A throne room or throne hall is the room, often rather a hall, in the official residence of the crown, either a palace or a fortified castle , where the throne of a senior figure (usually a monarch ) is set up with elaborate pomp—usually raised, often with steps, and under a canopy , both of which are part of the original notion of the Greek word thronos .
68-449: A throne room is an impressive setting for a monarch to preside 'in majesty' over official ceremonies, to hold council, to grant audiences, to receive homage, to award high honors and offices, and to perform other official functions. Any of these could just as well be transferred, even on a permanent basis, to one or more other rooms, even outside the palace or ambulant. It can also be where the royal court can gather. A common misconception
136-616: A Tiepolo ceiling, lit by a rock crystal chandelier. Adorning the room are huge mirrors made in the royal glass factory of La Granja . The royal family does not reside in the palace, instead choosing a smaller, more modest palace, the Zarzuela Palace , on the outskirts of Madrid. However, the Royal Palace of Madrid remains the official residence of the Spanish monarchy and is used for state occasions. The throne located in
204-459: A proscenium arch supported by a pair of winged figures of 'victory' holding garlands above the two Chairs of Estate, which were originally made for Queen Elizabeth II ’s coronation in 1953 and were refurbished for King Charles III and Queen Camilla for their coronation in 2023 and embroidered with the cyphers of the new King and Queen. It is in the throne room that the sovereign, on special occasions, receives loyal addresses. Another use of
272-563: A "sharer of the bread" at table, and a court is an extension of the great individual's household. Wherever members of the household and bureaucrats of the administration overlap in personnel, it is reasonable to speak of a "court", for example in Achaemenid Persia , Ming China , Norman Sicily , the papacy before 1870 (see: papal household ), and the Austro-Hungarian Empire . A group of individuals dependent on
340-410: A fixed place. One of the criteria of Norbert Elias' concept of a court society is that it existed in space. The German word Hof , meaning an enclosed courtyard , can also apply to a rural farmstead with outbuildings and walls forming the perimeter. It has also been used for the palatial seat where the court was held. Thus Hof or "court" can become transferred to the building itself. For example,
408-401: A large picture presenting Catherine II on her horse. The room also holds numerous oil paintings and eleven chandeliers. Regarded as the throne of Russia , the throne of St. George's Hall (or large throne room) is set atop the seven-stepped dais with a proscenium arch above and the symbol of the imperial family behind (the two-headed eagle ). Peter I's Room (the smaller throne room)
476-568: A major Tabriz carpet from the 18th century in the precious wood floor. The ceiling is covered with Máximo dos Reis allegorical fresco and a huge crystal chandelier. The thrones are from Portuguese fabric, second half of the 18th century with the Portuguese coat of arms on the top handled by two angels. This fauteuils ware made to substitute the Juste-Aurèle Meissonnier ’s throne made to John V of Portugal and destroyed in
544-504: A mobile throne, possibly in addition to the permanent one used for enthronement and/or coronation . There are cases in Africa and Asia where the very name of the 'capital' is not a fixed place, but was the place wherever a king settled for a few years. In some climates court migrated annually between a summer and a winter capital. It has also common to spend quite some time, without need for practical reason, in secondary residences, not in
612-532: A religious ceremony elsewhere. The Residenz of the Wittelsbach monarchs of Bavaria has one celebration room, which was the former throne-room, but completely destroyed by the bombing of Munich during the Second World War . It is now reconstructed and again visitable; the (smaller) throne room was rebuilt in the classicism style of the 19th century. Once, bronze figures of twelve rulers of
680-402: A strict order of precedence , often involving imperial, royal and noble ranks , orders of chivalry , and nobility . Some courts even featured court uniforms . One of the major markers of a court is ceremony . Most monarchal courts included ceremonies concerning the investiture or coronation of the monarch and audiences with the monarch. Some courts had ceremonies around the waking and
748-466: Is at Christiansborg . The throne was commissioned by King Louis XIV and was in use until 1789. In 1837, the Château de Versailles became a national museum. As part of the greater Versailles museum, the room is open to the public. Compare : Lit de justice . Preferring Fontainebleau over Versailles, Emperor Napoléon I had King Louis XV 's bedroom converted into an Imperial throne room, and it
