Township of

Habsburg

Around 1020, Radbot of Habsburg built Habsburg castle, which became the family seat of the Habsburg dynasty, which went on to become one of the leading royal dynasties in Europe. Though the family did not rule the land after the 1400s, the historic arms of Habsburg, a lion on a gold field, show up in Austrian arms up to the end of the Imperial period. The modern arms show Habsburg Castle. The area around this castle was covered by forests and only cleared around 1500.

Coats of arms of early counts of Hapsburg.  The County (later Principality) of Habsburg never formed part of Austria-Hungary, but was part of The Holy Roman Empire and is now in Switzerland. The Dukes of Austria, later emperors of Austria-Hungary, however, were from the Habsburg dynasty. Habsburg was first mentioned in 1020 as a castle. The Habsburg family rapidly became one of the most powerful families in Europe, after acquiring Austria and later also Bohemia and Hungary.

The first use of a lion as the arms of Habsburg dates from 1186. Ever since the lion has been the arms of the County and the family.

The current coat of arms of the Austrian Empire, Habsburg-Loraine line.

Habsburg castle, Aargau canton, N Switzerland, near the Aare River. Built c.1030, it served during the 12th and 13th cent. as the seat of the counts of Habsburg or Hapsburg, whose name derives from the castle