Wikipedia

Throne

This article is about royal and ecclesiastical thrones. For other uses, seeThrone (disambiguation).

Athroneis the seat of state of a potentate ordignitary,especially the seat occupied by asovereign(orviceroy) on state occasions; or the seat occupied by apopeorbishopon ceremonial occasions.[1]"Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to themonarchyitself, an instance ofmetonymy,and is also used in many expressions such as "the power behind the throne".[2]

A drawing of a throne, on adaisunder abaldachin

A throne is a symbol of divine and secular rule and the establishment of a throne as a defining sign of the claim to power and authority. It can be with a high backrest and feature heraldic animals or other decorations as adornment and as a sign of power and strength. A throne can be placed underneath a canopy orbaldachin.The throne can stand on steps or adaisand is thus always elevated. The expression "ascend (mount) the throne" takes its meaning from the steps leading up to the dais or platform, on which the throne is placed, being formerly comprised in the word's significance.[3]Coats of armsor insignia can feature on throne or canopy and represent thedynasty.Even in the physical absence of the ruler an empty throne can symbolise the everlasting presence of the monarchical authority.

When used in a political or governmental sense, a throne typically exists in a civilization, nation, tribe, or other politically designated group that is organized or governed under amonarchicalsystem. Throughout much of human history societies have been governed under monarchical systems, in the beginning asautocraticsystems and later evolved in most cases asconstitutional monarchieswithin liberal democratic systems, resulting in a wide variety of thrones that have been used by given heads of state. These have ranged fromstoolsin places such as in Africa to ornate chairs and bench-like designs in Europe and Asia, respectively. Often, but not always, a throne is tied to a philosophical or religiousideologyheld by the nation or people in question, which serves a dual role in unifying the people under the reigning monarch and connecting the monarch upon the throne to his or her predecessors, who sat upon the throne previously. Accordingly, many thrones are typically held to have been constructed or fabricated out of rare or hard to find materials that may be valuable or important to the land in question. Depending on the size of the throne in question it may be large and ornately designed as an emplaced instrument of a nation's power, or it may be a symbolic chair with little or no precious materials incorporated into the design.

When used in a religious sense, throne can refer to one of two distinct uses. The first use derives from the practice in churches of having abishopor higher-ranking religious official (archbishop,pope,etc.) sit on a special chair which in church referred to by written sources as a "throne", or “cathedra” (Latin for 'chair') and is intended to allow such high-ranking religious officials a place to sit in their place of worship. The other use for throne refers to a belief among many of the world'smonotheisticandpolytheisticreligions that the deity or deities that they worship are seated on a throne. Such beliefs go back to ancient times, and can be seen in surviving artwork and texts which discuss the idea of ancient gods (such as theTwelve Olympians) seated on thrones. In the majorAbrahamic religionsofJudaism,Christianity,andIslam,theThrone of Yahwehis attested to in religious scriptures and teachings, although the origin, nature, and idea of the Throne of Yahweh in these religions differs according to the given religious ideology practiced.

In the west, a throne is most identified as the seat upon which a person holding the titleKing,Queen,Emperor,orEmpresssits in a nation using amonarchypolitical system, although there are a few exceptions, notably with regards to religious officials such as the pope and bishops of various sects of the Christian faith. Changing geo-political tides have resulted in the collapse of several dictatorial and autocratic governments, which in turn have left a number of throne chairs empty. Many of these thrones—such as China'sDragon Throne—survive today as historic examples of nation's previous government.

Antiquity

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Fanciful depiction ofSolomonon his throne

Thrones were found throughout the canon ofancient furniture.The depiction ofmonarchsand deities as seated on chairs is a common topos in the iconography of theAncient Near East.

