The Crowned Heads Of Europe

Alexey - Great post. Thanks! Sergei Eisenstein's 1938 film Alexander Nevsky is one of my favorites. The film's musical score, composed by Sergei Prokofiev, is truly magnificent.

Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Elizabeth II, Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms (1926- ), engraved and printed by Thomas De La Rue & Co., Ltd., and issued for use in Southern Rhodesia on June 1, 1953 to commemorate her coronation, Scott No. 80.

- nethryk

Denmark 1960
25th anniversary of the marriage of King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid

Ermesinde of Luxembourg (1186-1247) was the Countess of Luxembourg, Laroche and Durbuy between 1197 and 1247. After her second husband's death in 1226, Ermesinde ruled Luxembourg alone for two decades. She proved to be an effective administrator, granting charters of freedom to several towns and increasing the prosperity of her country. Here are images of the two stamps in a set honoring Countess Ermesinde, designed by Austrian painter Adolf "Adi" Tuma (1956- ), combined engraved by Wolfgang Seidel and photogravure, and issued by Luxembourg on September 15, 1986, Scott Nos. 761 & 762.

- nethryk

Countess Ermeisinde presenting the charter of freedom to the inhabitants of Echternach, 1236, after a detail from an engraving, c.1873, by Dutch artist Pieter Harmen Witkamp (1816-1892).


Charter Seal of the Convent of Marienthal, 1238, featuring a depiction of Countess Ermesinde holding a cross.

Reccared I (559–601) (reigned 586–601) was a Visigothic King of Hispania, Septimania and Galicia. His reign marked a major shift in European history, when the king renunciated Arianism in favor of Catholic Christianity in 587. Here is an image of an airmail stamp featuring a portrait of King Reccared, engraved by Daniel Carande Boto, and issued by Spain on December 5, 1963, Scott No. C175, Edifil No. 1538.

- nethryk

Magnus Haakonsson (1238-1280) was King of Norway from 1257 to 1280. Magnus IV reformed the Norwegian law-code, for which he is known as Magnus Lagabøter ("Magnus the Law-mender"). Here are images of the two stamps in a set designed and engraved by Henry Welde, and issued by Norway on June 21, 1974 to commemorate the 700th anniversary of Magnus's national legislation, Scott Nos. 635 & 636, Facit Nos. 716 & 717.

- nethryk

Magnus IV giving his national law to a subject in 1274, after an illumination from the 14th century Codex Hardenbergianus, and a manuscript page. Note how the arches in the illumination form the capital letter "M" for Magnus.


Head of Magnus IV, after a sculpture from Stavanger Cathedral, dated c. 1270s–80s.

Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina (1717-1780) was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions, and the last ruler from the House of Habsburg. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Empress Maria Theresa, designed by Austrian artist Koloman Moser (1868-1918), engraved by Ferdinand Schirnböck, printed by typography, and issued by Austria on January 1, 1908, Scott No. 111a, plus an image of a portrait (1759) of Maria Theresa by Swedish-Austrian painter Martin van Meytens (1695-1770). Imperious!

- nethryk

Vytautas the Great (c. 1350-1430) was one of the most famous rulers of medieval Lithuania. In modern Lithuania, Vytautas is revered as a national hero and was an important figure in the national rebirth in the 19th century. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Grand Duke Vytautas, designed by Lithuanian painter Adomas Varnas (1879-1979), printed by lithography, and issued by Lithuania on February 16, 1930 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Vytautas's death, Scott No. 245, plus an image of a 17th-century painting of the Grand Duke.

- nethryk

nethryk, I certainly do enjoy the history and facts of your posts. Please do continue with your fascinating topics!

fjrosetti - Thanks! I'm glad that you like reading my posts at SCF. It's fun for me to share with the community some of the facts that I have learned though my stamp research.

Here are images of the four semi-postal (charity) stamps in a set depicting Hungarian royals and saints, designed by Hungarian graphic artist and painter Ferenc Helbing (1870-1958), printed by lithography, and issued by Hungary on May 15, 1930 to commemorate the 900th anniversary of the death of Saint Emerich, son of Stephen I and Blessed Gisela, Scott Nos. B88-B91.

- nethryk

Saint Emerich (c. 1007-1031), ascetic prince and heir apparent before his untimely death in a boar hunt.


Saints Stephen I and Gisela, first King of Hungary (c. 1001-1038) and his Royal Consort, Emerich's parents.


Saint Ladislaus I (c. 1040-1095), King of Hungary (1077-1095)


Saint Gerhard (Gerard Sagredo, 980-1046), an Italian Benedictine monk, instructing Saint Emerich.

Happy 70th Birthday to Queen Silvia of Sweden (1943- ), the spouse of King Carl XVI Gustaf and mother of the heir apparent to the throne, Crown Princess Victoria. Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Queen Silvia, designed after a photograph by B. Larsson, engraved by Lars Sjööblom, and issued by Sweden on August 21, 2003, plus an image of a recent photograph of the Queen.

- nethryk

On Sunday, December 2, 1804, Napoleon I was crowned as Emperor of the French. At the moment of the crowning, when the Pope said, "Receive the imperial crown...", Napoleon unexpectedly turned and, forestalling the Pope, removed his laurel wreath and crowned himself and then crowned the kneeling Joséphine with a small crown surmounted by a cross, which he had first placed on his own head. Here is an image of a stamp depicting Napoleon performing his audacious deed, designed and engraved by Albert Decaris after a detail from a painting entitled Coronation of Napoleon (1805-1807), a collaboration between French artists Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825) and Georges Rouget (1783-1869), and issued by France on November 12, 1973, Scott No. 1385, Y&T No. 1776, plus an image of the relevant detail from the original painting.

- nethryk

Nethryk.

Excellent post! Nice history lesson and, as always, terrific image!

fjrosetti - Thanks!

Here is an image of a stamp featuring a portrait of Georgina von Wilczek (1921-1989), Princess consort of Liechtenstein, holding her fifth child, Prince Franz Josef Wenzeslaus "Wenzel" (1962–1991), printed by photogravure (Courvoisier, S.A.), and issued by Liechtenstein on December 7, 1965, Scott No. 404. Historical note: The circumstances of Prince Wenzel's premature death are rather mysterious, and there are many rumors surrounding it.

- nethryk

Clovis I (c. 466 – c. 511), the first king of the Franks, converted to Catholicism and was baptized on Christmas Day, 496, by Saint Remigius (c. 437-533), Bishop of Reims and Apostle of the Franks. Here is an image of a stamp depicting Clovis's baptism, designed and engraved by Claude Jumelet after an illustration from the 15th century "Great Chronicle of France," and issued by France on September 14, 1996 to commemorate the 1,500th anniversary of this historic event, Scott No. 2541, Y&T No. 3024, plus an image of the original illustration. Splish, splash!

- nethryk