Regalia of Serbia
Many of these invested in symbols of royalty which has led to a number of distinctive crowns, jewels and other treasures of incredible wealth surviving to the present day.
As far as is known, there are four royal crowns once worn by Serbian kings or princes that have survived to the present day, of which just one is kept in the modern Republic of Serbia today.
Fleeing from the Turks, Serbian princes and lords, together with the clergy and the people, when they came to southern Hungary, carried with them their movable property, which not infrequently contained the ruler's insignia and valuables.
Many Serbian officers and dignitaries left their movable properties, by marriage and sale, in the hands of Hungarians and Germans, mostly residents of Vienna and Pest.
Likewise, many Germans and Hungarians, generals and other officers, who served in the midst of Serbs, came to Vienna and Budapest, carrying entire caravans of almost everything that represented of value.
[1][3] At the Kaiserliche Schatzkammer, a crown once worn by members of the medieval Nemanjić dynasty can be found which was later attributed to Stephen Bocskai, given by Ottoman Grand Vezir Sokolluzade Lala Mehmed Pasha on 11 November 1605 in Roško Polje.
[1] The Karađorđević Royal Regalia consist of the following: The crown, scepter, and orb are decorated with gemstones found in Serbia and enameled in the national colours of red, blue, and white.
By the initiative of dr Dušica Bojić [sr], the director of the Historical Museum of Serbia, with the support of the Ministry of Culture of Serbia, several crowns of medieval Serbian rulers were ideally recreated by the filigree artist Goran Ristović Pokimica (co-operated with other jewellers, filigree artists and goldsmiths) and aided by Dragan Vojvodić [sr], historian and professor of medieval artwork and the corresponding member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
The production of the crown took four months, and the author used 13 techniques: rolling, cutting, forging, twisting, granulation, hand engraving, filigree, riveting, soldering, polishing, gilding, stone processing and faceting.
[7][6][8] The crown of Empress Helena of Bulgaria, Emperor Stefan Dušan′s wife, was done by Jasminka Brkanović and was also recreated from the fresco depictions in Lesnovo Monastery.
[7][6] There are plans to ideally reconstruct crowns of over 20 medieval Serbian rulers, starting from King Mihailo I Vojislavljević all the way to Despot Đurađ Branković.
