Three Crowns
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2008-05-23T14:45:01Z
EivindJ
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[[Image:Sweden-lesser-coa.png|thumb|The Swedish Lesser Coat of Arms]]
[[Image:Flygvapnet roundel.svg|thumb|174px|Swedish Air Force roundel]]
'''Three Crowns''' ([[Swedish language|Swedish]]: ''Tre Kronor'') is a [[national emblem]] of [[Sweden]], present in the [[Coat of arms of Sweden|Coat of Arms of the Realm of Sweden]], and composed by three yellow or gilded coronets ordered two above and one below, placed on a blue background.
The emblem is often used as a symbol of authority by the [[Government of Sweden|Swedish government]] and by Swedish embassies around the world, but also appears in other less formal contexts, such as the [[Swedish national men's ice hockey team]], who wear the symbol on their shirts and hence are called "Three Crowns", and atop the [[Stockholm City Hall]] built 1911-1923. The Three Crowns are also used as the [[roundel]] on [[military aircraft]] of the [[Swedish Air Force]] and as a sign on Swedish military equipment in general.
== Origins ==
The origin of the symbol has been much debated throughout history and various more or less well-founded theories have attempted to shed some light on the matter.
The symbol is known to have been placed atop the mighty central tower of the castle [[Tre kronor (castle)|Tre Kronor]] in [[Stockholm]], destroyed by fire in 1697, no later than the early 16th century. The symbol, however, is known to be quite older. One of several traditional explanations have suggested [[Albert of Sweden|Albrekt of Mecklenburg]] (1338-1412), who ruled Sweden 1364-1389, brought the symbol from [[Germany]] as a sign of his reign of Sweden, Finland and [[Mecklenburg]]. This theory has, however, been refuted by later research, namely, the announcement in 1982 of the discovery of a [[frieze]] in [[Avignon]] in southern [[France]], estimated to date back to 1336. The frieze was painted for an international congress lead by the [[Pope]] and contains the symbols of all participant countries, including Sweden. This discovery suggests the symbol was introduced by Albert's precursor [[Magnus IV of Sweden|Magnus Eriksson]] (1316-1377).
<ref name="Lindgren-17">{{cite book
| title = Gamla stan förr och nu | author = Rune Lindgren
| year = 1992 | publisher = Rabén & Sjögren | language = Swedish
| location = Stockholm | id = ISBN 91 29 61671 9
| pages = 17 | chapter = Varifrån härstammar Tre Kronor-symbolen?
}}</ref>
== Unsourced hypotheses and various usages ==
* A representation of the [[three wise men]], also known as the three ''kings'', that came to visit [[Jesus]] at the [[Epiphany (Christian)|epiphany]].
* The three [[Lands of Sweden|old kingdoms]] that joined to later form Sweden — "Three crowns one kingdom". However, that theory is less widely accepted.
* Leftovers after yet another failed attempt at creating a Scandinavian union and that the crowns represent the royal families of Sweden, Denmark and Norway.
* The three crowns are on the 1397 seal of [[Margrete I]], who united Denmark, Sweden and Norway into the [[Kalmar Union]] to defend baltic sea trade routes against the threat of the German [[Holy Roman Empire]].
* The symbol is also featured on the [[University of Oxford]] seal originating from the same period.
* It also appears on the first [http://www.rgle.org.uk/RGLE_Mother_Grand_Lodge_York.htm masonic seal of York]. The founding values of these three organisations all using an example of the three separated crowns may also symbolise a [[Protestant]] opposition to the coronation of the [[Pope]] as, among other titles the ruler of the world. The Pope's [[Triregnum]] featuring three crowns, although not separated.
* A later usage of the three crowns refers to the [[Union of the Crowns]], the accession to the thrones of [[England]] and [[Ireland]] of [[King James VI]] of [[Scotland]] in March 1603.
== Other three crown designs ==
Practically identical to the three crowns of Sweden, is that of the flag and crest of the [[Province of Munster]], a region in the south west of [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]. Like the Swedish model, it comprises two crowns above and one below. These represent the three great [[Duchy|duchies]] of the province, [[County Desmond|Desmond]], [[Ormond]] and [[Thomond]]. The design was used as the flag of the [[Lordship of Ireland]] between 1171-1541 following the [[Norman invasion of Ireland]] until being replaced by the flag of the [[Kingdom of Ireland]].
A similar three crowns design is the crest of the city of [[Kingston-upon-Hull]], a large port in [[Yorkshire]], England. This design sees the three crowns stacked vertically and relates back to the Royal charter of 1299. The emblem is used by the city council and also the cities two [[rugby league]] teams.
The Flag of [[St Edmund]] consists of three [[gold]] [[crowns]] on a field of [[blue]] (''Azure, three crowns Or'').<ref name="Perrin">{{cite book
| last =Perrin
| first =W.G.
| authorlink =
| coauthors =
| title =British Flags
| publisher =Cambridge University Press
| date =1922
| location =Cambridge
| pages =
| url =
| doi =
| id =
| isbn = }}</ref> Three crowns also form the logo of [[Coutts|Coutts & Co]], the London based private bankers, but in this case the design comprises one crown at the top, with two below.
== See also ==
* [[Mother Svea]]
* [[Flag of Sweden]]
== References ==
<references />
{{National Symbols of Sweden}}
[[Category:National symbols of Sweden]]
[[Category:Swedish culture]]
[[da:Tre kronor (rigsvåben)]]
[[es:Three Crowns]]
[[eo:Tri Kronoj]]
[[no:Tre kronor (symbol)]]
[[sv:Tre kronor (symbol)]]