The wordthroneitself is fromGreekθρόνος(thronos), "seat, chair",[4]in origin a derivation from thePIEroot*dher-"to support" (also indharma"post, sacrificial pole" ). Early Greek Διὸς θρόνους (Dios thronous)[5]was a term for the "support of the heavens", i.e. theaxis mundi,which term whenZeusbecame an anthropomorphic god was imagined as the "seat of Zeus".[6]In Ancient Greek, a "thronos" was a specific but ordinary type of chair with afootstool,a high status object but not necessarily with any connotations of power. TheAchaeans(according toHomer) were known to place additional, empty thrones in the royalpalacesandtemplesso that the gods could be seated when they wished to be. The most famous of these thrones was the throne of Apollo inAmyclae.

TheRomansalso had two types of thrones—one for theemperorand one for the goddessRomawhose statues were seated upon thrones, which became centers of worship.

Persia

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Stone relief depictingXerxes the Greatseated on a throne

InPersia,the traditional name of the throne is theTakht-ePadeshah.From theAchaemenidera to the last Iranian dynastyPahlavi,the throne was used for sittingshahs.

Hebrew Bible

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The word "throne" inEnglish translations of the BiblerendersHebrewכסאkissē'.Thepharaoh of the Exodusis described as sitting on a throne (Exodus 11:5, 12:29), but mostly the term refers to the throne of thekingdom of Israel,often called the "throne ofDavid"or" throne ofSolomon".The literal throne of Solomon is described in1 Kings 10:18–20:"Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the best gold.. The throne had six steps, and the top of the throne was round behind: and there were stays on either side on the place of the seat, and two lions stood beside the stays. And twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other upon the six steps: there was not the like made in any kingdom." In theBook of Esther(5:3), the same word refers to the throne of the king of Persia.

TheGod of Israelhimself is frequently described as sitting on a throne, referred to outside of the Bible as theThrone of God,in thePsalms,and in a visionIsaiah(6:1), and notably in Isaiah 66:1,YHWHsays of himself "The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool" (this verse is alluded to byMatthew5:34-35).

Christian

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Main article:Cathedra

Biblical

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Vision ofJohn of Patmosfrom theBook of Revelation(4:4)—fourseraphimsurround the throne of Christ, twenty-four elders sit on thrones to either side (Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry)

In theOld Testament,Book of Kings Iexplicits the throne of Solomon: "Then the king made a great throne covered with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. The throne had six steps, and its back had a rounded top. On both sides of the seat were armrests, with a lion standing beside each of them. Twelve lions stood on the six steps, one at either end of each step" in Chapter 10 18-20.[7]

In theNew Testament,the angelGabrielalso refers to this throne in theGospel of Luke(1:32–33): "He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and theLordGodwill give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end. "

Jesuspromised hisapostlesthat they would sit upon "twelve thrones", judging thetwelve tribes of Israel(Matthew 19:28).John'sRevelationstates: "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away" (Revelation 20:11).

TheApostle Paulspeaks of "thrones"inColossians 1:16.Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite,in his workDe Coelesti Hierarchia(VI.7), interprets this as referring to one of the ranks ofangels(corresponding to the HebrewArelimorOphanim). This concept was expanded upon byThomas Aquinasin hisSumma Theologica(I.108), wherein the thrones are concerned with carrying out divine justice.

InMedievaltimes the "Throne of Solomon" was associated with theVirgin Mary,who was depicted as thethrone upon which Jesus sat.The ivory in the biblical description of the Throne of Solomon was interpreted as representing purity, the gold representing divinity, and the six steps of the throne stood for the sixvirtues.Psalm 45:9was also interpreted as referring to the Virgin Mary, with the entire Psalm describing a royal throne room.

Ecclesiastical

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Throne of the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople in thePhanar,Istanbul. On the dais theGospelisenthronedon acurule chair,in front of it, lower down is the patriarch's throne.

From ancient times,bishopsof theRoman Catholic,Eastern Orthodox,Anglicanand other churches where episcopal offices exist, have been formally seated on a throne, called acathedra(Greek:κάθεδρα, seat). Traditionally located in thesanctuary,the cathedra symbolizes the bishop's authority to teach the faith (hence the expression "ex cathedra") and to govern his flock.

