| Introduction: |
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The Coat of arms of Carantania |
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Black Panther, the coat of arms of Carantania - Dr. Šavli answers |
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Carantania and its full coat of arms |
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The Panther of Styria |
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The Blue Panther |
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Slovenia - The Flag and the Coat of Arms |
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The Coat of Arms of Historical Provinces in Slovenia |
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Carantanian Heraldry |
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Carantanian Panther and its Heraldic Varieties |
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Panthers of Carantania |
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The Helmet of Carantania |
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Carantanian Hat |
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The Peacock Feather Tuft of Carantania and the Carantanian Hat |
| Noble Families and their coats of arms: |
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The Counts of Plain - A Carantanian family in the Salzburg Land |
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Andechs - A Bavarian Family with Carantanian Roots |
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Correction to: St. Hedwig of Andechs, Duchess of Silesia. |
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The Counts of Goerz and their Carantanian Origin |
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Slovenians and the Habsburg dynasty |
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The Ottakars |
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The Paradaisers |
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The Princes of Windisch-Graetz |
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The Counts of Attems |
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The Ungnads |
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Counts and Princes of Turjak - Auersperg |
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Counts and Princes of Lamberg |
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Counts and Princes of Khevenhüller - Metsch |
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Heraldika Herberstein |
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early Blazon.com (see Babenberg) |
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| Also Wikipedia (the free encyclopedia) has misleading information and perhaps falsifications. This is why the encyclopedia is “free”. Its editors cannot be held responsible for the content or correctness of the information transmitted by the contributors. Such intentional distortion actually happened to me. My name, Dr. Šavli, was quoted in an article published by Wikipedia, with false information concerning the Black Panther, the coat of arms of Carantania, and I regret this incident. |
| I quote the article in its original entirety: |
| Black Panther symbol (Wikipedia) - Black panther (Slovene crni panter) is a Carinthian historical symbol which represents a symbolized black panther. As a heraldic symbol, it first appeared around 1160 in the coat of arms of the Carinthian Duke Hermann Spanheim as well as of the Styrian Margrave Ottokar III. In this region it was most frequently imaged on various monuments and tombstones. |
| The symbol can still be found in the coat of arms of the Austrian state of Styria, although the colours have been changed. - The symbol of the black panther in its current version was first reconstructed by the Slovenian amateur historian Jožko Šavli in the 1980s. Šavli claims that he discovered that several feudal families originating from the old Carantanian erea had a black panther in their dynastical coat of arms. He also claims he discovered several documents mentioning the black panther as an ancient symbol of Carinthia. From all these evidences he made a reconstruction of how the symbol of Carolingian Carantania most probably looked like. |
| Šavli's reconstruction soon gained some popularity among younger generations of Slovenian patriots and nationalists. In the last two decades, it has become one of the most recognizable symbols of Slovenian patriotism. It is also used by several nationalistic groups. |
| Several academic historians, such as Peter Štih, have disputed the hypothesis that the black panther was the symbol of Carolingian and Ottonian Duchy of Carinthia. According to their views, all mentions which would suggest such a conclusion are vague. Furthermore, there is no direct evidence of the symbol dating to the time of the Slavic principality of Carantania. Nevertheless, the ties of the black panther symbol with the territory of the early Ottonian Carinthia seem to be beyond doubt. |
| The origins of the symbol are unclear. Some maintain it comes from ancient Noricum. Indeed, the figure of two panthers guarding the arbor vitae can be seen in an ancient Roman carved stone built into the church of Maria Saal, which was the religious and administrative center of the old Carantanian principality. Furthermore, the figure of the black panther was very popular in medieval legends: since ancient times, the panther was regarded to be the deadly enemy of the dragon, thus symbolizing the archetypical narrative about the struggle between forces of light and darkness. In early medieval symbology, the panther was often depicted as a symbol of Christ. Since 1991, there have been several proposals to replace the Slovenian coat of arms with the black panther. |
