TheDuke's Chair, also known as theDuke's Seat (German:Herzogstuhl,Slovene:vojvodski prestol orvojvodski stol), is a medieval stone seat dating from the ninth century and located at theZollfeld plain nearMaria Saal, north ofKlagenfurt in theAustrian state ofCarinthia.[1]
The Duke's Chair, made mainly ofRoman gravestones from nearbyVirunum, actually consists of two stone seats, whose backrests are attached to each other. The larger seat, facing to the east, was reserved for the dukes, the other one, slightly older and facing to the west, for thecounts palatine of theMeinhardiner dynasty.
Together with thePrince's Stone, it played an important role during the installation of theDukes of Carinthia in a ceremony that may date back to the early medieval principality ofCarantania. The chair was first mentioned assedes Karinthani ducatus on the occasion of the installation of DukeHerman II of Spanheim in 1161. Here the newly installed duke had to swear anoath inGerman and received the homage of theestates. It was the last part of a series of rituals which consisted of the ducal installation on the Prince's Stone (performed inSlovene) and of amass, which was held at the church of Maria Saal.
The last installation took place in 1651, though the Duke,Ferdinand of Habsburg, the son of EmperorFerdinand III, did not take part in person, but was represented by a personal deputy.
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