Ex cathedrarefers to the explicative authority, notably the extremely rarely used procedure required for a papal declaration to be 'infallible' under Roman Catholiccanon law.In several languages the word deriving fromcathedrais commonly used for an academic teaching mandate, the professorial chair.

From the presence of this cathedra (throne), which can be as elaborate and precious as fits a secular prince (even if the prelate is not aprince of the churchin the secular sense), a bishop's primary church is called acathedral.In the Roman Catholic Church, abasilica—from the Greekbasilikos'royal'—now refers to the presence there of a papalcanopy(ombrellino), part of hisregalia,and applies mainly to many cathedrals and Catholic churches of similar importance or splendor. InRoman Antiquitya basilica was secular public hall. Thus, the term basilica may also refer to a church designed after the manner of the ancient Roman basilica. Many of the churches built by the emperorConstantine the GreatandJustinianare of the basilica style.

Some otherprelatesbesides bishops are permitted the use of thrones, such asabbotsandabbesses.These are often simpler than the thrones used by bishops and there may be restrictions on the style and ornamentation used on them, according to the regulations and traditions of the particular denomination.

As a mark of distinction, Roman Catholic bishops and higher prelates have a right to a canopy above their thrones at certain ecclesiastical functions. It is sometimes granted by specialprivilegeto prelates inferior to bishops, but always with limitations as to the days on which it may be used and the character of its ornamentation. Theliturgical colorof the canopy should correspond with that of the other vestments. When ruling monarchs attend services, they are also allowed to be seated on a throne that is covered by a canopy, but their seats must be outside the sanctuary.[8]

In theGreek Orthodox Church,the bishop's throne will often combine features of the monastic choir stall (kathisma) with appurtenances inherited from the Byzantine court, such as a pair of lions seated at the foot of the throne.

The term "throne" is often used in reference topatriarchsto designate their ecclesiastical authority; for instance, "the Ecumenical Throne" refers to the authority of theecumenical patriarch of Constantinople.

Western bishops may also use afaldstoolto fulfill the liturgical purpose of the cathedra when not in their own cathedral.

Papal

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Drawing of theCathedra Sancti Petri,in St. Peter's Basilica, Rome

In theRoman Catholic Church,thepopeis anelected monarch,both undercanon lawassupreme head of the church,and underinternational lawas thehead of state—styled "sovereign pontiff" —of theVatican City State(the sovereign state within the city of Rome established by the 1929Lateran Treaty). Until 1870, the pope was the elected monarch of thePapal States,which for centuries constituted one of the largest political powers on the divided Italian peninsula. To this day, theHoly Seemaintains officially recognised diplomatic status, and papalnunciosandlegatesare deputed ondiplomatic missionsthroughout the world.

The pope's throne (Cathedra Romana) is located in theapseof theArchbasilica of St. John Lateran,hiscathedralasBishop of Rome.

In theapseofSaint Peter's Basilica,above the "Altar of the Chair" lies theCathedra Petri,a throne believed to have been used by St Peter himself and other earlier popes; thisrelicis enclosed in a gilt bronze casting and forms part of a huge monument designed byGian Lorenzo Bernini.

Unlike at his cathedral (Archbasilica of St. John Lateran), there is no permanentcathedrafor the pope in St Peter's Basilica, so a removable throne is placed in the basilica for the pope's use whenever he presides over a liturgical ceremony. Prior to the liturgical reforms that occurred in the wake of theSecond Vatican Council,a huge removable canopied throne was placed above an equally removable dais in the choir side of the "Altar of the Confession" (thehigh altarabove the tomb of St Peter and beneath the monumental bronzebaldachin); this throne stood between the apse and the Altar of the Confession.

This practice has fallen out of use with the 1960s and 1970s reform of Papal liturgy and, whenever the pope celebrates Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, a simpler portable throne is now placed on platform in front of the Altar of the Confession. Whenever PopeBenedict XVIcelebrated theLiturgy of the Hoursat St Peter's, a more elaborate removable throne was placed on a dais to the side of the Altar of the Chair. When the pope celebrates Mass on the basilica steps facingSt. Peter's Square,portable thrones are also used.

