Regalia

Regalia is a Latin plurale tantum for the privileges and insignia, characteristic of a king or other sovereign.

It stems from the Latin substantivation of the adjective regalis, 'regal', itself from Rex, 'king'.

Royal regalia of Bavaria, Schatzkammer Munich

Abstract

In origin exclusively royal (lato senso, including imperial) rights, prerogatives and privileges - are enjoyed by any sovereign, regardless of title (emperor, grand duke etcetera), such as the right to mint coins (especially with one's own effigy). In many cases, especially in feudal societies and generally weak states, such rights have in time been eroded by grants to or usurpations by lesser vassals.

Sovereign insignia

The emblems, symbols, or paraphernalia indicative of imperial, royal or any other sovereign status. Some are shared with divinities, either to symbolize a god(ess)'s role as say king of the pantheon (e.g.Brhaman's sceptre) or rather allowing mortal royalty to resemble divinity or stress a link with it.

For items that are fabricated artistically and using precious materials to lend luster to the occasions (mainly coronation) they are designed for, the term Crown Jewels is commonly used. However, there are no criteria to determine when an item is valuable enough, indeed this may rather be a matter of symbolical and historical value, e.g. used since the start of the dynasty, send as tangible recognition of legitimacy by the pope, an emperor or caliph, etcetera.

Each culture, even each monarchy, may have its own historical traditions, and some even have a specific name for its regalia, or at least for a (major) set of them, such as :

• The Honours of Scotland
• k... of Mewar (in Rajasthan; for the Maharana at Udaipur)

But some elements occur in many traditions.

Headgear

• crown and its variations, diadem, tiara;
• cap of maintenance

Other regal dress and jewelry

• armillae - bracelets
• (ermine) crowning mantle
• ring, especially a signet-ring

Manipulable symbols of power

• orb
• sceptre
• hand of justice
• sword of justice
• sword of state
• any or more other weapons, such as a dagger, a spear, a royal kris
• flail and crook
• fly-whisk

Reserved colour etc

• in the Roman Empire, the colour purple and robes dyed in it (with an extremely expensive Medeterranean mollusk extract) were in principle reserved for the imperial court, but extended to various dignitaries, for whom the term purpuratus was coined as a high aulic distinction.

Anointing utensils

• ampulla
• spoon

Additional display

• umbrella / canopy
• fan(s)
• standard(s) -
• mace(s)
• music, such as
  • fanfare, and/or reserved instruments, such as silver trumpets, or in India (especially? Mewar) the nakkara drums
  • the ceremonial nobat orchestra is even a formal requirement for a valid Malaysian coronation (at the federal level and in the state of ...)

See also

Look up regalia in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

for other meanings, such as the generalization to all decorations or insignia indicative of a lower office (such as a chain of office) or of membership of an order or society;

• regal
• royalty, royalties
• throne
• Crown Jewels

Sources - External link

• Regalia entry at the Catholic Encyclopedia