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French clerical hat
A
chapeau
is a flat-topped
hat
once worn by senior clerics.
In heraldry
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In European
ecclesiastical heraldry
, it is used as a mark of
ecclesiastical
dignity, especially that of
cardinals
, where it is called the
red chapeau
. It is worn over the shield by way of
crest
, as
mitres
and
coronets
are. A
galero
chapeau is flat, very narrow atop, but with a broad brim, adorned with long silken strings interlaced; suspended from within with rows of
tassels
, called by the Italians
fiocchi
, increasing in number as they come lower. The hat was given to them by
Innocent IV
in 1250, but was not used in arms till the year 1300. Until that time, the cardinals were represented with
mitres
.
Archbishops
and
patriarchs
bore a green hat, with four rows of tassels; bishops wore the same color, but with three;
abbots
and apostolical
prothonotaries
with two.
The chapeau is also sometimes used as a mark of
secular
dignity, such as a cap or coronet armed with
ermine
, worn by
dukes
, etc. In this case, the chapeau may be used instead of a helmet to support the individual's crest, since the rules of heraldry do not allow a crest to be placed directly on the armorial shield.
[1]
Anglophone heraldries
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In the Anglophone heraldries, a "chapeau" or
cap of maintenance
is a specific kind of hat.
[2]
It occurs as a
charge
, but also more importantly as an exterior ornament, signifying rank.
The use of the chapeau in
English heraldry
is not as clear cut and regulated as in
Scottish heraldry
.
See also
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References
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This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
public domain
:
Chambers, Ephraim
, ed. (1728). "Chapeau".
Cyclopædia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences
(1st ed.). James and John Knapton, et al.
External links
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