Serbian eagle

Serbian eagle

Small coat of arms of Serbia
Heraldic tradition	Byzantine
Jurisdiction	Serbia, and Serb-inhabited territories
Governing body	Serbian Heraldry Society

The Serbian eagle is a bicephalous heraldic eagle, a common symbol in the history of Serbian heraldry and vexillology. The double-headed eagle and the Serbian cross are the main heraldic symbols which represent the national identity of the Serbian people across the centuries. It originated from the medieval Nemanjić dynasty. The eagle, defaced with the cross, has been used in the contemporary design of the coat of arms of Serbia following the tradition established by the Kingdom of Serbia in 1882.

The Order of the White Eagle was a royal order awarded Serbian and Yugoslav citizens for achievements in peace or war, or for special merits to the Crown, the state and nation, between 1883 and 1945.

The double-headed eagle was adopted in medieval Serbia from Byzantine culture. The Byzantine heraldic meaning was that the heads represent the dual sovereignty of the emperor (secular and religious) and/or dominance of the Byzantine Emperors over both East and West.

The oldest preserved Nemanjić dynasty double-headed eagle in historical sources is depicted on the ktetor portrait of Miroslav of Hum in the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Bijelo Polje, dating to 1190. It had the following characteristics: one neck and two heads, collars on the neck and tail, spread wings, a tail in the shape of fleur-de-lis, heads higher than wings, feet have three toes, the eagle is within a circle. This type of Nemanjić eagle developed between the 12th and 15th centuries. It was very different from the German eagle: two necks, no collars, tail is leaf-shaped, heads are lower than wings, four toes, unspread wings. The Nemanjić double-headed eagle (with the specific characteristics) was depicted on the details of ornaments and textile in the Žiča monastery (1207–20), in the Church of Our Lady of Ljeviš (1307–10), the decoration of Jovan Oliver's clothing (1349), detail on textile from Veluće Monastery (14th c.), a detail in the Resava Monastery (1402–27), on the plate of Ivan Crnojević's coat of arms, as well as in other monasteries and churches.