The Great Crown of Victory ( th, พระมหาพิชัยมงกุฎ; ) is one of the

regalia Regalia is a Latin plurale tantum word that has different definitions. In one rare definition, it refers to the exclusive privileges of a sovereign. The word originally referred to the elaborate formal dress and dress accessories of a sovereig ...

of Thailand. Made of

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...

and enamelled in red and green during the reign of King

Rama I Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok Maharaj (, 20 March 1737 – 7 September 1809), personal name Thongduang (), also known as Rama I, was the founder of the Rattanakosin Kingdom and the first monarch of the reigning Chakri dynasty of Siam (now T ...

in 1782, the

crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

is 66 centimeters (26 inches) high and weighs 7.3 kg (16 pounds). In the reign of King Rama IV, a set of diamonds was added to the crown. Also added was a large cut diamond from India to decorate the top of the crown, called the ''Great Diamond'' (พระมหาวิเชียรมณี ''Phra Maha Wichian Mani''). The crown is of a distinctive Thai design, being a multi-tiered conical

diadem A diadem is a type of crown, specifically an ornamental headband worn by monarchs and others as a badge of royalty. Overview The word derives from the Greek διάδημα ''diádēma'', "band" or "fillet", from διαδέω ''diadéō'', " ...

, terminating in a tapering spire. The crown is worn only when a king is crowned. He places the crown on his own head. The shape of the crown represents the concept of divine monarchy. The tall spire signifies divine authority and the right to rule over his subjects. The Great Crown of Victory is the most important of the five regalia of Thailand, yet at one time the crown was accorded the same importance as the other regalia.

As symbol

The Great Crown of Victory is used as part of symbol in many public organization and educational institutions. The rank insignia of

Royal Thai Army The Royal Thai Army or RTA ( th, กองทัพบกไทย; ) is the army of Thailand and the oldest and largest branch of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. History Origin The Royal Thai Army is responsible for protecting the kingdom's ...

and

Royal Thai Police The Royal Thai Police (RTP) ( th, สำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ; ) is the national police force of Thailand. The RTP employs between 210,700 and 230,000 officers, roughly 17 percent of all civil servants (excludi ...

field grade officers (

Major Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...

and above) all depicts the grand crown.

Gallery

File:Great Crown of Victory (heraldry).svg, The Great Crown of Victory (heraldic version) File:Ströhl-Regentenkronen-Fig. 43.png, The Great Crown of Victory (heraldic version), drawn by Hugo Gerard Ströhl File:Privy Seal of King Rama IV (Mongkut).svg, The privy seal of King

Mongkut Mongkut ( th, มงกุฏ; 18 October 18041 October 1868) was the fourth monarch of Siam (Thailand) under the House of Chakri, titled Rama IV. He ruled from 1851 to 1868. His full title in Thai was ''Phra Bat Somdet Phra Menthora Ramathibo ...

(Rama IV), depicting the Great Crown of Victory. File:Flag of the Thai Defence Minister.svg, Flag of the Minister of Defence of Thailand since 1936. File:The Great Crown of Victory of the Royal Yacht Mahachakri (II).jpg, A replica of the Great Crown of Victory for the mast of the royal yacht ''Mahachakri II'', Royal Thai Naval Museum, Samut Prakan. File:King Rama IX being presented with regalia at coronation.jpg, King

Bhumibol Adulyadej Bhumibol Adulyadej ( th, ภูมิพลอดุลยเดช; ; ; ( Sanskrit: ''bhūmi·bala atulya·teja'' - "might of the land, unparalleled brilliance"); 5 December 192713 October 2016), conferred with the title King Bhumibol the Grea ...

wearing the Great Crown of Victory on his coronation day at the

Grand Palace The Grand Palace ( th, พระบรมมหาราชวัง, Royal Institute of Thailand. (2011). ''How to read and how to write.'' (20th Edition). Bangkok: Royal Institute of Thailand. .) is a complex of buildings at the heart of Ba ...

, 5 May 1950. File:Bkkryregaliacv0609.jpg, The Great Crown of Victory exhibit showing Thai regalia in honour of the 60th anniversary of King Bhumibol Adulyadej's accession to the throne in 2006.

References

* {{Crowns Individual crowns Regalia of Thailand Thai headgear 1782 works

As symbol

Gallery

See also

References