Coat of arms of Montenegro
Encyclopedia
The coat of arms of Montenegro (Montenegrin
: Грб Црне Горе, Grb Crne Gore) was officially adopted by the law passed in the Parliament on 13 July 2004. It is now the central motif of the flag of Montenegro
, as well as the coat of arms of the Army of Montenegro.
It was constitutionally sanctioned by the Constitution
proclaimed on 2 October 2007.
is a two-headed eagle which is a symbol of Byzantine
and ultimately Roman
origin. It symbolises dual authority, such as that over the church and state. The motif was used by medieval rulers of Zeta - the House of Crnojević
, as well as various other European dynasties. The layout of the Montenegrin coat of arms is inspired by that of the Russian Empire
, with which the ruling House of Petrović-Njegoš
had close dynastic and political ties in the 19th century when the coat of arms was first adopted in its present form.
The lion passant
on the inescutcheon can be interpreted in several ways. It can be seen as a sign of episcopal authority and could be inspired by the Lion of Judah
. Furthermore, it bears some similarity to the motif present in the arms of Venice
, which had considerable influence in the history of Montenegro. After Montenegro
regained its independence, it gradually became a theocracy
in order to preserve unity before numerous Turkish
invasions on the country. For this reason, the authority of the church was reflected in various insignia of the age. After the establishment of the secular dynastic succession in 1851, the lion was placed beneath the eagle, while the initials of the ruler stood on the shield: notably, that of Danilo I, Prince of Montenegro, Danilo II, Prince of Montenegro and King Nicholas I of Montenegro
. Curiously, Danilo I was still a prince-bishop
while the standard bearing his initials was used. The modern coat of arms placed the lion d’or back on the shield, erasing that monarchic symbol. Today, Montenegro is a secular, democratic republic, so the fact that the crown
of the Petrovic-Njegos dynasty was also represented created some controversy at the time of its adoption.
However, this solution proved extremely popular and the coat of arms can be seen not only in schools, government offices, etc, but also in many private houses, places of business and private universities and is a common display of national pride.
A defective or unsuitable for use coat of arms or flag are revoked from use.
When displayed in Montenegro together with one or more coats of arms of other states or international organizations, the coat of arms takes the place of honour.
The place of honour is considered the central place in a circle, the top of the semicircle, the first place in a row, column or group of coats of arms, the place on the right, as seen from the front, from the coat of arms of another state or international organization. On scripts it takes place on the top center or upper left angle.
in the 15th century. Their family arms - a golden crowned two-headed eagle on a red background - laid the foundation of the Montenegrin state heraldry: the two-headed eagle became the standard symbol of the state. After gaining power, the Petrovic-Njegos dynasty took the golden two-headed eagle as the state symbol. Vladika Danilo charged on its breast the Great Arms of the Petrovic-Njegos family (shield, crown, mantling), while his successor vladika Sava made major changes to the coat of arms: he removed the family Great Arms from the eagle's breast, and added a sceptre
and a globus cruciger
("the imperial orb") in its claws. He also added another symbol retained until present day - a golden lion passant - below the golden eagle. With Petar I, further rearrangement of the coat of arms took place: he removed the royal insignia from the eagle and charged the eagle's breast with the Middle Arms of the Petrovic-Njegos while leaving the lion passant.
Prince Danilo also reorganised the coat of arms: he charged the golden eagle's breast with a shield with a blue background and a golden lion passant on green ground. In one claw the eagle held the orb, and in the other a sword and a sceptre.
In the time of King Nicholas I, the sword was removed and later, in conformity with the Constitution of 1905, the colour of the eagle was changed from golden to silver as well as the colour of the inescutcheon - from blue to red.
After World War II
, Montenegrin statehood was reestablished and Montenegro became a federal part of the Second Yugoslavia. A national emblem was adopted in 1945 and it was designed in socialist style: Laurel wreath
with Red Star
, while the central motive was the Chapel of Lovćen with sea waves in the background, representing the Montenegrin sea access
. The national emblem of the Federal State of Montenegro was made in 1944 by Milan Božović, it was stylised in 1946 by Milo Milunović, and afterwards slightly changed in 1963 and 1974 (the shape of the red star
).
In 1993, the Montenegrin parliament
introduced a coat of arms proper, returning to historical heritage. The old Montenegrin state's coat of arms was restored, but redesigned in the style of the federal coat of arms
. The Constitution of 1993 maintained the "tradition" of king Nikola: the adopted coat of arms was a crowned silver eagle with the orb in one and the sceptre in the other talon, and charged on its breast was a red shield with a golden lion passant.
Montenegrin language
Montenegrin is a name used for the Serbo-Croatian language as spoken by Montenegrins; it also refers to an incipient standardized form of the Shtokavian dialect of Serbo-Croatian used as the official language of Montenegro...
: Грб Црне Горе, Grb Crne Gore) was officially adopted by the law passed in the Parliament on 13 July 2004. It is now the central motif of the flag of Montenegro
Flag of Montenegro
The flag of Montenegro was officially adopted with the Law on the state symbols and the statehood day of Montenegro on 13 July 2004 at the proposal of the government of Montenegro. It was constitutionally sanctioned with the proclamation of the Constitution on 22 October 2007...