In the past, the pope was also carried on occasions in a portable throne, called thesedia gestatoria.Originally, thesediawas used as part of the elaborate procession surrounding papal ceremonies that was believed to be the most direct heir ofpharaonicsplendor, and included a pair offlabella(fans made from ostrich feathers) to either side.Pope John Paul Iat first abandoned the use of these implements, but later in his brief reign began to use thesediaso that he could be seen more easily by the crowds. The use of thesediawas abandoned byPope John Paul IIin favor of the so-called "popemobile"when outside. Near the end of his pontificate, Pope John Paul II had a specially constructed throne on wheels that could be used inside.

Prior to 1978, at thepapal conclave,eachcardinalwas seated on a throne in theSistine Chapelduring the balloting. Each throne had acanopyover it. After a successful election, once the new pope accepted election and decided by what name he would be known, the cardinals would all lower their canopies, leaving only the canopy over the newly elected pope. This was the new pope's first throne. This tradition was dramatically portrayed in the 1968 filmThe Shoes of the Fisherman.

Medieval and early modern periods

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Throne of CharlemagneatAachen Cathedral

In European feudal countries, monarchs often were seated on thrones, based in all likelihood on the Roman magisterial chair. These thrones were originally quite simple, especially when compared to their Asian counterparts. One of the grandest and most important was the Throne ofIvan "the Terrible".Dating from the mid-16th century, it is shaped as a high-backed chair with arm rests, and adorned with ivory and walrus bone plaques intricately carved with mythological, heraldic and life scenes. The plaques carved with scenes from the biblical account ofKing David's life are of particular relevance, as David was seen as the ideal for Christian monarchs.[9]In practice, any chair the monarch occupied in a formal setting served as a "throne", though there were often special chairs used only for this kept in places the monarch often went to. Thrones began to be made in pairs, for the king and queen, which remained common in later periods. Sometimes they are identical, or the queen's throne may be slightly less grand.

The throne of theByzantine Empire(Magnaura) included elaborateautomatonsof singing birds.[10]In the 'regency' (nominally an Ottoman province, de facto an independent realm) of thebeyofTunis,the throne was calledkursi.

Although medieval examples tended to be retained in theearly modern period,having acquired the aura of tradition, when new thrones were made they either continued medieval styles or were just very grand and elaborate versions of contemporary chairs or armchairs.

South Asia

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Painting of the (later)Peacock Thronein theDiwan-i-Khasof the Red Fort, around 1850

In theIndian subcontinent,the traditionalSanskritname for the throne wassiṃhāsana(lit., seat of a lion). In theMughaltimes the throne was calledShāhī takht([ˈʃaːhiːˈtəxt]). The termgadi[11]orgaddi(Hindustani pronunciation:[ˈɡəd̪ːi],also calledrājgaddī) referred to a seat with a cushion used as a throne by Indian princes.[12]That term was usually used for the throne of a Hinduprincely state's ruler, while among Muslim princes or Nawabs, save exceptions such as theTravancore Stateroyal family,[13]the termmusnad([ˈməsnəd]), also spelt asmusnud,was more common, even though both seats were similar.

TheThrone of Jahangirwas built by Mughal emperorJahangirin 1602 and is located at theDiwan-i-Khas(hall of private audience) at theAgra Fort.

ThePeacock Thronewas the seat of theMughal emperorsof India. It was commissioned in the early 17th century by EmperorShah Jahanand was located in theRed Fortof Delhi. The original throne was subsequently captured and taken as a war trophy in 1739 by the Persian kingNadir Shahand has been lost ever since. A replacement throne based on the original was commissioned afterwards and existed until theIndian Rebellion of 1857.

Maharaja Ranjit Singh's thronewas made by the goldsmith Hafez Muhammad Multani about 1820 to 1830. Made of wood and resin core, covered with sheets of repoussé, chased and engraved gold.[14]

The Golden Throne orChinnada SimhasanaorRatna SimahasanainKannadais the royal seat of the rulers of theKingdom of Mysore.The Golden Throne is kept at Mysore Palace.

