Sketch of the "eagle of Saladin" at the Cairo Citadel in Egypt, as it appeared in the late 19th century, with its heads missing
The warlike visage of eagles has been another motivation for humans to adopt the eagle for their military and political emblem in various parts of the world at various times, originally from the Ancient Egyptian eagle depicted in Pharaonic era Egyptians temples, the local eagle became a prized bird of Saladin, the Sultan of Egypt, who took Egypt's national animal as a symbol of his reign.[2] Saladin's personal flag featured an eagle on a yellow background.[3]
Reconstruction of an Ayyubid double-headed eagle, based on a coin minted under al-Adil I
The Cairo Citadel, built during Saladin's reign, has a large stylized eagle carved in stone on its west wall. It is commonly believed to depict Saladin's emblem, although this is not confirmed by historical sources.[4] The eagle appears headless today, but it was described by the 17th-century Ottoman explorer Evliya Çelebi as having been double-headed, painted in bright colors, and having two copper tongues. European explorers in the 18th century provide a similar description.[4] The course lines of the stone carving do not correspond with those on the wall, suggesting that it was moved to its present location at a later period, possibly during the rule of Muhammad Ali, when the upper part of the wall was rebuilt.[4] The double-headed eagle symbol was used on coins of al-Adil I (r. 1201–1218), Saladin's brother who succeeded him as Sultan.[5]
The Egyptian Revolution of 1952 was characterised by a profound reassertion of Egyptian nationalism, and later the regional Arab nationalism under Gamal Abdel Nasser's rule, the latter particularly in the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Drawing direct parallels between this conflict and the Crusades, the leaders of Egypt's revolution connected their own declared efforts of Arab liberation with those of the medieval Saladin who, as Egypt's sultan, had united Arab forces against the Crusaders in Palestine. Simultaneously, Egypt's revolutionary government under Muhammad Naguib and Gamal Abdel Nasser, both veterans of the Palestine War, introduced the Arab Liberation Flag bearing the colours of red, white, black, and green associated with the Rashidun Caliphate of Medina, the Umayyad Caliphate of Damascus, the Abbasid Caliphate of Baghdad, and Egypt's own Fatimid Caliphate of Cairo. In the centre of the flag, they placed the Eagle of Saladin, rendered in gold. Henceforth, both the Eagle of Saladin and the Arab Liberation Flag would become symbols linked inextricably with republican Egypt, and the wider cause of Arab nationalism.[citation needed] When Egypt united with Syria in 1958 to form the United Arab Republic, the Eagle of Saladin became the new state's coat of arms, whilst the Arab Liberation Flag was taken as the basis for the flag.[citation needed]
Even though the Egyptian-Syrian union ended abruptly in 1961 after a coup d'état in Syria, the Eagle remained a potent symbol for those aspiring for Arab unity. Following the toppling of the monarchy of North Yemen in 1962, the Eagle became the national symbol of the new Yemen Arab Republic, and later of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen in South Yemen in 1967. Likewise, Iraq's 1963 Ramadan Revolution by the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party led to Iraq also adopting the Eagle as Iraq's coat of arms of Iraq. Conversely, the Libyan Arab Republic adopted the Eagle in 1969, however, it was later supplanted by the Hawk of Quraish when, along with Egypt, and Syria, Libya established the Federation of Arab Republics in 1972.[6]
The State of Palestine was the most recent state to adopt the Eagle of Saladin, doing so upon its declaration of statehood in 1988.[citation needed]
Usesedit
In flagsedit
Current national emblems using the Eagle of Saladinedit
^Smith, Whitney (1975). Flags Through the Ages and Across the World. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill. ISBN0-07-059093-1.
^"What is Egypt's national animal?", discoverwildlife.com, Egypt's national animal is the steppe eagle. Eagles were an important symbol in ancient Egypt, with temples often decorated with them. In particular the steppe eagle was a prized bird of the first Sultan of Egypt, Saladin and therefore often known as the Saladin Eagle.
^Hathaway, Jane (2003). A Tale of Two Factions: Myth, Memory, and Identity in Ottoman Egypt and Yemen. State University of New York Press. pp. 96–7. ISBN9780791458839.