, as well as the coat of arms of the Army of Montenegro.
It was constitutionally sanctioned by the Constitution
Constitution of Montenegro
The current Constitution of Montenegro was ratified and adopted by the Constitutional Parliament of Montenegro on 19 October 2007 on an extraordinary session by achieving the required two-thirds supermajority of votes. The Constitution was officially proclaimed as the Constitution of Montenegro on...
proclaimed on 2 October 2007.
Description
The chargeCharge (heraldry)
In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon . This may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object or other device...
is a two-headed eagle which is a symbol of Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and ultimately Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
origin. It symbolises dual authority, such as that over the church and state. The motif was used by medieval rulers of Zeta - the House of Crnojević
House of Crnojevic
The Crnojević was a medieval Serb noble house that held Zeta, or parts of it; a region corresponding to north of Lake Skadar , from 1326 to 1362, then 1403 until 1515. The progenitor, Đuraš Ilijić, was head of Upper Zeta in the Serbian Kingdom and Empire The Crnojević was a medieval Serb noble...
, as well as various other European dynasties. The layout of the Montenegrin coat of arms is inspired by that of the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, with which the ruling House of Petrović-Njegoš
House of Petrovic-Njegoš
The House of Petrović-Njegoš was the Royal House of Montenegro from 1696 to 1918. Montenegro had enjoyed de facto independence from the Ottoman Empire from 1711 but only received formal international recognition as an independent principality in 1878.Montenegro was ruled from inception by...
had close dynastic and political ties in the 19th century when the coat of arms was first adopted in its present form.
The lion passant
Lion (heraldry)
The lion is a common charge in heraldry. It traditionally symbolises bravery, valour, strength, and royalty, since traditionally, it is regarded as the king of beasts.-Attitudes:...
on the inescutcheon can be interpreted in several ways. It can be seen as a sign of episcopal authority and could be inspired by the Lion of Judah
Lion of Judah
The Lion of Judah was the symbol of the Israelite tribe of Judah in the Book of Genesis of the Hebrew Bible .-Lion of Judah and Judaism:...
. Furthermore, it bears some similarity to the motif present in the arms of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, which had considerable influence in the history of Montenegro. After Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
regained its independence, it gradually became a theocracy
Theocracy
Theocracy is a form of organization in which the official policy is to be governed by immediate divine guidance or by officials who are regarded as divinely guided, or simply pursuant to the doctrine of a particular religious sect or religion....
in order to preserve unity before numerous Turkish
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
invasions on the country. For this reason, the authority of the church was reflected in various insignia of the age. After the establishment of the secular dynastic succession in 1851, the lion was placed beneath the eagle, while the initials of the ruler stood on the shield: notably, that of Danilo I, Prince of Montenegro, Danilo II, Prince of Montenegro and King Nicholas I of Montenegro
Nicholas I of Montenegro
Nikola I Mirkov Petrović-Njegoš was the only king of Montenegro, reigning as king from 1910 to 1918 and as prince from 1860 to 1910. He was also a poet, notably penning "Onamo, 'namo!", a popular song from Montenegro.-Early life:Nikola was born in the village of Njeguši, the ancient home of the...
. Curiously, Danilo I was still a prince-bishop
Prince-Bishop
A Prince-Bishop is a bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more secular principalities, usually pre-existent titles of nobility held concurrently with their inherent clerical office...
while the standard bearing his initials was used. The modern coat of arms placed the lion d’or back on the shield, erasing that monarchic symbol. Today, Montenegro is a secular, democratic republic, so the fact that the crown
Crown (headgear)
A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to...
of the Petrovic-Njegos dynasty was also represented created some controversy at the time of its adoption.
However, this solution proved extremely popular and the coat of arms can be seen not only in schools, government offices, etc, but also in many private houses, places of business and private universities and is a common display of national pride.
Use of national symbols (as per Montenegrin laws)
The coat of arms and the flag are used in the shape and contents determined by law. The use of the coat of arms and the flag is free in artistic creativity and educational work, in manners not disturbing the public morale, reputation and dignity of Montenegro. In the coat of arms and the flag, it is not permitted to correct, add or change anything. Exceptionally, if so determined by special regulations, the coat of arms and the flag could be used as a component of other emblems or signs of the state bodies and other institutions. The coat of arms and the flag can not be used as merchant or service seal, sample or model, nor as any other sign marking the merchandise and services. The coat of arms and the flag cannot be used if they are defective or otherwise inappropriate for use due to the unsuitable appearance.A defective or unsuitable for use coat of arms or flag are revoked from use.
When displayed in Montenegro together with one or more coats of arms of other states or international organizations, the coat of arms takes the place of honour.
The place of honour is considered the central place in a circle, the top of the semicircle, the first place in a row, column or group of coats of arms, the place on the right, as seen from the front, from the coat of arms of another state or international organization. On scripts it takes place on the top center or upper left angle.
