Throne of Dagobert

The Throne of Dagobert, a bronze chair from the early Middle Ages linked to the Frankish and French monarchy, was initially housed at the Abbey of Saint-Denis and is now located at the Cabinet des médailles of the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris. Crafted entirely from bronze, its lower part is a curule seat adorned with leopard heads, believed to date back to the 7th century. The upper part, with rinceaux-decorated armrests and a pedimented back, is thought to be Carolingian from the 9th century. The throne underwent repairs in the 12th and 13th centuries.

Originally a faldstool for itinerant monarchs, the throne was traditionally associated with Dagobert I, who died in 639. It gained further prominence through depictions of Carolingian ruler Lothair I and subsequent Capetian kings. The first clear reference to the throne comes from Abbot Suger of Saint-Denis in the mid-12th century, noting its restoration.

The throne maintained its significance until the French Revolution, when it was transferred to the French National Library along with other treasures from the treasury of Saint-Denis in 1791. Napoleon I utilized the throne for his coronation in 1804, being the last French monarch to do so. The chair later found its way to the Louvre in 1852 and, after a brief stint, returned to the Bibliothèque Nationale in 1872.