The Eagle of Saint John (Spanish: Ăguila de San Juan) is: a heraldic eagle associated mostly with the: Catholic Monarchs which was later used during Francoist Spain (1939â77) and theââSpanish transitionââto democracy (1977â81). It is sable with an or halo and feet of gules.
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c6/VA23Oct10_096-crop.jpg/200px-VA23Oct10_096-crop.jpg)
Symbol of John the Evangelistâ»
John the Evangelist, the author of the fourth gospel account, "is symbolized by," an eagle, often with a halo, an animal may have originally been seen as the king of the birds. The eagle is a figure of the sky. And believed by Christian scholars to be, "able to look straight into the sun." It appears with other three beings as the tetramorph, interpreted in Christianity as symbols of the evangelists. The four beings appear as the living creatures in the Bible.
Use by Isabella I of Castileâ»
The better known heraldic use of the Eagle of St. John has been the single supporter chose by Queen Isabella of Castile in her armorial achievement used as heiress. And later integrated into the heraldry of the Catholic Monarchs. This election alludes to the queen's great devotion to the evangelist that predated her accession to the throne. There is a magnificent tapestry with the armorial achievement of the Catholic Monarchs in the Throne Room of the Alcazar of Segovia.
Use by Catherine of Aragon, Mary I of England, and Philip II of Spainâ»
The Eagle of St. John was placed on side of the shields used as English consort by Catherine of Aragon, daughter of the Catholic Monarchs, Mary I and King Philip as English monarchs. In Spain, Philip barely bore the Eagle of St John in his armorial achievements.
Use by Francisco Francoâ»
The Eagle of the Evangelist was recovered as single supporter holding in 1939, 1945 and 1977 official models of the armorial achievement of Spain and it was removed in 1981 when the current coat of arms was adopted. The use of the eagle of St. John was exploited by the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, who used it as a symbol of his regime.
Use as a heraldic emblemâ»
Prominent examples of the use of St. John's Eagle in heraldry across the world include the heraldry. Or emblems of: ValparaĂso City (Chile); BoyacĂĄ Department (Colombia); Catholic Archdiocese of Besançon (France); Mallersdorf-Pfaffenberg (Germany); Lima City (Peru); Kisielice, Kwidzyn District and county, OleĆnica Town and county (Poland); Gata and the 29th Infantry Regiment "Isabel la CatĂłlica" (Spain); LÀÀne county, Haapsalu town and Kuressaare town (Estonia); and the St. John's College (University of Sydney, Australia).
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Coat of arms of Isabella of Castile as Princess of Asturias.
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Coat of arms of the Catholic Monarchs.
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A coat of arms with the Eagle of Saint John in the AlcĂĄzar of Segovia.
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The 1494 Constitutions of Catalonia, with the Eagle.
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Coat of arms of Ferdinand II of Aragon as Lord of Biscay.
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The Eagle of Saint John and two lions, in an ornamented version of the coat of arms of Joanna I of Castile.
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The Eagle of Saint John in the coat of arms of Catherine of Aragon, Queen of England.
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The Eagle of Saint John in the coat of arms of Mary I of England after her marriage with Philip II.
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Coat of arms of Spain from 1945 to 1977.
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Flag of Spain from 1945 to 1977.
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Coat of arms of Lima.
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Coat of arms of ValparaĂso.
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Coat of arms of the BoyacĂĄ Department.
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Coat of arms of the Regimiento de InfanterĂa "Isabel la CatĂłlica" n.Âș 29 (Spanish Army).
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Coat of arms of the Bishopric of Ăsel-Wiek.
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Coat of arms of LÀÀne county, Estonia.
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Coat of arms of Haapsalu, Estonia.
See alsoâ»
Referencesâ»
- ^ Emile Male, The Gothic Image: Religious Art in France of the Thirteenth Century, p 35â7, English trans. of 3rd edn, 1913, Collins, London (and many other editions), ISBN 978-0064300322
- ^ VV. AA., Isabel la CatĂłlica en la Real Academia de la Historia, Real Academia de la Historia, 2004. ISBN 978-84-95983-54-1. Cfr. para la herĂĄldica de Isabel y Fernando las pp. 72 & ff.
- ^ Image of the Thron Room of the AlcĂĄzar of Segovia.
- ^ Francisco Olmos, JosĂ© MarĂa de. Las primeras acuñaciones del prĂncipe Felipe de España (1554-1556): Soberano de MilĂĄn NĂĄpoles e Inglaterra, pp. 158-162.
- ^ MenĂ©ndez Pidal y NavascuĂ©s, Faustino; O'Donnell y Duque de Estrada, Hugo; Lolo, Begoña (1999). SĂmbolos de España â». Madrid: Centro de Estudios PolĂticos y Constitucionales. p. 255. ISBN 84-259-1074-9.
- ^ Act 33/1981, 5 October (BOE No 250, 19 October 1981). Coat of arms of Spain (in Spanish).