The Actual Crown of the Habsburgs
The arms of the members of the House of Habsburg-Lorraine can be rather complex. Therefore, sometime emblazonments are not totally accurate, this includes this blog’s topic of the crown to which members of said House are entitled. The royal crown (Königskrone in German) is a crown consisting of a hoop with five visible arches, the interior of which is sometimes lined. This crown is used by kingdoms and princes alike, however, Emperor Franz I of Austria bestowed new arms and titles to his descendants and to his brothers and their descendants on 16 April 1816. The translated description of said crown is as follows:
A quartered shield, surrounded by an ermine mantle lined in red and trimmed in gold, and adorned with the usual crown borne by the Archdukes as Royal Princes of Hungary and Bohemia, but currently increased by two arches as Imperial Princes.
New arms were decreed by Emperor Franz Joseph I on 11 February 1896 where the crown is described in more detail. The translation of which is as follows:
The shield is surrounded by a purpure royal mantle embroidered in gold at the edges, lined with ermine and decorated with golden fringes, cords and tassels, which emerges from an unlined royal crown surmounting it. This crown consists of an ornate hoop decorated alternately with eight leaves (five of which are visible) and eight pearls (four of which are visible), from which eight arches emerge, uniting under a small orb. Of the arches, five are visible from the front and two from the back, corresponding to the leaves; the eighth is concealed by its counterpart, the arch in the centre.
Therefore, the official arms of current archdukes (except for the Tuscan branch) do not use the old type of archducal hat (Erzherzogs Hut) or the traditional royal crown of five visible arches, but one of seven visible arches. Many emblazonments and reproductions of these arms in various forms omitted the two extra arches due to practicality and the medium in which they were reproduced.
Due to the loss of their thrones, many members just use the genealogical coat of arms decreed on 6 August 1806. It should be noted, that such arms were also used by members during the monarchy (for example Karl I as archduke).
Many thanks to Alex Bransby for the digital reproduction of the ‘lesser’ variant.