| Sources: Andrej Pleterski, "Karantanski Rašamon ali mit pred mitom" in Delo, y. 39, n. 118 (May 24, 1997). - Peter Štih, "Brskanje po zgodovini in iskanje slovenskih simbolov" in Delo, y. 30, n. 130 (June 6, 1990). - Jožko Šavli, Slovenski simboli (Bilje: Založba Humar, 1995). (The very title is: Slovenska znamenja). |
| Dr. Šavli answers: |
| It is not about a Carinthian, but about a Carantanian symbol, respectively, the coat of arms. Why Carantanian? It appears for the first time on the seal of Ottokar III, Margrave of the Carantanian March (later Styria), when Carantania in its historical existence still existed. At that time it was introduced by Carinthia (dukedom) and Styria (march). Thus, the appellation “Carantanian” means, that the Black Panther became the exclusive coat of arms of Carantanian territory, and by law wholly legitimate. |
| When I published my research findings on the Black Panther in Glas Korotana (No 7 Vienna, 1981), Prof. Dr. Hans Jäger-Sunstenau, the then chairman of the Austrian heraldic association Adler in Vienna, published in the journal Archivum Herladicum (Bulletin 3 - 4, Lausanne 1982) a review with the following title: Heraldische Symbole im Alten Slowenisch Karantanien (Heraldic Symbols in ancient Slovenian Carantania). I think, the title speaks for itself. |
| At the beginning of the 90s, I also published several articles in the official journal of the Society, The Augustan (California). The articles dealt with Slovenian historical symbols: Prince’s Stone, Duke’s Throne, Goldenhorn, etc., as well as the Black Panther. I have never heard of any criticism. |
| Heraldry is not the same thing as history, therefore I decisively reject the remarks made by the historian Peter Štih and the archaeologist Andrej Pleterski, both of them teachers at the University of Ljubljana (Slovenia). Heraldry is not their professional field. I have never tracked down a single heraldic article, that these two have published concerning this matter (!). I am asking myself, how can they dare to judge the accuracy of a study, that is not of their competence? |
| Therefore, the epithet “amateur historian”, with which the historian Štih and the archaeologist Pleterski attack my personality, I find first of all false and second tasteless and offensive. Once again I would like to stress the fact, that it is not about history and archeology but in primis about heraldry. |
| Moreover, the unfolding of the Black Panther as a high quality coat of arms of Carantania affected deeply the Yugoslav (South Slav) ideology, which is even nowadays kept alive by historians of the University of Ljubljana. In sense of this, they explain that the existence of Carantania, the Slovenian Medieval duchy (mentioned for the first time in 595 AD) was a “short-lived creation” only. It should have ceased to exist already in 820 AD. Thereafter, Carantania fell under the “millinery German yoke”, from which it was rescued by its Serbian brethren as early as in 1918. |
| In Tito's Yugoslavia such explanation was dictated by the Belgrade regime in order to degrade the Slovenian people. Here is a corresponding quotation: Says Pavle Ivic, a linguist and member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts: “The Croatians and Slovenes have practically no history, and they never fought for their nation. They have suffered, perhaps quite naturally, from an inferiority complex, first toward Austria and then toward Serbia.” (Times International, October 14, 1991). |
| Such a standpoint concerning Slovenian history was dictated by Belgrade, and in this connection the University of Ljubljana was no exemption. - In reality, Carantania continued to exist through the centuries. In the 13th century, its lands passed under the dominion of the Habsburg family, the ruler of Austria. Since then, the name Austria gradually was put into force over the entire ancient Carantania. |
| It is only their opinion, if the teachers of the University of Ljubljana in regards to Slovenian history represent another standpoint. It is a vision which was dictated in ex-Yugoslavia. Anyway, in heraldry, my research discovered a diverse historical image of Carantania (Austria), the symbol of which is just the Black Panther. Wikipedia says (as highlighted in green), in independent Slovenia, it is also used by “several nationalistic groups”. It is about young Slovenians, who are not “nationalistic”. They only express their national consciousness and they – in an independent Slovenia - are often attacked by the Serbian youth. |
| I warned the historians of the University of Ljubljana, when they engage in polemics with me, a certain civilized level of discussion should be maintained in a proper confrontation instead of fearing a face-to-face encounter. Please, if you reject my discoveries about the Black Panther, then I invite you to openly discuss the corresponding arguments. It is not an “argumentation” to quote articles, which the public is not able to understand. Their persuasiveness should be guaranteed by the academic titles and positions of their authors only. I expect an adequate response. |
