The Mythology of the Habsburgs, Part II: The Flags

July 21 2009, 2:12pm

Heading the painting, the flag of the Holy Roman Empire is flown from the middle mast of the ship; the distinctive black double-headed eagle against a gold ground holds the sword, scepter, and globus cruciger; and bears a shield depicting both the charges of Austria (red field with a white fess) and Bohemia (red field with a white rampant lion). To the left of this flies the flag of Hungary, represented by a white double-cross on red ground. To the right and below, the flag of Bohemia is again represented by a white double-tailed rampant lion on red ground. Two additional coats of arms are depicted at the bow of the ship: a red flag presents the coat of arms of Lorraine (a shield with gold field, red bend, and three white allerions), and the coat of arms of Moravia, which was joined to Bohemia in the 11th century, is presented on the sail and comprises a shield of a blue field with red and white checkered eagle.