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Crown (heraldry)

Emblem of a sovereign state, usually a monarchy From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Crown (heraldry)

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

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

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

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

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

As a display of rank

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.

Naval, civic, mural and similar crowns

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.

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

Commonwealth usage

Summarize
Perspective
Thumb
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]

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

Earl

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

[4]

Continental usages

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

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

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.

Gallery

Summarize
Perspective

Albania

Thumb Lord of Albania (The Skanderbeg Helmet)

Andorra

Thumb Co-Princes

Bulgaria

Thumb Tsar Thumb Tsaritsa Thumb Prince
Thumb Older Princesses Thumb Younger Princesses

Croatia

Thumb Crown of Zvonimir

France

Thumb Capital Thumb Department [c] Thumb Commune[c]

Ancien Régime

Thumb King Thumb Heir to the throne (Dauphin) Thumb Children and grandchildren of the sovereign
(Fils de France)		 Thumb Prince of the Blood
Thumb Duke and Peer of France Thumb Duke Thumb Marquis and peer of France Thumb Marquis
Thumb Count and Peer of France Thumb Count Thumb Count (older) Thumb Viscount
Thumb Vidame Thumb Baron Thumb Knight's crown Thumb Knight's tortillon

Napoleonic Empire

Thumb Thumb Thumb
Sovereign
Prince
Thumb Prince Thumb Duke Thumb Count
Thumb Baron Thumb Knight Thumb Bonnet d`honneur

July Monarchy

Thumb King of the
French

Georgia

Thumb Georgian Royal Crown, also known as the "Iberian Crown"

German-speaking countries

Holy Roman Empire

Thumb Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire Thumb Older Imperial Crown Thumb Newer Imperial Crown Thumb Oldest Crown of the King of the Romans
Thumb Older Crown of the King of the Romans Thumb Newer Crown of the King of the Romans Thumb Crown of the King of Bohemia Thumb Generic Crown of a King or Grand Duke
Thumb Archducal hat Thumb Ducal hat of Styria Thumb Oldest Electoral hat Thumb Older Electoral hat
Thumb New Electoral hat & new Ducal hat Thumb Ducal crown Thumb Crown of an heir to a duchy Thumb Princely hat (also used by Mediatized Counts
Thumb Princely crown Thumb Crown of a Landgrave Thumb Older crown of a Count Thumb Newer crown of a Count
Thumb Older crown of a Baron/Freiherr Thumb Newer Crown of a Baron/Freiherr Thumb Older Crown of Nobility Thumb Newer Crown of Nobility

Liechtenstein

Thumb Prince of Liechtenstein

Austria

Thumb Mural crown of the coat of arms of Austria Thumb Mural crown of the State of Lower Austria
Austrian Empire
Thumb Crown of the Emperor of Austria Thumb Crown of the King of Bohemia Thumb Archducal hat Thumb Archducal crown
Thumb Ducal hat of Styria Thumb Ducal hat Thumb Ducal crown Thumb Princely hat
Thumb Princely crown Thumb Crown of a Count Thumb Crown of a Baron/Freiherr Thumb Crown of Nobility

Germany

Thumb Volkskrone (People's Crown) Thumb Mural crown of the arms of the Berlin boroughs
German Empire
Thumb Crown of the German Emperor Thumb Crown of the German Empress Thumb Crown of the German Crown Prince
Thumb Crown of the King of Prussia Thumb Crown of the King of Bavaria Thumb Crown of the King of Württemberg

Hanover

Thumb Crown of the King of Hanover

Greece

Thumb Crown of the King of the Hellenes Thumb The Crown as it appears on the Royal Coat of Arms of Greece

Hungary

Thumb Holy Crown of Hungary

Italy

Thumb Province Thumb City Thumb Municipality

Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946)

Thumb King (crown of Savoy) Thumb Heir to the throne (Prince of Piedmont) Thumb Royal prince[d] Thumb Prince of the blood
Thumb Duke Thumb Marquess Thumb Count Thumb Viscount
Thumb Baron Thumb Noble Thumb Hereditary Knight Thumb Patrician