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| The Counts of Plain | |
| A Carantanian family in the Salzburg Land |
| They descended from the family of St. Emma | |
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| by Dr. Jožko Šavli | |
| Some historical papers established a genealogical record between St. Emma of Krka /Gurk († 1045), in Carinthia - Carantania, and the Counts of Plain or Plaien (Salzburg). The earliest member of Emma's family from whom a direct descent can be traced is the noble Valtuni, who in 895 was bestowed by Emperor Arnulf with Trušnje Valley in Carinthia. It is very possible that he was a relative and descendant of duke Valhun (Waltunk, Valhun, Volkun) of Carantania. In 772, after the Bavarian duke Tassilo III defeated the pagan rebellion, Carantania was ruled by duke Valhun or Volkun. He had succeeded in his great endeavour to renew the restoration of the Christendom in the country. | |
| In 898, Emperor Arnulf donated the estates to Sventipolk, also called »bonae nobilitatis vir«, who probably was a son of the noble Valtuni. His daughter Imma (Emma) was married to Wilhelm (I) of the Wilhelminer family. He was the father of Wilhelm II, count of Selce (Zeltschach) in Carinthia, the consort of Countess Emma or Hemma (St. Emma, *ca. 983 - † 1045). After the death of her consort and her two sons William and Hartwick, Countess Emma remained a widow and managed her great estates. She spent her life in works of charity and piety. In 1043, she founded the monastery of Krka (Gurk) in Carinthia, where she soon after died. Anyway, the above mentioned degree of relationship has not been clearly individuated until now. |
| In the period between 1007 and ca. 1043/60 appears a certain Asquinus, a cousin or a closer relative of St. Emma. He was advocatus of the monastery in Krka, a founding of St. Emma. The records mention that, in 1066 the post of advocatus was transferred to Starkhand I, Asquinus' son. Then, his nephew Werigand of Plain (ca. 1090 - 1130/41) was holding the post of advocatus. At the end of the 11th century he had built Castle Plain close to Reichenhall. Since 1108, he bears the title Count of Plain. |
| In 940, this county still pertained to Count Reginbert. But in 963 it was already in possession of Count William (Willihalm), who had a son called Luitold. Since 976 all records about this county ceased to exist. It is certain that other counts followed in this territory. There must have been two or three of them. They were very probably from the line of the well-known family of the Wilhelminer. In the necrology of the cathedral of Salzburg of 24 May we find the name of Count Luitold, who died ca. 1090. He probably was a brother or cousin of Countess Liutbirg († before 1103), consort of Markvart III, who unofficially ruled as duke of Carantania († 1076). |
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| In the period 1132 - ca. 1155/65, Count Werigand of Plain's descendants Dietric, Henry and Mainhalm followed one after the other as lords of Castle Pux (Buchs) near Scheifling (Sagulin) in the Mura Valley (Styria). From Mainhalm originated the Counts of Višnja gora (Weixelburg) in Carniola. Werigand's daughter Emma married Count Wolfrand of Trebenj (Treffen). |
| In 1122, Werigand's son Liutold I († 1164) is mentioned in the records. He was advocatus of St. Peter in Salzburg. He married twice, but the name of his first consort is not known. She evidently was the mother of his first son Liutold II, already mentioned before 1135. His second consort was Countess Uta of Peilstein. Only she could have been the mother of his second son Liupold (mentioned 1155, † ca. 1193) and his third son Henry (mentioned 1167, † ca. 1197). The daughters Chunigund and Bertha were nuns in Admont. Uta died before 1170. |
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| After the father's death, Liupold followed him as Count of Plain. In 1188, he appears as Count of Plain and Hardegg, and advocatus of Berchtesgaden. Castle Hardegg could have been inherited from the Peilsteins. It is to be found on the Thaya (Dyje) River, which formed the boundary with Moravia. Count Liupold of Plain and Hardegg married Countess Ida of Burghausen († after 1210). Out of this marriage were born: Liutold III, Gebhard and Henry. He died in 1193. From the Liupold years the Plain seal has been preserved, which depicts two wings. The coat of arms appears later on as follows: Sable, two wings Argent. The argent and sable colours are those of Carantania. |
| His successor was Liutold III, mentioned as Liupold's son for the first time in 1176. His brothers were Gebhard, Bishop of Passau (1222 - 1232), and Henry II, Abbot of Kremsmünster († 1247). His consort was Heilwig von Leuchtenberg. Liutold III died on his return from the Crusade in Treviso († 1219). He was succeeded by his son Liutold IV and daughter Heilwig († after 1256), who married Count Henry of Schaunberg. |
| Liutold III was succeeded by Liutold IV († 1248). Soon after, in 1249, the newly-elected Archbishop of Salzburg, Philip of Carinthia, gave back to the Counts of Plain the fief in the lower Pinzgau and others »inner Gebirg«. He enfeoffed brothers Conrad and Otto with other estates. Here, the family tree, who was who, is not always clear. Liutold IV had no successors. |