^ abcRabbat, Nasser O. (1995). The Citadel of Cairo: A New Interpretation of Royal Mameluk Architecture. Brill. p. 24. ISBN9789004101241.
^Ebers, Georg (1878). "Egypt: Descriptive, Historical, and Picturesque, Volume I". Ebers, Georg. "Egypt: Descriptive, Historical, and Picturesque." Volume 1. Cassell & Company, Limited: New York, 1878. P 242. New York: Cassell & Company LTD: 242. hdl:1911/21277.
^Baram, Amatzia (1991). Culture, History and Ideology in the Formation of Ba'thist Iraq,1968-89. Palgrave Macmillan UK. p. 151, note 15. ISBN978-1-349-21243-9.
eagle, saladin, arabic, نسر, صلاح, الدين, known, egypt, egyptian, eagle, arabic, النسر, المصري, nisr, missry, republican, eagle, النسر, الجمهوري, ʿuʾạb, goumhūri, heraldic, eagle, that, serves, coat, arms, many, countries, egypt, iraq, coat, arms, kurdish, aut. The Eagle of Saladin Arabic نسر صلاح الدين known in Egypt as the Egyptian Eagle Arabic النسر المصري al nisr al missry 1 and the Republican Eagle النسر الجمهوري el ʿuʾạb el goumhuri is a heraldic eagle that serves as the coat of arms of many countries Egypt Iraq Coat of arms of the Kurdish autonomous region of Iraq KRG Palestine and Yemen Since the Egyptian 1952 coup d etat the eagle has been an iconic symbol of Egypt and of Arab nationalism particularly in Arab states that underwent anti imperialist political change from the 1950s onwards It was formerly the national symbol of the now defunct United Arab Republic North Yemen South Yemen and the Libyan Arab Republic Eagle of Saladin Contents 1 Origin 2 Modern history 3 Uses 3 1 In flags 4 Current national emblems using the Eagle of Saladin 5 Unrecognised and semi recognised states using the Eagle of Saladin 6 Regional emblems using the Eagle of Saladin 7 Former national emblems using the Eagle of Saladin 8 See also 9 References 10 External linksOrigin edit nbsp Sketch of the eagle of Saladin at the Cairo Citadel in Egypt as it appeared in the late 19th century with its heads missing The warlike visage of eagles has been another motivation for humans to adopt the eagle for their military and political emblem in various parts of the world at various times originally from the Ancient Egyptian eagle depicted in Pharaonic era Egyptians temples the local eagle became a prized bird of Saladin the Sultan of Egypt who took Egypt s national animal as a symbol of his reign 2 Saladin s personal flag featured an eagle on a yellow background 3 nbsp Reconstruction of an Ayyubid double headed eagle based on a coin minted under al Adil I The Cairo Citadel built during Saladin s reign has a large stylized eagle carved in stone on its west wall It is commonly believed to depict Saladin s emblem although this is not confirmed by historical sources 4 The eagle appears headless today but it was described by the 17th century Ottoman explorer Evliya Celebi as having been double headed painted in bright colors and having two copper tongues European explorers in the 18th century provide a similar description 4 The course lines of the stone carving do not correspond with those on the wall suggesting that it was moved to its present location at a later period possibly during the rule of Muhammad Ali when the upper part of the wall was rebuilt 4 The double headed eagle symbol was used on coins of al Adil I r 1201 1218 Saladin s brother who succeeded him as Sultan 5 Modern history edit nbsp The first state emblem to use the Eagle of Saladin was the Egyptian coat of arms adopted during the 1952 revolution nbsp The coat of arms of the United Arab Republic instituted the modern design of the Republican Eagle The Egyptian Revolution of 1952 was characterised by a profound reassertion of Egyptian nationalism and later the regional Arab nationalism under Gamal Abdel Nasser s rule the latter particularly in the context of the Arab Israeli conflict Drawing direct parallels between this conflict and the Crusades the leaders of Egypt s revolution connected their own declared efforts of Arab liberation with those of the medieval Saladin who as Egypt s sultan had united Arab forces against the Crusaders in Palestine