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Crown (heraldry)

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The coat of arms of Norway, with the royal crown displayed atop the escutcheon

A crown is often an emblem of a sovereign state, usually a monarchy (see The Crown), but also used by some republics.

A specific type of crown is employed in heraldry under strict rules. Indeed, some monarchies never had a physical crown, just a heraldic representation, as in the constitutional kingdom of Belgium.

Crowns are also often used as symbols of religious status or veneration, by divinities (or their representation such as a statue) or by their representatives, e.g. the Black Crown of the Karmapa Lama, sometimes used a model for wider use by devotees.

A crown can be a charge in a coat of arms, or set atop the shield to signify the status of its owner, as with the coat of arms of Norway.

Physical and heraldic crowns

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Sometimes, the crown commonly depicted and used in heraldry differs significantly from any specific physical crown that may be used by a monarchy.

Photograph of the physical crown of Norway Representation of the physical crown of Norway The heraldic crown for the King of Norway (1905 pattern)

As a display of rank

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If the bearer of a coat of arms has the title of baron or higher (or hereditary knight in some countries), he or she may display a coronet of rank above the shield, usually below the helm in British heraldry, and often above the crest (if any) in Continental heraldry.

In this case, the appearance of the crown or coronet follows a strict set of rules. A royal coat of arms may display a royal crown, such as that of Norway. A princely coat of arms may display a princely crown, and so on.

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A mural crown is commonly displayed on coats of arms of towns and some republics. Other republics may use a so-called people's crown or omit the use of a crown altogether. The heraldic forms of crowns are often inspired by the physical appearance of the respective country's actual royal or princely crowns.

Ships and other units of some navies have a naval crown, composed of the sails and sterns of ships, above the shield of their coats of arms. Squadrons of some air forces have an astral crown, composed of wings and stars. There is also the Eastern crown, made up of spikes, and when each spike is topped with a star, it becomes a celestial crown.[1]

Whereas most county councils in England use mural crowns, there is a special type of crown that was used by Scottish county councils. It was composed of spikes, was normally shown vert (green) and had golden wheat sheaves between the spikes.[2] Today, most of the Scottish unitary authorities still use this "wheat sheaf crown", but it is now the usual gold.

Astral crown Camp crown Celestial crown
Eastern crown Mural crown Naval crown

Commonwealth usage

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The coat of arms of the Barons Hawke displays a baronial coronet

In formal English, the word crown is reserved for the crown of a monarch and the Queen consort, whereas the word coronet is used for all other crowns used by members of the British royal family and peers of the realm.

In the British peerage, the design of a coronet shows the rank of its owner, as in German, French and various other heraldic traditions. The coronet of a duke has eight strawberry leaves, that of a marquess has four strawberry leaves and four silver balls (known as "pearls", but not actually pearls), that of an earl has eight strawberry leaves and eight "pearls" raised on stalks, that of a viscount has sixteen "pearls", and that of a peerage baron or (in Scotland) lord of parliament has six "pearls". Between the 1930s and 2004, feudal barons in the baronage of Scotland were granted a chapeau or cap of maintenance as a rank insignia.[citation needed] This is placed between the shield and helmet in the same manner as a peer's coronet. Since a person entitled to heraldic headgear customarily displays it above the shield and below the helm and crest, this can provide a useful clue as to the owner of a given coat of arms.

Members of the British royal family have coronets on their coats of arms, and they may wear physical versions at coronations. They are according to regulations made by King Charles II in 1661, shortly after his return from exile in France (getting a taste for its lavish court style; Louis XIV started monumental work at Versailles that year) and Restoration, and they vary depending upon the holder's relationship to the monarch. Occasionally, additional royal warrants vary the designs for individuals.

In Canadian heraldry, special coronets are used to designate descent from United Empire Loyalists. A military coronet signifies ancestors who served in Loyalist regiments during the American Revolution, while a civil coronet is used by all others. The loyalist coronets are used only in heraldry, never worn. A new royal crown, derived from the shape of the Tudor crown but with distinctly Canadian elements, was unveiled at a ceremony in Ottawa to mark the Coronation of Charles III.[citation needed]

Monarch: 2024 Tudor Crown Monarch: 1901 Tudor Crown Monarch: Crown of Scotland Monarch: Canadian Royal Crown Monarch: St Edward's Crown
Monarch: Imperial Crown (medieval) Heir Apparent Child of a Sovereign (except the Heir Apparent)[a] Child of Heir Apparent Grandchild of a Sovereign[b]
Child of daughter of a Sovereign, if styled Highness[3] Duke Marquess

Earl

Viscount
Peerage Baron/Lord of Parliament (Scotland) Feudal Baron (Scotland) Loyalist military coronet (Canada) Loyalis civil coronet (Canada) King of Arms (College of Arms)

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Continental usages

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Precisely because there are many traditions and more variation within some of these, there is a plethora of continental coronet types. Indeed, there are also some coronets for positions that do not exist, or do not entitle use of a coronet, in the Commonwealth tradition.

