Kroniseringar

Kroniseringar are coronation ceremonies—the formal investiture of a monarch with sovereign authority and the official transfer of power. The term comes from krona, meaning crown, and the -isering suffix indicating a process, and is used in Swedish to describe the rites surrounding the accession of a monarch.

A kroniseringar typically combines religious and secular elements. Common components include an oath by the ruler, the presentation or bestowal of regalia such as the crown, scepter, and orb, and often anointing or blessing; a formal service, a state or public procession, and a ceremonial banquet or celebration.

Historically, coronation rituals developed in ancient and medieval contexts and spread with monarchies across Europe and other regions. In many modern monarchies, the political function of the crown is largely symbolic, and some states perform only an accession ceremony or investiture rather than a full coronation. The precise form—whether religious ritual, secular ceremony, or both—varies by culture, religion, and legal framework.

In contemporary practice, kroniseringar are still observed in some constitutional monarchies on the accession of a new monarch. They are sometimes held only for certain reigns, or replaced or supplemented by more modest ceremonies. Notable modern occurrences include royal coronations in the United Kingdom, such as those of Elizabeth II in 1953 and Charles III in 2023, which illustrate the enduring ceremonial dimension even as political authority has evolved.