The Royal Crown of Serbia (Serbian:Српска краљевска круна,romanized: Srpska kraljevska kruna) is aroyal regalia that existed during theSerbian monarchy.
Serbia, like most formermonarchies in Europe, has had crowns once worn by its rulers. The various Serbian principalities and kingdoms were organised around a number of different royal dynasties. Many of these invested in symbols of royalty which has led to a number of distinctivecrowns,jewels and other treasures of incredible wealth surviving to the present day.
Modern academic research indicates that no physical medieval Serbian royal crown has survived. Knowledge of crowns inmedieval Serbia is based primarily on visual and documentary sources, includingfrescoes,seals,coinage, androyal charters. According to historianSmilja Marjanović-Dušanić, crowns formed part of a broader system of rulership insignia that developed in Serbia between the 13th and 15th centuries. Crown imagery in medieval Serbia shows no single standardized form. Instead, rulers are depicted wearing crowns of varying shapes, often combined with other insignia such as sceptres andByzantine ceremonial garments. The Serbian system of royal insignia was strongly influenced by Byzantine imperial models, particularly after the establishment of theSerbian Empire in 1346. Crowns functioned primarily as ideological symbols of authority and divine legitimacy, not as permanent material objects.[1]
The crown commonly attributed toStefan Uroš III Dečanski, kept at theCetinje Monastery inMontenegro, is not a medieval crown but a composite object made from 17th–19th century components. Scientific analysis of its materials and construction shows it was likely assembled around the mid-19th century. Although existing traditions in Montenegro links the crown to the 1910 proclamation of KingNikola I Petrović‑Njegoš, contemporary sources do not report it being used in a coronation. It was an important relic that played a key role in the formation and legalization of the power of King Nikola I.[2] Several crowns (mitres) of this dynasty from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries have been preserved to this day and are kept in the treasury of the Cetinje Monastery.[3]
![Mitre of Prince-Bishop Visarion Borilović [sr]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=http%3a%2f%2fen.m.wikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aMitre_of_Metropolitan_Visarion_Borilovi%25C4%2587.png)
TheKarađorđević Crown Jewels were created in 1904 for thecoronation of KingPeter I. The pieces were made from materials that includedbronze taken from thecannonKarađorđe used during theFirst Serbian Uprising. This gesture wassymbolic because 1904 was the 100thanniversary of that uprising. The regalia was made inParis by the famous Falise brothersjewellery company. The crown and the rest of the regalia are in theHistorical Museum of Serbia inBelgrade. Until 1904 they were at the altar of the Royal Chapel of St. Andrew the First-Called which is at theRoyal Compound inDedinje. The crown is currently the only Serbian crown kept in Serbia.[4]
The Karađorđević Royal Regalia consist of the following:
The crown, scepter, and orb are decorated withgemstones found inSerbia and enameled in thenational colours of red, blue, and white. The royal mantle is made of purplevelvet, embroidered with gold and lined withermine fur.[5] Unlike in most European countries' regalia, there is nosword of state.
By the initiative of drDušica Bojić [sr], the director of theHistorical Museum of Serbia, with the support of theMinistry of Culture of Serbia, several crowns of medieval Serbian rulers were ideally recreated by the filigree artist Goran Ristović Pokimica (co-operated with other jewellers, filigree artists and goldsmiths) and aided byDragan Vojvodić [sr], historian and professor of medieval artwork and the corresponding member of theSerbian Academy of Sciences and Arts. The crowns were made of silver, which were gilded with nickel and gold. All the pearls are genuine from freshwater sources, while the precious stones were grown from dust under artificial conditions. About 13 techniques were used during the construction and everything was done the old-fashioned way. Each crown is worked between four and six months. They were officially revealed to the public in December 2022. The crowns were temporarily displayed in the Historical Museum of Serbia between February and March 2023. They are planned to be permanently displayed at the newly planned museum location, previously theBelgrade Main railway station.[6][7]
The first crown recreated was ofKing Stefan Uroš II Milutin Nemanjić, recreated from thefresco depictions in the King's Church ofStudenica Monastery. Weighing in at 1.6 kilograms, the crown is adorned with 26rubies, 18sapphires, 23amethysts, 4lapis lazulis and 407pearls. The production of the crown took four months, and the author used 13 techniques: rolling, cutting, forging, twisting, granulation, hand engraving, filigree, riveting, soldering, polishing, gilding, stone processing and faceting. Special care was given to make the crown of Stefan Dušan more elaborate and richer compared to Stefan Milutin′s, more fit for his Emperor status. Serbian rulers had several crowns during their reign, with Stefan Milutin′s crown as depicted in the frescoes inGračanica Monastery being the most elaborate from all the depictions of the ruler.[7][6][8]
Second crown recreated was ofEmperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan Nemanjić, recreated from the fresco depictions inLesnovo Monastery. Weighing in at 1.7 kilograms, the production of the crown took six months, also using the same 13 techniques.[7][6][8]
The third crown recreated was ofPrince Stefan Lazarević, recreated from the fresco depictions inManasija Monastery. Weighing in at 1.4 kilograms (1434.37 grams), the crown is adorned with 3obsidians, 13tourmalines, 3aquamarines, 3garnets, 4 amethysts, 26 rubies, 29sapphires and 69 pearls. While the original crown was most likely made of gold or glam silver, the replica was made of gilded silver.[7][6][8]
The crown ofEmpress Helena of Bulgaria, Emperor Stefan Dušan′s wife, was done by Jasminka Brkanović and was also recreated from the fresco depictions in Lesnovo Monastery. Due to the needs of the permanent display of the historical museum, the crown ofSaint Helen of Serbia, wife ofKing Stefan Uroš I Nemanjić and mother of King Uroš II Milutin Nemanjić, was recreated from the fresco depictions inSopoćani Monastery by Simon and Marsel Čivljak.[7][6]
Simon and Marsel Čivljak recreated the crown ofQueen Simonida Nemanjić, wife of King Stefan Uroš II Milutin Nemanjić, from the fresco depictions in the King's Church ofStudenica Monastery, as well as the crown of KingMihailo I Vojislavljević, from the fresco depictions in the Church of St. Michael inSton. The reconstruction of the crown of DespotĐurađ Branković was made by filigree artist Goran Ristović Pokimica, in consultation with relevant experts and based on the charter preserved in theEsphigmenou Monastery onMount Athos. He also reconstructed thesebastokrator’s wreath of KingStefan Nemanjić, based on the fresco in the Studenica Monastery.[7][9][10] The reconstruction of the possible appearance of the crown of KingTvrtko I Kotromanić was made by filigree artist Goran Ristović Pokimica, in consultation with archaeologist Marko Aleksić.[11]