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#1732772390102816-513: Is in this room that the lord mayor and councillors of the City of Westminster usually present an address of welcome to visiting heads of state on state visits. While the Throne Room of Buckingham Palace has two thrones on the dias, one for the reigning monarch, and another for the monarch's consort, the Throne Room at St James's Palace contains only one throne, for the use of the sovereign. As in
884-589: Is modest in comparison to the former. The throne was made for Empress Anna Ivanovna in London and the picture behind displays Peter the Great with Minerva . The Royal Palace of Madrid was the official residence of the Spanish monarch . The throne room is unique, as it retains the original decor from the days of Charles III . The sumptuous room has gold garnishing with crimson-velvet wall coverings complemented by
952-444: Is reduced once more to that of noble households, concentrating on personal service to the household head, ceremonial and perhaps some residual politico-advisory functions. If republican zeal has banished an area's erstwhile ruling nobility , courts may survive in exile . Traces of royal court practices remain in present-day institutions like privy councils and governmental cabinets. A series of Pharaohs ruled Ancient Egypt over
1020-496: Is that kings and other ruling princes governed their lands seated on a throne for most of the working day. This may have been true in earlier times, for some rulers who actually presided over their council; yet often, another room was used, but only in peacetime. Many others were almost constantly on the move with an ambulant court. It could even have been that the crown did not have an effective capital, as in England during most of
1088-698: The 1755 Lisbon earthquake . This throne was in Silver-gilt , with winged dragons, the heraldic symbolf of the House of Braganza , and the arms of Portugal supported by two allegorical statues, Europe and America. The Throne room is still used for state events of the Portuguese Republic. Used by the Tsars of Russia , the dais and throne of the Peterhof Palace dominate the eastern wall with
1156-602: The Balkans to Yemen was controlled by the court in Istanbul . The royal courts in the Islamic world were mostly run by rulers, but there were the exceptions of important elite families such as Barmakids and Nizams who established their own minor courts, enabling them to encourage arts and improve the empire even if the ruling king was useless. Bendix Grodtschilling Too Many Requests If you report this error to
1224-662: The Byzantine Empire , Islamic Empire, Mamluk Sultanate, Ottoman Empire and British Empire with a distant monarch. The Sultanate of Egypt was a short lived protectorate of the United Kingdom from 1914 until 1922, when it became the Kingdom of Egypt and Sultan Fuad I changed his title to King. After the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 the monarchy was dissolved and Egypt became a republic. In
1292-523: The Hall of Central Harmony and the Hall of Preserving Harmony , of which the Hall of Supreme Harmony was the most important. The throne in the throne room at Rosenborg Castle (now a museum) in Copenhagen was commissioned by King Frederik III in about 1663, and used by the absolutist kings of Denmark from 1671 to 1840 for the anointing ceremony. It was probably created by Bendix Grodtschilling . It
1360-613: The Hall of State at the Stockholm Palace is called the Silver Throne and was commissioned for the coronation of Queen Kristina in 1650. It was last used by the present king, Carl XVI Gustaf , on his accession to the throne in 1973 and at the State Opening of Parliament in 1974. For the coronation of king Adolf Frederick and Queen Louisa Ulrica in 1750 two coronation thrones were made. Both are placed at
1428-881: The Heian period , Japanese emperors and their families developed an exquisitely refined court that played an important role in their culture. After the collapse of the Roman Empire in the West, a true court culture can be recognised in the entourage of the Ostrogoth Theodoric the Great and in the court of Charlemagne . In the Roman East, a brilliant court continued to surround the Byzantine emperors . In Western Europe , consolidation of power of local magnates and of kings in fixed administrative centres from
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#17327723901021496-751: The Horn of Africa , the Kingdom of Aksum and later the Zagwe dynasty , Ethiopian Empire (1270–1974), and Aussa Sultanate all had royal courts. Various Somali Sultanates also existed, including the Adal Sultanate (led by the Walashma dynasty of the Ifat Sultanate ), Sultanate of Mogadishu , Ajuran Sultanate , Warsangali Sultanate, Geledi Sultanate , Majeerteen Sultanate and Sultanate of Hobyo . The kingship system has been an integral part of
1564-532: The Kingdom of Macedonia , developing a royal court that would later influence the courts of Hellenistic Greece and the Roman Empire . The Sasanian Empire adopting and developing the earlier court culture and customs of the Achaemenid Empire would also influence again the development of the complex court and court customs of the Roman Empire and Byzantine Empire . The imperial court of
