![]() The coat of arms of Kastrioti noble family by Giacomo Fontana (1605) | |
Heraldic tradition | Eastern European |
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Governing body | None |
Albanian heraldry is the use of heraldic symbols in Albania. The earliest form of Albanian heraldry is from the late 12th century, with the creation of the first Albanian medieval state, the Principality of Arbanon in 1190. During the 13th to the 15th century, a great number of medieval Albanian noble families had at their coat of arms the symbol of eagle like the Kastrioti, Muzaka, Arianiti, Dukagjini, but the most prominent being the Kastrioti's coat of arms, having a black double headed eagle, which became a national symbol of the Albanians during Skanderbeg's reign in the 15th century, as well as the official national flag of Albania from 1912.
The discipline of heraldry has its roots in 11th century Europe, at the same time that regulations emerged on the display of military guns, seals and feudal flags by empires and military coalitions.
The most prominent symbol of the Albanian heraldry is the eagle.
The well known Croatian researcher Milan Šufflay, who specialized in Albanian studies, wrote: "In the Albanian lands, heraldry was used early in ceremonies and chancelleries...since their contacts with the Anjou and the French knights..." [1] [ page needed ]
The heraldic emblem of Arbanon (Arbër) was discovered in Gëziq (Mirditë) and dates from the 12th century. It was set on an architectural ensemble of artistic values and written in Latin, considered the language of nobility at the time. The early emblem of the Muzaka was discovered during the same period and it displays a water stream with two torches on each side. The family later adopted a bicephalic Eagle as base.
Over the centuries, heraldry had been widely used not only by wealthy individuals and princes but also by cities, state institutions, religious and artisanal societies, etc. Albania had a development of heraldry in all forms. From medieval times, there are different samples and continuous changes of emblems based on the creation of new coalitions and marriages. [2]
When Andrea Thopia got married, the emblem of his seal changed by including the symbols of the French Kingdom, to which he became the groom. Acknowledging the despot title, the House of Muzaka, made use of the two-headed eagle to which it was added the 6 pointed star of the Balšić family, whom it was dependent. In this line, the grandson of Skanderbeg, who joined the church hierarchy, added a triangle to the inherited symbols of the House of Kastrioti emblem, which stands for the holy trinity and also made some changes to its color scheme.
Heraldry also developed from the influence of the Albanian folk symbols and is found in many materials and cultural objects together with the myths, cults and ritual explanations. [3]
The 14th century heraldic seal of the Topia was preserved at the Saint Gjon Vladimir's Church in Elbasan (collection of the National History Museum, Tirana) and it is produced according to all heraldry regulations of the time. It is carved from the local master Dhimitër Spada and it is accompanied by a writing in 3 languages: Latin, Greek and Slavic, showing that the herald of this noble Albanian family was a very well known artist. The seal is the highest level of artistic development in heraldry because new elements were introduced according to a defined regulation. The unification of these decorative-artistic elements was the seal.
In Medieval times, noble families also had their flags similar to the heraldry emblems. On the eve of the League of Lezhë on March 2, 1444, the people unified and recognized the flag of the House of Kastrioti as their flag. Following centuries of occupation by the Ottoman Empire, the cultural identity of the people in this region suffered a shock, and its influence on heraldry left a mark. [4] Today, Albanian heraldry in general consists of a mix of traditional Heraldry as well as Socialist Heraldry.
Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings, as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branch of heraldry, concerns the design and transmission of the heraldic achievement. The achievement, or armorial bearings usually includes a coat of arms on a shield, helmet and crest, together with any accompanying devices, such as supporters, badges, heraldic banners and mottoes.
A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon, surcoat, or tabard. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its whole consists of a shield, supporters, a crest, and a motto. A coat of arms is traditionally unique to the armiger. The term 'coat of arms' itself, describing in modern times just the heraldic design, originates from the description of the entire medieval chainmail 'surcoat' garment used in combat or preparation for the latter.
The flag of Albania is a red flag with a silhouetted black double-headed eagle in the center. The red stands for bravery, strength, valour and bloodshed, while the Eagle represents the sovereign state of Albania. The flag was established as the national flag of Albania when the country gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912.
The coat of arms of Albania is an adaptation of the flag of Albania and is based on the symbols of Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg. It features the black double-headed eagle, documented in official use since 1458, as evidenced from a sealed document uncovered in the Vatican Secret Archive, addressed to Pope Pius II and co-sealed by notary Johannes Borcius de Grillis. The stylized gold helmet is partially based on the model of crown-like rank that once belonged to Skanderbeg, currently on display at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, first mentioned in 1593 in the Ambras armory inventory and depicted in 1601/03 in the "Armamentarium Heroicum" of Jakob Schrenck von Notzing. The ruler of Austria, Ferdinand II, acquired the helmet from the Duke of Urbino, so mentioned in a letter sent to him from the duke, dated 15 October 1578.
The Serbian Cross is a national symbol of Serbia, part of the coat of arms and flag of Serbia, and of the Serbian Orthodox Church. It is based on the tetragrammic cross emblem/flag of the Byzantine Palaiologos dynasty, with the difference that in Serbian use the cross is usually white on a red background, rather than gold on a red background.
The eagle is used in heraldry as a charge, as a supporter, and as a crest. Heraldic eagles can be found throughout world history like in the Achaemenid Empire or in the present Republic of Indonesia. The European post-classical symbolism of the heraldic eagle is connected with the Roman Empire on one hand, and with Saint John the Evangelist on the other.