Kingdom of Naples, Kingdom of Sicily, Two Sicilies

Thumb King of Naples Thumb Heir to the throne (Duke of Calabria) Thumb Prince and princess

Grand Duchy of Tuscany

Thumb Medici Grand Dukes of Tuscany Thumb Habsburg-Lorraine Grand Dukes of Tuscany

Other Italian states before 1861

Thumb
Iron Crown of Lombardy		 Thumb
Crown of San Marino		 Thumb
Crown of Napoleonic Italy
Thumb
Doge of Venice		 Thumb
Doge of Genoa		 Thumb
Duke of Parma

Low Countries

Netherlands

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

Belgium

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

Thumb King Thumb Prince of the Royal house Thumb Prince
(nobility, for titles granted after 1815)		 Thumb Prince
(nobility, for titles granted during the Ancien Régime)
Thumb Duke Thumb Marquess Thumb Count Thumb Count (older)
Thumb Count (oldest) Thumb Viscount Thumb Baron Thumb Baron (older)
Thumb Hereditary Knight
(Chevalier/Erfridder)

Luxembourg

Thumb Grand Duke

Monaco

Thumb Prince

Montenegro

Thumb Monarchy 1860-1918 Thumb Republic 2006-Present

Poland and Lithuania

Thumb Heraldic Crown of the King Thumb Crown of Bolesław I the Brave of Poland Thumb Grand Duke Thumb Prince
Thumb Count Thumb Baron Thumb Nobleman

Portugal

Thumb Overseas province
(1930-1999)		 Thumb Administrative region
(not implemented)		 Thumb Capital city (Lisbon)
Thumb City Thumb Town Thumb Civil Parish

Kingdom of Portugal (until 1910)

Thumb King Thumb Heir apparent to the throne (Prince Royal) Thumb Second in the line of succession (Prince of Beira) Thumb Infante Thumb Duke
Thumb Marquess Thumb Count Thumb Viscount Thumb Baron Thumb Knight / Fidalgo

Romania

Thumb Capital Thumb City
Thumb Town Thumb village

Kingdom of Romania

Thumb King (The Steel Crown of Romania)

Russia

Thumb Emperor Thumb Empress Thumb Crown of Congress Poland Thumb Crown of the Grand Duchy of Finland
Thumb Altabas cap Thumb Monomakh's Cap Thumb Kazan cap Thumb Prince
Thumb Count Thumb Baron Thumb Baron (alternative style) Thumb Crown of Nobility

Nordic countries

Denmark

Thumb King Thumb Crown Prince Thumb Prince (royal family) Thumb Duke
Thumb Marquess Thumb Count Thumb Baron Thumb Crown of Nobility

Iceland

Thumb King

Finland

Thumb
Physical crown design of the King		 Thumb
Generic Grand ducal crown used in late 19th to early 20th c.		 Thumb
Grand ducal crown used in the state coat of arms in 1917–1920.
Thumb
Ducal coronet		 Thumb
Comital coronet		 Thumb
Mural crown

Norway

Thumb
Heraldic crown of the King		 Thumb
Physical crown of the King		 Thumb
Physical crown of the Queen		 Thumb Crown Prince Thumb Prince or Princess
Thumb Duke Thumb Marquess Thumb Count Thumb Baron Thumb Crown of Nobility

Sweden

Thumb King/Queen Thumb Crown Prince/Crown Princess Thumb Prince/Princess (aka Duke/Duchess)
Thumb Count/Countess Thumb Baron/Baroness Thumb Untitled Nobility

Serbia

Thumb Emperor (medieval) Thumb King (after 1903)
Thumb
Coat of arms design (1882-1918; 2004-2010)
Thumb
Coat of arms design (after 2010)

