Misplaced Pages

#891108

185-687: The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom , originally the Crown Jewels of England , are a collection of royal ceremonial objects kept in the Jewel House at the Tower of London , which include the coronation regalia and vestments worn by British monarchs . The coronation regalia are the only working set in Europe and the collection is the most historically complete of any royal regalia in

370-704: A decisive battle ; he fled to the Roman client tribe of the Brigantes who occupied the Pennines . Their queen Cartimandua was unable or unwilling to protect him however, given her own accommodation with the Romans, and handed him over to the invaders. Ostorius died and was replaced by Aulus Didius Gallus who brought what are now the Welsh borders under control but did not move further north or west, probably because Claudius

555-485: A Christian ceremony had been established, and regalia took on a religious identity. There was still no permanent set of coronation regalia; each monarch generally had a new set made, with which they were buried upon death. In 9th-century Europe, gold crowns in the Byzantine tradition were replacing bronze, and gold soon became the standard material for English royal crowns. King Æthelstan ( r.  924–939 ) united

740-578: A barracks) at the Tower of London . It was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994 and refurbished in 2012. Regalia have been kept in various parts of the Tower since the 14th century after a series of successful and attempted thefts at Westminster Abbey . A Keeper of the Crown Jewels was appointed in 1207. Over the subsequent centuries his title varied, from Keeper of the King's Jewels, Master of

925-714: A brooch and circlet. The second was the Crown of Queen Mary ; also unusual for a British crown owing to its eight half-arches, it was made in 1911 for Mary of Teck . Mary purchased the Art Deco -inspired crown with her own money hoping it would become an heirloom used by future queens consort. Altogether, it is adorned with 2,200 diamonds, and once contained the 94.4-carat (19 g) Cullinan III and 63.4-carat (13 g) Cullinan IV diamonds. Its arches were made detachable in 1914 allowing it to be worn as an open crown or circlet. After George V's death, Mary continued wearing

1110-723: A clasp in the form of a Tudor rose. The hallmark includes a tiny portrait of the Queen, who continued to wear them upon leaving the Abbey and could be seen wearing them later, along with the Imperial State Crown and Sovereign's Ring, at her appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace . Jewel House The Jewel House is a vault housing the British Crown Jewels in the Waterloo Block (formerly

1295-589: A combination of force and diplomacy quieted discontent among the Britons who had been conquered previously, Agricola built forts in their territories in 79. In 80, he marched to the Firth of Tay (some historians hold that he stopped along the Firth of Forth in that year), not returning south until 81, at which time he consolidated his gains in the new lands that he had conquered, and in the rebellious lands that he had re-conquered. In 82, he sailed to either Kintyre or

1480-560: A coronation, the monarch is anointed using holy oil poured from an ampulla into the spoon, invested with robes and ornaments, and crowned with St Edward's Crown . Afterwards, it is exchanged for the lighter Imperial State Crown, which is also usually worn at State Openings of Parliament. Wives of kings, known as queens consort, are invested with a plainer set of regalia. Also regarded as crown jewels are state swords, trumpets, ceremonial maces, church plate, historical regalia, banqueting plate, and royal christening fonts. They are part of

1665-420: A coronation. Queen Victoria's Small Diamond Crown is just 10 cm (3.9 in) tall and was made in 1870 using 1,187 diamonds for Victoria to wear on top of her widow's cap. She often wore it at State Openings of Parliament in place of the much heavier Imperial State Crown. After the queen's death in 1901, the crown passed to her daughter-in-law Queen Alexandra and later Queen Mary. When George V attended

1850-431: A former consul he may have been too senior, and perhaps accompanied Claudius later. The main invasion force under Aulus Plautius crossed in three divisions. The port of departure is usually taken to have been Bononia ( Boulogne ), and the main landing at Rutupiae ( Richborough , on the east coast of Kent ). Neither of these locations is certain. Dio does not mention the port of departure, and although Suetonius says that

2035-698: A large cabochon red spinel . According to legend it was given to Edward the Black Prince by the Spanish king Peter of Castile in 1367 and Henry V wore it at the Battle of Agincourt . How the stone found its way back into the Royal Collection after the Interregnum is unclear, but a substantial "ruby" was acquired for the Crown Jewels in 1661 at a cost of £400, and this may well have been

SECTION 10

#1732782766892

2220-584: A military enclosure of south-central Scotland (most of the Southern Uplands , Teviotdale , and western Tweeddale ). In contrast to Roman actions against the Selgovae, the territories of the Novantae , Damnonii , and Votadini were not planted with forts, and there is nothing to indicate that the Romans were at war with them. Agricola was recalled to Rome in 84. In 2019 a marching camp dating to

2405-475: A monarch is anointed, the Dean of Westminster first pours holy anointing oil from an ampulla into a spoon. The Ampulla, 20.5 cm (8 in) tall and weighing 660 g (1 lb 7 + 1 ⁄ 4  oz), is a hollow gold vessel made in 1661 and shaped like an eagle with outspread wings. Its head unscrews, enabling the vessel to be filled with oil, which exits via a hole in the beak. The original ampulla

2590-507: A monarch's authority. The House of Commons can only operate lawfully when the royal mace – dating from Charles II's reign – is present at the table. Two other maces dating from the reigns of Charles II and William III are used by the House of Lords, one of which is placed on the Woolsack before the house meets and is absent when a monarch is there in person delivering

2775-540: A new chamber was constructed on the upper floor of the Wakefield Tower in 1868 by the architect Anthony Salvin . Apart from their temporary removal during war, and for ceremonial use, the Crown Jewels remained there until 1967. After the Second World War, the 19th century Jewel House was inadequate both in terms of security and public access. At peak times, 1,500 visitors a day were coming to see

2960-429: A new ruler for their region, Cogidubnus , soon appeared as his heir and as king of a number of territories following the first stage of the conquest as a reward as a Roman ally. Vespasian took a force westwards, subduing tribes and capturing oppida settlements as he went. The force proceeded at least as far as Exeter , which became a base for the Roman legion, Legio II Augusta, from 55 until 75. Legio IX Hispana

3145-419: A new silver-gilt coronet was made for the future George V to wear at Edward VII's coronation in 1902. In contrast to the earlier coronet, which has a depressed arch , the arch on this one is raised. At George's coronation in 1911 the coronet was worn by his eldest son, Edward , who was invested as Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle a month later. The revival of this public ceremony, not performed since

3330-459: A previous monarch who was also a saint reinforced the king's legitimacy. The crown would be used in many subsequent coronations until its destruction in the 1600s. Few descriptions survive, although one 17th-century historian noted it was "ancient Work with Flowers, adorn'd with Stones of somewhat a plain setting", and an inventory described it as "gold wire-work set with slight stones and two little bells", weighing 2.25 kilograms (79.5 oz). Edward

3515-570: A radical change from the austere £2 swords used by his 18th-century predecessors. It remained in the Royal family's personal ownership until 1903 when it was deposited with the Crown Jewels and has been used at every coronation since 1911. A monarch is girded and blessed using the sword, which is returned to the Keeper of the Jewel House by the Abbey for a token sum of £5, and is borne unsheathed for

3700-462: A reference to the six-inch-thick, two-tonne steel doors, and the use of a travelator at peak times. In 2012, the exhibit was given a £2.5 million revamp to include a new introduction area with a video showing the history of the Crown Jewels and explaining how they are used in the coronation ceremony . The jewels themselves are displayed in the order they are used in the ceremony, and Handel 's coronation anthems can be heard as visitors tour

3885-553: A result of battles with various tribes. Modifications to the Stanegate line, with the reduction in the size of the forts and the addition of fortlets and watchtowers between them, seem to have taken place from the mid-90s onwards. Apart from the Stanegate line, other forts existed along the Solway Coast at Beckfoot, Maryport , Burrow Walls (near the present town of Workington) and Moresby (near Whitehaven). Other forts in

SECTION 20

#1732782766892

4070-542: A road was constructed during the Trajanic period to Hardknott Roman Fort . A road between Ambleside to Old Penrith and/or Brougham, going over High Street , may also date from this period. Under Hadrian ( r.   117–138), Roman occupation was withdrawn to a defendable frontier in the River Tyne - Solway Firth frontier area by the construction of Hadrian's Wall from around 122. When Antoninus Pius rose to

4255-576: A sailing from Boulogne to the Solent , landing in the vicinity of Noviomagus ( Chichester ) or Southampton , in territory formerly ruled by Verica. British resistance was led by Togodumnus and Caratacus , sons of the late king of the Catuvellauni, Cunobeline . A substantial British force met the Romans at a river crossing thought to be near Rochester on the River Medway . The Battle of