| The county was taken over by Conrad I (*ca. 1180), who was the younger son of Henry of Plain and Agnes of Wittelsbach. His first consort is unknown. His second consort was Bertha of unknown origin († 1247); with her he had two sons: Conrad (II) and Otto (II). He also had two daughters: Eufemia († 1254), who was married to Count Herman of Ortenburg, and Maria († after 1299), married to Count Ulric I of Neuhaus. Count Conrad I died in 1250. |
| + OTTO DEI GRA(tia) COMES DE PLAIEN SIGNIF(er) AVSTRIAE |
| Count Otto II of Plain and Hardegg, seal of 1254 |
| He was succeeded by his sons Conrad II and Otto II, who appear in the records for the first time in 1242. In 1245 they are still named pueri and, therefore, they could not have been born before 1230. On the seal from 1254, Count Otto II of Plain and Hardeck appears on horseback bearing a shield depicting the family coat of arms and the Austrian banner. The legend in the seal is as follows: + OTTO DEI GRA(tia) COMES DE PLAIEN SIGNIF(er) AVSTRIAE. The family line of the Plains became extinct, when in 1260 both brothers fell fighting during an Hungarian incursion near Staatz, not far from Laa on Thaya. (March 18, 2007) |
| Sources: |
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Genealogisches Handbuch zur baierisch-österreichischen Geschichte |
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Genealogische Tafeln zur mitteleuropäischen Geschichte 1962 - 1969 |
| Read also: |
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Our Castles Part II, articles: Castle Podcetrtek, Castle Bizeljsko, Castle Olimje, Castle Sevnica and others |
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Slovenian Nobility, article: Counts and Princes of Dietrichstein |
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The Carantanian Lady |
| and the relations between dukedom and marches in ancient Carantania |
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| The coat of arms of Styria bearing the White Panther on a green shield |
| with the Styrian (Caranthanian) Hat on top. |
| Dr. Jožko Šavli |
| It is a matter of a heraldic figure, which originates from Carantania (the present-day Austria). In 1163, this figure appears for the first time on the seal of Otokar III, the margrave of the Carantanian March. Its colours are described somewhat later by the well-known troubadour Wolfram von Eschenbach, who in his poem Parzival of ca. 1210 mentions: a sable panther on an ermine shield, which later is reproduced as a black (sable) panther on a white (argent) field. |
| In 1180 AD, the Carantanian March was elevated to dukedom and since then it has been called Styria. In 1192 AD, however, its reigning family, the Ottokars, became extinct. They were followed by the so-called Babenbergs, the dukes of Austria (the modern Lower Austria), who also took over their coat of arms, the Black Panther. The Babenbergs bore it next to the arms of Austria. The last member this family, Leopold VI († 1230), duke of Austria and Styria, bore the Black Panther on his shield. His son, duke Frederic the Belicose, got into a quarrel with the duke of Carinthia, who bore the same coat of arms. In 1246, the royal court decided that the Black Panther pertained to Carinthia, which was the elder duchy. Then, Styria adopted a White Panther on a green shield (in heraldic terms: an argent panther on vert). It has been preserved as the coat of arms of Styria until this very day. In Carinthia, however, when in 1269 the Carantanian dynasty ceased to exist, another coat of arms came into use, which has been preserved to this day. |
| In Styria, since the 19th century, the so-called "Styrian Hat" was put as a crest on top of the shield with the White Panther. It is about the crown, which for the first time appears on the head of duke Adalbero of Carantania, as we can see on the fresco in the cathedral of Aquileia (1031 AD). Much later, this crown is found on the hat of Rudolph IV, duke of Austria - Carantania (1359 AD). It was an insignia of Inner Austria (Carantania), and therefore it was kept in Graz, which was its capital and the Styrian chief town. Therefore, the crown got the name "Styrian Hat". - After the WW2, the coat of arms of Styria was fixed with the provincial law (LGBl 1950, Nr. 40, & 1), where is said: the coat of arms of the land is a red horned and red armed silver panther on a green shield pushing flames from his mouth. On top of the shield appears the so-called Styrian Hat. - Today, this »hat« (crown) is kept in the Joanneum, the Styrian provincial museum in Graz. |
| Black and Blue Panther |
| The family of the Ottakars, since ca. 1050 AD margraves of the Carantanian March (Styria), administered at the same time the County of Traun (south of Linz, today Upper Austria). As the well-known heraldist Alfred Anthony von Siegenfeld confirms, in the Carantanian March (Styria) this family bore the Black Panther arms of Carantania, whereas in the County of Traun they bore a Blue Panther, the arms of Bavaria. Does that mean, that the County (or district) of Traun belonged to Bavaria? |
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| The arms of Carantania (black panther) and of Bavaria (blue panther) |
| This question is not quite clear. It seems, that the County of Traun was a Bavarian March and therewith a part of Bavaria. Indeed, the Bavarian historians speak about Bavarian »Danube Marches«, meaning not only the County of Traun (Upper Austria) but also the Eastern County (Lower Austria) and with it the connected Bohemian and Hungarian Marches (12th century). In order to find the real answer to this question, we have to go back to the 9th century AD. |
