The Schatzkammer or Imperial treasury was absolutely amazing. It is located in the Hofburg Palace and is a little tricky to get to. You have to walk around and proceed through a courtyard called “Swiss Courtyard” or Schweizer Hof. This treasury hold most of the Jewels of the Habsburgs and contains many priceless items.
The Habsburgs enjoyed a very lavish lifestyle which is evident by the palaces they constructed and the jewels they wore. The Habsburgs were able to maintain and carry on such a life style because of they were absolute monarchs. An absolute monarch is a monarch who has absolute power over all his or her subjects. These monarchs may have customs or religious authorities that may try and curtail their power but in the end an absolute monarch has absolute control.
One reason for such a lavish lifestyle was to help make the peasants believe that the monarchs were untouchable. All the pomp and grandiose excess reinforces peasant beliefs that they are inferior. This gives the monarchs more control and allows them to continue their reign unrestrained. The Habsburgs believed they had divine right over there people. The Catholic Church reenforced this method of thinking. Parsons says,“authority and legitimacy of rulers in Austria would rest on an alliance between the Roman Catholic Church and the dynasty, between throne and altar.” pg 99 With the Catholic Church in league with the rulers the power of the divine right ruler was constantly being reinforced.
Baroque is an artistic style that was encouraged by the Catholic Church. It mainly communicates religious themes and is a means of expressing triumphant power. This style can be seen in paintings, sculptures, music, literature and architecture. I feel that this style represents the Habsburgs monarchy and the Catholic Church because of their quest to maintain and assert the legitimacy over the common people.
The jewels present in the Schatzkammer also express this absolute and baroque ideas. The jewels make the wearer seem larger then life. It makes the person looking at them feel envy and self consciousness. These jewels reenforce the power of the monarch. A few examples of these beautiful masterpieces are; The Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire, The Order of the Golden Fleece and the Imperial Crown of Austria.
The Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire:
The Order of the Golden Fleece:
Imperial Crown of Austria:
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