TheCrown of King Erik XIV ofSweden was made inStockholm in 1561 byFlemishgoldsmithCornelius ver Weiden,[1] for thecoronation of KingErik XIV. It is held in the Treasury under theStockholm Palace along with the rest of theSwedish Royal Regalia. The treasury is open to the public as a museum.
The crown is the official crown of theKing of Sweden, and is still used in ceremonies.
The crown consists of acirclet with four larger leaves alternating with four smaller leaves. Behind the larger leaves, four hoops extend in a cross over the crown and at the top is amonde with an enamel cross. Between the eight main leaves are even smaller leaves decorated with threepearls each.
The entire crown is decorated with pearls andgemstones, includingrubies,emeralds, anddiamonds. Most of the work was originally done in a style that is typical of the Renaissance, but it was partly changed later. However, most of the crown has been restored today. One addition - which still remains after recent restorations - is the eight diamonds that are located at the top of each of the eight leaves. They were installed in 1818.
In the nineteenth century, KingCharles XIV John had the original goldmonde and cross replaced with a larger blue monde adorned with diamonds, accompanied by a more brilliant cross on top. The gold monde suited the crown better; the blue monde spoilt the symmetry of the crown, as it seemed slightly larger.
In about 1970 the original monde and cross were reinstated, and a cap within the crown made in 1778 of beaded gold embroidery was replaced by a dark red velvet cap to restore its original appearance. The blue monde (with its cross) is now displayed next to the crown in the Treasury.