Coat of arms of Poland
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The Polish coat of arms is regulated by article 28(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland of 1997. The Coat of arms of Poland consists of a white eagle on a red field. Its current appearance, regulated by the Coat of Arms Act, consists of single-headed, crowned eagle, turned towards right with golden claws and beak, upon the red shield. White and red are the national colours of the Republic of Poland, regulated by the Act.
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[edit] Legend
The White Eagle emblem originated when Poland’s legendary founder Lech saw a white eagle’s nest. When he looked at the bird, a ray of sunshine from the red setting sun fell on its wings, so they appeared tipped with gold, the rest of the eagle was pure white. He was delighted and decided to settle there and placed the eagle on his emblem. He also named the place Gniezdno (currently Gniezno) from the Polish word gniazdo (nest).
This tale could be considered as an allusion to the legend of the city of Rome which was founded by Romulus and Remus. Auspicium is the ancient rite of observing birds of prey flights in order to get support of gods for future arranged actions. A less romantic version assumes that Poland adopted the emblem from the Roman Empire (like many other European countries).
[edit] History
The image of the white eagle appeared for the first time on the coins made during the reing of Boleslaw I, initially as the Piast family’s personal coat of arms. The stylized bird’s appearance caused dispute between scholars who could not identify its species. The most probable is the white-tailed eagle but cock, pigeon, and peacock were also taken into consideration. Since XII c. the eagle has appeared on the shields, ensigns, coins, and stamps of Piast dukes. It appeared on the Polish coat of arms during Przemysl II reign as a reminder of the Piast tradition before the fragmentation of Poland.
The eagle’s graphic form has changed throughout centuries. Its recent shape, accepted in 1927, was designed by professor Zygmunt Kaminski and was based on the eagle’s form from the times of Stefan Batory's reign. It is worth mentioning that it was adapted to stamps or round shields rather than to a rectangular shape.
The shield itself also changed shape. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's shield was divided into four parts, with Polish Eagle and Lithuanian Pahonia on opposite sides. Kings used to place their own emblems in the center of the national coat of arms (i.e. House Vasa).
Despite the fact that new emblems were given to provinces established by the invaders after the partitions of Poland, the White Eagle remained there with or without crown and occasionally with face turned towards left and in some exceptions with Pahonia. But in most cases they were combined with the invader’s emblem.
After the November Uprising, the tsars, titled also as Polish kings, adapted the Order of the White Eagle with blue ribbon, well accepted in Russia. Archangel, the symbol of Ukraine, joined the Eagle and Pahonia during the January Uprising. The Poles conscientiously collected coins from the pre-partitions period with the eagle on their obverse and reverse. The symbol of the Eagle often with Pahonia appeared on numerous flags and emblems of the uprising.
The resurrection of the Polish Kingdom was approved by Austria and Germany in 1916. A year later, the first Polish bank-notes with crowned eagle on an indivisible shield were introduced. After regaining independence the White Eagle was implemented by the act of 1919. Official image of the coat of arms (which remind Stanislaw Poniatowski’s emblem) was used until 1927 when Zygmunt Kaminski designed a new one.
Recently it is a copyrighted symbol of the Republic of Poland. Its effigy appears on many public administration buildings. It is present at schools and courts. Furthermore it is placed on the averse of polish coins and even on the Poland national football team’s shirts. However the issue on which conditions it should be exposed and how it should be interpreted is the topic of numerous debates in Poland.
[edit] Polish military
POL Wojska Lądowe.svg
Coat of Arms of the Polish Land Forces |
POL Marynarka Wojenna.svg
Coat of Arms of the Polish Navy |
POL Wojska Lotnicze.svg
Coat of Arms of the Polish Air Forces |
[edit] Gallery
OrzelekPrzemysla.jpg
Coat of arms of King Przemysł II |
Orzel Wladyslaw Lokietek.jpg
Coat of arms of King Władysław Łokietek |
Orzelek2.gif
Coat of arms of King Władysław Jagiełło |
OrelekZygmuntaS.jpg
Coat of arms of King Zygmunt Stary |
Herb Rzeczpospolitej Obojga Narodow.svg
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OrzelekPoniatowski.jpg
Coat of arms of King Stanisław August Poniatowski |
MWP Dyktator1831 seal.JPG
Seal of the Dictator of the November Uprising |
Powstanie Styczniowe symbol.PNG
January Uprising`s coat of arms, respecting 3 nations forming Commonwealth of Three Nations |
Coat of arms of Poland 1919-1927.PNG
Coat of arms of the Second Republic of Poland (1919-1927) |
Godło II Rzeczypospolitej.jpg
Coat of arms of the Second Republic of Poland (after 1927) |
Herb PRL.svg
People's Republic of Poland (1945-1989) Coat of arms without the crown. |
After World War II, authorities of the Polish People Republic removed crown from the eagle’s head. It was approved by resolution in 1955. As a result the government of the Polish Republic in Exile introduced a new emblem presenting the eagle wearing a crown with a cross at the top. Eventually the Third Republic of Poland’s government brought the crown back.
[edit] Heraldic tradition
The eagle with spread wings, ready to attack, is shown in heraldic tradition. The White Eagle is a specific name of the coat of arms of Poland. The heraldic description of the national emblem is a silver eagle with the golden crown pictured on a red field.
[edit] See also
- Banner of Poland
- Coat of arms of Lithuania
- Coat of arms of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Flag of Poland
- Order of the White Eagle – the highest order in Polish honours system.
- Polish coins and banknotes
- Polish heraldry
National symbols of Poland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Names and codes | ||
| Constitutional | Coat of arms · Colors and flag · Anthem | |
| Military | ||
| Historical | ||
| Unofficial | Songs · Mottos · National costume | |
| Patron saints | ||
| Category:National symbols of Poland | ||
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