The jewels of the Crown of France have a tumultuous and intriguing history that mirrors the shifting fortunes of the French monarchy itself.
Over centuries, they were symbols of royal authority, wealth, and splendor, embodying the power of the French crown through dazzling gems, ceremonial items, and regalia used for coronations, weddings, and state ceremonies.
The story of these jewels involves periods of embellishment, theft, political upheaval, and ultimately dispersal, reflecting France’s transition from monarchy to republic.

Les joyaux de la Couronne de France les plus connus sont exposés au Musée du Louvre. Mais d’autres joyaux en nombre moins important mais tout aussi intéressants historiquement sont exposés au Musée Nationale d’Histoire Naturelle (Mineralogy and Gemmology Gallery) à côté du Jardin des Plantes et aussi au Musée de l’Ecole des Mines située dans un magnifique hôtel du début du 18e siècle. Ces deux derniers musées présentent un avantage complémentaire d’avoir à proximité des collections mondialement reconnus en minéralogie.

• The jewels of the Crown today at Le Louvre Museum
• The French Crown jewels of the Natural-History-Museum
• The jewels of the Crown at the Ecole-des-Mines of Paris

Origins and Early Collection

The tradition of jewels of the Crown of France began with the early Capetian kings around the 10th century, when the practice of amassing precious items for use in royal ceremonies was established. The oldest surviving items, such as the Sceptre of Charles V and the Sword of Charlemagne, known as Joyeuse, date back to the Middle Ages. These items were primarily ceremonial, symbolizing the divine right of kingship.

The legendary sword of Charlemagne and the coronation sword of the kings of France

It is nicknamed “Joyeuse”. It was Charlemagne‘s legendary sword in the Chanson de Roland. According to legend, its pommel held numerous relics, including that of the Holy Lance, which is said to have pierced Christ’s side on the cross, hence its name.
The sword used for the coronation of the kings of France, probably since Philip Augustus in 1179, and documented since Philip III the Bold in 1271, was also called Joyeuse, and it was claimed to be the same. In fact, it was made at a later date, using elements from different periods:

• the pommel dates from the late Carolingian period (10th century);
• the guard’s opposing dragon-shaped quillons date from the 12th century;
• the handle dates from the 13th or 14th century;
• the jeweled scabbard plate was made in the 13th century.

The sword was kept in the treasury of Saint-Denis until 1793, when it entered the collections of the Musée du Louvre (Département des Objets d’art du Moyen Age, de la Renaissance et des temps modernes). The sword was used again for Napoleon’s coronation in 1804, and again under the Restoration.

For his coronation in 1804, Napoleon had the sword’s scabbard covered with green velvet embroidered with gold laurel leaves, and replaced the fleurs-de-lis with gems. For his coronation in 1825, Charles X asked Jacques-Eberhard Bapst-Ménière, the Crown jeweler, to remove the Napoleonic features from the scabbard, reverting to the fleurdelys velvet still visible today.

It is one of the oldest surviving regalia of the Kingdom of France.

Sceptre of Charles V

It first appeared on the day of Charles V’s coronation (May 19, 1364), in the new sovereign’s right hand. This gold scepter, specially designed for the occasion, is surmounted by a statuette, also in gold, representing Charlemagne seated on a throne and wearing an imperial crown, all arranged on a three-dimensional fleur-de-lys.

The political purpose of the “Charlemagne” sceptre was to reinforce the Carolingian ancestry of the Valois family (who have ruled France since 1328).

Formerly housed in the royal treasury of the Basilica of Saint-Denis, it is now on display at Musée du Louvre as one of the jewels of the Crown of France. It’s one of the few sacred objects to have survived.

By the time of the Valois dynasty in the 14th and 15th centuries, the jewels of the Crown of France collection had grown significantly. Kings such as Charles V and Louis XI began to amass gemstones and personal jewelry, marking the beginning of a more elaborate collection.

The Crown Jewels, a royal tradition

The jewels of the Crown of France became an established royal tradition with François 1er who created the Crown Jewels collection in 1530 with eight colored stones called “diamonds” at the time (a generic term for any beautiful piece) and set in rings. Most were his wife Anne de Bretagne’s ornaments. Francis I created a regal symbol. By inventorying the Crown Jewels, he made them inalienable. Each new king contributed new acquisitions to the collection, enriching it with rare gems sourced from conquests, marriages, and trade with foreign powers.

