Hey everyone! Here is that post I promised:
http://www.ngw.nl/int/oveur/images/albania7.jpg
The Royal Arms of the Kingdom of Albania, during the reign of His Majesty Zog I Skanderbeg III, King of the Albanians.
The Blazon (sorry, I could only find it in French):
Zog Ier (1876-1945)
Roi d’Albanie
De gueules, à l’aigle bicéphale (stylisée) de sable, surmontée d’un casque d’or, engoulé partiellement par une tête d’antilope (casque dit de Skanderberg).
http://www.heraldique-europeenne.org/Accueil.htm
Note: Although the "official" Royal arms bore a shield with just the eagle, Some depictions showed the Helm of Skanderbeg on the field of the shield. It is interesting to compare these to the flags of the kingdom (to follow in next post).
http://grafikshqip.com/punime/Skanderbeg-Helmet.jpg
Drawing of the Helmet of Skanderbeg. This was used in place of a crown by the Albanian Monarchy.
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/a/al-1929.gif
Flag of the Kingdom of Albania, 1929-1934
(note:1934-1939 a much brighter red color was used). The civil flag was sans-Skanderbeg Helm.
http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/a/al^1929.gif
War flag and ensign, and Royal Standard
http://imageperfection.ca/albania/pic50.jpg
Picture of Leka, Crown Prince of Albania (Leka Zogu) and pretender to the Albanian Throne. Note the arms behind him, as well as the Helm of Skanderbeg on his cap, above the Royal Cypher Z. (I have more pics of these Royal era insignias, but I am unsure if they would be allowed, as I don’t know if they would be considered heraldic.)
http://albania.dyndns.org/LekaII/lekidrapeauroyal012000.jpg
Son of Leka I Zogu, Prince Leka II.
This may be some ceremonial version of the royal flag. The image url is Drapeau Royal, destroying my assumption this was a tapestry of the royal arms.
and as a parting note:
http://albania.dyndns.org/Zog album/coupleroyalmercedesmariage1938.jpg
Their Majesties, Zog I and Queen Geraldina, of the Albanians.
Note the arms on the door of the royal automobile. IMHO, this depiction and placement of the royal arms struck me as especcially elegant.:cool:
http://albania.dyndns.org/Website of the Albanian Royal House
I just found these pictures of Skanderbeg and his helmet/heraldic crown of Albania. Skanderbeg (Albanian for Iskander Bey or Alexander Bey). He was the Albanian hero who fought the Ottomans. At the time, an Ottoman bey a feudal lord of princely rank.
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Islamic_Heraldry/albania-arms-1.gif
Royal Arms of Albania. Courtesy of Mr. Christopher Buyers.
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Islamic_Heraldry/Skanderbeg_engraving.jpg
Engraving of Skanderbeg (Albanian for Alexander Bey)
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Islamic_Heraldry/Skanderbeg_Helmetsword.jpg
Skanderbeg’s helmet which was chosen as the heraldic crown used in the Albanian Royal Arms.
http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t11/Kelisli/Islamic_Heraldry/Skanderbeg_Helmet.jpg
Close-up of the helmet.
The arms of the Kingdom of Albania on the reverse of a silver one half lek coin dated 1930.
Hassan, that helmet is awesome! :cool: That’s a great example of a "real" crest. Thanks for the pics! :D
Take care,
The French blazon of the royal coat-of-arms is for a variation of the arms in which the helm of Skanderbeg is placed above and between the bicephalous eagle heads, see the flags in the second post in this thread for an example.
The English blazon is as follows: Gules, a bicephalous eagle Sable, ensigned by a helm partially engulfed by the head of an antelope Or.
http://eh.lenin.ru/arms/2eu/albania/alb-ax4.gif
The arms of the Kingdom of Albania in personal union (King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy was made king of Albania after the Italian invasion) with Italy 1939-1943. The Savoyknots and the FERT-motto of the Italian Royal house has been added like the Fascist Fasces.
Philip,
Glad you like the helmet. I thought it was a very unique looking helmet and it is in great heraldic taste that King Zog I chose it instead of the typical royal crowns used in Europe.
Marcus K;43890 wrote:
The Savoyknots and the FERT-motto of the Italian Royal house has been added like the Fascist Fasces.
Do you mean the Faces of the ancient Roman Republic usurped by the Italian Fascists? Rather like the Sanskrit swastika usurped and despoiled by the Nazis. It is too bad that both of these ancient symbols were besmirched by despotic regimes in the past century.
I believe that Finland is the only state that continued to use the swastika after 1945. The US government still uses the Faces on either side of the main dais in the chamber of the US House of Representatives. The Faces were also on the reverse of the US Mercury head dime (1916-1945).
David, Interesting perspective on the use of symbols through the different ages and political systems.
There is a swiss canton that uses vert, a fasces argent, but I can’t recall for the life of me what it was. Started with a V i think…....
MohamedHossam;43896 wrote:
There is a swiss canton that uses vert, a fasces argent, but I can’t recall for the life of me what it was. Started with a V i think…....
It is the Canton of Saint Gallen that uses the Faces on its arms and flag:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/St.Gallen-coat_of_arms.svg
David Pritchard;43893 wrote:
Do you mean the Faces of the ancient Roman Republic usurped by the Italian Fascists? Rather like the Sanskrit swastika usurped and despoiled by the Nazis. It is too bad that both of these ancient symbols were besmirched by despotic regimes in the past century.
I believe that Finland is the only state that continued to use the swastika after 1945. The US government still uses the Faces on either side of the main dais in the chamber of the US House of Representatives. The Faces were also on the reverse of the US Mercury head dime (1916-1945).
Yes the Fasces was orignaly a Roman symbol of Law (carried by the Lictors in thier capacity in dealing out punishment) and actualy it is still used in the arms of the Swedish and Norwegian Police.
