The oldest surviving crown of England is not in the Tower of London or anywhere in Great Britain for that matter. Instead, it lives in the Treasury of the Munich Residence in Germany. It is known by several different names: the “Bohemian” or “Palatine” crown as well as the “Crown of Princess Blanche.”
It was constructed around 1370 to 1380, and its continued existence for over 600 years is rather miraculous. Over the centuries, many medieval jewels were taken apart, with metals melted down and stones reset and recut as fashions changed. The crown’s soaring majesty displays great technical skill and an abundance of precious stones. References to such three-dimensional goldsmith works can be found in art of the period, but one would almost doubt that such objects had truly existed if not for survivors such as this.
