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TheQueen's Crown (Polish: "korona królowych" or "korona Jadwigi kaliskiej") was a part of thePolish Crown Jewels until it was destroyed in 1809.[1] It was mentioned for the first time in the inventory of theWawel Royal Treasury in the 15th century.
ThePolish Queen's coronation insignia were originally made forJadwiga of Kalisz, wife ofWładysław I the Elbow-high in 1320, intended for her coronation as a Queen consort of Poland.[2] Since that time it served as the main insignium of the Polish Queens till the end of the 17th century.
The crown was stolen from the Wawel Castle by the Prussian troops in 1794 and found its place in the collections of theHohenzollerns in Berlin.[2] After 1809 it was destroyed and melted down just as the majority of Polish regalia.[1][3]
The Queen's Crown consisted of eight segments each crowned with heraldicfleur-de-lis and interspersed with smaller pinnacles.[2] It was made of puregold in the form of the rims covered with the globe and a cross on their intersection. The 18th century surveys of the Wawel Royal Treasury indicate that it was decorated with 40 rubies, 40 sapphires and 63 pearls.[2] The 16th century inventory shows, however, that the crown has been much richer in precious stones for some time, and that their number was greater than those placed on theCrown of Bolesław I the Brave.[2] In the 18th century the crown was depicted in the portrait of SaintKingJadwiga of Poland byMarcello Bacciarelli, painted to embellish the Marble Room at theRoyal Castle in Warsaw.[2]
Media related toQueens Crown at Wikimedia Commons