Millennium Polish State 966-1966 Collectible Plate Coat of Arms Decorative Eagle

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i000000 Just one of inkFrog's Creations :: Description Vintage collectors plate with the Polish Coat of Arms stating "Tysiąclecie Panstwa Polskiego" meaning " Millennium of the Polish State". 12 and 3/4 inches wide Here's the legend of the eagle: The White Eagle emblem originated when Poland's legendary founder Lech saw a white eagle's nest. When he looked at the bird, a ray of sunshine from the red setting sun fell on its wings, so they appeared tipped with gold, the rest of the eagle was pure white. He was delighted and decided to settle there and placed the eagle on his emblem. He also named the place Gniezdno (currently Gniezno) from the Polish word gniazdo (nest). This tale could be considered as an allusion to the legend of the city of Rome which was founded by Romulus and Remus. Auspicium is the ancient rite of observing birds of prey flights in order to get support of gods for future arranged actions. A less romantic version assumes that Poland adopted the emblem from the Roman Empire (like many other European countries). Here's the real history that can be documented: The image of the white eagle appeared for the first time on the coins made during the reing of Boleslaw I, initially as the Piast family's personal coat of arms. The stylized bird's appearance caused dispute between scholars who could not identify its species. The most probable is the white-tailed eagle but cock, pigeon, and peacock were also taken into consideration. Since XII c. the eagle has appeared on the shields, ensigns, coins, and stamps of Piast dukes. It appeared on the Polish coat of arms during Przemysł II reign as a reminder of the Piast tradition before the fragmentation of Poland. The eagle's graphic form has changed throughout centuries. Its recent shape, accepted in 1927, was designed by professor Zygmunt Kaminski and was based on the eagle's form from the times of Stefan Batory's reign. It is worth mentioning that it was adapted to stamps or round shields rather than to a rectangular shape.The shield itself also changed shape. The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's shield was divided into four parts, with Polish Eagle and Lithuanian Pahonia on opposite sides. Kings used to place their own emblems in the center of the national coat of arms (i.e. House Vasa). Despite the fact that new emblems were given to provinces established by the invaders after the partitions of Poland, the White Eagle remained there with or without crown and occasionally with face turned towards left and in some exceptions with Pahonia. But in most cases they were combined with the invader's emblem. After the November Uprising, the tsars, titled also as Polish kings, adapted the Order of the White Eagle with blue ribbon, well accepted in Russia. Archangel, the symbol of Ukraine, joined the Eagle and Pahonia during the January Uprising. The Poles conscientiously collected coins from the pre-partitions period with the eagle on their obverse and reverse. The symbol of the Eagle often with Pahonia appeared on numerous flags and emblems of the uprising. The resurrection of a Polish Kingdom (Polish Regency) in the territories of the former Congress Poland (later ruled by the Russian Empire) was approved by Austria-Hungary and Wilhelm II's Germany in 1916. A year later, the first Polish bank-notes (Polish Marka) with Crowned Eagle on an indivisible shield were introduced. After regaining total independence and the creation of the Second Polish Republic (1918-1939) the White Eagle was implemented by the act of 1919. Official image of the coat of arms (which remind Stanisław Poniatowski's emblem) was used until 1927 when Zygmunt Kaminski designed a new one. Recently it is a symbol of the post-communist Republic of Poland . Its effigy appears on many public administration buildings. It is present at schools and courts. Furthermore it is placed on the averse of Polish coins and even on the Poland national football team's shirts. However the... read more

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