Coat of arms of Monaco
Encyclopedia
The Royal Arms of His Serene Highness Prince Albert II
are his arms
of dominion in right of Monaco
.
), fusily (or lozengy
) argent and gules.
entered the city with soldiers dressed as monks, with swords hidden under their cassocks.
The collar surrounding the shield represents the Order of St. Charles
.
Albert II, Prince of Monaco
Albert II, Sovereign Prince of Monaco is the head of the House of Grimaldi and the ruler of the Principality of Monaco. He is the son of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and the American actress Grace Kelly...
are his arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of dominion in right of Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
.
Interior
The central shield is "blazoned" (described in the technical language of heraldryHeraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
), fusily (or lozengy
Lozenge (heraldry)
The lozenge in heraldry is a diamond-shaped charge , usually somewhat narrower than it is tall. It is to be distinguished in modern heraldry from the fusil, which is like the lozenge but narrower, though the distinction has not always been as fine and is not always observed even today...
) argent and gules.
Exterior
The monks supporting the shield in the coat of arms allude to the conquest of Monaco in 1297, when François GrimaldiFrançois Grimaldi
Francesco Grimaldi called il Malizia , was the Genoese leader of the Guelphs who captured the Rock of Monaco on the night of 8 January 1297...
entered the city with soldiers dressed as monks, with swords hidden under their cassocks.
The collar surrounding the shield represents the Order of St. Charles
Order of St. Charles
The Order of Saint-Charles is an order established in Monaco on 15 March 1858. This order rewards service to the State or Prince. It is awarded by the current Prince Albert II.- Knight Grand Cross :...
.