The Coronation Chair of Denmark ( Danish and no, Danmarks tronstol; also: , ) is the chair formerly used in the

coronation of the Danish monarch The coronation of the Danish monarch was a religious ceremony in which the accession of the Danish monarch was marked by a coronation ceremony. It was held in various forms from 1170 to 1840, mostly in Lund Cathedral in Lund, St. Mary's Cathed ...

. According to legend, the Coronation Chair is made of the horn of

unicorn The unicorn is a legendary creature that has been described since antiquity as a beast with a single large, pointed, spiraling horn projecting from its forehead. In European literature and art, the unicorn has for the last thousand years o ...

s. In reality, it is made from Norwegian

narwhal The narwhal, also known as a narwhale (''Monodon monoceros''), is a medium-sized toothed whale that possesses a large " tusk" from a protruding canine tooth. It lives year-round in the Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada and Russia. It is ...

tusk Tusks are elongated, continuously growing front teeth that protrude well beyond the mouth of certain mammal species. They are most commonly canine teeth, as with pigs and walruses, or, in the case of elephants, elongated incisors. Tusks share ...

s. It is guarded by three life-size

silver Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical ...

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus '' Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adu ...

s, based on Biblical references, and was a symbol of the

absolute monarchy Absolute monarchy (or Absolutism as a doctrine) is a form of monarchy in which the monarch rules in their own right or power. In an absolute monarchy, the king or queen is by no means limited and has absolute power, though a limited constituti ...

of the Twin Kingdoms. The Coronation Chair is located in the Castle of Rosenborg in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan a ...

History

Cataphalqve over vores Høystsalige Konge Friderich den Femte object161

Following the 1660 introduction of

Denmark ) , song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast") , song_type = National and royal anthem , image_map = EU-Denmark.svg , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark , establish ...

and

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...

, King Frederick III (r. 1648–1670) ordered a

coronation chair The Coronation Chair, known historically as St Edward's Chair or King Edward's Chair, is an ancient wooden chair on which British monarchs sit when they are invested with regalia and crowned at their coronations. It was commissioned in 1296 by ...

to be created. The Coronation Chair was made between 1662 and 1671 by

Bendix Grodtschilling Bendix Grodtschilling, also Bendix Grodtschilling the Elder, (c. 1620 – March 1690) was a Danish painter and carpenter. Early life Grodtschilling was born in Holstein (probably in Itzehoe), where he worked in his capacity as a skilled ...

.The Danish Royal Collections
Coronation chair, King
/ref> During the reign of

King Christian V Christian V (15 April 1646 25 August 1699) was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 until his death in 1699. Well-regarded by the common people, he was the first king anointed at Frederiksborg Castle chapel as absolute monarch since the decree ...

(r. 1670–1699), gilt figures were added to the chair. Both the Coronation Chair and the silver lions were inspired by the

Biblical The Bible (from Koine Greek , , 'the books') is a collection of religious texts or scriptures that are held to be sacred in Christianity, Judaism, Samaritanism, and many other religions. The Bible is an anthologya compilation of texts of ...

throne of Solomon The Throne of Solomon is the throne of King Solomon in the Hebrew Bible, and is a motif in Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The throne as Solomon's seat of state is described in 1 Kings 10: Hebrew Bible The term "throne" is used both litera ...

, which was guarded by fourteen lions, as described in I

Kings Kings or King's may refer to: *Monarchs: The sovereign heads of states and/or nations, with the male being kings *One of several works known as the "Book of Kings": **The Books of Kings part of the Bible, divided into two parts **The ''Shahnameh'' ...

10: The Coronation Chair was used at coronations between 1671, for Christian V, and 1840. When absolute monarchy was replaced by

constitutional monarchy A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...

in 1849, kings were no longer crowned or

anointed Anointing is the ritual act of pouring aromatic oil over a person's head or entire body. By extension, the term is also applied to related acts of sprinkling, dousing, or smearing a person or object with any perfumed oil, milk, butter, or oth ...

, whereupon the Coronation Chair lost its practical function.

Lions

The Coronation Chair is guarded by three

s of

. They are the same size as natural lions, and each weighs 130 kilos. Their eyes, manes, and rumps are covered with pure gold. They were made between 1665 and 1670 by

Ferdinand Kübich Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "protection", "peace" (PIE "to love, to make peace") or alternatively "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "co ...

