The coronation sword

The coronation sword was used in the anointing of Danish kings and is part of the regalia of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Until the introduction of absolutism, in 1661, Danish kings were crowned and anointed in a solemn and elaborate ceremony.

The coronation sword was made in 1643 and became part of the Danish regalia when Frederik III carried it at his coronation, in 1648. For this reason, it is still known as the coronation sword, even through it was subsequently only used in anointing ceremonies. The hilt is a magnificent work of jewellery, closely set with diamonds and enamelled sections with colourful flowers.

For the coronation of Frederik III, in 1648, a scabbard was created for the sword, decorated with the coats of arms of all the countries and provinces in the Danish kingdom. In 1840, the Lauenburg coat of arms was added to bring the scabbard up to date for the anointing of Christian VIII. The Duchy of Lauenburg had been a part of Denmark since 1815. On the same occasion, it would, arguably, have been appropriate to remove Norway’s coat of arms, since Norway had not been part of the Danish kingdom since 1814, but that did not happen.