Three Crowns 352580 214428644 2008-05-23T14:45:01Z EivindJ 5841490 [[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 &mdash; "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)]]