Hungary's envoy in Turkey celebrates St. Stephen's Day by displaying a crown previously handled by Ottoman authorities.
The Holy Crown of Hungary, a significant artifact steeped in history, has played a crucial role in legitimising rulers throughout the centuries. This ornate crown, known as the Crown of Saint Stephen, was first used in the coronation of Hungary's first Christian king, St. Stephen, in the year 1000.
Fast forward to the 14th century, and the crown's influence was still evident. After the Arpad line ended in 1301, Venceslas III, King of Bohemia, was invited to take the Hungarian throne. However, he left the kingdom in 1304, taking the Holy Crown with him, an act that drew excommunication for his followers who helped "carry away the Holy Crown."
The absence of the Holy Crown created a power vacuum. Without the crown, Vladislas I, elected by most barons, could not be regarded as lawful. It was not until Charles Robert I of Anjou was crowned three times that the realm's powerful barons would accept him as their king.
The Holy Crown's disappearance was not permanent. In the 15th century, the crown reappeared, only to be stolen again in 1440. The crown was kept in a castle on the march toward Vienna in Ottoman custody until Ottoman sultan Suleiman I handed it to a Hungarian king, as depicted in a Turkish miniature at Topkapi Palace Museum.
In the absence of the original crown, a reproduction was made, modeled on St. Stephen's reliquary. This reproduction was backed by a declaration that it shared the same "signamentum, mysterium et robur" as the original. This declaration framed the Holy Crown as belonging to the nation and embodying its right to find a suitable ruler.
Perhaps the most remarkable coronation without the Holy Crown was that of Ladislas V, who was crowned as a 12-week-old baby. Despite the missing crown, the declaration of the crown's national ownership ensured that the coronation was still deemed valid.
The traditional Holy Crown has been essential in settling matters of rule, and its influence can still be felt today. The Holy Crown of Hungary is now housed in the Hungarian Parliament Building in Budapest, Hungary, where it continues to symbolise the nation's rich history and the power of its people.
The belief that the original crown came from the Pope kept tensions alive, but the reproduction, with its declaration of shared power and mystery, ensured that the crown's legacy lived on. Even Ottoman jurist Celalzade believed that the crown conferred legitimacy, underscoring the crown's enduring significance in Hungarian history.
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