Note
Crown jewels at the root of the 1789 Revolution? In 1785, a scam involving an expensive necklace was orchestrated around Queen Marie-Antoinette by a scheming “false” Countess de la Motte. Marie-Antoinette was in no way involved, but was nevertheless accused following the rumors that followed in the court of public opinion. For the full story click on The Queen’s necklace affair: everything you need to know.

Renaissance Expansion

Under the Valois and Bourbon dynasties, particularly during the Renaissance, the jewels of the Crown of France grew in scope and splendor. Francis I and his successors added Italian Renaissance influences, expanding the collection with gemstones and luxurious ornaments from around Europe. The collection began to include more secular items, such as richly decorated chains, brooches, and rings, in addition to the symbolic coronation regalia.

During this period, Catherine de Medici, an influential queen consort and regent, contributed her extensive personal jewels to the collection. Her marriage to Henry II of France (son of François 1er – 1519 – 1559) brought gems from Italy and allowed French jewelers to learn advanced techniques, which elevated the craftsmanship of the jewels of the Crown of France. She brought with her a dowry of 100,000 écus in silver and 28,000 écus in jewels, earning her the nicknames “la Banquière” (or the “lady banker”) or “la fille des Marchands” (“the merchants’ daughter”) from persnickety courtiers.

The Bourbon Dynasty and the French Revolution

Under the Bourbon kings, notably Louis XIV, known as the “Sun King,” the Crown Jewels reached new levels of extravagance. Louis XIV’s reign saw an unprecedented display of wealth. One last time, a few months before his death, the Sun King wore all his jewels to receive the Persian embassy at Versailles. “There were so many on his suit, that with every movement you could hear the rubbing of the diamonds.”; He commissioned pieces featuring the Hope Diamond (initially part of the French Blue Diamond) and numerous other notable stones. His desire for grandeur led to the acquisition of diamonds, rubies, and sapphires from India and other regions, as well as the construction of new, exquisite crown jewels, which helped him solidify his image as an absolute monarch.

At the time, the three main stones used by Louis XIV were the “Sancy”, the “Blue Diamond” and the “Great Sapphire”. Their total value in 1691, 11,430,481 livres, made them the finest jewels in Europe.

However, the French Revolution in 1789 dramatically disrupted this legacy.

The jewels of the Crown of France inventory of 1791

As the monarchy fell, revolutionaries seized the Crown Jewels and placed them in public custody.

State property was no longer at the King’s free disposal. The jewels of the Crown of France, which had been at Versailles, were transferred to the Garde-meuble de la Couronne (now the Hôtel de la Marine) on Place Louis XV (now known as “de la Révolution” and Concorde).

The Garde-meuble was administered by Thierry de Ville-d’Avray. With the decrees of May 26, 27 and June 22, 1791, the National Constituent Assembly decided to draw up an inventory of the Crown’s diamonds and gems. The inventory included 9,547 diamonds, 506 pearls, 230 rubies and spinels, 71 topazes, 150 emeralds, 35 sapphires and 19 stones. The price of the jewels is estimated at 23,922,197 livres. The “Regent” is estimated at 12 million, the “Bleu de France” (now rebaptised “Hope”) at 3 million, and the “Sancy” at 1 million. The market total value reaches 30 millions of livres.

It is estimated, for example, that the Great Blue Diamond crystallized 1.1 billion years ago in the lithosphere, around 150 kilometers below the Golconde region in central India.

The publication and distribution of the inventory in 1791 by a somewhat naïve First Republic certainly convinced thieves to act in times of turmoil following the destitution of the King. It’s worth pointing out that over 9,000 precious stones, the equivalent of seven tons of gold, representing half a billion euros worth of jewels, goldsmiths’ and silversmiths’ jewels and gems, can attract covetousness!

Theft of the crown jewels : between September 11 and 16, 1792

During the Reign of Terror in 1792, much of the collection was stolen in a notorious heist, with many pieces disappearing permanently. It was a rococo jewel heist never really explained, with many shadowy corners never clarified. It is also possible that the most valuable jewels in the French monarchy’s treasury may not have been stolen in September 1792.