Simultaneously Egypt s revolutionary government under Muhammad Naguib and Gamal Abdel Nasser both veterans of the Palestine War introduced the Arab Liberation Flag bearing the colours of red white black and green associated with the Rashidun Caliphate of Medina the Umayyad Caliphate of Damascus the Abbasid Caliphate of Baghdad and Egypt s own Fatimid Caliphate of Cairo In the centre of the flag they placed the Eagle of Saladin rendered in gold Henceforth both the Eagle of Saladin and the Arab Liberation Flag would become symbols linked inextricably with republican Egypt and the wider cause of Arab nationalism citation needed When Egypt united with Syria in 1958 to form the United Arab Republic the Eagle of Saladin became the new state s coat of arms whilst the Arab Liberation Flag was taken as the basis for the flag citation needed Even though the Egyptian Syrian union ended abruptly in 1961 after a coup d etat in Syria the Eagle remained a potent symbol for those aspiring for Arab unity Following the toppling of the monarchy of North Yemen in 1962 the Eagle became the national symbol of the new Yemen Arab Republic and later of the People s Democratic Republic of Yemen in South Yemen in 1967 Likewise Iraq s 1963 Ramadan Revolution by the Arab Socialist Ba ath Party led to Iraq also adopting the Eagle as Iraq s coat of arms of Iraq Conversely the Libyan Arab Republic adopted the Eagle in 1969 however it was later supplanted by the Hawk of Quraish when along with Egypt and Syria Libya established the Federation of Arab Republics in 1972 6 The State of Palestine was the most recent state to adopt the Eagle of Saladin doing so upon its declaration of statehood in 1988 citation needed Uses editIn flags edit nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp nbsp Current national emblems using the Eagle of Saladin edit nbsp Coat of arms of Egypt nbsp Coat of arms of Iraq nbsp Emblem of YemenUnrecognised and semi recognised states using the Eagle of Saladin edit nbsp National emblem of Somaliland nbsp Coat of arms of PalestineRegional emblems using the Eagle of Saladin edit nbsp Coat of arms of the Kurdistan Region of IraqFormer national emblems using the Eagle of Saladin edit nbsp Coat of arms of Egypt 1953 1958 nbsp Coat of arms of the United Arab Republic 1958 1971 nbsp Coat of arms of South Yemen 1967 1970 nbsp Coat of arms of North Yemen 1962 1966 nbsp Coat of arms of North Yemen 1966 1974 nbsp Coat of arms of North Yemen 1974 1990 See also edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eagle of Saladin Coat of arms of Egypt Coat of arms of Iraq Coat of arms of Palestine Coat of arms of the United Arab Republic Coat of arms of Yemen Coat of arms of Libya Hawk of Quraish Double headed eagleReferences edit Smith Whitney 1975 Flags Through the Ages and Across the World Maidenhead McGraw Hill ISBN 0 07 059093 1 What is Egypt s national animal discoverwildlife com Egypt s national animal is the steppe eagle Eagles were an important symbol in ancient Egypt with temples often decorated with them In particular the steppe eagle was a prized bird of the first Sultan of Egypt Saladin and therefore often known as the Saladin Eagle Hathaway Jane 2003 A Tale of Two Factions Myth Memory and Identity in Ottoman Egypt and Yemen State University of New York Press pp 96 7 ISBN 9780791458839 a b c Rabbat Nasser O 1995 The Citadel of Cairo A New Interpretation of Royal Mameluk Architecture Brill p 24 ISBN 9789004101241 Ebers Georg 1878 Egypt Descriptive Historical and Picturesque Volume I Ebers Georg Egypt Descriptive Historical and Picturesque Volume 1 Cassell amp Company Limited New York 1878 P 242 New York Cassell amp Company LTD 242 hdl 1911 21277 Baram Amatzia 1991 Culture History and Ideology in the Formation of Ba thist Iraq 1968 89 Palgrave Macmillan UK p 151 note 15 ISBN 978 1 349 21243 9 External links editThe emblem of Egypt s flag A R E The Golden Eagle of Egypt Flags of the World website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Eagle of Saladin amp oldid 1223105286, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
