Eagle (heraldry) - Modern Usage

Modern Usage

Napoleon used an eagle, again derived from an Ancient Roman eagle, as did his nephew Napoleon III. An eagle remains in the arms of the House of Bonaparte.

Since 20 June 1782, the United States has used an American Bald Eagle, wings displayed, on its Great Seal.

The Mexican coat of arms and the Mexican flag bear an "eagle perched upon a nopal, devouring a serpent".

The flag of Egypt illustrates an eagle as its official coat of arms.

Many modern nations continue to use the eagle in their arms. These include:

Derived from the Byzantine imperial eagle

• Albania (see Coat of arms of Albania)
• Romania (see Coat of arms of Romania)
• Russia (see Coat of arms of Russia and Russian Empire)
• Serbia (see Coat of arms of Serbia)
• Greek Orthodox Church

derived from the German Reichsadler

• Austria (see Coat of arms of Austria)
• Germany (see Coat of arms of Germany)

other

• Armenia (see Coat of arms of Armenia), eagle of the Artaxiad Dynasty
• Moldova (see Coat of arms of Moldova)
• Poland (see Coat of arms of Poland)
• Egypt (see Coat of arms of Egypt)
• Iraq (see Coat of arms of Iraq)
• Philippines (see Coat of arms of the Philippines)

In addition, the following cities and provinces use the eagle in their coat of arms:

• the German cities of Aachen, Frankfurt, Goslar, Nuremberg, Schweinfurt, Wetzlar
• Anhalt-Zerbst, a German district in Saxony-Anhalt
• Brandenburg, a German State (see Coat of arms of Brandenburg)
• Tyrol, a County of the Holy Roman Empire, and the modern Austrian State of Tyrol.
• Italian Provinces of South Tyrol and Trentino, along with the cities of Trento, Merano and Tirol. Also, the Pre-1738 flag of Sicily contained a double headed black eagle.
• Saxony-Anhalt, a German State (see Coat of arms of Saxony-Anhalt)

In Spain the eagle, though it was first used by the Catholic monarchs as a symbol of Saint John the Evangelist, came to be associated with the regime of Francisco Franco and since his death has been removed from official usage.