Officially, the jewels of the Crown of France were stolen during the sacking of the Hôtel du Garde-Meuble on the 5 nights between September 11 and 16, 1792. There were about thirty or forty brigands who, growing in number with each “visit”, “discreetly” climbing the 1st floor of the Place de la Concorde façade, even organized orgies by bringing in promiscuous women.

Finally, on the night of September 16 at 11pm, a patrol of guards alerted by suspicious noises spotted the thieves, who were searched and found their pockets stuffed with precious stones. The thieves, led by a dreaded criminal, Paul Miette, were essentially petty thieves released from prison during the 2 to 6 September massacres. They were partner with the Rouen gang of professional thieves. Twelve were sentenced to death and finally five were guillotined on the very spot where they had committed their crime, Place de la Révolution.

For the full story of this epic theft click on Theft of the crown jewels during the French Revolution

Strange happenings on August 5 and 6, 1792 and the days after

But the previous August 5 and 6th marked the end of the monarchy (decreed on August 10th). During these two days, six trunks belonged to Thierry de Ville-d’Avray’s son-in-law, Baude de Pont-l’Abbé, stealthily left the Garde-Meuble. Thierry de Ville-d’Avray was le gouvernor of the Garde-meuble. He was killed early september while in prison, on September 2th.

On the other hand, the Battle of Valmy, east of Paris in Champagne-Ardenne, took place on September 20th. It was the first decisive victory of the French army during the wars of the Revolution against the Prussian army commanded by the Duke of Brunswick. At Danton’s trial almost 2 years later, it was said that Danton “could have” bought the victory from the Duke of Brunswick – with the Crown jewels ? It should be pointed out that Danton was Minister of Justice at the time, that he disappeared between September 13 and 22, 1792 for health reasons, and that his entire career was characterized as “an opportunist politician, intermittent, not very delicate about means, at the same time as an orator who was a bit of a genius when it came to improvisation”, and 150 years later, as “a sell-out and… debauched and double-dealing”.

Could the Danton-Duke of Brunswick thesis make sense? Or was this August operation simply the evacuation abroad of the crown jewels by émigré nobles? And was the theft that became “official” just a way of diverting attention?

The story of the theft of the Crown Jewels continues

After two years of investigation, almost three quarters of the great royal gems were recovered (including the Sancy and Régent diamonds, found during the trial of Danton, who was suspected of involvement in the thefts). But the greatest royal insignia of chivalry (the jewels of the Golden Fleece, taken to London by the Rouennais) and many major objects (Louis XVI’s diamond sword, the “Richelieu Chapel”, etc.) disappeared for good.

Under the Convention (September 21, 1792, date of the proclamation of the 1st Republic, to October 26, 1795), the collection was enriched with stones from the confiscation of émigré properties and jewels from the King of Sardinia. By 1795, the collection was worth an estimated 21 million of livres.

In 1796, Daubenton, a professor of mineralogy, selected stones for the Natural History Museum, including the “Great Sapphire” of Louis XIV.

Under the Directoire (October 26, 1795 – November 9, 1799), the need for resources was felt, and the decision was made to sell some of the stones abroad.

Between 1797 and 1800, the need to raise funds to supply the army led to the pawning of diamonds.

How much were the Crown Jewels worth before they were stolen in 1792 ?

In 1791, at the time of the inventory, the total value of the French Crown Jewels was roughly estimated at 30 million livres, a massive amount at the time. Therefore, it is their value before their dramatic theft in 1792.

A fairly precise reference is the price asked in 1772 by jewelers Charles Boehmer and Paul Bassenge for the famous “Queen’s necklace”, which ended in scandal. It was the sum of 1,600,000 livres or approximately €27,513,000 today. At the time, this sum was also equivalent to three castles, each surrounded by 500 hectares of land ! It also means the Crown Jewels was around 20 times the value of the Queen’s necklace, which led to a political crisis and the ensuing revolution.

The Napoleonic Era and the Crown Jewels

With the Consulate (1799-1804) having succeeded in putting the State’s finances on a sounder footing, Bonaparte brought back to France the jewels that had been hired out. First the “Régent”, from the banker Ignace-Joseph Vanlerberghe, other stones in the possession of the Berlin merchant Treskow, and those owned by the heirs of the Marquis d’Iranda, but not the “Sancy”, sold to Manuel Godoy.

