Coat of arms of Albania

The coat of arms of Albania (Albanian: Stema e Republikës së Shqipërisë) is an adaptation of the flag of Albania and is based on the symbols of Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg. It features the black double-headed eagle, documented in official use since 1458, as evidenced from a sealed document uncovered in the Vatican Secret Archive (fund: Miscellanea, vol. XXXIX, doc. 2398), addressed to Pope Pius II and co-sealed by notary Johannes Borcius de Grillis. The stylized gold helmet is partially based on the model of crown-like rank that once belonged to Skanderbeg, currently on display at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, first mentioned in 1593 in the Ambras armory inventory and depicted in 1601/03 in the "Armamentarium Heroicum" of Jakob Schrenck von Notzing. The ruler of Austria, Ferdinand II, acquired the helmet from the Duke of Urbino, so mentioned in a letter sent to him from the duke, dated 15 October 1578.

The helmet as an integral component in the coat of arms was instituted for the first time by the president of the republic Ahmet Zogu on 12 July 1926.

Official regulation
The coat of arms of the Republic is described in Article 14 of the Constitution of Albania:

""The coat of arms of the Republic of Albania represents a shield with a red field and a black two-headed eagle at the center. On top of the shield, in golden color, is placed the helmet of Skanderbeg.""

[[File:Përmasat e Stemës së Republikës (2003).svg|thumb|150px|Dimensions of the coat of arms of the Republic as outlined by government decision no. 474, dated 10 July 2003. red:100%

gold:100%

black:0%]] The design is further specified in articles VII and VIII of Law 8926: "§ Article VII – Shapes and dimensions of the coat of arms 1. The coat of arms of the Republic of Albania is a state symbol. It represents a shield, blood red in color, with an eagle in the center, identical to the eagle of the national flag. At the top of the shield, in golden color, is placed the helmet of Skanderbeg, in right profile. The dimensions of the shield have an aspect ratio of 1:1.5.

§ Article VIII – Usage of the coat of arms 1. The coat of arms of the Republic of Albania is held and used only by institutions of the central government. The coat of arms is placed at the main entrance of the institution, above its name. 2. The coat of arms of the Republic of Albania is placed on the seals of state institutions, in their official acts, on the official naming of state institutions and in any other act that the state institution addresses to third parties. The coat of arms is used as an identification mark on the working tools of the state institution and in the working environments. 3. The coat of arms of the Republic of Albania, when accompanied by the coat of arms of other states, is laid in the most visible place or in the same place with them."

Expanded usage
The expanded usage of the coat of arms of the Republic is explained by decision no. 474 of the Council of Ministers, dated 10 July 2003.

"ON THE METHOD OF USING THE COAT OF ARMS OF THE REPUBLIC AS WELL AS THE RAPPORT OF ITS DIMENSIONS In support of paragraph 2 of article 100 of the Constitution and paragraph 4 of article 8 of law no. 8926, dated 22.7.2002 'On the shape and dimensions of the national flag, for the carrying of the national anthem, the shape and dimensions of the coat of arms of the Republic of Albania and how to use them', with the proposal of the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, the Council of Ministers decided:

2. When the coat of arms of the Republic serves as a denomination at the entrance of state institutions, a standard sign board measuring 500x700 mm, with horizontal placement, is used. The field of the sign board should be golden, while the writing should be in black. In the upper part of the board, 'REPUBLIKA E SHQIPËRISË' is written in capital letters and, if any, subordinate structures are marked in a vertical line. In the center of the sign board is placed the coat of arms of the Republic, measuring 100x150 mm, while below it, also in capital letters, is the name of the institution, according to the models given in figure 2 of the appendix, which is attached to this decision.

3. The geometric description of the seals, where the coat of arms of the Republic is used by state institutions, is as follows: 1. The diameter of the wet, dry or wax seal is the standard 40 mm. Exceptions are made for seals used by secretaries of the central institutions, which may be smaller in diameter, and the dry seals of notaries, which, for technical reasons, are larger than the above mentioned standard.

2. The coat of arms of the Republic is always placed in the center of the seal, with variable dimensions, depending on the data contained in the seal.

