A number of the treasury's precious objects, including the main royal crown, were destroyed during the
French Wars of Religion. In 1706, the treasury was described in detail by the
Maurist scholar
Michel Félibien in his Histoire de l'abbaye royale de Saint-Denys en France, including engravings of the precious objects, at a time when they were kept in seven large wooden closets.[1]
Many others objects were looted or destroyed during the turmoil of the
French Revolution. A number of objects, including the
throne of Dagobert, were transferred to the
National Library in September 1791. In 1792, following legislation in May that abolished
congregations, religious activity stopped at the abbey. Turmoil followed a year later, as the royal necropolis was desecrated in October 1793. On 5 December 1793, some of the treasury's objects were deposited in the
Louvre museum. Other were sold in July 1798, such as the 7th-century "brooch of
Dagobert”.[2] Even among the objects that had been taken under public custody, some were stolen, in 1795 from the
Louvre and in 1804 from the
Bibliothèque nationale. Others were stolen in 1830.[3] Meanwhile, the reconstituted canons of Saint-Denis acquired several ancient objects to replenish their treasury, and others were donated by the monarchs during the
Bourbon Restoration, but a number of these were stolen again in 1882. A few additional items disappeared during the 20th century.[4]
In 1991, the treasury of Saint-Denis was the theme of an exhibition at the
Louvre.[5]
Selected lost items
Two near-identical crowns both known successively as the
Crown of Charlemagne (or alternatively, of
Saint Louis), actually the coronation crowns of
Philip II of France and his wife
Ingeborg of Denmark. These were donated to the abbey by Philip in 1223, then taken back by
Louis VIII and donated again by
Saint Louis in 1261. The king's crown was melted in 1590 by
Charles de Guise during the
Catholic League's rule in Paris. The queen's crown was subsequently used as a substitute and correspondingly also known as the Crown of Charlemagne; a still-extant
emerald known as the émeraude de Saint Louis is believed by some scholars to be from that crown.[6] Another crown, known as the Crown of
Joan of Évreux,[7] was used for the queens' coronation. Both disappeared in 1793 during the
French Revolution.
Scepter of Saint Louis [
fr], main scepter of the kings of France, probably created around 1300, decorated with a large
Fleur-de-lis, disappeared in 1589 or 1590
Sceptre à la rose [
fr], main scepter of the queens of France, melted in 1589 or 1590 by destitute monks of the abbey
Several versions of the "Hand of Justice" (main de justice [
fr]), often held together with the scepter of Saint Louis, all destroyed during the Revolution; a 1804 recreation for the
coronation of Napoleon I, which includes older elements including the 13th-century "ring of Saint Denis",[10] is held in the
Louvre[11]
Fermail de la chappe [
fr], a large brooch that was used on the royal coronational mantle, sold in 1798
"Screen of Charlemagne" (escrain de Charlemagne), a 9th-century piece of monumental jewelry[12] of which the crowning gem remains, known as the intaille de
Julie, kept at the
Cabinet des Médailles[13]
A number of the treasury's precious objects, including the main royal crown, were destroyed during the
French Wars of Religion. In 1706, the treasury was described in detail by the
Maurist scholar
Michel Félibien in his Histoire de l'abbaye royale de Saint-Denys en France, including engravings of the precious objects, at a time when they were kept in seven large wooden closets.[1]
Many others objects were looted or destroyed during the turmoil of the
French Revolution. A number of objects, including the
throne of Dagobert, were transferred to the
National Library in September 1791. In 1792, following legislation in May that abolished
congregations, religious activity stopped at the abbey. Turmoil followed a year later, as the royal necropolis was desecrated in October 1793. On 5 December 1793, some of the treasury's objects were deposited in the
Louvre museum. Other were sold in July 1798, such as the 7th-century "brooch of
Dagobert”.[2] Even among the objects that had been taken under public custody, some were stolen, in 1795 from the
Louvre and in 1804 from the
Bibliothèque nationale. Others were stolen in 1830.[3] Meanwhile, the reconstituted canons of Saint-Denis acquired several ancient objects to replenish their treasury, and others were donated by the monarchs during the
Bourbon Restoration, but a number of these were stolen again in 1882. A few additional items disappeared during the 20th century.[4]
In 1991, the treasury of Saint-Denis was the theme of an exhibition at the
Louvre.[5]
Selected lost items
Two near-identical crowns both known successively as the
Crown of Charlemagne (or alternatively, of
Saint Louis), actually the coronation crowns of
Philip II of France and his wife
Ingeborg of Denmark. These were donated to the abbey by Philip in 1223, then taken back by
Louis VIII and donated again by
Saint Louis in 1261. The king's crown was melted in 1590 by
Charles de Guise during the
Catholic League's rule in Paris. The queen's crown was subsequently used as a substitute and correspondingly also known as the Crown of Charlemagne; a still-extant
emerald known as the émeraude de Saint Louis is believed by some scholars to be from that crown.[6] Another crown, known as the Crown of
Joan of Évreux,[7] was used for the queens' coronation. Both disappeared in 1793 during the
French Revolution.
Scepter of Saint Louis [
fr], main scepter of the kings of France, probably created around 1300, decorated with a large
Fleur-de-lis, disappeared in 1589 or 1590
Sceptre à la rose [
fr], main scepter of the queens of France, melted in 1589 or 1590 by destitute monks of the abbey
Several versions of the "Hand of Justice" (main de justice [
fr]), often held together with the scepter of Saint Louis, all destroyed during the Revolution; a 1804 recreation for the
coronation of Napoleon I, which includes older elements including the 13th-century "ring of Saint Denis",[10] is held in the
Louvre[11]
Fermail de la chappe [
fr], a large brooch that was used on the royal coronational mantle, sold in 1798
"Screen of Charlemagne" (escrain de Charlemagne), a 9th-century piece of monumental jewelry[12] of which the crowning gem remains, known as the intaille de
Julie, kept at the
Cabinet des Médailles[13]