Crown of Stephen Bocskai. Gold, rubies, spinels, emeralds, turquoise, pearls, silk, ca 1605 [1360 x 2048]

The Crown of Stephen Bocskai is a crown originally worn by members of the Serbian Nemanjić dynasty and given by the Ottoman sultan to Stephen Bocskai, Prince of Hungary and Transylvania, in the early 17th century. It was produced from gold, rubies, spinels, emeralds, turquoises, pearls and silk.

To save the independence of Transylvania, Bocskai assisted the Ottoman Turks. In 1605, as a reward for his part in driving Giorgio Basta out of Transylvania, the Hungarian Parlamentum assembled at Mediaş elected him Prince of Transylvania; in response the Ottoman sultan Ahmed I sent a special envoy to greet Bocskai and presented him with a splendid jewelled crown. Bocskai refused the royal dignity, but made skillful use of the Turkish alliance.