1632-907: The Mande members of the Tunkalemmu caste in Mali, the Bamum sultans of Cameroon , the Kanem shaykhs of Chad , the Hausa emirs of northern Nigeria , the inkosis of the Southern African Zulus and Xhosas , and the obas and baales of Yorubaland , amongst others, continue the pageantry and court lifestyle traditions once common to the continent. Court officials or office-bearers (one type of courtier ) derived their positions and retained their titles from their original duties within
1700-833: The Neo-Assyrian Empire and Zhou dynasty . Two of the earliest titles referring to the concept of a courtier were likely the ša rēsi and mazzāz pāni of the Neo-Assyrian Empire. In Ancient Egypt, there is a title translated as high steward or great overseer of the house. The royal courts influenced by the court of the Neo-Assyrian Empire such as those of the Median Empire and the Achaemenid Empire would also have identifiable developed courts with court appointments and other features associated with later courts. The imperial court of
1768-735: The Omayyad , the Fatimid and the Abbasid ) to become the largest, most culturally developed cities of their time. This drew talented people from all walks of life—such as musicians , singers , poets and scientists —to seek employment under the patronage of elite bureaucrats , emirs and Sultans at court. The other Caliphate was the Ottoman , which employed its court's culture to stabilize an empire inhabited by huge non-Islamic populations spanning three continents . Everything from Algeria to
1836-794: The Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh , which has been the principal royal residence in Scotland since 1505, was originally the King's Guard Chamber, but has been used as the throne room since the visit of George IV in 1822. The present pair of thrones were made in 1911 for George V and Mary of Teck , and sit upon the dais beneath the Royal Arms of Scotland. Following the death of Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle in September 2022, her coffin
1904-658: The Palace of Westminster , contains three thrones at its head. These thrones are used for the annual Speech from the Throne , which can be seen as a form of royal audience for Parliament , and thus the Senate chamber can be seen as a throne room in the royal presence. In the Forbidden City , China's last imperial palace, the principal throne rooms are the three halls of the Outer Palace: the Hall of Supreme Harmony ,
1972-473: The old palace both had throne rooms called the Balai Rong Seri (Royal Audience Hall), where several state ceremonies including the King's Installation occur. Royal court A royal court , often called simply a court when the royal context is clear, is an extended royal household in a monarchy , including all those who regularly attend on a monarch , or another central figure. Hence,
2040-536: The senior palace of the British monarchy. St James's remains a busy working palace, and also retains an important ceremonial function: it still is the place where the Accession Council customarily meets to proclaim the new sovereign and to receive from them the required oath. This was last seen upon the accession of King Charles III. St James's Throne Room is used for official occasions. For instance it
2108-690: The 18th century ballroom of the Viceregal Court, positioned almost adjacent to the Throne Room. Malaysia 's head of state, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (commonly glossed as "King"), is a position rotated every five years among the nine royal houses of its nine hereditary states. Each has separate palaces and throne rooms for each of the individual states, while the King resides in the Istana Negara (National Palace) in Kuala Lumpur . This and
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2176-426: The Achaemenid Empire at Persepolis and Pasargadae is the earliest identifiable complex court with all of the definitive features of a royal court such as a household, court appointments , courtiers, and court ceremony. Though Alexander the Great had an entourage and the rudimentary elements of a court, it was not until after he conquered Persia that he took many of the more complex Achaemenid court customs back to
2244-646: The Burgundian court would write one of the seminal books on court etiquette, Les honneurs de la cour ( Honours of the Court ). Court life would reach its apogee of culture, complexity and etiquette at the courts of Versailles under Louis XIV of France and the Hofburg under the Habsburgs . As political executive functions are assumed by democratic or republican institutions, the function of noble courts
2312-654: The Byzantine Empire at Constantinople would eventually contain at least a thousand courtiers. The court's systems became prevalent in other courts such as those in the Balkan states, the Ottoman Empire , and Russia . Byzantinism is a term that was coined for this spread of the Byzantine system in the 19th century. The imperial courts of Chinese emperors , known as cháotíng ( 朝廷 ), were among
2380-713: The Garter, with the sovereign's Throne at the head. The current throne housed in the Garter Throne room is another personal throne of Queen Elizabeth II although sometimes the Indian Throne, a gift to Queen Victoria, is used. In British English, "throne room" is also used as a euphemism for " lavatory ". Located in the State Apartments, the Throne Room in Dublin Castle is preserved intact from
