Herald’s tabard of Lombardy-Venetia

Tabard worn by the herald of the kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia. Heralds started out as a mix of messengers and ambassadors, but later moved into a more ceremonial role to represent their liege in coronations and whatnot, and read formal proclamations. Tabards are surcoats, worn by people from all walks of life in the Middle Ages and could be made from lots of different materials. These tabards were of course super fancy, and emblazoned with the coat of arms of their kingdom or lord.

Lombardy-Venetia was a crown land of the Holy Roman Empire. It was created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna out of the Duchy of Milan (which gave it the blue snake thingie) and the Republic of Venice (which gave it the golden sphinx thingie). International politics get complicated when you’re dealing with kings and dukes and ancestral rights and privileges.