The Lost Royal Casket of Poland

Izabela Czartoryska created the Royal Casket in 1800. The big wooden casket held 73 valuable antiques originally belonging to Polish royalty.

What is the Royal Casket of Queen Izabela

Czartoryska’s passion for art began in the 1780s when she traveled to Switzerland, Scotland, and England. She began with a few pieces and was able to greatly expand her collection over time. And she stored them inside a wooden box.

Notable Items Stored Inside the Royal Casket

the Polish Eagle on a chain a item which was inside the royal casket — The Polish Eagle on a chain an item which was inside the royal casket

According to legend, the Royal Casket contains 73 relics of the Polish monarchy. Portrait of Queen Constance of Austria wearing a silver dress made by King Sigismund III Vasa, a gold watch of King Augustus I, a gold watch of Queen Marie Casimir, a pectoral cross of King Sigismund the Old, a gold filigree chain of Queen Ludwika Gonzaga, a silver rosary of Queen Leszczynska, a gold snuffbox of King Stanislaw Poniatowski, silver filigree cutlery of Prince Zygmunt Kazimierz, a gold enameled pendant with A monogram, and a gold chain of Queen Anna Jagiellon.

After making the casket, Princess Czartoryska put it in a museum in Pulawy.

Cross on Anna Jagiellon's Chain another item which was inside the royal casket — Cross on Anna Jagiellon’s Chain another item which was inside the royal casket

What Happened to the Royal Casket

The November Uprising, also known as the Polish-Russian War, was in full swing in 1830. The Poles revolted and attempted to overthrow the Russian army. To safeguard the expensive stuff, Izabela Czartoryska had the casket relocated to Krakow during WWII for safekeeping, where it was bricked up within a castle outbuilding. A German worker for the Czartoryski family told the Nazis where the casket was, and the contents of the casket were later stolen.

The contents of the royal casket were never seen again.