4440-481: A second in 1968, when a new independent body of wardens and senior wardens was created to replace the former detail of Yeomen Warders of the Tower of London who had been responsible for the outward protection of the jewels. The post of Keeper of the Jewel House was combined with that of the Resident Governor of the Tower of London in 1968, and a Deputy Governor assumed much of his responsibilities. In 1990,

4625-611: A staff. A medieval silver-gilt anointing spoon and three early Stuart swords had survived and were returned to the Crown, and the Dutch ambassador arranged the return of extant jewels pawned in Holland. The king also spent £11,800 acquiring 2,270 kilograms (5,000 lb) of altar and banqueting plate, and he was presented with conciliatory gifts. In 1669, the Jewels went on public display for

4810-425: A successful campaign across North Wales, famously killing many druids when he invaded the island of Anglesey in 60. Final occupation of Wales was postponed however when the rebellion of Boudica forced the Romans to return to the south east in 60 or 61. Following the successful suppression of Boudica 's uprising in 60 or 61, a number of new Roman governors continued the conquest by edging north. The leader of

4995-588: A vault at the Bank of England for two years while bomb damage to the Jewel House was repaired. In May 2023, St Edward's Crown was placed on the head of Charles III ( r.  2022–present ) in the only ceremony of its kind in Europe. Other European monarchies have abandoned coronations in favour of secular ceremonies. The Crown Jewels consist of approximately 140 objects, which are permanently set with 23,578 precious and semi-precious stones and are seen by around 2.5 million visitors every year. Crowns are

5180-601: A year as often as he was in England … He was so stern and relentless … we must not forget the good order he kept in the land". Those crown-wearings were held on the religious festivals of Easter, Whitsun , and Christmas. In 1161, Edward the Confessor was made a saint, and objects connected with his reign became holy relics. The monks at his burial place, Westminster Abbey , claimed that Edward had asked them to look after his regalia in perpetuity and that they were to be used at

5365-432: Is 30 centimetres (11.8 in) tall and at a weight of 2.23 kg (4.9 lb) has been noted to be extremely heavy. After 1689, monarchs chose to be crowned with a lighter, bespoke coronation crown (e.g., that of George IV ) or their state crown, while St Edward's Crown rested on the high altar. At Queen Victoria 's coronation in 1838 it was entirely absent from the ceremony. The tradition of using St Edward's Crown

5550-401: Is a 1.4-metre-long (4.6 ft) ceremonial gold walking stick made for Charles II in 1661. It has a plain monde and cross at the top and a steel pike at the bottom. This object is almost certainly a copy of the long rod mentioned in the list of royal plate and jewels destroyed in 1649, although the pre-Interregnum version was gold and silver and topped by a dove. The staff's intended role in

5735-663: Is considered a part of the Crown Jewels. A coronation begins with the procession into Westminster Abbey. The swords of state reflect a monarch's role as Head of the British Armed Forces and Defender of the Faith . Three are carried before the monarch into the Abbey: the blunt Sword of Mercy (also known as Curtana ), the Sword of Spiritual Justice, and the Sword of Temporal Justice. All are believed to have been supplied at

Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom - Misplaced Pages Continue

5920-519: Is decorated with 2,868 diamonds, 273 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies. Among the largest stones are the 317-carat (63 g) Cullinan II diamond, also known as the Second Star of Africa, added to the crown in 1909 (the larger Cullinan I is set in the Sovereign's Sceptre). The 170-carat (34 g) Black Prince's Ruby , set in the front cross, is not actually a ruby but

6105-423: Is encrusted with 1,251 diamonds, 16 rubies, 2 sapphires and 2 turquoises. The sword has a partly blued and gilt steel blade, and its handle is set with 2,141 diamonds, 12 emeralds and 4 rubies. The stones are arranged to form roses, thistles, shamrocks, oak leaves and acorns. Two diamond lion heads, one at each end of the cross-piece, have ruby eyes. George paid more than £5,000 for the sword out of his own pocket in

6290-589: Is evidence of a Cerialian foundation, and followed the line of the Lune and Eden river valleys through Low Borrow Bridge and Brougham ( Brocavum ). On the Cumbrian coast, Ravenglass and Blennerhasset were probably involved from evidence of one of the earliest Roman occupations in Cumbria. Beckfoot and Maryport may also have featured early on. At some point between 72 and 73, part of Cerialis's force moved across

6475-675: Is followed by investing with coronations robes and ornaments. All the robes have priestly connotations and their form has changed little since the Middle Ages. A tradition of wearing St Edward's robes came to an end in 1547 after the English Reformation , but was revived in 1603 by James I to emphasise his belief in the divine nature of kingship. As well as robes, a monarch also wore cloth-of-gold buskins or sandals, depending on his or her foot size. These holy relics were destroyed along with royal crowns and ornaments in

6660-630: Is more concerned with managing the large number of visitors. Unlike the soldiers of the Tower Guard, who rotate, the Yeomen Warders are permanent and live in the tower itself. The present body dates from 1485, and they wear similar uniforms to the Sovereign's bodyguards, the Yeomen of the Guard , of which they have been extraordinary members since 1550. The jewels are removed on the authority of

6845-465: Is not known. Edgar the Peaceful ( r.  959–975 ) was the first English king to be crowned with an actual crown, and a sceptre was also introduced for his coronation. After crowns, sceptres were the most potent symbols of royal authority in medieval England. Edward the Confessor ( r.  1042–1066 ) is depicted on a throne and wearing a crown while holding a sceptre in the first scene of

7030-418: Is the first recorded utterance confidently attributable to a native of the area now known as Scotland. The emperor Septimius Severus died at York while planning to renew hostilities, and these plans were abandoned by his son Caracalla . Emperor Constantius came to Britain in 306, despite his poor health, with an army aiming to invade northern Britain, after the provincial defences had been rebuilt following

7215-502: Is thought to be the first English king who wore a crown with arches. Known as a 'closed' or imperial crown , the arches and cross symbolised the king as an emperor of his own domain, subservient to no one but God, unlike some continental rulers who owed fealty to more powerful kings or the Holy Roman emperor . Also in the Royal Collection was an item called a state crown , which together with other crowns, rings, and swords, constituted

7400-559: The Acts of Union 1707 , the Scottish regalia were locked away in a chest, and the English regalia continued to be used by British monarchs . Gemstones were hired for coronations – the fee typically being 4% of their value – and replaced with glass and crystals for display in the Jewel House, a practice that continued until the early 20th century. As enemy planes targeted London during

7585-633: The Bayeux Tapestry . Edward died without an heir, and William the Conqueror emerged as the first Norman king of England following his victory over the English at the Battle of Hastings . Wearing a crown became an important part of William I's efforts to assert authority over his new territory and subjects. At his death in 1087, the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle reported: "[William] kept great state … He wore his crown three times

Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom - Misplaced Pages Continue

7770-575: The Bishop of London and the Earl of Arundel in the 1370s as security for £10,000. One crown was exchanged with the Corporation of London in 1386 for a £4,000 loan. Mayors, knights, peers, bankers, and other wealthy subjects sometimes released objects on a temporary basis for the royal family to use at state occasions. Monarchs also distributed plate and jewels to troops in lieu of money. At some point in

7955-569: The Carausian Revolt . Little is known of his campaigns with scant archaeological evidence, but fragmentary historical sources suggest he reached the far north of Britain and won a major battle in early summer before returning south. His son Constantine (later Constantine the Great ) spent a year in northern Britain at his father's side, campaigning against the Picts beyond Hadrian's Wall in

8140-640: The Chronicle of Aberconwy Abbey , "and so the glory of Wales and the Welsh was handed over to the kings of England". After the invasion of Scotland in 1296, the Stone of Scone was sent to the Tower of London "in recognition of a kingdom surrendered and conquered". It was fitted into a wooden chair, which came to be used for the investiture of English kings and known as the Coronation Chair . The Scottish regalia were also taken to London and offered at

8325-464: The Crown of Margaret of York and the Crown of Princess Blanche had been taken out of England centuries before the Civil War when Margaret and Blanche married kings in continental Europe. Both crowns and the 9th-century Alfred Jewel give a sense of the character of royal jewellery in England in the Middle Ages. Another rare survivor is the 600-year-old Crystal Sceptre , a gift from Henry V to

8510-642: The Delhi Durbar with Queen Mary in 1911 to be proclaimed (but not crowned) as Emperor of India , he wore the Imperial Crown of India . As the British constitution forbids coronation regalia to leave the United Kingdom, it was not possible for him to wear St Edward's Crown or the Imperial State Crown, so one had to be made specially for the event. It contains 6,170 diamonds, 9 emeralds, 4 rubies and 4 sapphires. The crown has not been used since and

