Crowning Wisdom: Tudor Arches

The Tudor Crown was the regular headdress worn by kings of England from the time of Henry VIII to Charles I. When Parliament despatched the latter in 1649 and declared England to be a republic, the crown jewels were deemed unnecessary. The Tudor Crown’s gold was melted down to coin, and its jewels sold off in packets, netting £1100 for the new republican government. Sadly, the same was done to the older St Edward’s Crown, which dated back to Saxon England.

The Tudor Crown was remarkable for being the first piece of English regalia to have arches, those bands of gold attaching the circlet to the monde or little ball in the centre, from which a cross was perched. Although there is some academic debate about the first monarch to wear a closed (ie arched crown), with some suggesting Henry IV or V as the first wearer, the evidence is slight, whereas it is clear that Henry Tudor certainly did. And so what?

Arches on a crown rendered it an 'imperial crown', fit for an emperor. The latter technically outranks a mere king who governs a kingdom; an empire is larger and incorporates additional territories. A king wearing an arched crown is likely to claim surrounding lands and provinces as his own. Henry VIII, who had claims on Ireland, Scotland, Wales and parts of France, even tried at one point to be elected Holy Roman Emperor. He certainly had particularly inflated views about his own importance and dignity. Indeed, his 1534 Act of Supremacy even declared him 'Supreme Head' over the Church in England, a title surely belonging to Christ Jesus alone, not to kings or popes.

Only Jesus Christ can lay claim to every tribe, nation and language; only the Son of God may demand obedience and fealty from all men and women, for they were made by Him, through Him, and for Him.  

The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him. Psalm 72:10-11, King James Version