SERBIAN COAT-OF-ARMS Fig. v

The double-headed eagle is basically oriental in conception, and in medieval Byzantium it symbolized the Roman Suc- cession, as well as duality of the sacred and temporal power embodied in the Emperor. But, it was not the only Imperial emblem--the whole lot o-~ Casesrs, Despots and Sebastocators wore embroidered garments decorated with golden, double-headed eagles. In Ser- bia, these are to be found for the first time on the fresco portrait of Prince Miroslav, brother of the founder of the Nemanj ic Dynasty. Since then, the eagle-sign was much in evidence during the middle ages. It should be noted that in that period however, it was not directly connected with imper- ial dignity, but by the 19th century the world was accustomed to the concept that the lion and eagle were Royal and Imperial signs. The double-headed eagle, by the intermediation of the Western empire, took prominent place in the arms of Austria, Montenegro, Russia*l and the German State of Lubeck. [Figs. viii, ix, x, xi]

King Milan was a man of true inspir-

ARMS OF JEAN de BRIENNE (LATIN E~EROR)

Fig. vi

EARLY VARIANT OF THE JERUSALEM ARMS (AND APPEAR ALSO AS A VARIANT

OF de BRIENNE’S ARMS) Fig. vii

ation. In his design of the White Eagle Order he united polyvalent symbolism with a shield bearing the cross separating four fire steels (now in gold) to symbolize the Church of Constantinople and the Nemanjic Saints. This revived Serbian shield is borne by a double-headed eagle chosen to symbolize the new Kingdom and old empire, also to remember Dushan the Mighty. Finally, un-d~-f the Royal Crown--]~ added the blue infulae--the ultimate sign of the identity of the temporal and sacred power since infulae are exclusive signs of the bishop, and when connected to the crown they assume the meaning of the

*i The Imperial Russian Arms came by intermediation of the Eastern Empire.

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ARMS OF AUSTRIA Fig. viii

ARMS OF MONTENEGRO Fig. ix

ARMS OF RUSSLA ARMS OF LUBECK Fig. x FiG. xi

Terrestrial Empire as a substitute for the Celestial one. This was clever, but in a way futile: There were no infulae on the medieval Serbian crowns. Serbian Orthodox Bishops have no infulae on their miters--on_~ western Imperial Crowns of close or mitertype can have infulae. That King Milan was not alone in his idea of infulae is testified by the Bulgarian Order of National Merit (Military) and the Montenegran Order of Danilo. [Plates Ii & 12]

Concerning the type of crown, King Milan chose the conventional version of

23

Plate Ii Plate 12 BULGARIAN ORDER OF NATIONAL MERIT MONTENEGRO ORDER OF DANILO

(MILITARY)

the Royal Crown often encountered in contemporary European heraldry. He did not choose any of the existing regalia: the cro~ of King Stefan "Decanski" or the crown (believed ~¢fongly) of Prince Lazar that is preserved in Vienna. In fact, he was never .crowned. His son was only annointed, and only Peter Karageorgevic I was-b-6FA--crowned and annointed. [Plate 13]

Plate 13 KING PETER I, 1905, RIDING THROUGH THE STREETS OF BELGRADE

IN THE CORONATION PARADE. TO BE CONTINUED:

B4