| In 876 AD, Louis the German, King of the Eastern Franks, died. This Kingdom was a confederation of duchies (Swabia, Bavaria, Franconia, Saxony and Carantania). His three sons inherited the duchies. Bavaria and Carantania were given to his son Carloman. In this connection the historians say the following: Carloman settled in Bavaria, and left the duchy of Carantania to his son Arnulf of Carinthia, except for the Eastern County (March), which he annexed to Bavaria. I suppose, the Eastern County included the present-day Lower Austria and the County of Traun (Upper Austria). |
| Anyway, later events show clearly that the so-called Eastern March and the County of Traun remained part of the Carantanian territory and Carantanian civilian administration. But they were under the military command of the Kingdom. The command was stationed in Bavaria, where the battle symbol (and arms) was the Blue Panther. |
| The original appurtenance of the Eastern March to Carantania was not forgotten. Therefore, its territory did not become a part of Bavaria and its civilian administration. Today it is a part of Austria (the successor of Carantania). The Blue Panther, found in the County of Traun, is only a remainder of the military command, which was carried out from Bavaria. |
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| The coat of arms of Upper Austria (which originated from the Traun March). Its base was the sign of the Carantanian office of Krajnik (Margrave): per pale, Argent (white) and Sable (black), as it is still found in the arms of the Traun family (next to it). |
| The same arms of Upper Austria (originally the County of Traun) depict the following sings: divided per pale, Sable and eagle Or, and paly of 4 Argent and Gules (sable = black, or = gold, argent = silver or white, red = gules). In the first half, the eagle is a sign of the Kingdom of the Eastern Franks (later, mostly called Germania). In the second half, there, in fact, on a white (argent) field two red pales appear, which originally very probably were black (sable). But two black pales, which also could have been two black bends, were the sign of the Northern Command of the Carantanian army. |
| The arms of Upper Austria originate as early as from the period between 1384 - 1395. I suppose, the memory of the original appurtenance to Carantania was still alive. Thus, in origin these arms bore the Carantanian sign of a march or a margrave: divided per pale, Argent (white) and Sable (black). I imagine, the eagle and two pales, the signs of the Kingdom and of the Carantanian army, were later added to the shield. If the territory would had been a part of Bavaria, the sings and colours would have been those of Bavaria. |
| This conclusion seems to be confirmed by the arms of the Abensberg - Traun family. Originally, they were ministerials and the first member of this family was mentioned in 1070 AD. The family bore the following arms: divided per pale, Argent and Sable (white and black). Thus, firstly, it is about the Carantanian colours, and secondly, about the Carantanian sign of the margrave, which, I suppose, was called krajnik in Slovenian (and non »krajišnik« as B. Grafenauer said). The County of Traun was in fact a march. |
| The city of Steyr on the Enns river (still in Upper Austria) was the centre of the County of Styre, a part of Carantania. It was but also the centre of the Traun March. In Steyr, the Ottokars appointed their ministerials as administrators. The first known member of this family was Gundakar de Steinpach, mentioned in 1150 AD. |
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| The arms of the Gundakars, ministerials of the town of Steyr. Their basis was the Carantanian sign of Mocnik (Sheriff): per fess, Argent (white) and Sable (black). |
| The arms of the Gundakars are very intersting: divided per fess, Argent a half panther Azure, and Gules. We established the origin of the half panther, but what means the red (gules) part below? In my opinion, the half-blue panther very probably symbolized the sign of the military commanders' lieutenant. As a rule, the military commanders were the Ottokars. The panther's blue colour seems to be connected to the fact, that the headquarter, which ordered the mobilization of the army, was stationed in Bavaria. |
| I suppose that the original Gundakar arms were of black colour, which later changed to red. The change of colours from black to red is ascertained in several arms. Thus, the basis of the Gundakar arms was as follows: divided per fess, Argent (white) and Sable (black). But this is the Carantanian sign for another official, for the name of which I had to search for a very long time. |
| I found it in the family name of the Mocenigo (Venice), who originated from the area of Aquileia. The name is the Slovenian (Carantanian) word for mocnik (pron. motchnik), registered in Italian spelling. It derives from moc (power, authority). In fact, it more or less corresponds to a sheriff. |
| Already in the 13th century, three lines descended from the Gundakar family: the Starhembergs, the Losensteins and the Pernecks. In the arms of the first, the half panther is Blue, in the arms of the second White, and in the arms of the third Black. Since the 15th century, the panthers were complete, because the lower red part of the shield was omitted. The Starhembergs still exist today. |
