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The Armorial Bearings of The Grafs von Sponneck ,
Counts of The Holy Roman Empire.
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The History of The House of Sponeck / Sponneck
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The surname Sponeck / Sponneck was originally derived from the name of an Imperial Knight, Hilderbrand Spenli, who was granted the first occupancy of the Imperial Castle built by Rudolph I in 1285 on a hillock overlooking the Rhine at the little village of Jechtingen, in Kaiserstuhl, Germany. He called the castle 'Spanecke' and by 1333 it had become known as Castle Sponeck. The first family to use this name hereditarily was the siblings von Hedwiger, a family of Knights from Silesia, in East Germany dating back to the 13th Century. The patriarch was one - Balthazar von Hedwiger, born 1510 in Silesia. The Holy Roman Emperor, Leopold I, elevated the siblings Von Hedwiger to the rank and title of 'Counts-of-the-Empire' with the title name, 'of Sponeck' on the 2nd August 1701 in Vienna. They were Georg Wilhelm, Johann Christoph, Johann Rudolph and their sister, Anna Sabina who was married to Duke Leopold Eberhard von Wurttember. In an Imperial Decree by the same Emperor Leopold I, dated 4th July 1702, the spelling of the name as 'von Sponneck' was used. Colonel Georg Wilhelm von Hedwiger, Reichsgraf von Sponeck entered Denmark in the year 1703 in order to take up command of the Danish Troops to fight with the British, Austrian and Dutch under John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene of Savoy in the 'War of the Spanish Succession', against the French King, Louis XIV. Georg Wilhelm took up residence in Copenhagen. On the 11th July 1889 the Sponneck family were incorporated into the Danish nobility with the Danish equivalent title 'Rigsgreve' by decree of King Christian IX of Denmark. Johann Rudolph then became president of the Duchy of Wurttemberg under the Duke of Wurttemberg in the year 1703.The present two lines of this House consist of the Danish family 'Sponneck'and the German family 'Sponeck'. The Patriarch of the Danish line was Georg Wilhelm von Hedwiger. The Patriarch of the German line was Johann Rudolph von Hedwiger, Reichsgrafen von Sponeck.
Blazen of Arms: Quartery 1st & 4th Gules, 'rampant lion' 'Or', 2nd & 3rd Azure, 'mullet of 6 points', 'moon', 'stream with natural coloured fish'. Inescutcheon: Or 'crowned sea- eagle' displayed Sable. Helmet: Argent two helmets in profile with five grilles. Crests: Dexter: 'demi-lion' Or; Sinister: 'fish in stream' with 'mullet' and 'moon' Azure displayed on 'Eagles Wing'.Supporters & Compartment: Two natural coloured 'leopards' 'rampant-guardant'. Compartment of plain yellow board.
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IMPERIAL ARMORIAL BEARINGS
OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE
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The Princely Armorial Bearings of The Principalities of Schwarzburg-Sondershausen and of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, as Princes of The Holy Roman Empire, The Arms are identical for both Princely Houses, being once a County which was formally divided into Two Counties in 1552. Both Counts received the Imperial Title of Prince of The Holy Roman Empire in 1697 and 1711 respectively. both Imperial Princely Houses have since became extinct, The Imperial Principalities and all other connecting Titles have thus formally reverted back to the German Empire, The Arms show in the right half a quartered shield with in 1 and 4 the eagle of Sondershausen and in 2 and 3 the deer antler of the Lordship Arnstadt. The escutcheon shows the lion of Schwarzburg. The left half also shows a quartered shield, with 1 and 4 the chequered field of the County Hohenstein, and in 2 and 3 the lion and bars for the County of Lutterberg. The escutcheon shows the deer of the Lordship of Klettenberg. On the quartering is across, which symbolises the medieval title of Viergraf. The main escutcheon shows the Imperial Eagle, as a symbol for the Imperial Title of Prince of The Holy Roman Empire, The base of the shield finally symbolises the Title of Imperial Stable Master of The Household held by the Princes of Schwarzburg.