8695-695: The Imperial State Crown are Cullinan II (317 carats (63 g)), the Stuart Sapphire , St Edward's Sapphire , and the Black Prince's Ruby  – a large red spinel. The Koh-i-Noor diamond (105 carats (21 g)) was acquired by Queen Victoria from the Sikh Empire and has featured on three consort crowns. A small number of disused objects at the Tower are either empty or set with glass and crystal replicas. At

8880-797: The Lord Chamberlain , head of the Royal Household, exercised by his deputy the Comptroller of the Lord Chamberlain's Office. He signs a voucher on receipt of the items from the Deputy Governor. Only the Crown Jeweller can handle the regalia. It is customary for armed police officers to be present at all times. In 2011, Colonel Richard Harrold was appointed as the Keeper of the Jewel House . By May 2023,

9065-402: The Palace of Whitehall , and later, probably, at St James's Palace . Very large quantities of spare plate were melted down and sold in 1680, and thereafter the Jewel House held comparatively little besides the items held at the Tower of London, though much of it was out on loan. From 1660, as the Privy Wardrobe was no longer at the Tower of London, a caretaker was appointed as watchman for

9250-426: The Royal Collection and belong to the institution of monarchy, passing from one sovereign to the next. In the Jewel House they are seen by 2.5 million visitors every year. The earliest known use of a crown in Britain was discovered by archaeologists in 1988 in Deal , Kent, and dates to between 200 and 150 BC. A sword, brooch, ceremonial shield, and decorated bronze crown with a single arch, which sat directly on

9435-400: The Scottish Highlands . The line of military communication and supply along southeastern Scotland and northeastern England (i.e., Dere Street ) was well-fortified. In southernmost Caledonia, the lands of the Selgovae (approximating to modern Dumfriesshire and the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright ) were heavily planted with forts, not only establishing effective control there, but also completing

SECTION 50

#1732782766892

9620-469: The Tour d'Ordre , that provided a model for the one built soon after at Dubris (Dover). In 43, possibly by reassembling Caligula's troops from 40, Claudius mounted an invasion force under overall charge of Aulus Plautius , a distinguished senator. A pretext of the invasion was to reinstate Verica , the exiled king of the Atrebates . It is unclear how many legions were sent: only the Legio II Augusta , commanded by future emperor Vespasian ,

9805-418: The divine right of kings and the many religious conflicts that pervaded his reign, triggered the English Civil War in 1642. Parliament deemed the regalia "Jewels of the Crown ": their ownership was vested in the monarch by virtue of his public role as king and not owned by him personally. To avoid any legal risk to his subjects, Charles asked his wife, Henrietta Maria , to smuggle the inalienable property of

9990-479: The 14th century, all of the state regalia were moved to the White Tower at the Tower of London owing to a series of successful and attempted thefts in Westminster Abbey. The holy relics of the coronation regalia stayed behind intact at the Abbey. Having fallen out of use in England in the 13th century, two arches topped with a monde and cross reappeared on the state crown during the reign of Henry V ( r.  1413–1422 ), though arches did not feature on

10175-432: The 1902 coronet remained in his possession until his death in 1972. In its absence, a new coronet had to be created in 1969 for the investiture of the future Charles III , which is made from gold and platinum and is set with diamonds and emeralds. Both it and the rod were added to the Jewel House in 2020, joining the 1728 and 1902 coronets. In the Jewel House there are two crowns that were never intended to be worn at

10360-416: The 19th century, that crown was judged to be too theatrical and in a poor state of repair, so in 1831 the Crown of Queen Adelaide was made for Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen using gemstones from her private jewellery. Thus began a tradition of each queen consort having a custom-made crown. In 1902 the Crown of Queen Alexandra , a European-style crown – flatter and with eight half-arches instead of

10545-475: The 1st century AD, used by Roman legions during the invasion of Agricola. Clay-domed ovens and 26 fire pits dated to AD 77–90 were found loaded with burn and charcoal contents. The fire pits were 30 m apart in two parallel lines. Archaeologists suggested that this site had been chosen as a strategic location for the Roman conquest of Ayrshire . Agricola's successors are not named in any surviving source, but it seems they were unable or unwilling to further subdue

10730-408: The Abbey's claim is likely to have been an exercise in self-promotion, and some of the regalia had probably been taken from Edward's grave when he was reinterred there, it became accepted as fact, thereby establishing the first known set of hereditary coronation regalia in Europe. Westminster Abbey is owned by a monarch, and the regalia had always been royal property – the abbots were mere custodians. In

10915-429: The Brigantes was queen Cartimandua . Her husband was Venutius ; one speculation is that he might have been a Carvetian and may therefore have been responsible for the incorporation of Cumbria into a Brigantian federation whose territory straddled Britain along the Solway - Tyne line. Cartimandua may have ruled the Brigantian peoples east of the Pennines (possibly with a centre at Stanwick , Yorkshire), while Venutius

11100-405: The Caledonians alone and only under de jure submission. With the decline of imperial ambitions in Scotland (and Ireland) by AD 87 (the withdrawal of the 20th legion), consolidation based on the line of the Stanegate road (between Carlisle and Corbridge) was settled upon. Carlisle was the seat of a centurio regionarius (or district commissioner). When the Stanegate became the new frontier it

11285-416: The Caledonians with hill forts . One such was Burnswark Hill which was strategically located commanding the western route north further into Caledonia and where significant evidence of the battle has been found. By 142 the Romans had pacified the entire area and had successfully moved the frontier north to the River Clyde - River Forth area when the Antonine Wall was constructed. After two decades this

SECTION 60

#1732782766892

11470-433: The Civil War. New robes were made for each monarch starting with Charles II, a practice that ended in 1911, when George V reused the 1902 Supertunica (a dalmatic ), and the Imperial Mantle (a cope ), fashioned for George IV in 1821. They were also worn by his successors George VI, Elizabeth II and Charles III. Together, the gold robes weigh approximately 10 kg (22 lb). A new Stole Royal

11655-399: The Confessor and is placed on the monarch's head at the moment of crowning. Made of gold and completed in 1661, St Edward's Crown is embellished with 444 stones, including amethysts , garnets , peridots , rubies , sapphires , topazes , tourmalines and zircons . This coronation crown closely resembles the medieval one, with a heavy gold base and clusters of semi-precious stones, but

11840-514: The Corps of State Trumpeters was disbanded as a cost-cutting measure in the 19th century. The trumpeters' main job was to sound a fanfare at key points in the coronation, and they also played at the banquet afterwards in Westminster Hall. Today, the Band of the Household Cavalry and the Central Band of the Royal Air Force play their own trumpets at state occasions. Beginning as lethal weapons of medieval knights, maces evolved into ceremonial objects carried by sergeants-at-arms that represent

12025-422: The Crown Jewels. All the items were recovered, though some had been damaged; St Edward's Crown had been crushed with a mallet, and the Sovereign's Orb took a dent. Drastic changes followed: an armed guard was provided, the collection was put behind bars in a windowless room, and the first guidebook to the Crown Jewels was published, formally establishing it as a visitor attraction. People were locked inside

12210-471: The Crown abroad and sell it on the Dutch jewellery market. Upon learning of the scheme, the House of Lords and House of Commons both declared anyone involved in trafficking the Crown Jewels to be enemies of the state. Henrietta succeeded in disposing of a small quantity of jewels, albeit at a heavy discount, and shipped munitions back to England for the royalist cause. Two years later, Parliament seized 187 kilograms (412 lb) of rare silver-gilt pieces from

12395-479: The Great Seal again until 1471. The traditions established in the medieval period continued later. By the mid 15th century, a crown was formally worn on six religious feasts every year: Christmas, Epiphany , Easter, Whitsun, All Saints' Day , and one or both feasts of St Edward. A crown was displayed and worn at the annual State Opening of Parliament . Also around this time, three swords – symbols of kingship since ancient times – were being used in

12580-428: The Great Treasury, Westminster. Additionally, coronation regalia was, over the centuries, kept in the Chamber of the Pyx in Westminster Abbey. From the foundation of the abbey in c.  1050 until 1303, the Chamber of the Pyx also held the general royal treasury. Most crowns were kept in the Tower of London from the time of Henry III , as were coronation regalia from 1643, except for some items which were in

12765-405: The Jewel House and the Tower of London became the responsibility of the new Historic Royal Palaces agency. By the 1980s, up to 15,000 people a day were visiting the jewels, causing queues up to an hour long. The display had also begun to look old-fashioned; according to David Beeton, then CEO of Historic Royal Palaces, "they were displayed as if they were in a jeweller's shop window". In 1992, it