Such a case in French heraldry of the Ancien Régime, where coronets of rank did not come into use before the 16th century, is the vidame, whose coronet (illustrated) is a metal circle mounted with three visible crosses. (No physical headgear of this type is known.)

Helmets are often substitutes for coronets, and some coronets are worn only on a helmet.[citation needed]

Finland

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During the Swedish reign, Swedish coronets were used. Crowns were used in the coats of arms of the historical provinces of Finland. For Finland Proper, Satakunta, Tavastia and Karelia, it was a ducal coronet; for others, a comital coronet. In 1917 with independence, the coat of arms of Finland was introduced with a grand ducal crown, but it was soon removed, in 1920. Today, some cities use coronets, e.g. Pori has a mural crown and Vaasa a Crown of Nobility.[citation needed]

As a charge

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In heraldry, a charge is an image occupying the field of a coat of arms. Many coats of arms incorporate crowns as charges. One notable example of this lies in the Three Crowns of the arms of Sweden.

Additionally, many animal charges (frequently lions and eagles) and sometimes human heads also appear crowned. Animal charges gorged (collared) of an open coronet also occur, though more often as supporters than as charges.

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King
Co-Princes
Tsar Tsaritsa Prince
Older Princesses Younger Princesses
Crown of Zvonimir
Capital Department [c] Commune[c]
King Heir to the throne (Dauphin) Children and grandchildren of the sovereign
(Fils de France)
Prince of the Blood
Duke and Peer of France Duke Marquis and peer of France Marquis
Count and Peer of France Count Count (older) Viscount
Vidame Baron Knight's crown Knight's tortillon
Sovereign
Prince
Prince Duke Count
Baron Knight Bonnet d`honneur
King of the
French
Georgian Royal Crown, also known as the "Iberian Crown"
Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire Older Imperial Crown Newer Imperial Crown Oldest Crown of the King of the Romans
Older Crown of the King of the Romans Newer Crown of the King of the Romans Crown of the King of Bohemia Generic Crown of a King or Grand Duke
Archducal hat Ducal hat of Styria Oldest Electoral hat Older Electoral hat
New Electoral hat & new Ducal hat Ducal crown Crown of an heir to a duchy Princely hat (also used by Mediatized Counts
Princely crown Crown of a Landgrave Older crown of a Count Newer crown of a Count
Older crown of a Baron/Freiherr Newer Crown of a Baron/Freiherr Older Crown of Nobility Newer Crown of Nobility
Prince of Liechtenstein
Mural crown of the coat of arms of Austria Mural crown of the State of Lower Austria
Crown of the Emperor of Austria Crown of the King of Bohemia Archducal hat Archducal crown
Ducal hat of Styria Ducal hat Ducal crown Princely hat
Princely crown Crown of a Count Crown of a Baron/Freiherr Crown of Nobility
Volkskrone (People's Crown) Mural crown of the arms of the Berlin boroughs
Crown of the German Emperor Crown of the German Empress Crown of the German Crown Prince
Crown of the King of Prussia Crown of the King of Bavaria Crown of the King of Württemberg
Crown of the King of Hanover
Crown of the King of the Hellenes The Crown as it appears on the Royal Coat of Arms of Greece
Holy Crown of Hungary
Province City Municipality
King (crown of Savoy) Heir to the throne (Prince of Piedmont) Royal prince[d] Prince of the blood
Duke Marquess Count Viscount
Baron Noble Hereditary Knight Patrician
King of Naples Heir to the throne (Duke of Calabria) Prince and princess
Medici Grand Dukes of Tuscany Habsburg-Lorraine Grand Dukes of Tuscany

Iron Crown of Lombardy

Crown of San Marino

Crown of Napoleonic Italy

Doge of Venice

Doge of Genoa

Duke of Parma
Holy Roman Emperor King Prince
(Members of the Royal House,
children of the Monarch)
Prince
(Members of the Royal House,
grandchildren of the Monarch)
Prince
(nobility, for titles granted after 1815)
Duke Marquess Count
Viscount Baron Hereditary Knight Jonkheer

The older crowns are often still seen in the heraldry of older families.

King Prince of the Royal house Prince
(nobility, for titles granted after 1815)
Prince
(nobility, for titles granted during the Ancien Régime)
Duke Marquess Count Count (older)
Count (oldest) Viscount Baron Baron (older)
Hereditary Knight
(Chevalier/Erfridder)
Grand Duke
Prince
Monarchy 1860-1918 Republic 2006-Present
Heraldic Crown of the King Crown of Bolesław I the Brave of Poland Grand Duke Princely Hat Prince
Count Baron Rangkronen-Fig. 38 Nobleman
Capital city (Lisbon) City Town
Civil Parish Overseas province
(1930-1999)
King Heir to the throne (Prince Royal) Prince of Beira Infante Duke
Marquess Count Viscount Baron Knight / Fidalgo
Capital City
Town village
King (The Steel Crown of Romania)
Emperor Empress Crown of Congress Poland Crown of the Grand Duchy of Finland
Altabas cap Monomakh's Cap Kazan cap Prince
Count Baron Baron (alternative style) Crown of Nobility
King Crown Prince Prince (royal family) Duke
Marquess Count Baron Crown of Nobility
King

Physical crown design of the King

Generic Grand ducal crown used in late 19th to early 20th c.