| Some bibliography: |
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Robert Viel: La Panthère de Styrie, in: Archivum Heraldicum, Lausanne 1964 | |
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Reiner Puschnig: Unser steierisches Wappentier, in: Blätter für Heimatkunde 50, Graz 1976 | |
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Jožko Šavli: Crni panter - najstarejši karantanski grb, in: Glas Korotana 7, Wien 1981 | |
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Alfred Anthony von Siegenfeld: Das Landeswappen von Steiermark, in: Forschungen zur Verfassungs- und Verwaltungsgeschichte der Steiermark 3, Graz 1900 | |
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Heinrich Appelt: Die Entstehung des steierischen Landeswappens, in: Festschrift für Julius Franz Schütz, Graz 1954 | |
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Das Werden der Steiermark. Die Zeit der Traungauer. Festschrift zur 800. Wiederkehr der Erhebung zum Herzogtum, herausgegeben von Gerhard Pferschy, Graz 1980 |
| I came across the coat of arms of Bavaria several times over the past years, but I have never examined it in detail. Recently, I got a booklet on Bavaria, in which the above arms were published with description, according to the corresponding law of 1950. The booklet represents the great arms of Bavaria as follows: Quarterly, in fess point: the shield of the entire Bavaria, which in fact is the ancient arms of the Counts of Bogen, later taken over by the Wittelsbachs; the arms of the provinces, 1 Palatinate (Pfalz), 2 Franconia (Franken), 3 Upper and Lower Bavaria (Ober- und Niederbayern), 4 Swabia (bayerisches Schwaben). |
| In this connection, I made the following surprising discovery: Upper and Lower Bavaria, meaning, Bavaria in its close extent, is represented by a Blue Panther. In case of the above panther sign, it is the same figure as that of the Black Panther of Carantania. Could both panthers have been of the same origin? |
| For the first time, the figure of the panther was carved on several stones from Noricum, the ancient Roman province. Toward the end of the Roman era, Noricum was divided into two provinces, the Riverside Noricum and the Inside Noricum. After the end of the Roman period, from Inside Noricum descended the duchy of Carantania. In Riverside Noricum arose the duchy of Bavaria with the centre in Lorch (Lauriacum). In about 700 AD, because of pressure of the Avars from the East, the centre was transferred to Regensburg. |
| Thus, it is very probable that the Carantanian and the Bavarian panther, even though the first is in black and the second in blue colour, descended from the same figure, which had been found in ancient Noricum already in Roman times. Its Christian meaning, in the sense of Christ's Resurrection, was given to the panther and several other animal figures by Physiologus of Alexandria (1st century AD). The blue colour, or better the azure, was given to the Bavarian panther very probably after the Bogen - Wittelsbach' arms of blue - white (azure - argent) colours. |
| (cf: Bavaria, and its origin) |
| ~~ |
| Slovenia - The Flag and the Coat of Arms |
| Its Historical Development |
| by Dr. Jožko Šavli, FAS, KdB, FSAI |
| Fellow of the Augustan Society |
| Knight de Bryan |
| Fellow of Sodality of the Ark International |
| A referendum about Slovenia's independence took place close to the end of December 1990, even though it still was under the old Yugoslav regime. When near the end of June 1991 the parliament in Ljubljana prepared the declaration of independence, intense polemics appeared in the Slovenian press concerning the new coat of arms and the flag that should represent the newly internationally recognized Republic of Slovenia. |
| The question was open to the media for public discussion in a country, where vexillology and heraldry was hardly ever heard of. The press published some of the letters that expressed ideas and imagination of readers. The state insignia was supposed to be the most important trademark that would present the new republic on the world market. Therefore it ought to have fine and attractive figures and vivacious colours. |
| Several historians, the so called representatives of the "official history keepers", also entered into open discussions. But, because their careers were based on the old Yugoslav (Great-Serbian), or better said on the pan-Slav ideology, their interpretations were a one-way street within this ideology. According to them, the Slovenians were a nation without statehood and without history, who lived under the German yoke, i.e., the Habsburg (Austrian) Monarchy, from which they were saved and liberated by their Serbian brothers not earlier than in 1918. And in the same year, together with them, they founded the new state of Yugoslavia. |
| In spite of those interpretations, which were declared official and were widely accepted by the Slovenian public, a proposal was made to introduce the original insignia pertaining to Carantania, the early Slovenian State in the Eastern Alps (mentioned for the first time in 595 AD.). |
| However, this proposal came under attack by the "official historians" and was proclaimed as "unscientific" and unrelated to the historian process. The given explanations seemed to have credibility and were verified by people from the University and the Academy of Science. In the discussions for the new Slovenian insignia two concrete proposals were given: |