12950-451: The Jewel House and used the proceeds to bankroll its own side of the war. After nine years of war, Charles was defeated and executed, and less than a week later, the Rump Parliament voted to abolish the monarchy. The newly created English Commonwealth found itself short of money. To raise funds, the Act for the Sale of the Goods and Personal Estate of the Late King, Queen and Prince was brought into law, and trustees were appointed to value

13135-409: The Jewel House was a very lucrative business and, in the 1830s, the keeper earned £550 a year. When he lowered the entrance fee in 1838 in a bid to attract more visitors, his income soared to £1,500. Aghast, the Treasury , which received no money from the enterprise but paid for the upkeep of the jewels, began to make new arrangements. In 1840, they drew up plans for the construction of a new building in

13320-712: The Jewel House, Master and Treasurer of the King's Jewels and Plate, or Keeper of the Jewel House. He was also Treasurer of the Chamber , a division of the Royal Household of the monarch. In this position he was also called Keeper of the Court Wardrobe, Keeper of the Privy Wardrobe , or Receiver of the Chamber. In this capacity, he represented the Lord Treasurer 's interests in the regalia, and

13505-588: The Jewels of the Crown . Most of the collection dates from around 1660 when Charles II ascended the throne. The medieval and Tudor regalia had either been sold or melted down after the monarchy was abolished in 1649 during the English Civil War . Only four original items predate the Restoration : a late 12th-century anointing spoon (the oldest object) and three early 17th-century swords. The regalia continued to be used by British monarchs after

13690-535: The Jewels ;– then regarded by Oliver Cromwell as "symbolic of the detestable rule of kings" and "monuments of superstition and idolatry"  – and sell them to the highest bidder. The most valuable object was Henry VIII's Crown, valued at £1,100. Their gemstones and pearls removed, most of the coronation and state regalia were melted down and struck into coins by the Mint . Two nuptial crowns survived:

13875-766: The Keeper was Brigadier Andrew Jackson; he took part in the Royal Procession at the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla , carrying the King's ring. The Chief Exhibitor of the Jewel House is Keith Hanson, and the Deputy Chief Exhibitor is Lyn Jones. Roman conquest of Britain The Roman conquest of Britain was the Roman Empire 's conquest of most of the island of Britain , which

14060-409: The King's or Queen's Speech. In the late 17th century there were 16 maces, but only 13 survive, 10 of which are on display at the Tower of London. Two of these are carried in the royal procession at State Openings of Parliament and coronations. Each mace is about 1.5 m (4.9 ft) long and weighs an average of 10 kg (22 lb). They are silver-gilt and were made between 1660 and 1695. When

14245-596: The Koh-i-Noor, which has been the subject of repeated controversy, with governments of both India and Pakistan claiming to be the diamond's rightful owners and demanding its return ever since gaining independence from the UK. Queen Camilla was crowned using Queen Mary's Crown at her coronation with Charles III on 6 May 2023. Alterations included re-setting the crown with the original Cullinan diamonds and removing four of its eight half-arches. The Cullinan V brooch took

14430-607: The Lord Mayor of London, who still bears it at coronations. Many pieces of English plate that monarchs had presented to visiting dignitaries before the interregnum can be seen in museums throughout Europe. Cromwell declined Parliament's invitations to be made king and became Lord Protector . It was marked by a ceremony in Westminster Hall in 1657 where he donned purple robes, sat on the Coronation Chair, and

14615-672: The Master of the Jewel House. He later became known as the Keeper of the Regalia or Keeper of the Jewel Office at the Tower. From this appointment, a separate branch of the Jewel House Department developed. When the latter was closed down, the Tower of London Jewel House alone remained. From 1665, the regalia were on show to the public, and over time this activity of the Jewel House became increasingly important. In 1669,

14800-578: The Medway raged for two days. Gnaeus Hosidius Geta was almost captured, but recovered and turned the battle so decisively that he was awarded the Roman triumph . At least one division of auxiliary Batavian troops swam across the river as a separate force. The British were pushed back to the Thames . They were pursued by the Romans across the river, causing some Roman losses in the marshes of Essex . Whether

14985-721: The Ordovices who had destroyed a cavalry ala of Roman auxiliaries stationed in their territory. Knowing the terrain from his prior military service in Britain, he was able to move quickly to subdue them. He then invaded Anglesey , forcing the inhabitants to sue for peace. The following year he moved against the Brigantes of northern England and the Selgovae along the southern coast of Scotland, using overwhelming military power to establish Roman control. Tacitus says that after

15170-502: The Restoration they are simply presented to the monarch. The Armills are gold bracelets of sincerity and wisdom. Like spurs, they were first used at English coronations in the 12th century. By the 17th century, armills were no longer delivered to the monarch, but simply carried at the coronation. A new pair had to be made in 1661; they are 4 cm (1.6 in) wide, 7 cm (2.8 in) in diameter, and champlevé enamelled on

15355-462: The Restoration, and their use was first recorded at the coronation of James II in 1685. The two-handed Sword of State, made in 1678, symbolises the monarch's authority and is also carried before the monarch at State Openings of Parliament. Its wooden sheath, made in 1689, is bound in crimson velvet decorated with silver-gilt emblems of England, Scotland and Ireland, fleurs-de-lis, and portcullises. The lion of England and unicorn of Scotland form

15540-503: The Restoration, wives of kings – queens consort – traditionally wore the State Crown of Mary of Modena , who first wore it at her coronation in 1685. Originally set with 561 hired diamonds and 129 pearls, it was re-set with crystals and cultured pearls for display in the Jewel House along with a matching diadem that consorts wore in procession to the Abbey. The diadem once held 177 diamonds, 1 ruby, 1 sapphire, and 1 emerald. By

15725-561: The Roman fortress at Chester , indicate that construction there was probably under way by AD 74. Nevertheless, Gnaeus Julius Agricola played his part in the west as commander of the legion XX Valeria Victrix (71–73), while Cerialis led the IX Hispania in the east. In addition, the Legio II Adiutrix sailed from Chester up river estuaries to surprise the enemy. The western thrust was started from Lancaster , where there

15910-538: The Roman period. One diadem features a plaque in the centre depicting a man holding a sphere and an object similar to a shepherd's crook, analogues of the orb and sceptre that evolved later as royal ornaments. By the early 5th century, the Romans had withdrawn from Britain, and the Angles and the Saxons settled. A heptarchy of new kingdoms began to emerge. One method used by regional kings to solidify their authority

16095-537: The Romans . The exile of their ally Verica gave the Romans a pretext for invasion. The Roman army was recruited in Italia , Hispania , and Gaul and used the newly-formed fleet Classis Britannica . Under their general Aulus Plautius , the Romans pushed inland from the southeast, defeating the Britons in the Battle of the Medway . By AD 47, the Romans held the lands southeast of the Fosse Way . British resistance

16280-690: The Romans made use of an existing bridge for this purpose or built a temporary one is uncertain. Togodumnus died shortly after the battle on the Thames. Plautius halted and sent word for Claudius to join him for the final push. Cassius Dio presents this as Plautius needing the emperor's assistance to defeat the resurgent British, who were determined to avenge Togodumnus. However, Claudius was no military man. The Praetorian cohorts accompanied Emperor Claudius to Britain in AD 43. The Arch of Claudius in Rome says he received

16465-465: The Romans prepared to move further west and north. The Romans established their new capital at Camulodunum and Claudius returned to Rome to celebrate his victory. Caratacus escaped with his family, retainers, and treasure, to continue his resistance further west. After the invasion, Verica may have been restored as king of the Atrebates although by this time he would have been very elderly. In any case

16650-525: The Second World War, the Crown Jewels were secretly moved to Windsor Castle . The most valuable gemstones were taken out of their settings by James Mann , Master of the Armouries , and Sir Owen Morshead , the Royal Librarian. They were wrapped in cotton wool, placed in a tall glass preserving-jar, which was then sealed in a biscuit tin, and hidden in the castle's basement. Also placed in the jar

16835-600: The Stainmore Pass from Corbridge westwards to join Agricola, as evidenced by campaign camps (which may have been previously set up by Bolanus) at Rey Cross , Crackenthorpe, Kirkby Thore and Plumpton Head. Signal- or watch-towers are also in evidence across the Stainmore area: Maiden Castle, Bowes Moor and Roper Castle, for example. The two forces then moved up from the vicinity of Penrith to Carlisle, establishing

17020-465: The State Crown and pulled it to bits, causing more than £10 worth of damage. This and the poor quality of the keeper's live-in accommodation led to an overhaul in 1816. A rail was installed to keep the public at a distance from the jewels, and the repaired State Crown and Exeter Salt were put in glass cases on revolving tables. The whole collection was lit by six powerful argand lamps . By now,

