Excerpts from the book

HERALDRY OF THE WORLD

Written and illustrated by

Carl Alexander von Volborth , K.St.J., A.I.H.

Copenhagen 1973

Internet version edited by Andrew Andersen, Ph.D.

The Pavilion, the Robe of Estate and Augumentations

(pp. 52-54)

275. Pavilion, favoured by some hereditary sovereigns and reserved exclusively for their use.
276. Robe of estate of continental type.	277. Robe of estate for Napoleonic counts and senators.

The origins of the robe of estate can be traced back at least to the sixteenth century. Used sometimes as an alternative to mantling, it stems perhaps from the robes of honour or office that princes and important officials wore on ceremonial occasions or from the draperies around a throne. The robe of estate is especially used by princes, the high aristocracy and the holders of certain important offices, but not by all in these categories.

278. Arms of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

The outside of a robe of estate is usually purple or red, but may also be black or blue, as found at times in Sweden and France. It sometimes has a pattern of fleurs-de-lys, crowns or Napoleonic bees (see pp. 82 and 90) or repeats the charges from the arms (Fig. 464). The inside is usually ermine, but yellow (gold) and white (silver) may also be used.

464. Arms of the statesman Cardinal Armand-Jean du Plessis de Richelieu (1585— 1642). The red prelate's hat with tassels shows he was a cardinal, the coronet that he was a duke, the anchor that he was an admiral, the badge that he was a Knight of the Order of the Holy Spirit.
279. Arms of the Prioress du Plessis de Richelieu, with insignia of office including staff and robe; eighteenth century.	280. Robe of estate of a Spanish grandee with pattern for the escutcheon

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