2448-767: The Stockholm palace, and one is on display in the Lovisa Ulrica audience chamber . The United Kingdom monarchs almost always had their own personal throne constructed. Until 1900, each throne was usually given or melted down at the end of the monarch's reign for the next throne. The thrones after 1900 were saved. The exact number of thrones in the United Kingdom is unknown, though there are at least more than five. The United Kingdom differs from other countries as it has instead of one or two thrones, numerous thrones, some of which are 800 years old. The “throne” used for
2516-484: The UK's honours system. There are also other thrones in the Throne Room. To the right of the sovereign's throne is Queen Victoria 's throne and opposite that on the other side of the room is the throne chairs of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth . There are also two further thrones in the room. Although Buckingham Palace has been the primary official residence of the British monarchs since 1837, St James's Palace remains
2584-633: The anointing and crowning of the monarch during the Coronation of the British Monarch is called the Chair of St. Edward , or St. Edward’s Chair. The Chair, which is centuries old, is usually on display at Westminster Abbey . The Throne Room of Buckingham Palace , the official residence of the British monarch in London , is used for court gatherings and as a second dancing room. It is dominated by
2652-406: The article on thrones . Once the seat of the Holy Roman Empire and the Austrian Empire for over 600 years, the Hofburg Imperial Palace 's throne room now serves as a conference centre, used by the Austrian Congress and for other international events. The chamber of the Senate of Canada in Centre Block , which takes many of its design cues from the chamber of the British House of Lords at
2720-434: The case of Buckingham Palace, the throne is placed under a canopy. The velvet cloth behind the throne is dominated by the coat of arms of the United Kingdom. This room was more recently the setting for the announcement of the engagement of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Middleton , and in September 2022, the Accession Council met to proclaim Charles III as King of the United Kingdom. The Throne Room of
2788-400: The course of three millennia ( c. 3150 BC to 31 BC), until it was conquered by the Roman Empire . In the same time period several kingdoms with their own royal courts flourished in the nearby Nubia region, with at least one of them, that of the so-called A-Group culture, apparently influencing the customs of Egypt itself. From the 6th to 19th centuries, Egypt was variously part of
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2856-501: The court or royal household in the broadest definition. Entertainers and others may have been counted as part of the court. A royal household is the highest-ranking example of patronage . A regent or viceroy may hold court during the minority or absence of the hereditary ruler, and even an elected head of state may develop a court-like entourage of unofficial, personally-chosen advisers and "companions". The French word compagnon and its English derivation "companion" literally mean
2924-517: The court. Foreign princes and foreign nobility in exile may also seek refuge at a court. Near Eastern and Far Eastern courts often included the harem and concubines as well as eunuchs who fulfilled a variety of functions. At times, the harem was walled off and separate from the rest of the residence of the monarch. In Asia , concubines were often a more visible part of the court. Lower ranking servants and bodyguards were not properly called courtiers, though they might be included as part of
2992-472: The courtly household. With time, such duties often became archaic. However, titles survived involving the ghosts of arcane duties. These styles generally dated back to the days when a noble household had practical and mundane concerns as well as high politics and culture. Such court appointments each have their own histories. They might include but are not limited to: Earlier courts in medieval Western Europe were itinerant courts , but courts were often held in
3060-438: The direction of the Lord Great Chamberlain, and that is used by the monarch to robe and to unrobe before and after the State Opening of Parliament. Windsor Castle has a throne room known as the Garter Throne Room, where a chapter meeting of the Order of the Garter, including, if necessary, the investiture of any new Knights and Ladies, takes place once a year. The room accommodates two rows of chairs for all Knights and Ladies of
3128-403: The grand residence Hampton Court Palace on the River Thames above London was where Thomas Wolsey held court as Catholic cardinal (built after the Italian ideal for a cardinal's palace) until his fall and its confiscation by Henry VIII . William III and Mary II also held court there, 1689–94. Though it is built round two main courts, the structure itself is no longer the seat of a court in