Grand ducal crown used in the state coat of arms in 1917–1920.

Ducal coronet

Comital coronet

Mural crown

Heraldic crown of the King

Physical crown of the King

Physical crown of the Queen
Crown Prince Prince or Princess
Duke Marquess Count Baron Crown of Nobility
King/Queen Crown Prince/Crown Princess Prince/Princess (aka Duke/Duchess)
Count/Countess Baron/Baroness Untitled Nobility
Emperor (medieval) King (after 1903)
Coat of arms design (1882-1918; 2004-2010)
Coat of arms design (after 2010)
king (National arms design) king (Monarch's arms design) king (Aragon, Catalonia, Balearics, Valencia) Heir to the throne (Prince of Asturias)
Heir to the throne (Prince of Girona) (Aragon, Catalonia, Balearics, Valencia) Infante Infante (Aragon, Catalonia, Balearics, Valencia) Grandee of Spain
Duke Marquess Count Viscount
Baron Señor/Don (Lord) Hidalgo (Nobleman) Knight's burelete
Crown of Ruthenia

Non-European usages

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King
'Raven Crown' of the Kingdom of Bhutan
| Capital of State of the Federation[c] city [c] Town[c] Village[c]
Emperor Heir to the throne (Prince Imperial) Prince of Grão-Pará
Prince Duke Marquess
Count Viscount Baron
Crown of Brunei Darussalam
Crown of the Kingdom of Cambodia
Emperor
Municipal Mural Crown Royal Crown of Easter Island
Emperor
Wali (1854 - 1867) and Khedive (1867–1914) Sultan (1914–22) King (1922–53)
pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt Hemhem Atef
King of Lower Egypt King of Upper Egypt Queen
Shuti Blue Crown Cap Crown
Emperor
Crown of Fiji
Emperor (2nd Empire)
Crown of Hawaii
Crown of the Shah of Persia Crown of the Shah of Iran
Crown of Iraq
Crown of Jordan
Crown of Libya
Crown of Kara-Kygyz Khanate
sultan of Johor sultan of Kelantan sultan of Terengganu
Emperor (1st Empire) Emperor (2nd Empire) Prince (1st Empire and 2nd Empire)
Heraldic Crown of Morocco
Crown of Nepal
Crown of Oman
Crown of the Kingdom of Rwanda
Crown of Saudi Arabia
Great Crown of Victory of the King of Siam and Thailand Phra Kiao (princely coronet, also the emblem of king Chulalongkorn) coronet of the Crown prince of Siam/Thailand
Crown of Tahiti
Crown of Tonga

Other examples

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Twig crown of the Republic of the Congo[5] College of Arms Foundation of the United States

Ecclesiastical Hats

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Archbishop or Bishop Archdeacon Dean Members of His Majesty's Ecclesiastical Household
Canons, Honorary Canons, Canons Emeritus and Prebendaries Priest Deacon
Pope Patriarch Cardinal Metropolitan Archbishop
Archbishop Eastern Catholic prelate, combining elements of both Eastern and Western ecclesiastical heraldry Apostolic protonotary (Monsignor) Honorary Prelate (Monsignor)
Chaplain of His Holiness (Monsignor) Bishop Abbot Canon
Dean Priest

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Currently, besides the younger son of the present King Charles III, the living children of a former sovereign are granted the privilege to use the crown of a Sovereign's Child; thus the King's brothers and sister also use this crown.
  2. ^ Currently, besides the grandchildren of the present King Charles III, the living grandchildren of a former sovereign are granted the privilege to use the crown of a Sovereign's Grandchild.
  3. ^ a b c d e f This standard has many exceptions.
  4. ^ The dukes of Genoa were granted the privilege to use the crown of a royal prince though they were only princes of the blood

References

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  1. ^ Mackinnon of Dunakin, Charles (1968). The Observer's Book of Heraldry. Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd. p. 73.
  2. ^ Moncreiffe, Iain; Pottinger, Don (1953). Simple Heraldry Cheerfully Illustrated. Thomas Nelson and Sons. p. 58.
  3. ^ Cox, Noel The Coronets of Members of the Royal Family and of the Peerage. Archived 2018-01-04 at the Wayback Machine Originally published in (1999) 22 The Double Tressure, the Journal of The Heraldry Society of Scotland 8-13. Acceded 8 April 2017
  4. ^ Boutell, Charles (1914). Fox-Davies, A.C. (ed.). Handbook to English Heraldry, The (11th ed.). London: Reeves & Turner. pp. 104–156.
  5. ^ Ströhl, Hugo Gerard (1899). Heraldischer Atlas. Stuttgart.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)