Albanian heraldry is the use of

heraldic Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known bran ...

symbols in

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

. The earliest form of Albanian heraldry is from the late 12th century, with the creation of the first Albanian medieval country, the

Principality of Arbanon Arbanon ( sq, Arbër or , el, Ἄρβανον, ''Árvanon''; la, Arbanum) was a principality ruled by the native Progoni family, and the first Albanian state to emerge in recorded history. The principality was established in 1190 by the native ...

in 1190. During the 13th to the 15th century, a great number of medieval Albanian noble families had at their coat of arms the symbol of eagle like the

Kastrioti The House of Kastrioti ( sq, Dera e Kastriotëve) was an Albanian noble family, active in the 14th and 15th centuries as the rulers of the Principality of Kastrioti. At the beginning of the 15th century, the family controlled a territory in the ...

Muzaka The Muzaka were an Albanian noble family that ruled over the region of Myzeqe (southern Albania) in the Late Middle Ages. The Muzaka are also referred to by some authors as a tribe or a clan. The earliest historical document that mention Muzaka ...

Arianiti The House of Arianiti were an Albanian noble family that ruled large areas in Albania and neighbouring areas from the 11th to the 16th century. Their domain stretched across the Shkumbin valley and the old Via Egnatia road and reached east to to ...

, Dukagjini, but the most prominent being the Kastrioti's coat of arms, having a black double headed eagle, which became a national symbol of the Albanians during

Skanderbeg , reign = 28 November 1443 – 17 January 1468 , predecessor = Gjon Kastrioti , successor = Gjon Kastrioti II , spouse = Donika Arianiti , issue = Gjon Kastrioti II , royal house = Kastrioti , father ...

's reign in the 15th century, as well as the official national

flag of Albania The flag of Albania ( sq, Flamuri i Republikës së Shqipërisë) is a red flag with a silhouetted black double-headed eagle in the center. The red stands for bravery, strength, valour and bloodshed, while the Eagle represents the sovereign sta ...

from 1912. The discipline of heraldry has its roots in 11th century

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

, at the same time that regulations emerged on the display of military guns, seals and feudal flags by empires and military coalitions. The most prominent symbol of the Albanian heraldry is the eagle.

History

The well known Croatian researcher

Milan Šufflay Milan Šufflay (8 November 1879 – 19 February 1931) was a Croatian historian and politician. He was one of the founders of Albanology and the author of the first Croatian science fiction novel. As a Croatian nationalist, he was persecuted in th ...

, who specialized in

n studies, wrote: "In the Albanian lands, heraldry was used early in ceremonies and chancelleries...since their contacts with the

Anjou Anjou may refer to: Geography and titles France * County of Anjou, a historical county in France and predecessor of the Duchy of Anjou **Count of Anjou, title of nobility *Duchy of Anjou, a historical duchy and later a province of France **Duk ...

and the French knights..." Gëziq eagle emblem

The heraldic emblem of

Arbanon Arbanon ( sq, Arbër or , el, Ἄρβανον, ''Árvanon''; la, Arbanum) was a principality ruled by the native Progoni family, and the first Albanian state to emerge in recorded history. The principality was established in 1190 by the native ...

(Arbër) was discovered in Gëziq ( Mirditë) and dates from the 12th century. It was set on an architectural ensemble of artistic values and written in Latin, considered the language of nobility at the time. The early emblem of the Muzaka was discovered during the same period and it displays a water stream with two torches on each side. The family later adopted a bicephalic Eagle as base. Over the centuries, heraldry had been widely used not only by wealthy individuals and princes but also by cities, state institutions, religious and artisanal societies, etc. Albania had a development of heraldry in all forms. From medieval times, there are different samples and continuous changes of emblems based on the creation of new coalitions and marriages. When Andrea Topia got married, the emblem of his seal changed by including the symbols of the French Kingdom, to which he became the groom. Acknowledging the despot title, the House of Muzaka, made use of the Byzantine Empire symbols, the two-headed eagle to which it was added the 6 pointed star of the Balsha family, whom it was dependent. In this line, the grandson of

, who joined the church hierarchy, added a triangle to the inherited symbols of the

House of Kastrioti The House of Kastrioti ( sq, Dera e Kastriotëve) was an Albanian noble family, active in the 14th and 15th centuries as the rulers of the Principality of Kastrioti. At the beginning of the 15th century, the family controlled a territory in the ...

emblem, which stands for the holy trinity and also made some changes to its color scheme. Heraldry also developed from the influence of the Albanian folk symbols and is found in many materials and cultural objects together with the myths, cults and ritual explanations. The 14th century heraldic seal of the Topia was preserved at the monastery of Saint John Vladimir in

Elbasan Elbasan ( ; sq-definite, Elbasani ) is the fourth most populous city of Albania and seat of Elbasan County and Elbasan Municipality. It lies to the north of the river Shkumbin between the Skanderbeg Mountains and the Myzeqe Plain in central ...

(collection of the National History Museum, Tirana) and it is produced according to all heraldry regulations of the time. It is carved from the local master Dhimitër Spada and it is accompanied by a writing in 3 languages: Latin, Greek and Slavic, showing that the herald of this noble Albanian family was a very well known artist. The seal is the highest level of artistic development in heraldry because new elements were introduced according to a defined regulation. The unification of these decorative-artistic elements was the seal. In Medieval times, noble families also had their flags similar to the heraldry emblems. On the eve of the

League of Lezhë The League of Lezhë ( sq, Lidhja e Lezhës), also commonly referred to as the Albanian League ( sq, Lidhja Arbërore), was a military and diplomatic alliance of the Albanian aristocracy, created in the city of Lezhë on 2 March 1444. The Leag ...

on March 2, 1444, the people unified and recognized the flag of the

as their flag. Following centuries of occupation by the Ottoman Empire, the cultural identity of the people in this region suffered a shock, and its influence on heraldry left a mark.Brahaj, Jaho - Emblema Shqiptare~Gjurmime Heraldike, Tiranë, 1997. Today, Albanian heraldry in general consists of a mix of traditional Heraldry as well as Socialist Heraldry.

References

{{Albania topics

History

See also

References