest and most famous museums in the world. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ...