Sovereign's Orb

Sovereign's Orb

The Sovereign's Orb is a type of regalia known as a globus cruciger and is one of the British Crown Jewels.

It was created for the coronation of King Charles II in 1661 at a cost of £1,150 — approximately £130,000 (US$250,000) adjusted to 2007 currency values. [cite web|first= Lawrence |last= Officer |title= Purchasing Power of British Pounds from 1264 to 2007 |url= http://www.measuringworth.com/ppoweruk/index.php |work= MeasuringWorth.com |accessdate= 2008-05-09 ]

The Orb is a hollow gold sphere weighing 42 ounces and about 16.5 cm (6.5 in.) in diameter. Around the centre is a band of pearls and gemstones. There is a similar half-band running across the top half of the Orb. Atop the Orb is an amethyst surmounted by a Cross. The Orb is a religious symbol; it represents the Monarch's role as Defender of the Faith and as Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

During a coronation, the Archbishop of Canterbury delivers the Orb to the Monarch's right hand. The Orb is then placed on an altar, where it remains for the remainder of the ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, the Monarch holds the Orb in the left hand, the Sceptre with the Cross in the right hand, and wears the Imperial State Crown as he or she leaves Westminster Abbey.

The shape and image of the Sovereign's Orb was spoofed in the film "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" as the "Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch".

References

Footnotes

ources

*cite web| title = The Crown Jewels| work = The Monarchy Today| publisher = Her Majesty's Government| url =http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page5019.asp| accessdate = 2008-02-09

External links

* [http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/page5165.asp?GalleryID=15&ImageID=219&Start=0 Photograph of the Sovereign's Orb]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Orb — The word Orb , from the Latin orbis circle , is another name for a round object, especially a disk or a sphere. Orb as a word Orb may refer to: Orb (astrology), the difference between the exactness of an astrological aspect Orb (optics), an… …   Wikipedia

  • orb — n. & v. n. 1 a globe surmounted by a cross esp. carried by a sovereign at a coronation. 2 a sphere; a globe. 3 poet. a heavenly body. 4 poet. an eyeball; an eye. v. 1 tr. enclose in (an orb); encircle. 2 intr. form or gather into an orb.… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Reichsapfel britischer Monarchen — Sovereign s Orb Der Reichsapfel britischer Monarchen (engl. Sovereign s Orb) ist ein Bestandteil der britischen Krönungsinsignien, den Kronjuwelen. Er wurde im Jahre 1661 für die Krönung Karls II. zu einem Preis von 1150 englischen Pfund… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Coronations in Europe — Note: this article is one of a set, describing coronations around the world. For general information related to all coronations, please see the umbrella article Coronation. Coronation of Emperor Nicholas II of Russia and Empress Alexandra… …   Wikipedia

  • Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom — This article is about the Crown Jewels of England, and those added since the Union of the Crowns in 1603. For the Scottish Crown Jewels, see Honours of Scotland. For the Welsh Crown Jewels, see Honours of Wales. Coronation Chair and Regalia of… …   Wikipedia

  • Globus cruciger — Danish globus cruciger. Part of the Danish Crown Regalia. The globus cruciger (Latin, cross bearing orb ) is an orb (lat. globus) topped (lat. gerere = to wear) with a cross (lat. crux), a Christian symbol of authority used throughout the Middle… …   Wikipedia

  • Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch — The Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch is a fictional weapon from the comedy film Monty Python and the Holy Grail . It bears a striking resemblance to the Sovereign s Orb of the United Kingdom, and seems to draw some inspiration from the Holy Spear of… …   Wikipedia

  • Honours of Scotland — The Honours of Scotland, also known as the Scottish regalia and the Scottish Crown Jewels, dating from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, are the oldest set of crown jewels in the British Isles. The existing set were used for the coronation… …   Wikipedia

  • Thomas Blood — Colonel Thomas Blood (1618 – 24 August 1680) was an Irish colonel best known for attempting to steal the Crown Jewels of England from the Tower of London in 1671. Described as a noted bravo and desperado ,[1] he was also implicated in one att …   Wikipedia

  • Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II — Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh in their coronation portrait, June 1953 Participants Queen Elizabeth II Great Officers of State Archbishops and Bishops Assistant of the …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”