17205-405: The Tower of London to house the collection, opened in 1842. The Crown Jewels were displayed in glass cases in the middle of a room with large windows so that people could walk around them and see them more clearly. In 1852, the keeper was formally recognised as a member of the Royal Household and paid a fixed salary. Unfortunately, the new Jewel House building was judged to be a fire hazard, and so

17390-638: The abbey during the time of James II . Following Richard de Podnecott's attempted robbery of the Chamber of the Pyx in 1303, some regalia were moved to the Tower of London for safekeeping. A new Jewel House was built near the White Tower in 1378, and by the 1530s the reserve of jewels and plate was brought together in the rebuilt Jewel House, on the south side of the White Tower. Regalia were kept on

17575-483: The accounting functions, with an official called the Officer of the Jewels and Plate. From 1782 until 1814, there was only a resident caretaker to guard the regalia and other jewels at the Tower of London. In 1814, a Keeper of the Jewel House was appointed. He had a servant as "Exhibitor" (renamed Curator in 1921), responsible for the day-to-day custody of the jewels. In 1815, a female visitor (later found insane) grabbed

17760-456: The annual State Opening of Parliament. The current Imperial State Crown was made in 1937 for George VI and is a copy of the one made in 1838 for Queen Victoria, which had fallen into a poor state of repair, and had been made using gems from its own predecessor, the State Crown of George I . In 1953, the crown was resized to fit Elizabeth II, and the arches were lowered by 2.5 cm (1 in). The gold, silver and platinum crown

17945-434: The anointing objects are second only to St Edward's Crown, and in 2013 the ampulla stood beside the crown on the altar of Westminster Abbey at a service marking the 60th anniversary of Elizabeth II's coronation . The 27-centimetre-long ( 10 + 1 ⁄ 2  in) Coronation Spoon, which dates from the late 12th century, is silver-gilt and set with four pearls added in the 17th century. A ridge divides

18130-653: The area. The most notable later expedition was in 209 when the emperor Septimius Severus , claiming to be provoked by the belligerence of the Maeatae tribe, campaigned against the Caledonian Confederacy , a coalition of Brittonic Pictish tribes of the north of Britain. He used the three legions of the British garrison (augmented by the recently formed 2nd Parthica legion), 9000 imperial guards with cavalry support, and numerous auxiliaries supplied from

18315-556: The arms of a throne, representing the king or queen in their absence. It was borne in procession in front of monarchs during their official visits to Dublin. In June 1921 the sword was present at the official opening of the Parliament of Northern Ireland by George V. The sword was displayed at Dublin Castle in 2018 as part of the 'Making Majesty' exhibition – the first time it had been to Ireland in 95 years. St Edward's Staff

18500-486: The banker and royal goldsmith, Sir Robert Vyner , at a cost of £12,184 7s 2d  – as much as three warships. It was decided to fashion the replicas like the medieval regalia and to use the original names. These 22-carat gold objects, made in 1660 and 1661, form the nucleus of the Crown Jewels: St ;Edward's Crown, two sceptres, an orb, an ampulla, a pair of spurs, a pair of armills or bracelets, and

18685-522: The bowl in half, creating grooves into which the Archbishop of Canterbury dips two fingers and anoints the monarch as Supreme Governor of the Church of England . Originally, it may have been used for mixing water and wine in a chalice. The spoon is first known to have been used to anoint a monarch at the English coronation of James I in 1603. It is the oldest surviving piece of the Crown Jewels (and

18870-420: The castle perimeter, but the crown had been flattened with a mallet in an attempt to conceal it, and there was a dent in the orb. He was pardoned by the king, who also gave him land and a pension; it has been suggested that Blood was treated leniently because he was a government spy. Ever since, the Jewels have been protected by armed guards. Since the Restoration, there have been many additions and alterations to

19055-429: The concrete vault, said to be able to protect the Crown Jewels against a nuclear attack, and the regalia were in a large star-shaped case designed by the architect Alan Irvine, around which visitors proceeded clockwise under the supervision of wardens. A raised gallery 2 metres (7 ft) from the case allowed people to view the collection at a more leisurely pace. An assistant curator had been appointed in 1963, and

19240-453: The conquest of the north may have been achieved under the governorships of Vettius Bolanus (governor AD 69–71), and of Cerialis. From other sources, it seems that Bolanus had possibly dealt with Venutius and penetrated into Scotland, and evidence from the carbon-dating of the gateway timbers of the Roman fort at Carlisle ( Luguvalium ) suggest that they were felled in AD 72, during the governorship of Cerialis. Lead ingots from Deva Victrix ,

19425-459: The construction of the wall to him. During the negotiations to purchase the truce necessary to secure the Roman retreat to the wall, Septimius Severus's wife, Julia Domna , criticised the sexual morals of the Caledonian women; the wife of Argentocoxos , a Caledonian chief, replied: "We consort openly with the best of men while you allow yourselves to be debauched in private by the worst". This

19610-451: The coronation ceremony to represent the king's powers in the administration of justice: the Sword of Spiritual Justice, the Sword of Temporal Justice, and the blunt Sword of Mercy . An emerging item of regalia was the orb, described in Tudor inventories as a gold ball with a cross, which underlined the monarch's sovereignty. Orbs had been pictorial emblems of royal authority in England since

19795-439: The coronation has been forgotten since medieval times, and so it is carried into the Abbey by a peer as a holy relic and laid on the altar, where it remains throughout the ceremony. The Crown Jewels include 16 silver trumpets dating from between 1780 and 1848. Nine are draped with red silk damask banners embroidered with coats of arms in gold, originally made for Queen Victoria's coronation in 1838. They have not been used since

19980-481: The coronation of Richard I, though it is likely they were introduced for Henry the Young King in 1170, and this element of the service was probably inspired by the initiation ceremony of knights. A pair of mid 14th-century spurs were added to St Edward's regalia at the Abbey in 1399 and used at all coronations until their destruction in 1649. Historically, spurs were fastened to a monarch's feet, but since

20165-548: The coronation of each of his next three successors, the other two being St Edward's Crown and a "rich crown" made specially for the new monarch. After the English Reformation , when England broke away from the authority of the Roman Catholic Church , the Church of England denounced the veneration of medieval relics and downplayed the history of St Edward's regalia. The concept of hereditary state regalia

20350-477: The coronations of all future kings. A note to this effect is contained in an inventory of precious relics drawn up by a monk at the abbey in 1450, recording a tunicle , dalmatic , pallium , and other vestments; a gold sceptre, two rods, a gold crown, comb, and spoon; a crown and two rods for the queen's coronation; and a chalice of onyx stone and a paten made of gold for the Holy Communion . Although

20535-517: The country was converted to Christianity in the Early Middle Ages . A permanent set of coronation regalia, once belonging to Edward the Confessor , was established after he was made a saint in the 12th century. The sacred holy relics were kept at Westminster Abbey , venue of coronations since 1066, while monarchs wore another set of regalia at religious feasts and State Openings of Parliament . Collectively, these objects came to be known as

20720-644: The cross-piece to the sword's handle. The sword weighs 3.6 kg (8 lb) and is 1.2 m (4 ft) long. During a coronation it must be held for much of the service pointing upwards without touching the body by the Lord President of the Privy Council . Before the investiture, the unwieldy Sword of State is exchanged for the lighter Sword of Offering, which is described as "the one true coronation sword". Commissioned by George IV for his extravagant 1821 coronation , its gilded leather sheath

20905-472: The crown (without its arches) as a queen mother , so the Crown of Queen Elizabeth was created for Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon , later known as the Queen Mother, to wear at her coronation in 1937. It is the only British crown made entirely out of platinum, and was modelled on Queen Mary's Crown, but has four half-arches instead of eight. The crown is decorated with about 2,800 diamonds, with the Koh-i-Noor in

21090-415: The disproportionately large arches are a Baroque affectation. It was long assumed to be the original as their weight is almost identical and an invoice produced in 1661 was for the addition of gold to an existing crown. In 2008, new research found that it had actually been made in 1660 and was enhanced the following year when Parliament increased the budget for Charles II's twice-delayed coronation. The crown

21275-527: The early 17th century, was intended to boost the Royal family's profile in Wales. Princely regalia known as the Honours of Wales were designed for the occasion by Goscombe John , comprising a Welsh gold circlet with pearls, amethysts and engraved daffodils; a rod; a ring; a sword; and a robe with doublet and sash. After he became king in 1936, Edward VIII abdicated the same year and emigrated to France, where

21460-513: The early Middle Ages, but a real orb was probably not used at any English coronation until Henry VIII ( r.  1509–1547 ). State regalia increasingly passed from one monarch to the next. The best example of this was the Tudor Crown , probably created at the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. It first appears in a royal inventory during Henry VIII's reign and was one of three used at