3196-440: The house of Wittelsbach stood there, between corinthic columns on a rostrum. These were the honourable monarchs of Bavaria for centuries. Note that the throne room of this beautiful, dream-like castle, Neuschwanstein , does not have a throne in it - the reason being that Ludwig II of Bavaria , its commissioner, did not live to see Neuschwanstein's completion, therefore one was never installed. The throne room at ʻIolani Palace
3264-448: The largest and most complex of all. The Han dynasty , Western Jin dynasty , and Tang dynasty occupied the large palace complex at Weiyang Palace located near Chang'an , and the later Ming dynasty and Qing dynasty occupied the whole Forbidden City and other parts of Beijing , the present capital city of China . By the Sui dynasty , the functions of the imperial household and the imperial government were clearly divided. During
3332-440: The late 18th century, while the throne was made for the visit of George IV to Ireland in 1821, and was last used by George V in 1911. The Throne Room no longer has any role in modern-day State ceremonial. However Dublin Castle still plays an important role in this respect, serving as the location for the inauguration of the President of Ireland every seven years. This takes place in the much larger and grander St. Patrick's Hall,
3400-428: The least hunting lodges. Even when their capitals were fixed, English and French Renaissance kings used to travel extensively, and maintained many royal castles, in addition to paying visits to grandees of the realm. Henry VIII 's most frequently used residence was, in fact, at Hampton Court , which was then outside London . Even when in the main or only palace, the monarch often spent much time in other parts of
3468-472: The mid-13th century led to the creation of a distinct court culture that was the centre of intellectual and artistic patronage rivaling the abbots and bishops , in addition to its role as the apex of a rudimentary political bureaucracy that rivaled the courts of counts and dukes. The dynamics of hierarchy welded the court cultures together. Many early courts in Western Europe were itinerant courts that traveled from place to place. Local courts proliferated in
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#17327723901023536-417: The monarch for addressing Parliament in the Speech from the Throne , arguably making the Chamber something of a throne room. Clerks and officers of the House of Lords bow to the throne when crossing the chamber. The Palace of Westminster also has a second throne under a canopy in the Robing Room, a room of the palace that remains under the authority of the Crown (and not of either House of Parliament), under
3604-435: The more centralised African societies for millennia. This is especially true in the West African sahel , where royal courts have been in existence since at least the era of the 9th century Takrur and Ghana empires . The ruler of the 13th century Mali empire , Mansa Musa , brought a large number of his courtiers with him on the Islamic Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca . Today, the courts of the Ashanti nanas in modern Ghana ,
3672-641: The patronage of a great man, classically in ancient Rome, forms part of the system of "clientage" that is discussed under vassal . Individual rulers differed greatly in tastes and interests, as well as in political skills and in constitutional situations. Accordingly, some founded elaborate courts based on new palaces , only to have their successors retreat to remote castles or to practical administrative centers. Personal retreats might arise far away from official court centres. Etiquette and hierarchy flourish in highly structured court settings, and may leave conservative traces over generations. Most courts featured
3740-493: The period when Ireland was part of the United Kingdom, when both Lords Lieutenant and visiting monarchs from Britain would use the room during important ceremonies held in the Castle. These included the investing of a new Lord Lieutenant every five years, the presentation of débutantes to the Lord Lieutenant during the Castle Season held leading up to St. Patrick's Day, and the presentation of subjects to visiting monarchs on official State visits to Ireland. The throne canopy dates to
3808-430: The residence, such as the dining hall, the chapel, private quarters (for rest and family life), possibly a separate presence room, the council chamber, ballroom, gardens, court, theatre, and other recreational facilities. Nowadays, throne rooms are only used for occasional grand ceremonies. Paperwork is done in an office, and most guests are received in a salon. The following are notable throne rooms. Others are listed in
3876-436: The root of the current Spanish congress and senate . The courts of Valois Burgundy and the Kingdom of Portugal were particularly influential over the development of court culture and pageantry in Europe. The court of Philip the Good , Duke of Burgundy was considered one of the most splendid in Europe and would influence the development of court life later on for all of France and Europe. Later, Aliénor de Poitiers of
