Coat of Arms of Germany - Holy Roman Empire

Holy Roman Empire

See also: Armorial of the Holy Roman Empire

The German Reichsadler (Imperial Eagle) dates back to the time of Charlemagne, the first Frankish ruler to be crowned emperor by the pope (AD 800), ultimately derived from the eagle standard of the Roman army.

By the 13th century, the black eagle icon on a gold field was generally recognised as the imperial coat of arms. During the medieval period, the imperial eagle was mostly single-headed. A double-headed eagle is attributed to Frederick II in the Chronica Majora (ca. 1250). In 1433 the double-headed eagle was adopted by the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund. Since then the double-headed eagle came to be used as the symbol of the German emperor, and hence as the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. From the 12th century, the Emperors would have a personal coat of arms separate from the imperial one. Starting with Albert II (r. 1438–39), each Emperor bore arms with an inescutcheon of his personal arms on the torso of a two-headed eagle.


Coats of arms of the Holy Roman Empire

  • First depiction of the Reichsadler as double-headed (coat of arms of emperor Otto IV from the Chronica Majora, ca. 1250)

  • The Reichsadler from the coat of arms of Henry VI (Codex Manesse, ca. 1304)

  • The arms of the Holy Roman Empire with two putti (1540s manuscript)

  • Imperial coat of arms (Röm Kayserlicher und Kön May Wappen) from Siebmachers Wappenbuch (1605)

  • The arms 1804–1806 under Emperor Francis II (Emperor Francis I of Austria).

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