To know the types of crowns and their meaning, we must go back to ancient times when they began to be used as a symbol of sovereignty and power; being Apollonius, the Latin king who was said to be the grandson of Apollo, the first to display a piece like this as a badge of power, and that he used in the fight between Aeneas and Turnus, which is recounted in the Aeneid, written by Virgil. This crown had twelve rays, and was made of gold.
On the other hand, there are other examples of the types of crowns of antiquity, such as that of Alexander’s pavilion and his helmet; which had been adorned with a golden crown; while to David, it is said, that King Melcom gave him a crown adorned with precious stones, and to his son Solomon, his son and successor of him, also wore a crown made of gold inlaid with precious stones .
As for the Romans, it must be remembered that the first emperors instead of crowns, wore laurel leaves, which were considered a symbol of triumph, that’s why they took them to battles, but also, they believed that these leaves were not touched by Jupiter’s lightning. And we can mention many examples from the ancient times, when these symbols of power emerged, which continue to basically maintain that meaning today. Therefore, below, we are going to describe some of the best-known types of crowns:
imperial crown: These crowns are made with an adjustable circle to the head; from which two arches come out that have the shape of a semi circle: one goes from one side to the other, while the other starts at the forehead backwards; until it intersects with the first, perpendicularly in the middle.
These types of crowns usually feature a cross or a fleur-de-lys, which is formed at the intersection of the arches; as it happens with the French Royal Crown, which has a fleur de lis; and inside it is lined with velvet; like most of these imperial crowns; that are used as a general rule in solemn acts of protocol, and that have great importance for royalty.
Imperial crowns are among the most widely used types of crowns by the queens consorts of England; as well as the Tsarina consorts of Russia, who used the Lesser Imperial Crown and the crowns of countries such as Romania, Sweden, Iran, France, Hungary and Norway, Romania.
Noble Crowns: These types of crowns, through time, have been granted to counts, marquises and dukes, among other personalities of European royalty, after having given them the jurisdiction of the states and the lands they obtained; and they could vary in style, according to the reigning empire.
Grand Duchies: These dukedoms wore a gold crown with many inlays of pearls and precious stones, which were presented with 8 rosettes, in order to form what was called «Ducal Crown», which could be worn by some of the generals and admirals of the army.
Marquisate Crown: These types of crowns were made with gold; mounted on about four rosettes, to which 12 pearls were placed that formed groups of flowers three by three.
County Crown: They are types of crowns that were made to be used by the counts; and they were made of gold, precious stones and between eight to ten thick pearls.
Crown for Viscounts: This crown is simpler than that worn by an earl, and consists of a circle of pure gold, bearing only four large pearls; and that symbolizes a lower level of hierarchy.
Baronial Crown: Because the hierarchy of the barons is lower, the types of crowns that are made for them consist of an enameled gold circle; to which a band of common pearls is placed.
Beauty Pageant Crowns: These crowns have also been used to reward women who have won these contests, and are a symbol of the power of beauty and its scope in the modern world. There are various models that have been designed over time for the different contests or events worldwide.
It should be noted that the first beauty pageant was Miss America held in 1921, and in which Margaret Gorman was the winner, but she was only awarded a trophy, but already in 1926 a crown began to be placed on the winner. .
The most famous pageants, such as Miss World and Miss Universe, emerged in the 1950s. Miss World was founded in 1951, in the United Kingdom, with the representative of Sweden winning, while Miss Universe was founded in 1952, the first Miss Universe, debuting a crown owned by Empress Alexandra, married to Nicholas II of Russia, and corresponded the honor to the representative of Finland.
We must also highlight that tiaras or diadems, are also considered as types of crowns, and are defined by the RAE as half crowns or rings, open at the back; being common its use in the protocol acts of the nobility. Also, the term tiara is widely used to refer to the adornments that brides wear on their heads at weddings.