page_title: Imperial Regalia
section_title: Middle Ages
hierarchical_section_title: Imperial Regalia / History / Middle Ages
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Die Heilige Lanze Karolingisch, 8. Jahrhundert Stahl, Eisen, Messing, Silber, Gold, Leder 50,7 cm lang SK Inv.-Nr. XIII 19 English: The Holy Lance Carolingian, 8th century Steel, iron, brass, silver, gold, leather 50.7 cm long SK Inv. No. XIII 19
context_page_description: The Imperial Regalia, also Imperial Insignia, are regalia of the Holy Roman Emperor. The most important parts are the Imperial Crown, the Imperial orb, the Imperial sceptre, the Holy Lance and the Imperial Sword. Today they are kept at the Imperial Treasury in the Hofburg palace in Vienna, Austria.
  The Imperial Regalia are the only completely preserved regalia from the Middle Ages.
  During the late Middle Ages, the word Imperial Regalia had many variations in the Latin language. The regalia were named in Latin: insignia imperialia, regalia insignia, insignia imperalis capellae quae regalia dicuntur and other similar words.
context_section_description: The inventory of the regalia during the late Middle Ages normally consisted only of five to six items. Goffredo da Viterbo counted following items: the Imperial Cross, the Holy Lance, the crown, the sceptre, the orb, and the sword. On other lists, however, the sword is not mentioned.
  Whether the medieval chronicles really do refer to the same regalia which are kept in Vienna today depends on a variety of factors. Descriptions of the emperors only spoke of them being “clothed in imperial regalia” without exactly describing which items they were.
  The crown can only be dated back to the 13th century, when it is described in a medieval poem. The poem speaks of the Waise (i.e., The Orphan) stone, which was a big and prominent jewel on the front of the crown, probably a white opal with an exceptionally brilliant red fire and has since been replaced by a triangular blue sapphire.  The first definite pictorial image of the crown can only be found later in a mural in the Karlstein Castle close to Prague.
  It is also difficult to define for how long the Imperial and Ceremonial Swords have belonged to the regalia.
caption: The Holy Lance
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