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1 of 253523 objects
Crown c. 1875
Gold, enamel, velvet, cotton, silver-gilt thread, diamonds, pearls, emeralds | 16.8 x 32.0 cm (whole object) | RCIN 11358
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A crown formed of a circlet of gold, pearls, diamonds and emeralds, and a purple velvet cap embroidered with silver-gilt thread, inset with pearls and diamonds.
The circlet is inset with irregularly cut diamonds and edged on either side by a string of pearls. The circlet has a leaf-shaped cresting of green enamelled gold inlaid with diamonds. From the peak of each leaf hangs a pendant of green enamelled gold, also set with diamonds. The aigrette on the front of the crown is formed of three prongs bearing four pendant cabochon emeralds, possibly to represent the Prince of Wales's feathers.
The cap in embroidered with the Royal Coat of Arms and the Garter motto Honi soit qui mal y pense. Lucknow was a popular centre of silver-gilt embroidery in India, a technique known as zardozi. The crown was presented with a green velvet covered wooden stand embroidered in gold.
Indian rulers, to denote their royal status, usually wore turban ornaments. However the Kings of Awadh adopted a European style crown similar to this example to assert their independence from the Mughal court, which they had previously served until 1819.
Provenance
Presented to King Edward VII, when Prince of Wales, during his tour of India in 1875-76 by the Taluqdars (landowners) of Oudh.
Before the British annexation in 1856 of the Kingdom of Awadh (centred on Lucknow, today the capital of Uttar Pradesh), the Taluqdars (landholders) played a key part as contractors in the collection of revenues, each controlling a group of villages. They gradually sought to give permanence to their holdings, aspiring to the position of Raja. After the annexation they were massively dispossessed, but in the aftermath of the Mutiny of 1857, the British administration under the Governor-General Charles Canning sought to re-establish the Taluqdars as a means of ensuring stability.
The crown was presented to the Prince of Wales on 7 January 1876 in the throne room of the former palace of the Kings of Awadh in Lucknow, which was now the seat of the British administration. During the day the Prince laid the foundation of a monument to the Indian soldiers who had died helping the East India Company army defend the British Residency in 1857, met a number of veterans and visited the main sites where the fighting had taken place. After the presentation of the crown and a loyal address, a procession of the Taluqdars made their obeisances to the Prince, and the evening concluded with fireworks and a banquet.
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Medium and techniques
Gold, enamel, velvet, cotton, silver-gilt thread, diamonds, pearls, emeralds
Measurements
16.8 x 32.0 cm (whole object)
Category
Place of Production
Lucknow [Uttar Pradesh]
