Holy Crown, coronation cloak

St Stephen accepts his crown
Holy Crown 4
Holy Crown 5
Coronation cloak 1
Coronation cloak 2
Queen Gisela and St Stephen
The Holy Crown

In the history of the Hungarian royal crown there are a number of debated issues. At the end of the Middle Ages and in modern times it was considered to be St Stephen's royal head-dress. The majority of modern experts believe that the crown is composed of two different parts: the upper, so-called "Latin" crown and the bottom, so-called "Greek" crown, but their opinions -concerning the origin and function of the parts and the date of assembling - vary. According to another theory, the crown is a homogeneous object from the age of St Stephen. During the Middle Ages a peculiar cult developed around St Stephen's one-time crown. It was the symbol of Hungarian statehood, and also, by the act of crowning someone with it, was one of the criteria which legalised the initiation of the new ruler.

ZSA


coronation cloak

The only coronation emblem, which is connected to Stephen's age, the cloak was transformed from a chasuble in the 12th century. A part of its chest was cut off and a collar to added. At a coronation the person to be crowned had to wear a cloak. The ecclesiastical part of the ceremony was the same as the ceremony of consecrating bishops. The material of the cloak is Byzantine violet-purple silk brocade with gold and silver silk embroidery. As a chasuble it was a present to the church of Virgin Mary of Székesfehérvár in 1030. According to the Latin writing on it: "A chasuble made (offered) by the Queen and presented to the church of Virgin Mary in the town of Alba in the 1030th year of the Lord. This church was established 14 years ago by King Stephen and Queen Gisela." The philosophy of the cloak developed from the court art of Otto's time, the plan of it was made in the summer of 1030 when the German emperor, Conrad II, was defeated. The figure of the Pantocrator, who is trampling on a dragon and a lion, refers to this.

In the center of the cloak Christ is shown in a mandorla (mandel-shape glory) with angels around him. In addition we can see Virgin Mary, the animal symbols of the four evangelists and St John. Under the uppermost sphere is the order of prophets, under that the preaching Christ sitting on a throne in the company of the 12 apostles, who sit within the walls of heavenly Jerusalem. Among the towers we can see people fighting with weapons, stones and sticks, then peaceful figures are marching with a cross in their hands. At the bottom you can see St Stephen and his wife, Gisela among martyrs and saints. Between the royal couple in a little medalion we can see the picture of Prince Emeric. The cowl of the cloak has been kept in the cathedral of Trogir (Trau, Croatia) since Béla IV's reign.