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to retain the present flag of white-blue-red, and the coat of arms with an insignia of Mt. Triglav, but without the added communist red star, in the sense of the pan-Slav and Yugo-Slav ideologies, | |
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to replace the aforesaid "Slav" colours and insignia with those of historical Carantania (Slovenia), that bore a black panther on white cloth. | |
| The public discussion resolved nothing. Immediately before the proclamation of independence, a group of parliamentarians proposed the existing flag bearing the coat of arms that was used in pre-war Yugoslavia: three golden stars on a blue field and the insignia of Mt. Triglav. |
| The proposal passed the Slovenian Parliament only a few days before the proclamation of independence, on the 25th of June 1991. The shield of the coat of arms does not bear the right heraldic form, neither does its red border. |
| In fact, the white-blue-red colours that appear on the new Slovenian flag are identical with those of the traditional Russian flag. This certainly could not have been a mere accident as it still shows the usual influence of pan-Slavic ideology. |
| The real question about the authenticity of the Slovenian flag has its bearings on influences of ideologies in Slovenian's political history. Therefore, we must go back to the beginning of Slovenian statehood, to comprehend the problem in its fullest extent. |
| Black Panther on a White Field |
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The historical Carantanian Slovenian flag designed in form of modern flags. It depicts on a white field a battle-sign, i.e., the black panther in an offensive position. |
| We learn from vexillology that the first flags, which appeared in Europe in the 11th century, were of one colour frequently bearing the national battle-sign in the middle. |
| In that period also Carantania had a flag like this, i.e., a black panther on a white cloth that later depicts the shield (coat of arms) of the Carantanian duke. |
| The origin of the panther is very ancient. The story originated in the 2nd century AD. The Greek writer Physiologus of Alexandria placed it into a collection which illustrated the events that were presented in the Gospel. Physiologus' book became part of the Bible, one of the best known and most translated ones in ancient times. |
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Physiologus wrote, that the panther was a great friend of all animals with the exception of the dragon (symbol of evil). Physiologus continued and explained how the panther slept in its den for three days (like Christ in the grave); then rose, howled and released from his mouth an immensely sweet scent, that lured all the animals to follow him so he could embrace them. |
| The panther therefore symbolized Christ and his resurrection as well as the spreading of the good word announced in the Gospel (the sweet scent), so that mankind should follow it. |
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The Roman stone (2nd century), which is still today immured above the entrance of the cathedral Gospa Sveta (Maria Saal) in Carinthia. It depicts two panthers that watched a tree of life growing from a cantharos. |
| For this very reason, the panther became the image of Carantania after the Christianization of the people. Evidence of this fact is the old Norican (Roman) stone with the relief of two panthers above the entrance of the old cathedral Maria in Solio (Gospa Sveta, Maria Saal) situated on a hill north of Klagenfurt/Celovec, in Carinthia (Carantania). |
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This mosaic is showing a black panther (2nd century AD), which was unearthed in Altinum (Altino), a Roman port in front of Venice. It bears witness that the panther figure was known already in the Roman period in the present-day Veneto (Venetia, which was a Roman province). |
| In the pre-armorial and even in the early period of heraldry (12th century) the national kingdoms and duchies in Europe, including Carantania, were presented by signs in the form of figures carried on poles as their ensigns. The traditional symbol of the panther figuratively corresponded with the mobilization of the Carantanian army against the then aggressive Hungarian kingdom in the eastern part of Carantania. |
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Signet of 1160 showing Ottocar III, Margrave of the Carantanian March (Styria). He holds a shield in which for the first time appears the figure of a panther. | |
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Another signet of ca. 1195 belonging to Herrand I Wildon, the Marshall of Styria. It depicts the image of a plastic panther on a pole, as were the battle-signs in the pre-armorial period. | |
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Duke of Carinthia, Bernard, on a signet of 1209. He holds a shield with the panther picture. | |
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Leopold VI, Duke of Austria and Styria, on a signet of 1214, holding a shield and a banner with the panther picture. | |
