bekroning

Bekroning is the ceremony by which a monarch or sovereign is crowned and invested with regal authority. The term comes from bekronen, meaning to crown, and bekroning denotes the act or rite of placing a crown on a ruler’s head. It is often described as a formal moment of transition in which the ruler is recognized as the legitimate sovereign.

Typical elements of bekroning include a public procession, the display of regalia such as crown, scepter, and orb, and the actual placing of the crown on the monarch. Many traditions also feature an oath of office and a blessing or religious component. In some cases anointing with holy oil is part of the rite; in others the ceremony is primarily secular and conducted by state officials.

Rituals and terminology vary by country. In some monarchies bekroning is a long-standing religious sacrament, while in others the accession is celebrated in a largely constitutional or civil ceremony without a formal coronation. In the Dutch context, the term inhuldiging is commonly used for the investiture of a monarch, while bekroning may be found in historical accounts or descriptive texts.

Bekroning serves as a symbolic act of legitimacy and national unity, linking the ruler to tradition and to the institutions of the state. Even when a formal crown or coronation is not held, the moment of accession can carry similar ceremonial weight, signaling continuity of rule and the sovereign’s role within the political system.