3. In the outer circle, at the top of the seal, the words 'Republika e Shqipërisë' are written, followed by the hierarchical administrative order, up to the institution in question and the location of its headquarters. The letters of the seal are all in capital, variable in size, but always visible, as shown in figure 3 of the appendix. 4. The coat of arms of the Republic, when used in official written acts, is placed at the top of the A4 sheet, in size 10/15 mm, while below it is written in capital letters 'REPUBLIKA E SHQIPËRISË' and in the following lines, the name of the relevant institution. In instances where the coat of arms is not in color, then the coat of arms with black and white contours is used, but not by photocopying the coat of arms in white color. The use of the colored and the white coat of arms will be done according to models 'a' and 'b', of figure 4 of the appendix. The coat of arms of the Republic is also placed in a visible space on the identification certificates of citizens, on certificates or school diplomas, in public announcements of an official character from state entities, on licenses, etc."

The usage of the coat of arms of the Republic, is later included in the Official Ceremonial, approved by decision no. 229, dated 23 April 2004 which states:

"§ CHAPTER III – COAT OF ARMS OF THE REPUBLIC 3.1 The use of the coat of arms of the Republic is the exclusive right of state entities. The dimensions of the coat of arms of the Republic are indicative and expressed in the ratio 1:1.5.

3.2 The coat of arms of the Republic is placed: '– at the entrance of state institutions, alongside their name; – in all official acts; – in the seals of state institutions; – as a distinctive sign of state objects; – in documents and agreements of the Albanian state with foreign countries, based on reciprocity.'

3.3 Officially recognized are the coats of arms of different levels of local government, public entities, distinctive signs in various weaponry of the army, the police and universities approved by the State Protocol, on behalf of the Council of Ministers."

Significance of the helmet
Skanderbeg's helmet is mentioned, along with two swords, in the inventory of the Ambras Castle armory in 1593, inherited by Archduke Ferdinand II and in the catalogue known as 'Armamentarium Heroicum' published in 1601 by Jakob Schrenk von Notzing. From one of 125 portraits of European princes in plates engraved by Dominicus Custos, after designs by Giovanni Battista Fontana, Skanderbeg is shown with the helmet and a sword. The plates were accompanied with a text by Schrenk von Notzing giving a brief profile of the subject. Archduke Ferdinand had himself led a campaign against the Ottomans in Hungary in 1556 at the behest of his father, Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I, so it was not perhaps surprising that he would want to include the arms of Skanderbeg in his collection.

In 1605, Ambras Castle was sold to the Austrian Emperor, and in 1806 the arms were transferred to Belvedere Palace and then finally, in 1888, to the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna. In recent years, the arms have been the subject of study by the museum's curator, Matthias Pfaffenbichler.

The iron forged helmet is likely of Italian origin, thought to have been made around 1460. The lower part of the helmet and the neck protection are missing and cracks in the base have been covered by a sewn leather band under which are traces of the original silk. A copper band with gold plated border is adorned with six rosettes, most of which are 16th century restorations, though the one at the back dates to the 15th century. Between the rosettes, an inscription in a particular type of Gothic minuscule on a hatched ground reads ‘in/per/ra/to/re/bt’. Skënder Anamali, an archaeologist and scholar on medieval history, has proposed that the decorative band with the inscription and the rosettes were added by Skanderbeg's descendants. The initials of the inscription are usually rendered as Jezus Nazarenus /Principi Emathie /Regi Albaniae * Terrori Osmanorum * Regi Epirotarum * Benedictat Te which translate as Jesus of Nazareth Blesses Thee Prince of Emathia, King (or Kingdom) of Albania, Terror of the Ottomans, King (or Kingdom) of Epirus. Such titles, however, were not used during Skanderbeg's lifetime.

Pfaffenbichler's close inspection of the inscription confirms the view that it was added to the helmet after Skanderbeg's lifetime. The transverse part of the letter ‘t’ is from a calligraphic font called Fraktur, developed by Wolfgang Spitzberg, the scribe of the Chancellery, and used for the first time around 1500. Fraktur only appeared in wider use from 1517, about 50 years after the death of Skanderbeg. Therefore, it is reasonable to conclude that the decorative band with its inscription are not original – though one of the rosettes dating to the 15th century may possibly have been a replacement of an original fitting.

The helmet is distinguished for its goat's head crest. There are a number of theories explaining the association of the goat's head with Skanderbeg. One such theory is that it relates to the rams’ horns, a symbol of Zeus Ammon, worn by Alexander the Great, who was Epirote by descent from his mother Olympias. The famed King of Epirus, Pyrrhus, also wore a helmet that had, according to Plutarch, a “towering crest and … goat's horns”.

The goat's head is partially hammered in copper, engraved and gold plated. The eye sockets that today are empty would have been inlaid. The shape of the crest hole on top of the helmet does not precisely mold into the shape needed for the goat's head crest so the two parts may have not originally gone together.