| Already in 1160, the sign of the panther appeared for the first time on the signet belonging to Ottocar III, the Margrave of the Carantanian March (later Styria). In 1163 the panther figure had been placed again on the signet belonging to the duke of Carinthia (Carantania). However, the Margrave of the Carantanian March had his borders lines next to Hungary and therefore became the call-up center for the whole Carantanian army. On the signet from around 1195, which belonged to Herrand I Wildon, the Marshal of the Carantanian March, there still appears the image of the panther's plastic figure on top of a pole. |
| When in 1180 the Carantanian March advanced to the dukedom called Styria, it conserved the shield with the panther. Its colours were described for the first time by the "Minnesaenger" Wolfram von Eschenbach in his "Parzival" (ca. 1210), where he mentioned the "sable panther on an ermine shield", which later was simply a black panther on a silver (white) shield. |
| In that period Styria belonged already to the Babenberg dukes of Austria. One of them could not tolerate, that the same coat of arms was used by both dukedoms Styria and Carinthia, and he requested that the Black Panther should be only recognized in Styria. However, the King's Court confirmed the rightful use of the Black Panther to Carinthia, which was the central province of Carantania and the elder dukedom. Then, Styria adopted a White Panther on a green shield, the so-called "Styrian" panther, which has been preserved until today. |
| In Carinthia the Black Panther had been conserved until the Carantanian dynasty became extinct in 1269. The symbolic colours black-white continued to exist for a long time in the coat of arms of the Carinthian as well as Styrian aristocracy. Perhaps the war-horse that was given to the new duke on the occasion of his installation at the Prince's Stone must have been of "white and black" colours (Ottacari Chronicon, ca. 1306). |
| Furthermore, it is interesting, that the Slovenian `Landwehr' (land-defense), already mentioned in the records of 1349, bore the name black guard (crna vojska, in Slovenian). This description was in use until the end of WW1. |
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The great signets (obverses) of Duke Rudolph IV the Founder (1359) | |
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and of Archduke Frederic V (1438), who later was elected king and emperor. | |
| In 1282 the Habsburg family obtained Austria, Styria and Carniola, and in 1335 also Carinthia. In 1359, Duke Rudolph, the Founder of this family, is represented on the averse side of a great signet belonging to the charter of Privilegium maius: He is sitting on a horseback holding a banner with the panther image in his right hand. The same banner is to be found on the great signet belonging to Duke Frederic V, in 1438. After he was elected King in 1440 and Emperor in 1452, the imperial insignia overlaid the ducal insignia. The ducal, or better said, the archducal insignia of Inner Austria (Carantania) fell into oblivion. |
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Two exemplars of beautiful coat of arms depicting a panther figure. |
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The first belongs to the Hohenberg family (from Sancti Christophori am Arlberg Bruderschafts Buch, 15th century). | |
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The second belongs to the Trimberg family (from Conrad Grünenberg's Brunderschafts Buch, 1483). | |
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The panther figure on a bas-relief in stone above the portal of the doorway of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna (14th century): Flames issue from the jaws, nose, and ears. |
| White - Blue - Red |
| In the years from 1809 -1814 the French occupied a great part of Inner Austria and Dalmatia uniting them into a new political formation called Provinces Illyriennes with Ljubljana as the capital. In this political formation the Slovenian language was introduced in schools and in public administration. This spurred linguistic consciousness and national awakening. The center of the awakening was Carniola, a land that was comprised of only Slovenian speaking territory. |
| A picture from this period is on exhibit in the National Museum in Ljubljana entitled "Illyria revived" (by J. Scherer, ca 1810). The picture shows Napoleon and his generals, and he gives his hand to the Illyrian people; in the background the flag in white-blue-red colours appears. These are probably the first colours appearing on Slovenian territory. |
| This flag was certainly inspired by the example of the French tricolour that gradually spread with the revolutionary movements all over Europe. The sequence of colours already corresponds with the pan-Slav national idea and is equal to the then Russian nautical flag, which would later become the national flag of Russia. The name Illyria portrayed the South Slav nations as part of the great Slav people with mother Russia at its head. The name was taken from the ancient pre-Roman Illyria, which extended over the Balkan. |
| It is significant however, when Austria returned in 1815, it proclaimed Illyria as a kingdom under the Habsburg crown, which also had a coat of arms: Azure, an Illyrian galley in or. This kingdom was maintained until 1849. |
| In the meantime the German national movement in his striving for a Great Germany invaded Austria. Its ensign was a flag with black-red-yellow colours, which were initiated by the students' society (Burschenschaften, 1818) in Jena with the idea |
