Das Reitersiegel König Wilhelms I. von England als Patronus Normannorum: Entstehung und Ausstrahlung eines neuen Symbols für Rang und Macht.

This paper studies the two-faced seal of William, Duke of Normandy and King of England. On the obverse, as a representation of his power and reputation, William placed the image of a rider on a horse, who is labelled in the legend as patronus of the Normans. On the reverse, William showed himself as a king seated on a throne, recalling similar imagery of King Edward the Confessor - an iconographic choice that scholars have carefully studied. The present study therefore focuses on the obverse, presenting a new interpretation by analysing the circumscription together with the details of the image (horse, rider, lance with flag, shield) and their meaning. In order to understand the iconography it is necessary to show the development of equestrian statues from the Roman era through the 10th century. The adoption of ancient imperial symbols and the flag of St Peter in connection with the circumscription emphasizes the position of the duke as a royal personage. The image of a mounted duke with a flag on a lance was unique at that time and came to serve as a model for the seals of the aristocracy in France and the Holy Roman Empire. Years later this motif had to compete with that of a riding warrior brandishing a sword, derived from Byzantine portrayals of Saint George. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]