.The Danish Royal Collections
Silver lions
/ref> The silver lions are still used outside Rosenborg, mainly when protecting the ''

castrum doloris Castrum doloris (Latin for ''castle of grief'') is a name for the structure and decorations sheltering or accompanying the catafalque or bier that signify the prestige or high estate of the deceased. A ''castrum doloris'' might feature an elabora ...

'' of kings.

In art

On 20 November 1905, when delegates of the

Norwegian parliament The Storting ( no, Stortinget ) (lit. the Great Thing) is the supreme legislature of Norway, established in 1814 by the Constitution of Norway. It is located in Oslo. The unicameral parliament has 169 members and is elected every four years bas ...

entered the Christian VII Palace in

in order to offer the throne of Norway to Prince Carl, they were met—and stopped—by the lions. This moment was immortalized by photographer

Peter Elfelt Peter Elfelt (1 January 1866 – 18 February 1931) was a Danish photographer and film director known as the first movie pioneer in Denmark when he began making documentary films in 1897. Biography Peter Elfelt was born Peter Lars Petersen in ...

. Based on Elfelt's photograph, painter Paul Fischer made a famous painting. Several versions of this painting have existed, and one is included in the art collections in the Castle of Oslo.The delegates of the Norwegian parliament in 1905, The Museum of National History at Frederiksborg Palace
/ref> The three silver lions are seen in one of

Bjørn Nørgaard Bjørn Nørgaard (born 21 May 1947 in Copenhagen) is a Danish artist who has been active in a variety of fields. He has significantly influenced the art scene in Denmark both through his "happenings" and his sculptures in Danish cities. Althou ...

's chronological tapestries ("Early Absolutism") in

Christiansborg Palace Christiansborg Palace ( da, Christiansborg Slot; ) is a palace and government building on the islet of Slotsholmen in central Copenhagen, Denmark. It is the seat of the Danish Parliament ('), the Danish Prime Minister's Office, and the Suprem ...

. They are also seen in Michael Melbyes's portrait of

Margrethe II Margrethe II (; Margrethe Alexandrine Þórhildur Ingrid, born 16 April 1940) is Queen of Denmark. Having reigned as Denmark's monarch for over 50 years, she is Europe's longest-serving current head of state and the world's only incumbent femal ...

in Christiansborg Palace.

Gallery

File:Frederik vi in coronationrobes1830.jpg, The Coronation Chair and King Frederick VI.
By

Wilhelm Bendz Wilhelm Ferdinand Bendz (20 March 1804 – 14 November 1832) was a Danish painter mainly known for genre works and portraits which often portray his artist colleagues and their daily lives. He was one of the most talented artists in the successful ...

(1830) File:Christian VIII og Caroline Amalie i salvingsdragt.jpg, The Coronation Chair and the silver lions at the 1841 coronation of King Christian VIII, by

Joseph-Désiré Court Joseph-Désiré Court (14 September 1797, Rouen – 23 January 1865, Paris) was a French painter of historical subjects and portraits. Life and work He was a descendant of the portrait painter, Hyacinthe Rigaud, and displayed an early interest ...

(1841) File:Anointing og Christian V of Denmark 1671.jpg, The 1671 anointing of King

Christian V Christian V (15 April 1646 25 August 1699) was king of Denmark and Norway from 1670 until his death in 1699. Well-regarded by the common people, he was the first king anointed at Frederiksborg Castle chapel as absolute monarch since the dec ...

By Michael von Haven (1671) File:Anointment of Frederick VI of Denmark.jpg, The 1815 anointing of King Frederick VI.
By unknown (1815)

References

Sources

* {{cite journal , last=Hein , first=Jørgen , title=En trone af enhjørninghorn og løver av sølv , trans-title=A Throne of Unicorn Horn and Lions of Silver , url=http://www.sidensaxo.dk/fileadmin/saxo-abstract-uploads/en_trone_af_enhjoerninghorn_og_loever_af_soelv_2006_2.pdf , journal=Siden Saxo , issue=2 , publisher=Statens IT , language=Danish , date=2006 , pages=39–45 , archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140325064128/http://www.sidensaxo.dk/fileadmin/saxo-abstract-uploads/en_trone_af_enhjoerninghorn_og_loever_af_soelv_2006_2.pdf , access-date=4 January 2021, archive-date=2014-03-25 Individual thrones Danish monarchy Norwegian monarchy

History

Lions

In art

Gallery

See also

References

Sources