Spain

Thumb king (National arms design) Thumb king (Monarch's arms design) Thumb king (Aragon, Catalonia, Balearics, Valencia) Thumb Heir to the throne (Prince of Asturias)
Thumb Heir to the throne (Prince of Girona) (Aragon, Catalonia, Balearics, Valencia) Thumb Infante Thumb Infante (Aragon, Catalonia, Balearics, Valencia) Thumb Grandee of Spain
Thumb Duke Thumb Marquess Thumb Count Thumb Viscount
Thumb Baron Thumb Señor/Don (Lord) Thumb Hidalgo (Nobleman) Thumb Knight's burelete

Ukraine

Kingdom of Ruthenia

Thumb Crown of Ruthenia

Non-European usages

Bahrain

Thumb King

Bhutan

Thumb 'Raven Crown' of the Kingdom of Bhutan

Brazil

Thumb | Capital of State of the Federation[c] Thumb city [c] Thumb Town[c] Thumb Village[c]
Empire of Brazil
Thumb Emperor Thumb Heir apparent to the throne (Prince Imperial) Thumb Second in the line of succession (Prince of Grão-Pará)
Thumb Prince Thumb Duke Thumb Marquess
Thumb Count Thumb Viscount Thumb Baron

Brunei

Thumb Crown of Brunei Darussalam

Cambodia

Crown of the Kingdom of Cambodia

Central African Empire

Thumb Emperor

Chile

Thumb Municipal Mural Crown Thumb Royal Crown of Easter Island

China

Thumb Emperor (Ming dynasty) Thumb Emperor (Qing dynasty)

Egypt

Thumb Wali (1854 - 1867) and Khedive (1867–1914) Thumb Sultan (1914–22) Thumb King (1922–53)
Thumb pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt Thumb Hemhem Thumb Atef
Thumb King of Lower Egypt King of Upper Egypt Thumb Queen
Shuti Thumb Blue Crown Thumb Cap Crown

Ethiopia

Thumb Emperor

Fiji

Thumb Crown of Fiji

Haiti

Thumb Emperor (2nd Empire)

Hawaii

Thumb Crown of Hawaii

Iran

Thumb Crown of the Shah of Persia Thumb Crown of the Shah of Iran

Iraq

Thumb Crown of Iraq

Jordan

Thumb Crown of Jordan

Libya

Thumb Crown of Libya

Kyrgyzstan

Thumb Crown of Kara-Kygyz Khanate

Malaysia

Thumb sultan of Johor Thumb sultan of Kelantan Thumb sultan of Terengganu

Mexico

Thumb Emperor (1st Empire) Thumb Emperor (2nd Empire) Thumb Prince (1st Empire and 2nd Empire)
Aztec Empire
Thumb Moctezuma's Headdress Thumb Headdress of the Aztec Monarchs

Morocco

Thumb Heraldic Crown of Morocco

Nepal

Thumb Crown of Nepal

Oman

Thumb Crown of Oman

Rwanda

Thumb Crown of the Kingdom of Rwanda

Saudi Arabia

Thumb Crown of Saudi Arabia

Siam and Thailand

Thumb Great Crown of Victory of the King of Siam and Thailand Thumb Phra Kiao (princely coronet, also the emblem of king Chulalongkorn) coronet of the Crown prince of Siam/Thailand

Tahiti

Thumb Crown of Tahiti

Tonga

Thumb Crown of Tonga

Other examples

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

Ecclesiastical Hats

Anglican Communion

Thumb Archbishop or Bishop Thumb Archdeacon Thumb Dean Thumb Members of His Majesty's Ecclesiastical Household
Thumb Canons, Honorary Canons, Canons Emeritus and Prebendaries Thumb Priest Thumb Deacon

Catholic Church

Thumb Pope Thumb Patriarch Thumb Cardinal Thumb Metropolitan Archbishop
Thumb Archbishop Thumb Eastern Catholic prelate, combining elements of both Eastern and Western ecclesiastical heraldry Thumb Apostolic protonotary (Monsignor) Thumb Honorary Prelate (Monsignor)
Thumb Chaplain of His Holiness (Monsignor) Thumb Bishop Thumb Abbot Thumb Canon
Thumb Dean Thumb Priest

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Heraldic crowns.

Notes

  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. 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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