Eagle of Saint John Facts for Kids

The Eagle of Saint John (called Águila de San Juan in Spanish) is a special heraldic eagle. Heraldry is like a system of symbols and designs used on shields, flags, and coats of arms. This black eagle, with a golden halo and red feet, is mostly linked to the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. It was also used later during a period called Francoist Spain (from 1939 to 1977) and during the time when Spain became a democracy (from 1977 to 1981).

A Carolingian ivory plaque showing the Eagle of Saint John with its halo.

What is the Eagle of Saint John?
The Eagle and the Catholic Monarchs
- The Eagle in Other Royal Families
The Eagle in Modern Spanish History
The Eagle Around the World
Images for kids
See also

What is the Eagle of Saint John?

The Eagle of Saint John is a symbol of John the Evangelist. He is believed to have written one of the four gospels in the Bible. An eagle often represents him, usually with a halo around its head.

People in ancient times saw the eagle as the "king of the birds." It was a symbol of the sky. Some Christian scholars believed that eagles could look directly into the sun. This made the eagle a powerful and important symbol.

The Eagle and the Catholic Monarchs

The most famous use of the Eagle of Saint John in heraldry was by Queen Isabella of Castile. She chose it as a special supporter for her coat of arms. A supporter is a figure that stands on either side of a shield in a coat of arms.

Queen Isabella had a strong devotion to Saint John the Evangelist. This was even before she became queen. Because of her faith, she included the eagle in her royal symbols. Later, when she and King Ferdinand ruled together as the Catholic Monarchs, the eagle became part of their combined royal symbols.

You can still see a beautiful tapestry with the coat of arms of the Catholic Monarchs. It is in the Throne Room of the Alcazar of Segovia, a famous castle in Spain.

The Eagle in Other Royal Families

The Eagle of Saint John also appeared on the shields of some English queens. Catherine of Aragon, who was the daughter of the Catholic Monarchs, used it when she became Queen of England. Later, Queen Mary I and King Philip also used it as English monarchs.

In Spain, King Philip II did not use the Eagle of Saint John very often in his own royal symbols.

The Eagle in Modern Spanish History

The Eagle of Saint John was brought back as a symbol in Spain in 1939. It was used in the official coat of arms of Spain in 1939, 1945, and 1977.

However, this eagle symbol was also used by the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. He used it as a symbol for his government. Because of this, the eagle was removed from the official Spanish coat of arms in 1981. This happened when Spain adopted its current coat of arms.

The Eagle Around the World

The Eagle of Saint John has been used in many other places around the world. It appears in the heraldry or emblems of:

Valparaíso City in Chile
Boyacá Department in Colombia
The Catholic Archdiocese of Besançon in France
Mallersdorf-Pfaffenberg in Germany
Lima City in Peru
Kisielice, Kwidzyn District, Kwidzyn County, Oleśnica Town, and Oleśnica County in Poland
Gata and the 29th Infantry Regiment "Isabel la Católica" in Spain
Lääne county, Haapsalu town, and Kuressaare town in Estonia
St. John's College at the University of Sydney in Australia

Images for kids

Coat of Arms of Isabella of Castile as Princess of Asturias.
Coat of arms of the Catholic Monarchs.
A coat of arms with the Eagle of Saint John in the Alcázar de Segovia.
The 1494 Constitutions of Catalonia, with the Eagle.
Coat of Arms of Ferdinand II of Aragon as Lord of Biscay.
The Eagle of Saint John and two lions, in an ornamented version of the coat of arms of Joanna I of Castile.
The Eagle of Saint John in the coat of arms of Catherine of Aragon, Queen of England.
The Eagle of Saint John in the coat of arms of Mary I of England after her marriage with Philip II.
Coat of arms of Spain from 1945 to 1977.
Flag of Spain from 1945 to 1977.
Coat of arms of Lima.
Coat of arms of Valparaíso.
Coat of arms of the Boyacá Department.
Coat of Arms of the Regimiento de Infantería "Isabel la Católica" n.º 29 (Spanish Army).
Coat of arms of the Bishopric of Ösel-Wiek.
Coat of arms of Lääne county, Estonia.
Coat of arms of Haapsalu, Estonia.