He principal element of the new shield, this symbol of imperial Rome, JupiterвЂ™s bird, was associated from the earliest antiquity with military victory. The coat of arms comprises the following elements: Developed by Denon, Gay and Biennais, the вЂarmes de lвЂ™EmpireвЂ™ (Empire coat of arms), taking their inspiration from both Ancient Rome and Charlemagne, were re-used largely unchanged by the Second Empire. However, on 21 Messidor, An XII (10 July, 1804), the emperor crossed out the lion from the decree instituting his seal and coat of arms and imposed the eagle. The Conseil dвЂ™Etat finally went for the cockerel, but Napoleon preferred the lion. CambacГ©rГЁs preferred bees since France was a republic with a head, like a hive SГ©gur thought that a lion would be better, stronger than the English leopard Laumond was for the elephant, вЂќ the strongest of animals вЂњ Duroc preferred the oak and Lebrun the fleur de lys, which he felt was the emblem of France and not the Bourbons. CrГ©tet proposed successively an eagle, a lion and an elephant. The choice of the new symbols so as to make a clean break with the monarchy of the Ancien RГ©gime proved difficult.

Proclaimed Emperor of the French on 28 FlorГ©al, An XII (18 May, 1804), Napoleon approached the problem of the emblems of sovereignty on 23 Prairial (12 juin) during a session of the Conseil dвЂ™Etat.

The empire of the hand