The Complex Armorial Displays of a Prince-Bishop

At our next stop in Passau, Germany, we find two displays of a very complex armory: the arms of Johann Philipp von Lamberg (1651-1712), Prince-Bishop of Passau. (Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Philipp_von_Lamberg). He was also a cardinal of the church, but the red galero of a cardinal does not appear in either of these displays.

First, we have this stone-carved rendition of his arms on a railing (as always, you should click on the image to go to the full-size photograph to see these arms in greater detail):

These arms appear in Rietstap's Armorial Général, blazoned:

Rietstap: Lamberg d’Amerang – Aut. (Comtes, 1636; princes, 1707). Ec: aux 1 et 4 parti: a. fascé d’ar. et d’azur de quatre pièces; b. de gu. plein (Lamberg); aux 2 et 3 d’or à un chien braque ramp. de sa., langue de gu., coll. et bouclé d’or (Pottwein ou Podwein). Sur le tout de gu. à deux lévriers affr. d’arg., coll. d’or, ramp. contre une echelle de quatre échelons d’or (de la Scala ou Scaliger).

They appear in Rolland and Rolland's Illustrations to the Armorial Général:

Here is my English translation of Rietstap of these arms, including the addition of another inescutcheon with the arms of the City of Passau: Lamberg of Amerang – Austria (Counts, 1636; princes, 1707) Quarterly: 1 and 4; Per pale, a, Barry of four pieces argent and azure; b, Gules plain (Lamberg); 2 and 3, Or a pointer dog rampant sable langued gules collared and buckled or (Pottwein or Podwein); overall two inescutcheons, (dexter) Argent a wolf rampant gules (the city of Passau); (sinister) Gules a ladder of four rungs or supported by two greyhounds rampant respectant argent collared or (de la Scala or Scaliger), the two inescutcheons surmounted by a bishop’s mitre proper.

These arms also appear in color over an altar:

You can decide for yourself how accurate my blazon is by comparing it with the detail of the arms over the altar immediately below:

In both displays, behind the shield is a bishop's crozier and the sword of a prince flanking a processional cross, surmounted by the crown of a prince.

All in all, I find these to be fascinating displays of what is really some very complex heraldry, identifying both the man and his offices.

It is, as Mel Brooks said in A History of the World, Part I, "good to be the king," but clearly, as demonstrated here, it is also good to be the Prince-Bishop!