21645-635: The edge of the empire, Britain had enjoyed diplomatic and trading links with the Romans in the century since Julius Caesar 's expeditions in 55 and 54 BC , and Roman economic and cultural influence was a significant part of the British late pre-Roman Iron Age , especially in the south. Between 55 BC and the 40s AD, the status quo of tribute, hostages, and client states without direct military occupation, begun by Caesar's invasions of Britain , largely remained intact. Augustus prepared invasions in 34 BC, 27 BC and 25 BC. The first and third were called off due to revolts elsewhere in

21830-406: The empire, the second because the Britons seemed ready to come to terms. According to Augustus's Res Gestae , two British kings, Dubnovellaunus and Tincomarus , fled to Rome as supplicants during his reign, and Strabo 's Geographica , written during this period, says Britain paid more in customs and duties than could be raised by taxation if the island were conquered. By the 40s AD,

22015-449: The entire ground floor of the Waterloo Block (formerly a barracks) and is designed to allow up to 20,000 people a day to see the collection of more than 100 priceless objects and 23,578 diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires. They were lit by state-of-the-art fibre optics and rested on French velvet. However, critics derided the experience as "just an exercise in crowd management, beautifully lit and presented but literally mechanistic",

22200-486: The entire kingdom some time after AD 40 and Verica was expelled from Britain. Caligula may have planned a campaign against the Britons in AD 40, but its execution was unclear: according to Suetonius ' The Twelve Caesars , he drew up his troops in battle formation facing the English Channel and, once his forces had become quite confused, ordered them to gather seashells , referring to them as "plunder from

22385-418: The exhibition. Brighter lights were installed to present the jewels in a more natural way, and a new lift provides disabled access to the viewing platform. The Princess Royal officially reopened the Jewel House on 29 March 2012. The underground vault built in 1967 is home to 25,000 architectural drawings of historic royal palaces. The Crown Jewels are protected by bombproof glass, and visitors to

22570-593: The far north. The fortress at Inchtuthil was dismantled before its completion and the other fortifications of the Gask Ridge in Perthshire , erected to consolidate the Roman presence in Scotland in the aftermath of Mons Graupius , were abandoned within the space of a few years. It is equally likely that the costs of a drawn-out war outweighed any economic or political benefit and it was more profitable to leave

22755-416: The first time in the Jewel House at the Tower of London. The Deputy Keeper of the Jewel House took the regalia out of a cupboard and showed it to visitors for a small fee. This informal arrangement was ended two years later when Thomas Blood , an Irish-born army officer loyal to Parliament, attacked the 77-year-old and stole a crown, a sceptre, and an orb. Blood and his three accomplices were apprehended at

22940-435: The following centuries, some of these objects would fall out of use and the regalia would expand to include many others used or worn by monarchs and queens consort at coronations. An object referred to as " St Edward's Crown " is first recorded as having been used for the coronation of Henry III ( r.  1216–1272 ) and appears to be the same crown worn by Edward. Being crowned and invested with regalia owned by

23125-440: The following seven years. In AD 84, Agricola defeated a Caledonian army, led by Calgacus , at the Battle of Mons Graupius . However, the Romans soon withdrew from northern Britain. After Hadrian's Wall was established as the northern border, tribes in the region repeatedly rebelled against Roman rule and forts continued to be maintained across northern Britain to protect against these attacks. In common with other regions on

23310-406: The fort at Pumsaint in west Wales , largely to exploit the gold deposits at Dolaucothi . He left the post in 78, and was later appointed water commissioner in Rome. The new governor was Agricola, returning to Britain, and made famous through the highly laudatory biography of him written by his son-in-law, Tacitus. Arriving in mid-summer of 78, Agricola completed the conquest of Wales in defeating

23495-547: The fort there in AD 72–73. Frontinus was sent into Roman Britain in 74 to succeed Cerialis as governor . He returned to the conquest of Wales interrupted years before and with steady and successful progress finally subdued the Silures (around 76) and other hostile tribes, establishing a new base at Caerleon for Legio II Augusta ( Isca Augusta ) in 75 and a network of smaller forts 15–20 kilometres apart for his auxiliary units. During his tenure, he probably established

23680-681: The frontier further north. Lollius Urbicus moved three legions into position initially establishing his supply routes from Coria and Bremenium and moved three legions, the Legio II Augusta from Caerleon , the Legio VI Victrix from Eboracum , and the Legio XX Valeria Victrix from Deva Victrix into the theatre between 139 and 140 AD, and thereafter moved his army, a force of at least 16,500 men, north of Hadrian's Wall. The Selgovae , having settled in

23865-596: The glens that provided access to and from the Scottish Highlands , and also throughout the Scottish Lowlands in northeastern Scotland. Agricola built a network of military roads and forts to secure the Roman occupation. Existing forts were strengthened and new ones planted in northeastern Scotland along the Highland Line , consolidating control of the glens that provided access to and from

24050-466: The grounds of Westminster Abbey . This Jewel House stood by the now-demolished Wardrobe Tower. In 1378, the keeper gained control over at least a part of the royal jewels, and had a box in which he kept them, with two keys: one for himself and the other for the Lord Treasurer. This was the beginning of the Jewel House Department. The royal treasure was usually kept in the Tower of London, and at

24235-562: The head of its wearer, were found inside the tomb of the Deal Warrior . At this point, crowns were symbols of authority worn by religious and military leaders. Priests continued to use crowns following the Roman conquest of Britain in 43 AD. A dig in a field at Hockwold cum Wilton , Norfolk, in the 1950s revealed a bronze crown with two arches and depictions of male faces, as well as two bronze diadems with an adjustable headband and repoussé silver embellishments, dating from

24420-535: The jewels. The 1967 Jewel House was built in the west wing of the Waterloo Barracks at a cost of £360,000 and it was designed to cater for up to 5,000 visitors a day. An underground vault extending out under the lawns in front of the barracks housed the priceless coronation regalia, while the State Trumpets , maces and plate were displayed on the ground floor. Visitors walked down 49 steps to enter

24605-460: The kingdoms of England and Scotland united in 1707. The regalia contain 23,578 gemstones, among them Cullinan I (530 carats (106 g)), the largest clear cut diamond in the world, set in the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross. It was cut from the largest gem-quality rough diamond ever found, the eponymous Cullinan, discovered in South Africa in 1905 and presented to Edward VII . In

24790-412: The main symbols of royal authority. All crowns in the Tower are decorated with alternating crosses pattée and fleurs-de-lis , a pattern which first appears on the great seal of Richard III , and their arches are surmounted with a monde and cross pattée. Most of the crowns also have a red or purple velvet cap and an ermine border. The centrepiece of the coronation regalia is named after Edward

24975-582: The middle of the front cross. It also contains a replica of the 22.5-carat (5 g) Lahore Diamond given to Queen Victoria by the East India Company in 1851, and a 17.3-carat (3 g) diamond given to her by Abdülmecid I , Sultan of the Ottoman Empire , in 1856. The crown was laid on top of the Queen Mother's coffin in 2002 during her lying in state and funeral. The crowns of Queen Alexandra and Queen Mary feature crystal replicas of

25160-497: The midst a Ball & Cross". The single arch denotes inferiority to the monarch while showing that the prince outranks other royal children, whose coronets have no arches. Frederick never wore his coronet; instead, it was placed on a cushion in front of him when he first took his seat in the House of Lords . It was subsequently used by George III , George IV , and Edward VII when they were Princes of Wales. Due to its age,

25345-416: The monarch's state regalia that were kept mainly at royal palaces, separate from the coronation regalia. The handing over of crowns symbolised the transfer of power between rulers. Following the defeat in 1282 of the Welsh prince Llewelyn ap Gruffydd by Edward I ( r.  1272–1307 ), the Welsh regalia, including the crown of the legendary King Arthur , were surrendered to England. According to

25530-412: The monarch. They are made of solid gold, richly embossed with floral patterns and scrolls, and have crimson velvet straps embroidered in gold. Both necks terminate in a Tudor rose with a spike at its centre. Also known as St George 's Spurs, they are emblems of knighthood and chivalry, and denote the sovereign's role as head of the armed forces. Gold spurs are first known to have been used in 1189 at

25715-608: The ocean due to the Capitol and the Palace ". Alternatively, he may have actually told them to gather "huts", since the word musculi was also soldier's slang for engineers' huts and Caligula himself was very familiar with the Empire's soldiers. In any case this readied the troops and facilities that would make Claudius' invasion possible three years later. For example, Caligula built a lighthouse at Bononia (modern Boulogne-sur-Mer ),

