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Crown (heraldry)

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The German State Crown was the heraldic crown of Imperial Germany and was based on a wooden model rather than an actual crown.

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: 2022 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)

Loyalist civil coronet (Canada)

King of Arms (College of Arms)[4]

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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Lord of Albania (The Skanderbeg Helmet)

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

Emperor
(1st Empire)

Emperor
(2nd Empire)

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)

Queen consort

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

Overseas province
(1930–1999)

Administrative region
(not implemented)

Capital city (Lisbon)

City

Town

Civil Parish

King

Heir apparent to the throne
(Prince Royal)

Second in the line of succession
(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 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

Kingdom of Ruthenia


Crown of Ruthenia

Non-European usages

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King

King (Raven Crown)

Capital of State of the Federation[c]

City[c]

Town[c]

Village[c]

Emperor

Heir apparent to the throne
(Prince Imperial)

Second in the line of succession
(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

Mianguan (Ming dynasty)

Chaoguan (Qing dynasty)

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

Indonesia

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Sultanate of Yogyakarta

Sunanate of Surakarta

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 Kelantan

Sultan of Terengganu

Emperor (1st Empire)

Emperor (2nd Empire)

Prince (1st and 2nd Empire)

Moctezuma's Headdress

Headdress of the Aztec Monarchs

Heraldic Crown of Morocco

Crown of Nepal

Crown of Oman

Mascaipacha of the Sapa Inca

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)