TheCrown of Augustus II was intended for his coronation as aKing of Poland.[1] The crown was made in 1697 byFreiburg's goldsmith Johann Friedrich Klemm.[1] It was not used, however. The Augustus II's crown is kept inDresden Armory (Rüstkammer) inDresden, Germany.[1]
Due to a doubleelection ofFrançois Louis, Prince of Conti and the Frederick Augustus I,Elector of Saxony (elected King of Poland asAugustus II) in 1697, the two claimants to the Polish throne had serious troubles with obtaining approval of thenobility for their coronation.[1] The most difficult situation was of Elector of Saxony, who had no support of the primateMichał Stefan Radziejowski and most of the senators holding the custody of theWawel Castle Crown Treasury.[1] Therefore, expecting obstacles in obtaining theroyal insignia, he ordered to prepare replacements before his arrival toKraków. On the eve of theceremony, some of the gathered decided to find a way to obtain the original regalia. Two monks Aleksander Wyhowski,prior of Czerwińsk and Mikołaj Wyżycki,prior of the Holy Cross made a hole in the castle's wall and got to the vault from which they stole the crown,scepter, sword andorb.[2] The Dresden regalia become unnecessary, Augustus II the Strong, however, treated them as a private insignia.
Crown of Augustus II the Strong is made of gildedsilver and decorated with colorfulenamel and semi-precious stones.[1]
Media related toCrown of Augustus II the Strong at Wikimedia Commons
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