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The Crown of Louis XV is one of the most remarkable crowns in the world

The Crown of Louis XV who ruled as King of France from 1st September 1715 until his death on 10th May 1774 is one of the most magnificent crowns in the world.

It was made by Laurent Ronde who was the French Crown jeweler for the coronation of the king in 1722. The crown is part of the French Crown & Imperial Jewels which is an enormous collection of gemstones collected over decades by the Kings and Queens of France.

The crown was created for King Louis XV in 1722 Photo Credit
The crown was created for King Louis XV in 1722 Photo Credit

 

Louis XV, King of France
Louis XV, King of France

 

Crown Jewels of France, on display at the Louvre  Photo Credit
Crown Jewels of France, on display at the Louvre  Photo Credit

It was decorated with hundreds of precious diamonds and jewels including rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. In the front of the crown, mounted successively in the lower part of the fleur-de-lis was the famous Regent Diamond which was also on the crowns of Charles X and Napoleon III. Colorful gemstones are set on the four arches above the fleur-de-lis of the crown and also on the circlet.

On the top of the crown, there is a palatial fleur-de-lis formed of nine large diamonds including the pale yellow Sancy diamond. Other famous diamonds that can be seen on this crown are the Mazarian diamonds who belonged to the noted collector of jewels and art Cardinal Mazarian. He bequeathed these diamonds to Louis XIV in 1661 and when this new crown was made for Louis XV the diamonds were set in the circlet of the crown in the seven fleurs-de-lis.

It is one of the six remaining French crowns  Photo Credit
It is one of the six remaining French crowns  Photo Credit

 

It was used at his coronation and was embellished with diamonds from the Royal Collection Photo Credit
It was used at his coronation and was embellished with diamonds from the Royal Collection Photo Credit

The diamonds from the Crown Jewels of France were often removed throughout history, the same famous diamonds can be seen in various crowns and swords back to the Middle ages.

After the death of Louis XV, the crown was bequeathed to Saint Denis and the diamonds were replaced with crystals. According to various reports, the Crown Jewels were sold at auction in 1885 by the orders of the Third French Republic.

Permanently displayed at the Louvre museum in Paris Photo Credit
Permanently displayed at the Louvre museum in Paris Photo Credit

The jewels were spread across the world and only a handful of items were kept in the Louvre.

Here is another story from us: The legend about the Crown of Saint Wenceslas: any usurper who places it on his head is doomed to die within a year

The crown of Louis XV is on permanent display at the Louvre as part of the remaining Crown Jewels of France along with the diadem of empress Eugenie, the diadem of the Duchess of Angouleme, and the set of Queen Marie Amélie.

Marija Georgievska

Marija Georgievska is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News