Hausner Gábor - Kincses Katalin Mária - Veszprémy László szerk.: A Hadtörténeti Múzeum Értesítője. Acta Musei Militaris in Hungaria. 4. „Kard és koszorú”. Ezer év magyar uralmi és katonai jelképei. (Budapest, 2001)

URALMI JELKÉPEK - BAK JÁNOS: Magyar királyi jelvények a középkorban

HUNGARIAN REGAL EMBLEMS IN THE MIDDLE AGES Debates about the age and nature of our regal emblems are far from being concluded, a short report concerning the current state of affairs, however, should be useful. There are three kinds of regal emblems, i.e. coronation emblems, which are bestowed to the new ruler in course of a liturgical ceremony when taking over the power; representative emblems, which are worn, carried and shown by the ruler (there are two types, in fact: real ones and those only represented on royal portraits); and finally, emblems of the deceased royalty. Existing emblems, written accounts of coronations, coronation process regulations ('ordines') and illustrations are the remnants of evidence pertaining to the regal emblems of medieval Hungarian rulers. As for the latter category, there are 'official' (signets, coins) and interpretive illustrations, like in pictorial chronicles. Some very important research results have been published on Saint Stephen's lance recently. This present study deals with questions regarding the orb and the 'casula', which had been transformed into the coronation mantle, and whether there had been other emblems (in some form of the above mentioned three categories). A 'provisional emblem', the Holy Right hand of Saint Stephen, which was used by king LadislausWenceslaus during a representative display of the crown, will also be mentioned. Finally, a brief comparative analysis of Hungarian and other medieval regal emblems is presented.