Poland is a country with a rich, often warlike past. Her flag and coat of arms are quite simple in execution. But what does the Polish heraldic eagle mean? And why does her flag consist of these colors?
Coat of arms of Poland: description, meaning
К официальным государственным символам польского States include flag, coat of arms and anthem. The emblem of Poland was approved in 1997. On a red shield there is a figure of a white or silver eagle. The shield narrows down a bit. On the head of an eagle is a golden-colored crown. Its beak and claws are also golden.
The image of an eagle is often used in heraldry,vie with him except that only the lion. In ancient times, the eagle personified the monarch or deity. Often in Greece the bird was a symbol of Zeus, and in Rome it was Jupiter. According to one version, the figure of an eagle adorns the coat of arms of Poland as a symbol of power and strength.
There is also a more fabulous version of the image.the eagle. It belongs to the legends about three brothers: Cech, Lech and Rus - the progenitors of Slavic peoples. According to one legend, the three brothers roamed with their people in search of a place to settle, but then decided to separate. So, Brother Rus decided to go east, and Brother Cech west to the side of Bohemia, until he reached Mount жíp. Lech decided to go north. On the way, Lech met a white eagle flying over a nest in an oak. The eagle's flight in the rays of the setting sun had delighted Lech so much that he decided to settle in this place and chose the eagle as a symbol on his coat of arms. He called his city the Nest.
Coat of arms of Poland: photo, history
Everyone likes beautiful and romantic stories, butFormally, the eagle has not been depicted on the Polish coat of arms for a long time. Initially, he was present at the personal distinguishing signs of Przemysl II in the XIII century, and only after his coronation did the figure of the white eagle become a symbol of the entire state. The silver eagle especially meant a lot to the Polish people: being an image of not only strength but also purity, it symbolically opposed the black two-headed German eagle, the sign of the German Empire hostile at that time. With all its appearance, the coat of arms of Poland showed superiority over German, and the red background additionally reported its readiness to fight.
The coat of arms changed when Speech was formedCommonwealth. Then it took the form of a shield, and its composition included the Lithuanian coat of arms. The shield's space was divided into four parts: in the upper left and lower right corners there was a Polish white eagle, and in the upper right and lower left there was a Lithuanian knight on a horse.
In the period from the XVIII to XIX century, due to the frequentthe change of power, the crown on the bird's head was often absent, and in 1943 it was officially removed. The crown was present only on the coat of arms of the exiled Polish government (supporters of the king).
At the end of the 20th century, a new, democratic path of development begins in the politics of Poland. In confirmation of this, the look of the coat of arms is changing again, and the eagle acquires its crown.
Polish flag
A symbol no less important for the Republic of Polandwhat emblem is a flag. His canvas is divided into two identical horizontal stripes. The upper band of the white flag, which often symbolically means purity, spirituality, integrity. On the Polish flag, this color is also a symbol of the eagle depicted on its coat of arms. In the center of the white band is a miniature coat of arms. The bottom strip of the flag is red. Usually it is the color of aggression, militancy, courage and is related to the image of fire. The red stripe on the flag of Poland, as well as the white one, corresponds to its coat of arms.
In the Middle Ages, on a white strip flagThe image of the coat of arms with the eagle was located. Later on the flag appeared another red stripe on top. And in the time of Jan Casimir, the flag consisted of four lanes.
The modern look of the flag was officially approved in 1980.
Conclusion
The coat of arms of Poland often changed, but always on itthe white eagle figure remained. Recalling the legendary historical past, the eagle personified the purity and strength of the Polish state, supporting the spirit of the people.
