Crown of Stephen Bocskay
The Crown of Stephen Bocskay is a gift from the Ottoman Empire to the Prince of Transylvania Stephen Bocskay. It was produced from gold, rubies, spinels, emeralds, turquoises, pearls and silk (height 0,235 m, weight 1,88 kg).
History
To save the independence of Transylvania, Bocskay assisted the Turks. In 1605, as a reward for his part in driving Basta out of Transylvania, the Hungarian Diet assembled at Medgyes/Mediasch (Mediaş) elected him Prince of Transylvania; in response the Ottoman sultan Ahmed I sent a special envoy to greet Bocskay and presented him with a splendid jewelled crown made in Persia. Bocskay refused the royal dignity, but made skillful use of the Turkish alliance.
The crown is today displayed in the treasury of the Schatzkammer in Vienna.