Quaternion Eagle

{{See also|Imperial Quaternions}}

File:Quaternionen des Reiches.png, 1606).

The ten quaternions are shown underneath the emperor flanked by the prince-electors (Archbishop of Trier, Archbishop of Cologne, Archbishop of Mainz; King of Bohemia, Count Palatine, Duke of Saxony, Margrave of Brandenburg).]]

The so-called imperial quaternions ({{langx|de|Quaternionen der Reichsverfassung||quaternions of the imperial constitution}}; from {{langx|la|quaterniō||group of four soldiers}})

were a conventional representation of the Imperial States of the Holy Roman Empire which first became current in the 15th century and was extremely popular during the 16th century.{{sfn|Legband|1905|pp=495–498}}{{sfn|Schubert|1993|pp=1–63}}

Apart from the highest tiers of the emperor, kings, prince-bishops and the prince electors, the estates are represented in groups of four. The number of quaternions was usually ten, in descending order of precedence:

1. Dukes (Duces),
2. Margraves (Marchiones),
3. Landgraves (Comites Provinciales),
4. Burggraves (Comites Castrenses),
5. Counts (Comites),
6. Knights (Milites),
7. Noblemen (Liberi),
8. Cities (Metropoles),
9. Villages (Villae),
10. Peasants (Rustici).

The list could be shortened or expanded, by the mid-16th century to as many as 45.{{sfn|Spener|1723|p=124}}{{sfn|Panvinio|1558}}{{sfn|Goldast von Haiminsfeld|1607}}{{sfn|Goldast von Haiminsfeld|1612}}

It is likely that this system was first introduced under Emperor Sigismund, who is assumed to have commissioned the frescoes in Frankfurt city hall in 1414.{{sfn|Bund|1987}}

As has been noted from an early time, this representation of the "imperial constitution" does not in fact represent the actual constitution of the Holy Roman Empire, as some imperial cities appear as "villages" or even "peasants"{{efn|E.g. the four "peasants" are Cologne, Constance, Regensburg and Salzburg.}} and the Burggrave of Stromburg{{efn|Or Straburg, Strandeck, and variants.}} was an unknown entity even at the time. The representation of imperial subjects is also far from complete. The "imperial quaternions" are, rather, a more or less random selection intended to represent pars pro toto the structure of the imperial constitution.

{{see also|Coats of arms of the Holy Roman Empire#Quaternion Eagle}}

File:Quaternion Eagle by Jost de Negker.jpg, {{Circa|1510}}.]]

Over its long history, the Holy Roman Empire used many different heraldic forms, representing its numerous internal divisions.

One rendition of the coat of the empire was the Quaternion Eagle, printed by David de Negker of Augsburg after a 1510 woodcut by Hans Burgkmair.{{sfn|Ocker|2018|pp=101–122}}

Named after the imperial quaternions, it showed a selection of 56 shields of various Imperial States in groups of four on the feathers of a double-headed eagle (the imperial eagle's remiges), supporting, in place of a shield, Christ on the Cross.{{sfn|Knorr von Rosenroth|1672|p=669}}{{sfn|Ocker|2018|pp=101–122}}

The four Spiritual (geistliche) Electors: Trier, Cöln (Cologne), Mentz (Mainz), Potestat zu Rom (Holy See)

The four Mundane Temporal (weltliche): (Bohemia), Pfaltz (Palatinate), Sachsen (Saxony), Brandenburg

Seill ("pillars"): Braunschweig, Bairn (Bayern, Bavaria), Swaben (Schwaben, Swabia), Lutring (Lothringen, Lotharingia)

Vicarii ("vicars"): Brabandt (Brabant), n.Sachsen (Niedersachsen, Lower Saxony), Westerreich (Westrich), Schlessi (Schlesien, Silesia)

Marggraven (margraves): Merchern (Mähren, Moravia), Brandenburg, Meichssen (Meißen), Baden

Lantgraven (landgraves): Thüringen (Thuringia), Elsaß, Hessen, Leuchtenberg

Burggraven (burggraves): Nürnberg (Nuremberg), Maidburg (Hardegg-Maidburg), Reineck (Rieneck), Stramberg (Stromberg)

