Abzeichen des 1408 von König Sigismund gestifteten Drachenordens

Bayerisches Nationalmuseum

Description

In the year 1408, King Sigismund of Hungary, the future Emperor Sigismund, founded the chivalrous “Society of the Dragon”. Similar to other secular mediaeval orders, this society had a double purpose: on the one hand, it was intended as a weapon against paganism, on the other it was meant to serve for the creation of political ties between certain princes and the person of the donor and sovereign. Based on the assumption that Christ’s death and resurrection had defeated the lord of hell, the society received as its emblem a dragon vanquished by the sign of the Cross. The emblem is executed as embroidery that stands out in relief. The entire body of the dragon is formed of gold thread put on and overlaid by coloured silk thread. The three-dimensional effect is reached by the moulding of the fabric and by the glaze-like application of the silk threads. The large emblem was probably worn on a cloak or on a tabard.