Southeast Asia

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Painting of the Burmese royal throne in the shape of apalin
See also:Palin (throne)

In Burma, the traditional name for a throne ispalin,from thePalitermpallaṅka,which means "couch" or "sofa." The Burmesepalinin pre-colonial times was used to seat the sovereign and his main consort, and is today used to seat religious leaders such assayadaws,and images of the Buddha. Royal thrones are calledyazapalin(ရာဇပလ္လင်), while thrones seating images or statues of the Buddha are calledgaw pallin(ဂေါ့ပလ္လင်) orsamakhan(စမ္မခဏ်), from the Pali termsammakhaṇḍa.

East Asia

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TheTakamikurathrone kept in the Kyoto Imperial Palace is used for accession ceremonies. The metonym "Chrysanthemum Throne"is also used.

TheDragon Throneis the term used to identify the throne of theemperor of China.As thedragonwas the emblem of divine imperial power, the throne of the emperor, who was considered a livinggod,was known as the Dragon Throne.[15]The term can refer to very specific seating, as in the special seating in various structures in theForbidden CityofBeijingor in the palaces of theOld Summer Palace.In an abstract sense, the "Dragon Throne" also refersrhetoricallyto thehead of stateand to themonarchyitself.[16]TheDaoguang Emperoris said to have referred to his throne as "the divineutensil."

Thethroneof theemperorsofVietnamare often referred to asngai vàng( "golden throne" ) orngôi báu( đại bảo / bảo tọa ) literally "great precious" (seat/position). The throne is always adorned with the pattern and motif of theVietnamese dragon,which is the exclusive and privileged symbol of the Vietnamese emperors. The last existing imperial throne in Vietnam is the throne of theNguyễn emperorsplaced in the Hall of Supreme Harmony at theImperial City of Huế.It is designated as anational treasure of Vietnam.[17]InVietnamese folk religion,the gods, deities and ancestral spirits are believed to seat figuratively on thrones at places of worship. Therefore, on Vietnamese altars, there are various types of liturgical "throne" often decorated with red paint and golden gilding.[18]

ThePhoenix Throne( ngự tọa /어좌eojwa) is the term used to identify the throne of theking of Korea.In an abstract sense, the Phoenix Throne also refersrhetoricallyto thehead of stateof theJoseon dynasty(1392–1897) and theEmpire of Korea(1897–1910). The throne is located atGyeongbok Palacein Seoul.

TheChrysanthemum Throne(Hoàng vị,kōi,lit. "Imperial position/rank" )is the term used to identify the throne of theemperor of Japan.The term also can refer to very specific seating, such as thetakamikura( cao ngự tọa ) throne in the Shishin-den atKyoto Imperial Palace.[19]

The throne of theRyukyu Kingdomis located inShuri Castle,Naha.

Modern period

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Throne-like chair of theLord Mayor of Londonin London'sGuildhall

During theRussian Empire,the throne inSt. George's Hall(the "Greater Throne Room" ) in theWinter Palacewas regarded asthethrone of Russia. It sits atop a seven-steppeddaiswith aproscenium archabove and the symbol of the imperial family behind (thetwo-headed eagle).Peter I'sRoom (the "Smaller Throne Room" ) is modest in comparison to the former. The throne was made forEmpressAnna Ivanovnain London. There is also a throne in the Grand Throne Room of thePeterhof Palace.

In some countries with a monarchy, thrones are still used and have important symbolic and ceremonial meaning. Among the most famous thrones still in usage areSt Edward's Chair,on which theBritish monarchis crowned, and the thrones used by monarchs during the state opening of parliaments in theUnited Kingdom,theNetherlands,Canada,Australia,andJapan(see above) among others.

Some republics use distinctive throne-like chairs in some state ceremonial. Thepresident of Irelandsits on a formerviceregalthrone during his or herinaugurationceremony, whilelords mayorandlords provostof manyBritishandIrishcities often preside over local councils from throne-like chairs.

