Coat of arms of Albania (1992-1998).svg

The coat of arms of Albania ( Albanian: Stema e Republikës së Shqipërisë) is an adaptation of the flag of Albania and is based on the symbols of Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg. It features the black double-headed eagle, documented in official use since 1458, as evidenced from a sealed document uncovered in the Vatican Secret Archive (fund: Miscellanea, vol. XXXIX, doc. 2398), addressed to Pope Pius II and co-sealed by notary Johannes Borcius de Grillis.
The stylized gold helmet is partially based on the model of crown-like rank that once belonged to Skanderbeg, currently on display at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, first mentioned in 1593 in the Ambras armory inventory and depicted in 1601/03 in the "Armamentarium Heroicum" of Jakob Schrenck von Notzing. The ruler of Austria, Ferdinand II, acquired the helmet from the Duke of Urbino, so mentioned in a letter sent to him from the duke, dated 15 October 1578.

The helmet as an integral component in the coat of arms was instituted for the first time by the president of the republic Ahmet Zogu on 12 July 1926.

Official regulation

The coat of arms of the Republic is described in Article 14 of the Constitution of Albania:

The design is further specified in articles VII and VIII of Law 8926:

Expanded usage

The expanded usage of the coat of arms of the Republic is explained by decision no. 474 of the Council of Ministers, dated 10 July 2003.

The usage of the coat of arms of the Republic, is later included in the Official Ceremonial (), approved by decision no. 229, dated 23 April 2004 which states:

Conception of the double-headed eagle

Significance of the helmet

Skanderbeg's helmet is mentioned, along with two swords, in the inventory of the Ambras Castle armory in 1593, inherited by Archduke Ferdinand II and in the catalogue known as 'Armamentarium Heroicum' published in 1601 by Jakob Schrenk von Notzing. From one of 125 portraits of European princes in plates engraved by Dominicus Custos, after designs by Giovanni Battista Fontana, Skanderbeg is shown with the helmet and a sword. The plates were accompanied with a text by Schrenk von Notzing giving a brief profile of the subject. Archduke Ferdinand had himself led a campaign against the Ottomans in Hungary in 1556 at the behest of his father, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I, so it was not perhaps surprising that he would want to include the arms of Skanderbeg in his collection.

In 1605, Ambras Castle was sold to the Austrian Emperor, and in 1806 the arms were transferred to Belvedere Palace and then finally, in 1888, to the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. In recent years, the arms have been the subject of study by the museum's curator, Matthias Pfaffenbichler.

The iron forged helmet is likely of Italian origin, thought to have been made around 1460. The lower part of the helmet and the neck protection are missing and cracks in the base have been covered by a sewn leather band under which are traces of the original silk. A copper band with gold plated border is adorned with six rosettes, most of which are 16th century restorations, though the one at the back dates to the 15th century. Between the rosettes, an inscription in a particular type of Gothic minuscule on a hatched ground reads ‘in/per/ra/to/re/bt’.

Skënder Anamali, an archaeologist and scholar on medieval history, has proposed that the decorative band with the inscription and the rosettes were added by Skanderbeg's descendants. The initials of the inscription are usually rendered as ''Jezus Nazarenus /Principi Emathie /Regi Albaniae * Terrori Osmanorum * Regi Epirotarum * Benedictat Te'' which translate as Jesus of Nazareth Blesses Thee Prince of Emathia, King (or Kingdom) of Albania, Terror of the Ottomans, King (or Kingdom) of Epirus. Such titles, however, were not used during Skanderbeg's lifetime.

Pfaffenbichler's close inspection of the inscription confirms the view that it was added to the helmet after Skanderbeg's lifetime. The transverse part of the letter ‘t’ is from a calligraphic font called Fraktur, developed by Wolfgang Spitzberg, the scribe of the Chancellery, and used for the first time around 1500. Fraktur only appeared in wider use from 1517, about 50 years after the death of Skanderbeg. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that the decorative band with its inscription are not original – though one of the rosettes dating to the 15th century may possibly have been a replacement of an original fitting.

The helmet is distinguished for its goat's head crest. There are a number of theories explaining the association of the goat's head with Skanderbeg. One such theory is that it relates to the rams’ horns, a symbol of Zeus Ammon, worn by Alexander the Great, who was Epirote by descent from his mother Olympias. The famed King of Epirus, Pyrrhus, also wore a helmet that had, according to Plutarch, a “towering crest and … goat's horns”.

The goat's head is partially hammered in copper, engraved and gold plated. The eye sockets that today are empty would have been inlaid. The shape of the crest hole on top of the helmet does not precisely mold into the shape needed for the goat's head crest so the two parts may have not originally gone together.

Inconsistencies with the design

State coats of arms

See also

* Armorial of Albania
* Emblem of Kosovo ''(Armorial)''
* Flag of Albania '' (List)''
* Flag of Kosovo ''(List)''

References

{{Coats of arms of Europe

National symbols of Albania
Albania
Albania
Albania
Double-headed eagle