With the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte, the Crown Jewels experienced a brief resurgence. Napoleon, who crowned himself Emperor in 1804, ordered the creation of a new set of regalia, including a crown, scepter, and other symbolic pieces adorned with diamonds, pearls, and gold. He wished to connect his rule to the legacy of the French monarchy while also establishing a distinctive Napoleonic style. His wife, Empress Joséphine, was also an avid collector of jewelry, contributing to the collection with new pieces.

Napoleon Bonaparte gave also 400,000 francs worth of jewelry in 1802 and also 254,198 francs to Josephine (his first wife). The collection was estimated at 13,950,000 gold francs at the end of the Consulate. It included the “Régent”, the “Diamant de la Maison de Guise”, the pink “Hortensia” diamond (named after the empress’s daughter), the “Grand Mazarin” and three other Mazarin stones. After his coronation in 1804 and, above all, his marriage to Archduchess Marie-Louise in 1810, the French emperor considerably expanded the collection of crown jewels, particularly with regard to the jewels dedicated to his second wife.

The collection was further enlarged under Napoleon, so that in 1814 it comprised 65,072 stones and pearls, most of them mounted as jewels: 57,771 diamonds, 5,630 pearls and 1,671 colored stones (424 rubies, 66 sapphires, 272 emeralds, 235 amethysts, 547 turquoises, 24 cameos, 14 opals, 89 topazes).

However, Napoleon’s defeat and the subsequent Bourbon Restoration led to the dispersal of some Napoleonic jewels and the re-establishment of a more traditional French royal collection.

The last Bourbons (Louis XVIII and Charles X – 1814 to 1830) on the throne of France

The return of the Bourbons brought the “Côte-de-Bretagne” ruby, the “Second Mazarin” and two other diamonds back to France. The inventory drawn up in 1823 resulted in an estimate of 20,319,229.59 francs. The appraisal of the crown jewels in 1830 after the July Revolution and the fall of Charles X, came to 20,832,874.39 francs.

Louis-Philippe 1er and the Crown Jewels (1830 – 1848)

Unlike his predecessors, Louis-Philippe did not enrich the treasury at all, and made virtually no use of the Crown Jewels throughout the July Monarchy. But his wife Queen Marie-Amélie, owned several personal jewels, which remained in the d’Orléans family until the 2000s. They were sold to the Louvre by the heirs of the Countess of Paris (descendants de Louis-Philippe) , and are now displayed alongside the “real” Crown jewels, even though they were not part of the collection at the time.

L’apport de Napoléon III

The Second Empire, on the other hand, was a new period of prosperity for the jewels of the Crown of France collection, which was enriched by numerous new pieces. Empress Eugenie, a great lover of gems, placed numerous orders, reusing or reassembling existing sets.

Like all French monarchs, Napoleon III wished to make use of this fabulous treasure. He asked a number of jewelers to create new ornaments for the Empress from the jewels at their disposal, and commissioned Alexandre-Gabriel Lemonnier (c.1818-1884) to create the two imperial crowns. In 1853 and a simpler one in 1855 The Empress’s crown, was designed on the same model as the Emperor’s, but smaller and lighter.

In August 1870, the Crown Diamonds were transported to the Brest arsenal, then transferred to a warship, ready to sail. They remained there after the fall of the Napoléon III regime until 1872, when they were stored in the cellars of the Ministry of Finance. Presented at the 1878 Universal Exhibition, they were shown for the last time in 1884 at the Louvre.

For sale “Joyaux de la Couronne de France”

On January 11, 1887, a law was passed to dispose of the Crown Diamonds, and the priceless treasure was put up for sale the following May. Fortunately, the most prestigious pieces were excluded from the sale, but many masterpieces and historic stones were dispersed and disappeared, including Napoleon III’s crown. Eugénie’s crown did not suffer the same fate. Returned to the Empress by the Third Republic after 1875, it was bequeathed by her to Princess Marie-Clotilde Napoléon. Put up for sale in 1988, the crown was offered by a couple of patrons to the Musée du Louvre, where it joined the other jewels in the treasure trove.