The double-headed eagle is an iconographic symbol originating in the Bronze Age. A heraldic charge, it is used with the concept of an empire. Most modern uses of the emblem are directly or indirectly associated with its use by the late Byzantine Empire, originally a dynastic emblem of the Palaiologoi. It was adopted during the Late Medieval to Early Modern period in the Holy Roman Empire, Albania and in Orthodox principalities, representing an augmentation of the (single-headed) eagle or Aquila associated with the Roman Empire. In a few places, among them the Holy Roman Empire and Russia, the motif was further augmented to create the less prominent triple-headed eagle.
Norwegian heraldry has roots in early medieval times, soon after the use of coats of arms first appeared in continental Europe. Some of the medieval coats of arms are rather simple of design, while others have more naturalistic charges. The king-granted coats of arms of later times were usually detailed and complex. Especially in the late 17th century and the 18th century, many ennobled persons and families received coats of arms with shields containing both two and four fields, and some even with an inescutcheon above these.
The lion is a common charge in heraldry. It traditionally symbolises courage, nobility, royalty, strength, stateliness and valour, because historically the lion has been regarded as the "king of beasts". The lion also carries Judeo-Christian symbolism. The Lion of Judah stands in the coat of arms of Jerusalem. Similar-looking lions can be found elsewhere, such as in the coat of arms of the Swedish royal House of Bjelbo, from there in turn derived into the coat of arms of Finland, formerly belonging to Sweden.
The House of Arianiti were an Albanian noble family that ruled large areas in Albania and neighbouring areas from the 11th to the 16th century. Their domain stretched across the Shkumbin valley and the old Via Egnatia road and reached east to today's Bitola.
The House of Kastrioti was an Albanian noble family, active in the 14th and 15th centuries as the rulers of the Principality of Kastrioti. At the beginning of the 15th century, the family controlled a territory in the Mat and Dibra regions. The most notable member was Gjergj Kastrioti, better known as Skanderbeg, regarded today as an Albanian hero for leading the resistance against Mehmed the Conqueror's efforts to expand the Ottoman Empire into Albania. After Skanderbeg's death and the fall of the Principality in 1468, the Kastrioti family gave their allegiance to the Kingdom of Naples and were given control over the Duchy of San Pietro in Galatina and the County of Soleto, now in the Province of Lecce, Italy. Ferrante, son of Gjon Kastrioti II, Duke of Galatina and Count of Soleto, is the direct ancestor of all male members of the Kastrioti family today. Today, the family consists of two Italian branches, one in Lecce and the other in Naples. The descendants of the House of Kastrioti in Italy use the family name "Castriota Scanderbeg".
Finnish heraldry has a common past with Swedish heraldry until 1809 and it belongs to German heraldric tradition.
The coat of arms of the Republic of Kosovo was introduced following the unilateral declaration of independence on 17 February 2008. It shows six white stars in an arc above a solid golden shape of Kosovo as seen on a standard projection map, placed on a rounded triangular shield with a blue field and a golden border. Its central figures, the stars and the shape, are also the content of the new blue flag of Kosovo, already adopted at the same time.
The term Albanian Principalities refers to a number of principalities created in the Middle Ages in Albania and the surrounding regions in the western Balkans that were ruled by Albanian nobility. The 12th century marked the first Albanian principality, the Principality of Arbanon. It was later, however, in the 2nd half of the 14th century that these principalities became stronger, especially with the fall of the Serbian Empire after 1355. Some of these principalities were notably united in 1444 under the military alliance called League of Lezhë up to 1480 which defeated the Ottoman Empire in more than 28 battles. They covered modern day Albania,western and central Kosovo, Epirus, areas up to Corinth, western North Macedonia, southern Montenegro. The leaders of these principalities were some of the most noted Balkan figures in the 14th and 15th centuries such as Gjin Bua Shpata, Andrea II Muzaka, Gjon Zenebishi, Karl Topia, Andrea Gropa, Balsha family, Gjergj Arianiti, Gjon Kastrioti, Skanderbeg, Dukagjini family and Lek Dukagjini.
German heraldry is the tradition and style of heraldic achievements in Germany and the Holy Roman Empire, including national and civic arms, noble and burgher arms, ecclesiastical heraldry, heraldic displays and heraldic descriptions. German heraldic style is one of the four major broad traditions within European heraldry and stands in contrast to Gallo-British, Latin and Eastern heraldry, and strongly influenced the styles and customs of heraldry in the Nordic countries, which developed comparatively late. Together, German and Nordic heraldry are often referred to as German-Nordic heraldry.
Russian heraldry involves the study and use of coats of arms and other heraldic insignia in the country of Russia. Compare the socialist heraldry of the Soviet period of Russian history (1917–1991).
A national coat of arms is a symbol which denotes an independent state in the form of a heraldic achievement. While a national flag is usually used by the population at large and is flown outside and on ships, a national coat of arms is normally considered a symbol of the government or the head of state personally and tends to be used in print, on armorial ware, and as a wall decoration in official buildings. The royal arms of a monarchy, which may be identical to the national arms, are sometimes described as arms of dominion or arms of sovereignty.
Heraldry is the system of visual identification of rank and pedigree which developed in the European High Middle Ages, closely associated with the courtly culture of chivalry, Latin Christianity, the Crusades, feudal aristocracy, and monarchy of the time. Heraldic tradition fully developed in the 13th century, and it flourished and developed further during the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern period. Originally limited to nobility, heraldry is adopted by wealthy commoners in the Late Middle Ages. Specific traditions of Ecclesiastical heraldry also develop in the late medieval period. Coats of arms of noble families, often after their extinction, becomes attached to the territories they used to own, giving rise to municipal coats of arms by the 16th century.
Heraldry, as a scholarly discipline that deals with the study and origin of various symbols and elements, emerged in Albania towards the end of the 13th century. Over time, it has evolved as an inseparable component of European heraldry, encompassing its advancements, shifts and accomplishments.
This is gallery of coats or arms, seals and emblems used by the institutions of Kosovo since 10 June 1999.