Imperial crown

For the model of automobile, see Imperial (automobile).
The British Imperial State Crown viewed from the side with the front facing left (the Black Prince's Ruby, and the Cullinan II are just visible in profile).

An imperial crown is a crown worn by an emperor. In the European cultural area, it also symbolizes the power of the empire in heraldic depictions.[1] The craftsmanship corresponded to the king's crown, with precious stones and pearls set into the precious metal frame for decoration. Their external form differed from crowns of the same period and the same reign. The use of Christian symbols to emphasize the divine rule of the emperor is the reason for the deviation.

In East Asia, there are several types of crowns worn by emperors, depending on the ritual or ceremony. Typical examples are the Chinese mianguan and the Japanese benkan. In external form, they are characterized by chains that hide the emperor's face.

  1. ^ Bibliographisches Institut, ed. (1964–65). Meyers Neues Lexikon in acht Bänden (in German). Vol. 4. VEB Bibliographisches Institut Leipzig. p. 606.