The Hungarian Holy Crown and the Coronation Regalia, by Endre Tóth

Abstract

This book on the regalia of medieval Hungary is the result of Endre Tóth’s decades of work on the topic. The author’s goal of reconciling the centuries of debate about the origins of Hungary’s most important (and contested) artifact is admirable and ambitious. Tóth is to be commended for tremendous effort—this volume gets close at times to being the definitive work on this subject. It is kept from this by its sweeping conclusions, which at times do not hold up under the evidence presented. This volume was originally published in Hungarian in 2016; the English edition includes a note about new literature added subsequently. The chapters cover the foundation of the Hungarian kingdom, the research history of Hungary’s Holy Crown, coronations, the crowns of queen consorts, the crown in the modern period, the crown itself, the sceptre, the orb, the coronation sword, the coronation mantle, written descriptions of the regalia, a summary, and the history of the doctrine of the Holy Crown of Hungary.