Flags of the Holy Roman Empire in the context of Sable (heraldry)

⭐ Core Definition: Flags of the Holy Roman Empire

The flag of the Holy Roman Empire was not a national flag, but rather an imperial banner used by the Holy Roman Emperor; black and gold were used as the colours of the imperial banner, a black eagle on a golden background. After the late 13th or early 14th century, the claws and beak of the eagle were coloured red. From the early 15th century, a double-headed eagle was used.

In 1804, Napoleon Bonaparte declared the First French Empire. In response to this, Emperor Francis II of the Habsburg dynasty declared his personal domain to be the Austrian Empire and became Francis I of Austria. Taking the colours of the banner of the Holy Roman Emperor, the flag of the Austrian Empire was black and gold. Francis II was the last Holy Roman Emperor, with Napoleon forcing the empire's dissolution in 1806. After this point, these colours continued to be used as the flag of Austria until 1918.

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Flags of the Holy Roman Empire in the context of Codex Balduini Trevirorum

Codex Balduini Trevirensis (also known as the Balduineum, or as Codex Balduineus), is an illustrated chronicle made c. 1340 for Baldwin of Luxemburg, archbishop of Trier and brother of the late emperor Henry VII.

It covers Henry's Italian campaign of 1310–1313, in which Baldwin himself had been a participant. In this campaign, Henry sought papal coronation as emperor. He successfully brought Northern Italy under imperial control and was crowned King of Italy in Milan. He entered Rome by force, but as St Peter's Basilica remained in the hands of his enemies he was crowned emperor at the Lateran on 29 June 1312 by three cardinals of Pope Clement V (who was himself in exile at Avignon). Henry died from malaria a year later, still on campaign.

View the full Wikipedia page for Codex Balduini Trevirorum

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