IMPERIAL CROWN properly signifies the crown borne by the German emperor; in form, a circle of gold, adorned with precious stones and fleurs-de-lis, bordered and seeded with pearls, and raised in the form of a cap voided at the top like a crescent. From the middle of the cap rises an arched fillet enriched with pearls, and surmounted by a globe, on which is across of pearls. The name imperial crown is, however, in English heraldry, applied to the crown worn in times past by the kings of England. From the 12th c. onwards the crown of the English sovereigns underwent repeated changes in form and enrichment. That of Edward II. was formed of four large and four small strawberry leaves, rising in curves from the jeweled circlet, and having eight small flowers alter nating with the leaves. In Henry IV.'s crown eight strawberry leaves, and as many fleurs-de-lis alternated with 16 small groups of pearls, three in each. Under Henry V. the enriched circlet was for the first time arched over with jeweled bands of gold, and the apex of the arches surmounted with a mound and cross, while crosses patties wee substituted for the strawberry leaves, and roses or fleurs-de-lis for the clusters of pearls.
The arches, at first numerous and elevated to a point, became, in later times, restricted to four, and depressed in the center. The imperial crown of heraldry, as now under stood, is, in point of fact, the form of crown worn by the English sovereigns from Charles II. to William IV. It has four crosses patties and four fleurs-de-lis set alternately on the circlet, while four pearl-studded arches, rising from within the crosses, carry at their intersection the mound and cross. The state crown of queen Victoria differs considerably from this, having a far more enriched character. It is covered with diamonds and studded with gems,. and the arches are wrought into wreaths of rose, thistle, and shamrock formed of brilliants. A charge, crest, or supporter, crowned with a regal crown, is said to be imperially crowned.