Graven (counts): Cleve, Saphoy (Savoyen, Savoy), Swartzburg (Schwarzburg), Zilli (Celje)

Semperfreie (nobles): Lintpurg (Limpurg), Westerburg, Thussis (Thusis), Alwalden (Aldenwalden)

Ritter (knights): Anndelaw (Andlau), Weissenbach, Frawnberg (Fraunberg), Strundeck ("Stromdeck")

Stett (cities): Augspurg (Augsburg), Metz, Ach (Aachen), Lubeck (Lübeck)

Dörfer (villages): Bamberg, Ulm, Hagenaw (Hagenau), Sletstat (Schlettstatt)

Bauern (peasants): Cöln (Köln, Cologne), Regenspurg (Regensburg), Costnitz, Salzburg

Birg (castles): Magdaburg (Magdeburg), Lützelburg, Rottenburg, Aldenburg

Twelve vertical quaternions were shown under them, as follows — eight dukes being divided into two quaternions called "pillars" and "vicars", respectively:{{sfn|Knorr von Rosenroth|1672|p=669}}

{{Col-begin}}

{{Col-2}}

; Right wing

:1. Seill ("pillars"),

:3. Marggrauen (margraves),

:5. Burggrauen (burggraves),

:7. Semper freie (nobles),

:9. Stett (cities),

:11. Bauern (peasants),

{{Col-2}}

; Left wing

:2. Vicari ("vicars"),

:4. Lantgrauen (landgraves),

:6. Grauen (counts),

:8. Ritter (knights),

:10. Dörfer (villages),

:12. Birg (castles).

{{Col-end}}

The depiction also appeared on the Imperial Eagle beaker.

{{excerpt|Imperial Eagle beaker}}

• Coats of arms of the Holy Roman Empire
• Reichsadler
• Imperial Eagle
• Imperial Quaternions

{{Notelist}}

{{Reflist}}

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|language = de

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|via = Google Books

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• {{Cite journal

|last = Legband

|first = Hans

|title = Zu den Quaternionen der Reichsverfassung

|language = de

|trans-title = On the Quaternions of the Imperial Constitution

|journal = Archiv für Kulturgeschichte |volume=3

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|isbn = 3782903315

|publisher = Kramer

|year = 1987

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• {{Cite journal

|last = Schubert

|first = Ernst

|title = Die Quaternionen

|language = de

|trans-title = The Quaternions

|journal=Zeitschrift für historische Forschung |volume=20

|year = 1993

|pages = 1–63

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• {{Cite book

|last = Ocker

|first = Christopher

|title = Luther, Conflict, and Christendom

|pages = IX, 101–122

|chapter = The Imperial Quaternion Eagle (Augsburg, c. 1510)

|doi = 10.1017/9781108178624

|isbn = 9781108178624

|publisher = Cambridge University Press

|year = 2018

|s2cid = 165918623

|url = https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/luther-conflict-and-christendom/figures/DD4DCA6936E1F0E47E42D7F83FF0A0AA

|access-date = 2022-11-04

}}

• {{Cite journal

|last = Rödel

|first = Volker

|title = Kaiser Maximilians Westreich und der Quaternionen-Reichsadler

|journal = Francia

|language = de

|trans-title = Emperor Maximilian's Western Empire and the Imperial Quaternion Eagle

|doi = 10.11588/fr.2018.0.70110

|year = 2018

|volume = 45

|pages = 85–116

|publisher = German Historical Institute Paris

|via = Max Weber Foundation

|url = https://perspectivia.net/receive/pnet_mods_00002743

|access-date = 2022-11-04

}}

{{Commons}}

• {{Cite web|url = https://www.worldhistory.org|title = Quaternion Eagle of the Holy Roman Empire|website = World History Encyclopedia|date = 2021-03-22|access-date = 2022-11-04}}

Category:Imperial Eagle

Category:Heraldry of the Holy Roman Empire

Category:Double-headed eagle