Bavarian Crown Jewels

In 1806, as part of his wholescale re-ordering of the map of Europe, Napoleon I of France upgraded the independent German duchy of Bavaria to full kingdom status. The former Duke of Bavaria, now King of Bavaria, Maximilian I, commemorated the fact by commissioning a set of crown jewels for use by Bavarian monarchs.

Included in the regalia were:

• The Crown of Bavaria - the King's crown, which was set with rubies, diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and pearls;
• the Crown of the Queens of Bavaria, which was made for the then queen, Karoline of Baden, and which contains huge pearls and large diamonds;
• The 96 centimetre long State Sword;
• The Royal Orb - made of gold;
• The 89 centimetre long Royal Sceptre set with brilliants, emeralds and sapphires and the top is surmounted by a small round crown.

As part of a republican Germany, Bavaria has not had a monarch since 1918 but the Bavarian Crown Jewels are still on show in the Treasury of the Residenz palace in Munich.