Kingdom of Jerusalem

Heraldry of the World
Civic heraldry of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

KINGDOM OF JERUSALEM

Origin/meaning

The Kingdom of Jerusalem (now in Israel, Palestine and Jordan) never formed part of the Austrian-Hungarian Empire. The Emperors, however, put a claim on the Kingdom, which existed during the crusades. The claim was based on a long range of successions. The Kingdom was first claimed by the Kings of Antiochia (now in Syria). In 1277 Maria of Antiochia granted the claim to King Charles II of Sicily from the Anjou dynasty. Through marriage the arms appeared in the arms of the Dukes of Lorraine in 1420. The Duchy of Lorraine became a possession of the Habsburg family, later Emperors of Austria-Hungary.

The Kings of Aragon and through these the Spanish Kings also claimed the succession from the King of Sicily and used the same cross in their arms.

The cross for the Kingdom of Jerusalem dates from the 12^th century and is one of the few exceptions in heraldry where a shield consists only of the two metals, silver and gold.