Back shield (heraldry)

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As carapace in the will Heraldry a blazon designated when laid on this even smaller coats of arms. It's the biggest shield. Can be placed: the middle shield and / or umbilical shield and / or heart shield . The most important coats of arms are shown on these at the coat of arms association . In particular the family coat of arms, such as (example) the main areas of a state. The shapes of the smaller shields are adapted to the back shield. There he is in terms of the actual coat of arms, which calls him heraldist also major sign .

Austria-Hungaria transparency.png
Coat of arms Austria-Hungary 1916 (small) .png

In the small coat of arms, the coat of arms and middle shield were omitted in 1916, not the main shield. The heart shield becomes the breast shield. 		Well-known example of the back shield: The Habsburg Monarchy (here the double coat of arms Austria-Hungary , version 1915):
On the right on the golden main shield the imperial double-headed eagle , on this the breast shield, the actual coat of arms, with the Austrian countries (with the center shield of the crown lands of the Archduchy and heart shield in the colors of Austria, the binding shield ), on which rests the Rudolf crown (left coat of arms of Hungary, middle of the Habsburg family) .

The eagle in gold is specifically called the German shield , the former coat of arms of the Roman-German emperor and the empire . The shield itself could account for early, especially on flags and the Quaternionenadler as well as in small and medium arms, and the imperial eagle won then floating the character of a plate holder when he "held" never, but the actual blazon him always as a shield was placed (The Austrian shield holder has always been the griffin , one of which is represented here in the double coat of arms). The quadruple shield was characteristic of the Austrian monarchy. The Republic of Austria still wields the peculiar soaring eagle today.

Austrian Imperial Standard - Infantry pattern mix early 19th century.svg

Infantry standard (early 19th century), with the missing main shield, instead floating in gold (just as freely floating the crown, which can no longer rest anywhere because the double-headed eagle is already double crowned) .