Owing to its symbolic nature, a toilet is often jokingly referred to as "a throne" (namely, the "porcelain throne" ).

List

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TheSilver Throneof Sweden, inside Stockholm Palace
The Ivory Throne ofTsarIvan IVofRussia.
TheDragon Throneof theemperor of Chinain theForbidden CityinBeijing.

Africa

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Asia

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Europe

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North America

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The thronesfor theCanadian monarch(back left) and his or herroyal consort(back right) in theSenate of Canada;these may also be occupied by the sovereign's representative, thegovernor general,and his or herviceregal consortat theState Opening of Parliament(thespeaker's chair is at centre)
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Africa

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Asia-Pacific

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Europe

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South America

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See also

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Other uses

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  • Inmusic,the stool used to sit behind adrum kitis often called a throne.
  • Inreligion,a niche in analtarpiece for displaying theHoly Sacramentis called a throne.
  • Inslang,a common sit-downtoiletis also called a throne, or more formally the 'porcelain throne'.
  • One of the Angel choirs is an order calledOphanimor 'Thrones', said to carry God's heavenly throne — other choir names expressing power in secular terms include Powers, Principalities, Dominions

Sources and references

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  1. ^Oxford English Dictionary,ISBN0-19-861186-2
  2. ^Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th edition, 1910–1911vol. 26, p. 891-2.
  3. ^Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th edition, 1910–1911vol. 26, p. 891-2.
  4. ^θρόνοςArchived2020-10-01 at theWayback Machine,Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott,A Greek-English Lexicon,on Perseus
  5. ^Sophocles,Antigone,1041Archived2021-04-13 at theWayback Machine,on Perseus
  6. ^Janda, Michael,Die Musik nach dem Chaos,Innsbruck 2010.
  7. ^"Bible Gateway passage: 1 Kings 10 - New International Version".Bible Gateway.Archivedfrom the original on 2023-05-01.Retrieved2023-05-01.
  8. ^"Canopy".The Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. III. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1908.Retrieved2007-07-12.
  9. ^"Throne of Ivan IV the Terrible".Regalia of Russian Tsars.The Moscow Kremlin.Archivedfrom the original on 2017-06-29.Retrieved2007-07-12.
  10. ^Brett, Gerard (July 1954). "The Automata in the Byzantine" Throne of Solomon "".Speculum.29(3): 477–487.doi:10.2307/2846790.ISSN0038-7134.JSTOR2846790.S2CID163031682.
  11. ^Ruling Princes and Chiefs of IndiaISBN9789693516852throughout 408 p
  12. ^Mark Brentnall, ed.The Princely and Noble Families of the Former Indian Empire: Himachal Pradeshpg. 301
  13. ^Velu Pillai.Travancore State Manual(1940)
  14. ^"The Court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh".Vam.ac.uk.13 January 2011.Archivedfrom the original on 25 May 2011.Retrieved10 August2018.
  15. ^Arnold, Julean Herbert. (1920).Commercial Handbook of China,p. 446.Archived2023-04-07 at theWayback Machine
  16. ^Williams, David. (1858).The preceptor's assistant, or, Miscellaneous questions in general history, literature, and science,p. 153.Archived2023-04-05 at theWayback MachineBooks.google.com
  17. ^Prime Minister of Vietnam (23 December 2015),Quyết định số 2382/QĐ-TTg của Thủ tướng Chính phủ: Về việc công nhận bảo vật quốc gia[Decision No. 2382/QD-TTg on recognition of national treasures] (in Vietnamese), Viet Nam Government Portal,archivedfrom the original on 24 April 2021,retrieved2 March2021
  18. ^Hue-Tam Ho Tai (2021),Religion in Vietnam: A World of Gods and Spirits,Asia Society,archivedfrom the original on 25 February 2021,retrieved2 March2021
  19. ^Ponsonby-Fane, Richard.(1959).The Imperial House of Japan,p. 337.
  20. ^"Sri Lanka".www.andrews.edu.Retrieved2024-02-11.
  21. ^"Chapter IV".
  22. ^"A nation that spotlights poets".
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