25900-467: The only surviving English royal goldsmith's work from the 1100s), first recorded in the Royal Collection in 1349 as "a spoon of ancient form", and was probably made for Henry II or Richard I . In 1649 the spoon was sold for 16 shillings to Clement Kynnersley, Yeoman of the Removing Wardrobe , who returned it to Charles II upon the restoration of the monarchy. The anointing

26085-456: The place of the Koh-i-Noor. A relatively modest gold coronet was made in 1728 for Frederick, Prince of Wales , the eldest son of George II . It takes the form laid down in a royal warrant issued by Charles II in 1677, which states "the Son & Heir apparent of the Crown for the time being shall use & bear his coronett composed of crosses & flowers de Lizs with one Arch & in

26270-456: The political situation within Britain was in ferment. The Catuvellauni had displaced the Trinovantes as the most powerful kingdom in south-eastern Britain, taking over the former Trinovantian capital of Camulodunum ( Colchester ). The Atrebates tribe whose capital was at Calleva Atrebatum ( Silchester ) had friendly trade and diplomatic links with Rome and Verica was recognised by Rome as their king, but Caratacus ' Catuvellauni conquered

26455-414: The regalia were moved to a new chamber in the Martin Tower. A custodian named Talbot Edwards showed the jewels to visitors for a small fee. At first, this was a very informal arrangement, with Edwards taking the regalia out of a locked cupboard to show it. The arrangement was ended in 1671, when Colonel Thomas Blood overpowered the custodian, tied him up and, with the help of three accomplices, made off with

26640-432: The regalia. A new set was commissioned in 1685 for Mary of Modena , the first queen consort to be crowned since the Restoration (Charles II was unmarried when he took the throne). Another, more elaborate set had to be made for Mary II ( r.  1689–1694 ), who was crowned as joint sovereign with her husband William III ( r.  1689–1702 ). After England and Scotland were united as one kingdom by

26825-416: The region were built to consolidate Roman presence (Beckfoot for example may date from the late 1st century). A fort at Troutbeck may have been established from the period of Emperor Trajan ( r.   98–117) onwards. Other forts that may have been established during this period include Ambleside ( Galava ), positioned to take advantage of ship-borne supply to the forts of the Lake District . From here,

27010-404: The regions of present-day Kirkcudbrightshire and Dumfriesshire immediately northwest of Hadrian's Wall, were amongst the first of the Caledonian tribes to face Lollius Urbicus's legions together with the Otadini . The Romans, who were well versed in warfare on hilly terrain since their founding, moved quickly to occupy strategic points and high ground, some of which had already been fortified by

27195-413: The rest of the ceremony. The 17th-century Irish Sword of State was held by the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland (a viceroy ) prior to Ireland's independence from the UK in 1922 and has been displayed in the Jewel House since 1959. The handle takes the form of a lion and a unicorn and is decorated with a Celtic harp . Each new viceroy was invested with the sword at Dublin Castle where it usually sat across

27380-434: The sea by the British fleet, the Rhine fleet and two fleets transferred from the Danube for the purpose. According to Dio Cassius , he inflicted genocidal depredations on the natives and incurred the loss of 50,000 of his own men to the attrition of guerrilla tactics before having to withdraw to Hadrian's Wall. He repaired and reinforced the wall with a degree of thoroughness that led most subsequent Roman authors to attribute

27565-405: The secondary force under Claudius sailed from Boulogne it does not necessarily follow that the entire invasion force did. Richborough had a large natural harbour, which would have been suitable, and archaeology shows Roman military occupation at about the right time. However Dio says the Romans sailed east to west, and a journey from Boulogne to Richborough is south to north. Some historians suggest

27750-411: The shores of Argyll , or to both. In 83 and 84, he moved north along Scotland's eastern and northern coasts using both land and naval forces, campaigning successfully against the inhabitants and winning a significant victory over the northern British peoples led by Calgacus at the Battle of Mons Graupius . Archaeology has shown the Romans built military camps in the north along Gask Ridge , controlling

27935-696: The shrine of Edward the Confessor; Scotland eventually regained its independence. In the treasury of Edward II ( r.  1307–1327 ) there were no fewer than 10 crowns. When Richard II ( r.  1377–1399 ) was forced to abdicate, he symbolically handed St Edward's Crown over to his successor with the words "I present and give to you this crown … and all the rights dependent on it". Monarchs often pledged items of state regalia as collateral for loans. Edward III ( r.  1327–1377 ) pawned his magna corona to Baldwin of Luxembourg in 1339 for more than £16,650, equivalent to £22,470,562 in 2023. Three crowns and other jewels were held by

28120-431: The sources to have been involved in the invasion. Cassius Dio mentions Gnaeus Hosidius Geta , who probably led the IX Hispana , and Vespasian's brother Titus Flavius Sabinus the Younger . He wrote that Sabinus was Vespasian's lieutenant, but as Sabinus was the older brother and preceded Vespasian into public life, he could hardly have been a military tribune . Eutropius mentions Gnaeus Sentius Saturninus , although as

28305-410: The spinel. On the back of the crown is the 104-carat (20.8 g) cabochon Stuart Sapphire , and in the top cross is St Edward's Sapphire , reputedly taken from the ring of the Confessor when his body was re-interred at the Abbey in 1163. Below the monde hang four pearls, three of which are often said to have belonged to Elizabeth I , but the association is almost certainly erroneous. After

28490-409: The summer and autumn. Later excursions into Scotland by the Romans were generally limited to the scouting expeditions of exploratores in the buffer zone that developed between the walls, trading contacts, bribes to purchase truces from the natives, and eventually the spread of Christianity. The degree to which the Romans interacted with the Goidelic -speaking island of Hibernia (modern Ireland )

28675-407: The surface with roses, thistles and harps (the national symbols of England, Scotland and Ireland) as well as fleurs-de-lis. For Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953, the tradition of wearing armills was revived, and a new set of plain 22-karat gold armills lined with crimson velvet presented to the Queen on behalf of various Commonwealth governments. Each bracelet is fitted with an invisible hinge and

28860-518: The surrender of eleven British kings with no losses, and Suetonius' The Twelve Caesars says that Claudius received the surrender of the Britons without battle or bloodshed. It is likely that the Catuvellauni were already as good as beaten, allowing the emperor to appear as conqueror on the final march on Camulodunum. Cassius Dio relates that he brought war elephants and heavy armaments which would have overawed any remaining native resistance. Eleven tribes of South East Britain surrendered to Claudius and

29045-407: The throne, he moved quickly to reverse the empire limit system put in place by his predecessor. Following his defeat of the Brigantes in 139 AD, Quintus Lollius Urbicus , the Roman Governor of Britannia , was ordered by Antoninus Pius to march north of Hadrian's Wall to conquer the Caledonian Lowlands which were settled by the Otadini , Selgovae , Damnonii and the Novantae , and to push

29230-421: The time of James I between 1610 and 1620, probably by a member of the Worshipful Company of Cutlers , using blades created in the 1580s by Italian bladesmiths Giandonato and Andrea Ferrara . They were deposited with St Edward's regalia at the Abbey by Charles II. Before that point, new swords had been made for each coronation since the 15th century. Sold in the civil war, they were returned at

29415-500: The tower are closely watched by more than 100 hidden CCTV cameras. The security of the Tower of London as a whole is provided by the 22-strong Tower Guard which has been at the Waterloo Block since 1845. They are on detachment from the British Army and "operate under orders agreed with the Ministry of Defence to ensure the security of the Crown Jewels". The 38 Yeomen Warders , ex-military personnel employed by Historic Royal Palaces , also provide security, though their daytime role

29600-411: The tower during their visit and only permitted to see the jewels from a distance. For a small fee, they could reach through the bars and touch some of the jewels. In 1782, as part of a wider rationalisation of the Royal Household, the Department of the Jewel Office, under the Master of the Jewel Office , who was generally a senior politician, was abolished, and the Lord Chamberlain 's Office took over

29785-421: The typical four – was made for Alexandra of Denmark to wear at her coronation . Set with over 3,000 diamonds, it was the first consort crown to include the Koh-i-Noor diamond presented to Queen Victoria in 1850 following the British conquest of the Punjab . Originally 191 carats (38 g) and set in an armlet, it was cut down to an oval brilliant weighing 105 carats (21 g), which Victoria mounted in

29970-405: The upper floor and plate on the lower floor. The coronation regalia would remain at Westminster Abbey until the 17th century. The first keeper (however styled) after the restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Sir  Gilbert Talbot , was the last to exercise day-to-day control over the Jewel House. At that time, he was styled as Master and Treasurer of the Jewels and Plate. Spare plate was kept at

