Serbian eagle
Encyclopedia
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.
Beginning in the 14th century, it can be seen on inscriptions, medieval frescoes and embroidery on the clothes of the Serbian royal family members.
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.
Tsar Lazar, when renovating the Hilandar
monastery of Mount Athos
, ingraved the emblem of Serbia at the northern wall.
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
.
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.
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.
Double-headed eagle
The double-headed eagle is a common symbol in heraldry and vexillology. It is most commonly associated with the Byzantine Empire and the Holy Roman Empire. In Byzantine heraldry, the heads represent the dual sovereignty of the Emperor and/or dominance of the Byzantine Emperors over both East and...
is a common symbol in Serbian heraldry
Serb heraldry
The use of heraldry in Serbia or by Serbs is used by government bodies, subdivisions of the national government, organizations, corporations and by families...
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
White Eagle
White Eagle may refer to:A coat of arms:*White Eagle of the Serbian royal houses Nemanjić, Mrnjavčević, Lazarević, Crnojević, Obrenović and Karađorđević used on the Coat of arms of Serbia and the Flag of Serbia ....
(Beli Orao, pl. Beli Orlovi) since 1804.
The Serbian cross
Serbian cross
The Serbian Cross is a national symbol of Serbia, part of the Coat of Arms of Serbia, and the flag of Serbia. It is composed of a cross symbol with four C-shapes on each of its corners, in use as a national emblem since the 14th century....
is being used together with the Serbian eagle in the contemporary design of the coat of arms of Serbia
Coat of arms of Serbia
The coat of arms of Serbia is based the family arms of the former Obrenović dynasty and features the white bicephalic eagle of the Nemanjić dynasty. An ermine cape of the style once worn by kings is featured in the background. The double-headed eagle has been used since Byzantine era, the Serbian...
, following the tradition established by the Kingdom of Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
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.
King Stefan Nemanja
Stefan Nemanja
Stefan Nemanja was the Grand Prince of the Grand Principality of Serbia from 1166 to 1196, a heir of the Vukanović dynasty that marked the beginning of a greater Serbian realm .He is remembered for his contributions to Serbian culture and...
used the symbol, as well as the Serbian Orthodox Church
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
. 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
Angelino Dulcert
Angelino Dulcert , probably also the same person known as Angelino de Dalorto , and who's real name was probably Angelino de Dulceto or Dulceti or possibly Angelí Dolcet, was an Italian-Majorcan cartographer....
, marks the Serbian Empire
Serbian Empire
The Serbian Empire was a short-lived medieval empire in the Balkans that emerged from the Serbian Kingdom. Stephen Uroš IV Dušan was crowned Emperor of Serbs and Greeks on 16 April, 1346, a title signifying a successorship to the Eastern Roman Empire...
with the (red) double-headed eagle flag.
Tsar Lazar, when renovating the Hilandar
Hilandar
Hilandar Monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery on Mount Athos in Greece. It was founded in 1198 by the first Serbian Archbishop Saint Sava and his father, Grand Prince Stefan Nemanja of the medieval Serbian principality of Raška...
monastery of Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
, ingraved the emblem of Serbia at the northern wall.
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
Stefan Lazarevic
Stefan Lazarević known also as Stevan the Tall was a Serbian Despot, ruler of the Serbian Despotate between 1389 and 1427. He was the son and heir to Prince Lazar, who died at the Battle of Kosovo against the Turks in 1389, and Princess Milica from the subordinate branch of the Nemanjić dynasty...
after he received the despot-title, the second highest Byzantine title, by John VII Palaiologos
John VII Palaiologos
John VII Palaiologos was Byzantine Emperor for five months in 1390.-Life:...
in August 1402 at the court in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
.
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
Serbian cross
The Serbian Cross is a national symbol of Serbia, part of the Coat of Arms of Serbia, and the flag of Serbia. It is composed of a cross symbol with four C-shapes on each of its corners, in use as a national emblem since the 14th century....
; 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.
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 NemanjićHouse of NemanjicThe Nemanjić was the most important dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages, and one of the most important in Southeastern Europe. The royal house produced eleven Serbian monarchs between 1166 and 1371. It's progenitor was Stephen Nemanja, who descended from a cadet line of the Vukanović dynasty...
, MrnjavčevićHouse of MrnjavcevicThe House of Mrnjavčević was a medieval Serbian noble house that existed during the Serbian Empire, its fall, and the subsequent years when it held a region of present-day Macedonia region. The house ruled a province from its base at Prilep from 1366 to 1395.Vukašin Mrnjavčević was a military...
, LazarevićHouse of LazarevicThe House of Lazarević was a noble Serbian medieval dynasty.The dynasty starts with Lazar Hrebeljanović, son of Pribac Hrebeljanović -a noble at the court of Dušan the Mighty and of Princess Jelena Zupan Rascia-Nemanjic of Serbia...
, CrnojevićHouse of CrnojevicThe Crnojević was a medieval Serb noble house that held Zeta, or parts of it; a region corresponding to north of Lake Skadar , from 1326 to 1362, then 1403 until 1515. The progenitor, Đuraš Ilijić, was head of Upper Zeta in the Serbian Kingdom and Empire The Crnojević was a medieval Serb noble...
, ObrenovićHouse of ObrenovicThe House of Obrenović was a Serbian dynasty that ruled Serbia from 1815 to 1842, and again from 1858 to 1903. They came to power through the leadership of their progenitor Miloš Obrenović in the Second Serbian uprising against the Ottoman Empire, which led to the formation of the Principality of...
and Karađorđević, and is used on the Coat of arms of SerbiaCoat of arms of SerbiaThe coat of arms of Serbia is based the family arms of the former Obrenović dynasty and features the white bicephalic eagle of the Nemanjić dynasty. An ermine cape of the style once worn by kings is featured in the background. The double-headed eagle has been used since Byzantine era, the Serbian...
and the Flag of SerbiaFlag of SerbiaThe flag of Serbia is a tricolour consisting of three equal horizontal bands, red on the top, blue in the middle and white on the bottom. The same tricolour, in some variations, was the flag of Serbia throughout its history, and is the ethnic flag of the Serbian people.The state flag bears the...
.