By order of the emperor? The original design

All six Bamberg imperial robes can be dated to the time of Heinrich II (973-1024, ruled 1014-1024) and fit in with the emperor’s visual language and political agenda. They visualise the imperial couple’s claim to power, legitimacy and leadership programme and link the ecclesiastical and divine order, in which the emperor, as God’s chosen one, was responsible for peace and well-being in his empire.

Heinrich II is explicitly credited with luxury dress and non-verbal communication in the context of his wardrobe as early as 100 years after his death, an indication that an oral tradition linked him in particular to the beginnings of imperial dress norms, which were not written down until after his reign and were permanently established under the Hohenstaufen Friedrich II (1194-1250, ruled 1212-1250) with coronation regalia that were in use for centuries.

For the Bamberg imperial robes, precious silk fabrics from the East were transformed into luxury garments with the help of the finest Western embroidery. Their production was only possible in a large, well-rehearsed workshop where sufficient personnel and material resources were available. In the first quarter of the 11th century, there is no evidence of an established workshop at a specific location. A mobile workshop in the ruler’s entourage is equally conceivable, especially for a ruling couple like Heinrich II and Kunigunde (died 1033), who were almost exclusively on the road.

Despite all the changes that the imperial robes have undergone over the centuries, the richness of the material and the delicacy of the embroidery can still be observed. There are also references to the production process and special techniques. Circumstantial evidence also more than suggests an originally visible connection to the imperial couple. In some cases, it is also possible to get close to the original appearance of the textiles.

Tanja Kohwagner-Nikolai