The Crown of 'Good King' Wenceslas of Bohemia

Charles IV of Luxembourg was one of Bohemia's best rulers. He had been educated in France, bore the name of the King of France and had fought for the French at the Battle of Crecy where his father lost his life. He ordered a very rich crown to adorn the reliquary containng the skull of his predecessor and Bohenia's patron saint, St. Wenceslas. The crown was to be removed from the reliquary only for the coronation of the kings of Bohemia.

In the cross in the centre is set a relic from the crown of thorns. The crown is inlaid with ninety one gems (emeralds, sapphires, rubies and amethysts) and twenty pearls and decorated with four large Fleur de Lys - the emblem of the kings of France.

Wenceslas was born around 907 in the castle of Stochov near Prague. The castle is gone now, but there is still an oak tree there that was reputedly planted when Wenceslas was born and watered by his nannies with his bath water, which supposedly made the tree strong. The church Wenceslas attended also exists today.

A stern but fair monarch, he stopped the persecution of priests and tamed the rebellious nobility. He was known for his kindness to the poor, as depicted in later verses of the famous carol 'Good King Wenceslas'. He was especially charitable to children, helping young orphans and slaves.

'Good King' Wenceslas died on September 20th 929. He was in his early twenties and had ruled Bohemia for just five years. Today he is remembered as the Patron Saint of the Czech Republic.