Steel Crown of Romania
The Steel Crown of King Carol I of the Romanians was forged at the Army Arsenal (Arsenalul Armatei) in Bucharest from the steel of a cannon captured by the Romanian Army from the Ottomans during its War of Independence.
Carol I chose steel, and not gold, to symbolize the bravery of the Romanian soldiers. He received it during the ceremonies of his coronation and of the proclamation of Romania as a kingdom in 1881. It is the same Crown used in 1922 at the coronation of King Ferdinand I and Queen Maria as sovereigns of Romania, which took place in Alba-Iulia. The Crown was used also during the coronation[1] and anointing as King of Michael I by the Orthodox Patriarch of Romania, Nicodim Munteanu, in the Patriarchal Cathedral of Bucharest, on the very day of his second accession, September 6, 1940.[2]
The coat of arms of Romania was augmented on 11 July 2016 to add a representation of the Steel Crown.[3]
A copy of the crown was placed on the coffin of the last king of Romania, Michael I, during his funeral in December 2017.[4]
Image gallery
- The symbol of the Royal Crown (the Romanian "Steel Crown"), depicted on the eastern façade of the Triumphal Arch ("Arcul de Triumf") in Bucharest.
- The funeral of King Michael I of Romania in December 2017, with a copy of the crown on the coffin.
- Heraldic representation
References
- Fundamental Rules of the Royal Family of Romania Archived 2013-09-21 at the Wayback Machine, The Romanian Royal Family website as retrieved on January 8, 2008
- (in Romanian) "The Joys of Suffering," Volume 2, "Dialogue with a few intellectuals", by Rev. Fr. Dimitrie Bejan - "Orthodox Advices" website as of January 21, 2008
- "Coroana revine pe stema României. Iohannis a promulgat legea care modifică însemnele oficiale - FOTO" (in Romanian). Mediafax. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
- Obretin, Ana (2017-12-15). "De ce a fost folosită o copie şi nu orginalul Coroanei de oţel pentru funeraliile Regelui Mihai. Explicaţiile directorului Muzeului de Istorie". Mediafax (in Romanian). Retrieved 2023-02-07.