The coat of arms is used
- In the state seal;
- In the seals of other state bodies and local self-management bodies;
- In the official halls of the state bodies and the local self-management bodies and on official inscriptions on the buildings in which these are located;
- In rooms of educational institutions in which the educational process is performed and on inscriptions on buildings in which these institutions are located
- On buildings of the representations of Montenegro abroad;
- On official acts used by the representatives of the state bodies;
- On charters, diplomas and recognitions granted by Montenegro;
- On diplomas and attestations on finished education;
- On identity cards of members of the parliament, members of the government, judges, inspectors and other officials.
The coat of arms may be used
- During political, scientific, cultural, artistic, sporting and other manifestations in which Montenegro is represented;
- On official acknowledgments, greeting cards, invitations and other acts of the President of Montenegro, the Chairman of the Parliament, the Prime Minister, the Chairman of the High Court, the Chairman of the Constitutional Court, the Supreme State Attorney and the Human Rights Ombudsman;
- On official uniforms;
- In artistic creations and in educational work;
- In other cases defined by the law.
Historical coats of arms
The history of the state coat of arms begins with the Crnojevics dynastyHouse of Crnojevic
The Crnojević was a medieval Serb noble house that held Zeta, or parts of it; a region corresponding to north of Lake Skadar , from 1326 to 1362, then 1403 until 1515. The progenitor, Đuraš Ilijić, was head of Upper Zeta in the Serbian Kingdom and Empire The Crnojević was a medieval Serb noble...
in the 15th century. Their family arms - a golden crowned two-headed eagle on a red background - laid the foundation of the Montenegrin state heraldry: the two-headed eagle became the standard symbol of the state. After gaining power, the Petrovic-Njegos dynasty took the golden two-headed eagle as the state symbol. Vladika Danilo charged on its breast the Great Arms of the Petrovic-Njegos family (shield, crown, mantling), while his successor vladika Sava made major changes to the coat of arms: he removed the family Great Arms from the eagle's breast, and added a sceptre
Sceptre
A sceptre is a symbolic ornamental rod or wand borne in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of royal or imperial insignia.-Antiquity:...
and a globus cruciger
Globus cruciger
The globus cruciger is an orb topped with a cross , a Christian symbol of authority used throughout the Middle Ages and even today on coins, iconography and royal regalia...
("the imperial orb") in its claws. He also added another symbol retained until present day - a golden lion passant - below the golden eagle. With Petar I, further rearrangement of the coat of arms took place: he removed the royal insignia from the eagle and charged the eagle's breast with the Middle Arms of the Petrovic-Njegos while leaving the lion passant.
Prince Danilo also reorganised the coat of arms: he charged the golden eagle's breast with a shield with a blue background and a golden lion passant on green ground. In one claw the eagle held the orb, and in the other a sword and a sceptre.
In the time of King Nicholas I, the sword was removed and later, in conformity with the Constitution of 1905, the colour of the eagle was changed from golden to silver as well as the colour of the inescutcheon - from blue to red.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Montenegrin statehood was reestablished and Montenegro became a federal part of the Second Yugoslavia. A national emblem was adopted in 1945 and it was designed in socialist style: Laurel wreath
Laurel wreath
A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...
with Red Star
Red star
A red star, five-pointed and filled, is an important ideological and religious symbol which has been used for various purposes, such as: state emblems, flags, monuments, ornaments, and logos.- Symbol of communism :...
, while the central motive was the Chapel of Lovćen with sea waves in the background, representing the Montenegrin sea access
Montenegrin Littoral
The Montenegrin Littoral is a region in Montenegro which borders the Adriatic Sea. Prior to the Creation of Yugoslavia, the Montenegrin Littoral was not part of the Kingdom of Montenegro, but rather a bordering region of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, latterly part of the State of Slovenes, Croats,...
. The national emblem of the Federal State of Montenegro was made in 1944 by Milan Božović, it was stylised in 1946 by Milo Milunović, and afterwards slightly changed in 1963 and 1974 (the shape of the red star
Red star
A red star, five-pointed and filled, is an important ideological and religious symbol which has been used for various purposes, such as: state emblems, flags, monuments, ornaments, and logos.- Symbol of communism :...
).
In 1993, the Montenegrin parliament
Parliament of Montenegro
The Parliament of Montenegro is the unicameral legislature of Montenegro. The Parliament currently has 81 members, each elected for a four-year term. The current Speaker of the Parliament is Ranko Krivokapić, while the deputy speakers are Željko Šturanović and Rifat Rastoder...
introduced a coat of arms proper, returning to historical heritage. The old Montenegrin state's coat of arms was restored, but redesigned in the style of the federal coat of arms
Coat of arms of Serbia and Montenegro
The coat of arms of Serbia and Montenegro was the national symbol of Serbia and Montenegro.-Official status:The coat of arms was officially adopted by the federal parliament in 1994. It replaced the coat of arms of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia which had remained as the Federal...
. The Constitution of 1993 maintained the "tradition" of king Nikola: the adopted coat of arms was a crowned silver eagle with the orb in one and the sceptre in the other talon, and charged on its breast was a red shield with a golden lion passant.