30155-416: The various Anglo-Saxon realms to form the Kingdom of England . In the earliest known depiction of an English king wearing a crown he is shown presenting a copy of Bede 's Life of St Cuthbert to the saint himself. Until his reign, kings were portrayed on coins wearing helmets and circlets, or wreath-like diadems in the style of Roman emperor Constantine the Great . Whether they actually wore such an item

30340-491: The wardrobe and privy wardrobe. Because of this, the Receiver of the Chamber exercised delegated authority over the Crown Jewels, especially those kept at the Tower of London (these two positions were separated in 1485). Although a treasury had been located in the Tower of London from the earliest times (as in the sub-crypt of St John's Chapel in the White Tower), from 1255 there was a separate Jewel House for state crowns and regalia, though not older crowns and regalia, in

30525-420: The world. Objects used at the coronation ceremony variously denote the monarch's roles as head of state of the United Kingdom , Supreme Governor of the Church of England , and head of the British armed forces. The regalia feature heraldic devices and national emblems of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and other Commonwealth countries. Use of regalia by monarchs in England can be traced back to when

30710-413: Was a note from the King, stating that he had personally directed that the gemstones be removed from their settings. As the Crown Jewels were bulky and thus difficult to transport without a vehicle, the idea was that if the Nazis invaded, the historic precious stones could easily be carried on someone's person without drawing suspicion and, if necessary, buried or sunk. After the war, the Jewels were kept in

30895-436: Was a small stone phial , sometimes worn around the neck as a pendant by kings, and otherwise kept inside an eagle-shaped golden reliquary. According to 14th-century legend, the Virgin Mary appeared to Thomas Becket , Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until 1170, and presented him with a gold eagle and some oil for anointing English kings. This ampulla was first recorded as being used at Henry IV 's coronation in 1399 and

31080-402: Was abandoned in 162 and only subsequently re-occupied on an occasional basis. Meanwhile, the Romans retreated to the earlier and stronger Hadrian's Wall. Roman troops, however, penetrated far into the north of modern Scotland several more times. Indeed, there is a greater density of Roman marching camps in Scotland than anywhere else in Europe as a result of at least four major attempts to subdue

31265-465: Was also buried with a decorated sword; a ceremonial shield; and a heavy whetstone sceptre, on top of which is an iron ring surmounted by the figure of a stag. In 597 CE, a Benedictine monk was sent by Pope Gregory I to start converting Pagan England to Christianity. The monk, Augustine , became the first archbishop of Canterbury . Within two centuries, the ritual of anointing monarchs with holy oil and crowning them (initially with helmets) in

31450-413: Was augmented by large forts as at Vindolanda and additional forts at half-day marching intervals were built at Newbrough , Magnis (Carvoran) and Brampton Old Church . The years 87–117 were of consolidation and only a few sites north of the Stanegate line were maintained, while the signs are that an orderly withdrawal to the Solway-Tyne line was made. There does not seem to have been any rout caused as

31635-415: Was decided to bring the coronation regalia out of the underground vault and build a new Jewel House with larger capacity on the ground floor of the building at a cost of £10 million. Inspiration for the layout and presentation was taken from Disneyland , the Seville Expo and jewel houses across Europe. Queen Elizabeth II opened the new Jewel House on 24 March 1994. It occupies almost

31820-420: Was deposited for safekeeping with St Edward's regalia at the Abbey by Richard III in 1483. Known as the Holy Oil of St Thomas, the same batch was used to anoint all subsequent kings and queens (except Mary I ) until it eventually ran out in 1625. It is unclear why, after the Restoration, the vessel itself came to be reinterpreted as an eagle standing on a domed base. In terms of religious importance,

32005-485: Was directly attested to have taken part. The IX Hispana , the XIV Gemina (later styled Martia Victrix ) and the XX (later styled Valeria Victrix ) are known to have served during the Boudican revolt of 60–61, and were probably there since the initial invasion, but the Roman army was flexible, with cohorts and auxiliary units being moved around whenever necessary. Three other men of appropriate rank to command legions are known from

32190-412: Was enshrined in English law in 1606 when James I ( r.  1603–1625 ), the first Stuart king to rule England, decreed a list of "Roiall and Princely ornaments and Jewells to be indyvidually and inseparably for ever hereafter annexed to the Kingdome of this Realme". After James died, his son, Charles I ( r.  1625–1649 ) ascended the throne. Desperate for money, one of his first acts

32375-415: Was fixed with modern precision during this period. Late in 47 the new governor of Britain, Publius Ostorius Scapula , began a campaign against the tribes of modern-day Wales , and the Cheshire Gap . The Silures of southeast Wales caused considerable problems to Ostorius and fiercely defended their border country. Caratacus himself led this guerilla campaign but was defeated when he finally chose to offer

32560-509: Was inhabited by the Celtic Britons . It began in earnest in AD 43 under Emperor Claudius , and was largely completed in the southern half of Britain (most of England and Wales ) by AD 87, when the Stanegate was established. The conquered territory became the Roman province of Britannia . Attempts to conquer northern Britain ( Caledonia ) in the following centuries were not successful. Following Julius Caesar's invasions of Britain in 54 BC, some southern British chiefdoms had become allies of

32745-413: Was invested with many traditional symbols of sovereignty, except a crown. A crown—probably made of gilded base metal—was placed beside Cromwell at his lying in state in 1660. The monarchy was restored after Cromwell's death. For the English coronation of Charles II ( r.  1660–1685 ), who returned from exile abroad, new Jewels were made based on records of the lost items. They were supplied by

32930-406: Was keen to avoid what he considered a difficult and drawn-out war for little material gain in the mountainous terrain of upland Britain. When Nero became emperor in 54, he seems to have decided to continue the invasion and appointed Quintus Veranius as governor, a man experienced in dealing with the troublesome hill tribes of Anatolia . Veranius and his successor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus mounted

33115-460: Was led by the chieftain Caratacus until his defeat in AD 50. The isle of Mona , a stronghold of the druids , was attacked in AD 60 . This was interrupted by an uprising led by Boudica , in which the Britons destroyed Camulodunum , Verulamium and Londinium . The Romans put down the rebellion. The conquest of Wales lasted until c.  AD 77 . Roman general Gnaeus Julius Agricola conquered much of northern Britain during

33300-412: Was made in 2023 for Charles III by the Royal School of Needlework , taking inspiration from the 1953 stole of his predecessor, Elizabeth II. It is adorned with emblems of the four countries of the United Kingdom, a dove representing the Holy Spirit , a Tudor-style crown, and a pattern based on the Cosmati Pavement in Westminster Abbey. Prick spurs remade for Charles II are presented to

33485-436: Was revived in 1911 by George V and has continued ever since. In 1953 Elizabeth II opted for a stylised image of this crown to be used on coats of arms, badges, logos and various other insignia in the Commonwealth realms to symbolise her royal authority, replacing the image of a Tudor-style crown adopted in 1901 by Edward VII . A much lighter crown is worn by the monarch when leaving Westminster Abbey, and at

33670-416: Was sent north towards Lincoln ( Latin : Lindum Colonia ) and by 47 it is likely that an area south of a line from the Humber to the Severn Estuary was under Roman control. That this line is followed by the Roman road of the Fosse Way has led many historians to debate the route's role as a convenient frontier during the early occupation. It is unlikely that the border between Roman and Iron Age Britain

33855-494: Was the chief of the Brigantes (or Carvetii) west of the Pennines in Cumbria (with a possible centre based at Clifton Dykes .) Cartimandua was forced to ask for Roman aid following a rebellion by Venutius in 69. The Romans evacuated Cartimandua leaving Venutius in power. Tacitus says that in 71 Quintus Petillius Cerialis (governor AD 71–74) waged a successful war against the Brigantes . Tacitus praises both Cerialis and his successor, Julius Frontinus (governor 75–78). Much of

34040-481: Was the use of ceremony and insignia. The tomb of an unknown king – evidence suggests Rædwald of East Anglia ( r.  circa 599 – 624 ) – at Sutton Hoo illustrates the regalia of a pre-Christian Anglo-Saxon monarch. Inside the early 7th-century tomb, discovered in 1939, was found the ornate Sutton Hoo helmet , consisting of an iron cap, a neck guard, and a face mask decorated with copper alloy images of animals and warriors set with garnets . He

34225-508: Was to load 41 masterpieces from the Jewel House onto a ship bound for Amsterdam – the hub of Europe's jewel trade. This hoard of unique treasures, including the Mirror of Great Britain brooch, a 14th-century pendant called the Three Brothers , a 4.7-kilogram (10 lb) gold salt cellar known as the Morris Dance, and much fine Elizabethan plate, was expected to swell the king's coffers by £300,000, but fetched only £70,000. Charles's many conflicts with Parliament , stemming from his belief in

#891108