It was the third crown of Croatian Kingdom, as in the coronation charter are mentioned two other golden crowns decorated with gems located at Benedictine monastery of St. Gregory in Vrana, first related to king Tomislav (925–928) and second to king Stephen Držislav (969–997).[1][2]
Zvonimir ruled Croatia until 1089 after which the crown was possibly used in the coronation of his successor Stjepan II and by the numerous Hungarian monarchs after the unification of the Kingdom of Croatia and Kingdom of Hungary in 1102 (but could have been used instead the previous Croatian crown as were crowned not at Salona yet Biograd na Moru near Vrana).[2][3] The custom of separate coronation by Hungarian kings was ended by Béla IV of Hungary (1235).[2] By some Croatian crown was crowned Ladislaus of Naples in 1403 at the Zadar Cathedral.[2]
According to the 11th-century engraving found in a baptistry in Split Cathedral, the crown of the Croatian king, whom some identify with Petar Krešimir IV or Demetrius Zvonimir,[4] resembles the western-styled crown with three crosses, one in the middle and two on the sides. There are five precious stones on the crown. The distinctive long sides could be hanging pendilia as found adorning the Holy Crown of Hungary which was also an 11th-century papal gift. The depicted deditio is considered to be influenced by the Gospel Book of Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor (1014–1024).[4]
Another depiction of a very similar if not the same crown and king Demetrius Zvonimir or Ladislaus I of Hungary is on the latter's mantle dated to 11th century from the Zagreb Cathedral.[5]
A stylised version of the crown is used on several provincial and county flags in modern Croatia and is consistently of the design illustrated here which is taken from an 11th-century engraving found in a baptistry in Split.[6]
Disappearance
It is not known whether the medieval Crown of Zvonimir still exists. It is quite possible that all Croatian crowns were lost during the 1520s when the Ottoman Turks captured and sacked the royal capitals of Solin and Knin. However, they could have disappeared even before that, after 1138 when Vrana was occupied by Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller,[2] after 1403/1409 when Ladislaus of Naples was crowned and Dalmatia was sold to the Republic of Venice, while later, could have been held among treasures of the Zrinski family as supposed by Vjekoslav Klaić.[2]
World War II appropriation
In 1941, the fascist Ustaše regime assumed control of Croatia and decided to reinstate a monarchy in the Independent State of Croatia, also appropriating the symbols of the medieval Croatian state. They created another "Crown of Zvonimir", though with little resemblance to the original, described as "a wreath of golden clover leaves surmounted by a cross".[7] That crown, as well as an orb in the form of an apple, was then presented to King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy with the request he choose a suitable member of the House of Savoy to be elevated to the proposed Croatian throne as king. He chose Prince Aimone, Duke of Aosta who was then named "King Tomislav II". It seems likely he came into possession of the regalia, though he was never crowned. It is unknown whether this crown remains in existence.
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