3944-500: The sense of this article. As an example, ambassadors to the United Kingdom are still accredited to the Court of St. James's , and courtiers of the monarchy may still have offices in St James's Palace , London. The present monarch, however, holds court at Buckingham Palace , where dignitaries are received. Some former seats of power (see official residence ): All four major Caliphates had sophisticated courts ; this enabled Cordoba , Cairo and Baghdad (the respective seats of
4012-408: The sleeping of the monarch, called a levée . Orders of chivalry as honorific orders became an important part of court culture starting in the 15th century. They were the right of the monarch , as the fount of honour , to create and grant. The earliest developed courts were probably in the Akkadian Empire , Ancient Egypt , and Shang dynasty . However, there is evidence of courts as described in
4080-479: The splintered polities of medieval Europe and remained in early modern times in Germany and in Italy. Such courts became known for intrigue and power politics ; some also gained prominence as centres and collective patrons of art and culture . In medieval Spain ( Castile ), provincial courts were created. Minor noblemen and burguesie allied to create a system to oppose the monarchy on many policy issues. They were called "las Cortes de Castilla". These courts are
4148-424: The throne room has been for formal wedding photographs. The throne room is usually not used for ambassadors' arrival, which is usually in the ambassadors room of Buckingham Palace. Apart from the Thrones in the room actually named Throne Room, there is also a pair of Thrones in the Buckingham Palace Ballroom, that is a larger multi-purpose hall within the palace. The ballroom is also used for investiture ceremonies in
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#17327723901024216-463: The time before the Norman conquest . Or it could have been that the crown had, rather, a series of alternative residences, as did the Holy Roman Emperors . In their case, these developed into palatinates under the Habsburg dynasty when they also acquired extensive crown lands outside Germany and Austria , and their court often travelled on an almost continental scale. Other monarchies frequently changed their capital, but then they would have used
4284-485: The trial of Queen Liliʻuokalani also occurred in this room where she was found guilty and imprisoned within the palace by the Republic of Hawaii . The throne room, like the rest of the palace, is open to the public. The Portuguese Throne room (pt. Sala do Trono ) is in the Piano nobile of the Ajuda National Palace ( Palácio Nacional da Ajuda ) in Lisbon. The present decoration is from the 19th century, with walls covered with crimson velvet, gold gilded French mirrors and
4352-529: The word court may also be applied to the coterie of a senior member of the nobility . Royal courts may have their seat in a designated place, several specific places, or be a mobile, itinerant court . In the largest courts, the royal households, many thousands of individuals constituted the court. These courtiers included the monarch or noble's camarilla and retinue , household, nobility, clergy , those with court appointments , bodyguards , and may also include emissaries from other kingdoms or visitors to
4420-440: Was here that Napoléon abdicated. The palace was last used by Napoléon III ; it was later declared a national monument in 1871, after the collapse of the French Empire . For over 700 years, the Grimaldi family have ruled Monaco , and it is in this throne room that many historic festivals and ceremonies have taken place since the 16th century. It is also where most civil marriages of the Princely Family occur, before then having
4488-439: Was inspired by King Solomon's throne which, according to the Bible , was made of ivory and had six steps with lion figures on each. Tooth of Narwhal was chosen as the material, both because it was found in Danish waters and owing to its mythical associations with the unicorn ; twelve lions were also commissioned, three of which, in silver, have been preserved in the room. The throne room actually used for receiving ambassadors
4556-413: Was transported to the palace, where it lay in repose in the Throne Room, before being taken in procession to St Giles' Cathedral . Although the primary purpose and reputation of the Palace of Westminster is as the seat of the Parliament of the United Kingdom , it is also officially a royal residence. While the palace has no throne room per se , the Lords Chamber contains at its head a throne, used by
4624-465: Was used by King David Kalākaua , his wife Queen Kapiʻolani , and his successor Queen Liliʻuokalani . Kalākaua and his wife actually disliked sitting on the thrones, instead preferring to stand in front of them while receiving guests. King Kalākaua held formal audiences, diplomatic receptions, and state balls, receiving and entertaining guests from all walks of life, from royalty and diplomats to writers, entertainers, and sportsmen. Following her overthrow,
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