Serbian eagle
Reconstruction of the 14th-century flag of the Serbian Empire | |
Heraldic tradition | Byzantine Empire |
---|---|
Governing body | Serbian Heraldry Society |
The double-headed eagle is a common symbol in Serbian heraldry and vexillology; the heads represent the dual sovereignty of the emperor (secular and religious) and/or dominance of the Byzantine Emperors over both East and West. The emblem has mostly been depicted as a white eagle (Beli Orao, pl. Beli Orlovi) since 1804.
The Serbian cross is being used together with the Serbian eagle in the contemporary design of the coat of arms of Serbia, following the tradition established by the Kingdom of Serbia of 1882.
History
The double-headed eagle itself has a much longer history, and was adopted in late medieval Serbia under the Byzantine influence.
Beginning in the 14th century, it can be seen on inscriptions, medieval frescoes and embroidery on the clothes of the Serbian royal family members.[1][2] King Stefan Nemanja used the symbol, as well as the Serbian Orthodox Church. The entrance of the Zica monastery is engraved with the double-headed eagle. Queen Teodora's golden ring has the symbol. The Nemanyid Dynasty's Coat of Arms was the double-headed eagle (later, post-Imperial houses adopted the symbol as an continuation, like Mrnjavčević and Lazarević for instance). During the reign of Emperor Dushan the Mighty (1331–1345), the double-headed eagle can be seen on everyday objects and state related documents, such as vax stamps and proclamations. In 1339, map maker, Angelino Dulcert, marks the Serbian Empire with the (red) double-headed eagle flag.[3] Tsar Lazar, when renovating the Hilandar monastery of Mount Athos, ingraved the emblem of Serbia at the northern wall.[4] The Codex Monacensis Slavicus 4 (fl. 1371-1389) has richly attested artwork of the Serbian eagle.
The double-headed eagle was officially adopted by Stefan Lazarević after he received the despot-title, the second highest Byzantine title, by John VII Palaiologos in August 1402 at the court in Constantinople.[5]
After the Ottoman invasion and subsequent occupation that lasted for 500 years, the double-headed eagle was forbidden to be used as it was a symbol of Serbian sovereignty and statehood. The Serbian cross; with four fire-steels ("ocila") came into greater use as another symbol of Serbs as it also was used in the Middle Ages.
In 1804, Gavrilovic issued a revolutionary flag, of the Nemanyid eagle, taken from the Stemmatographia.[6] The House of Karađorđević, Serbia's last royal house, had resurrected the Nemanyid Eagle, and it is since the Coat of Arms of Serbia following independence from the Ottomans.
Use in heraldry
- The White Eagle is depicted on the royal houses of Nemanjić, Mrnjavčević, Lazarević, Crnojević, Obrenović and Karađorđević, and is used on the Coat of arms of Serbia and the Flag of Serbia.
-
1339 map of Angelino Dulcert, showing a red double-headed eagle as the flag of Serbia
-
A fresco of Despot Stefan Lazarević (from Manasija monastery, 15th century) showing him with the double-headed eagle emblem embroidered on his robe
-
Eagle in the frescoes of Our Lady of Ljeviš
-
Nemanjić from Stemmatographia (1741)
-
-
Coat of arms of House of Nemanjić
-
Royal crown of Serbia
-
Coat of arms of House of Karađorđević
-
Kingdom of Serbia (1882–1918)
-
Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia(1918–1941)
-
Coat of arms of Republika Srpska (1992-2006)
-
Serbia & Montenegro (1992–2006)
-
Coat of arms of Serbia (large)
-
Coat of arms of Serbia (small)
Use in modern municipalities
-
Coat of arms of Belgrade
-
Coat of arms of Niš
-
Former coat of arms of Niš
-
Coat of arms of Užice
-
Coat of arms of Prijepolje
-
Coat of arms of Mionica
-
Coat of arms of Savski Venac
-
Coat of arms of Stari Grad, Belgrade
-
Coat of arms of Valjevo
-
Coat of arms of Velika Plana
-
Coat of arms of Čajetina
-
Coat of arms of Bileća
-
Flag of Leskovac
-
Coat of arms of Surdulica
-
Flag of Despotovac
References
- ↑ Alexander Solovyev, "The History of the Serbian coat of arms" (1958), page 130
- ↑ J. Kovacevic, "Medieval Clothes of the Slavs in the Balkans" (1953), pages 19-97 and 183-210
- ↑ Alexander Solovyev, "The History of the Serbian coat of arms" (1958), pages 134-135
- ↑ A. Ivic, "Old Serbian Stamps and coat of arms" (1910), page 30
- ↑ Jahrbücher für Geschichte Osteuropas, vol. 8, Osteuropa-Institut München, F. Steiner Verlag, 1960, p. 511.
- ↑ http://books.google.com/books?id=jWGDAAAAMAAJ
|