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The Princely Armorial Bearings of The Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, as Princes of The Holy Roman Empire, The Counts of Waldeck acquired the Principality of Pyrmont in 1625 by succession. In 1673 the arms of Rappoltstein, Hoheneck and Geroldseck were added after the struggle of the inheritance of the Counts of Rappoltstein. These possession were never really owned by the Counts of Waldeck, as soon after the possessions were taken by the other successor, the Count of the Pfalz-Brikenfeld. In 1712 the Counts were promoted to Princes of The Holy Roman Empire, and the Principality of Waldeck-Pyrmont, became a autonomous State in 1807. The Arms show in the first and Ninth field the Arms of the Principality of Pyrmont, in the second and eight the Principality of Rappolstein, in the third and seventh the lion heads from the Estate of Hoheneck, and in the fourth and sixth the two lions of the estate of Geroldseck. The escutcheon shows the historical arms of the Principality of Waldeck. Arms:- Quarterly of nine: 1st and 9th, argent, a cross moline gules,(PYRMONT); 2nd and 8th, argent, three inescutcheons gules (RAPPOLSTEIN); 3rd and 7th, argent, three crows' heads, sable, langued gules and crowned Or (HOHENECK); 4th and 6th, argent, billetty (in fesse) azure and alion rampant gules, crowned Or (GEROLDSECK); eight points sable (WALDECK). The achievement is borne on a mantle purpore, fringed and tasselled Or, doubled erm and surmounted by the Princely Crown.
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The Princely Armorial Bearings of The Principality of Reuss, as Princes and Counts of The Holy Roman Empire, The Arms show the lion of Reuss, combined with the canting crane of the county Kranichfeld. The County of Kranichfeld never was part of Reuss, however, it was claimed by the Dukes of Reuss and thus placed in their Arms. Arms:- Quarterly; 1st and 4th, se, a lion rampant Or, armed and langued gules and crowned Or (Reuss); 2nd and 3rd, argent, a crane Or (Kranichfeld). Crests 1st, a dogs head and neck per pale argent and sa; 2bnd, The Crown of a Prince of The Holy Roman Empire and upon it, three peacocks feathers ppr; 3rd, A crane barry of eight argent and gules. Supporters; Two lions rampant reguardant per fess sable and argent langued gules. Motto; ICH BAU AUF GOTT.
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The Ducal Armorial Bearings of The Duchy of Lower Silezia (German Niederschlesien), which is part of The Royal Bohemian Crown Lands as well as The Duchy of Upper Silezia, Possession belonging to the Kingdom of Bohemia being part of the Imperial and Royal patrimony of The Holy Roman Empire of The German Nation.
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The Grand Ducal Armorial Bearings of The Grand Duchy of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Princes of The Holy Roman Empire, The Grand Ducal House of Mecklenburg-Schwerin has became extinct and as such The Grand Duchy and all connecting Titles have reverted back to the Imperial German Empire, Arms:- are Quarterly of six: 1st, Or, a buffalos head cabossed sable, armed and ringed argent, crowned or and langued gules (MECKLENBURG); 2nd, azure, a griffen segreant Or (PRINCIPALITY OF WENDEN); 3rd, per fesse, in chief azure, a griffen segreant Or, and in base vert, a bordure argent, (PRICIPALITY OF SCHWERIN); 4th, gules, a cross patee argent crowned Or, (RATZEBURG); 5th, gules, a dexter arm argent issuant from clouds in sinister flank and holding a finger ring Or, (COUNTY OF SCHWERIN); 6th, Or, a buffalos head sable, armed argent, crowned Or and langued gules, (LORDSHIP OF ROSTOCK); over all, an escutcheon of pretence, per fess gules and Or,(STARGARD).
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Crown Copyright Held © 1999-2009
All Rights Reserved
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The Grand Ducal Armorial Bearings of The Grand Duchy of Hesse-and-by-Rhine, Princes of The Holy Roman Empire, Founded by Georg I, Landgrave of the Upper County of Katzelenbogen, who Inherited the bailliages of Schotten, Stornfels and Homburg, The Grand Ducal House of Hesse-and-by-Rhine is now extinct and as such The Grand Duchy and all connecting Titles reverts back to the Imperial German Empire by Imperial Decree, Arms of Hesse:- Azure, a lion pampant queue-forchy barruly argent and gules crowned Or maintaining a sword proper.
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Crown Copyright Held © 1999-2009
All Rights Reserved
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