In Switzerland and the Low Countries there have been non-nobles or peasants with Coats of Arms since the Middle Ages. The word peasant in this case does not mean agricultural laborers but rather small freeholders, owners of small plots of land. In other words it refers to yeomanry in the correct use of that term. The caste structure that arose in Europe following the conquests of the Germanic tribes resulted in leaders becoming the nobility and their followers becoming freeholders of yeomanry status. In most countries the yeomanry were recognized as belonging to the frank or free classes, although over time the upper and lower freeman divided, so that in the end the noble did not intermarry with the yeoman....
LUXEMBOURG ARMS Luxembourg is officially known as the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and is situated between Belgium France and Germany. It has a population of 500,000 and an area of approximately 1,000 square miles. Luxembourg lies on the cultural divide between Germanic Europe and Romantic Europe, the official languages are French, German, and Luxembourgish. Siegfried, Count of Ardennes seized Luxembourg Castle around 963, and around this Castle the town of Luxembourg gradually developed. In the 12th century Henry the Blind, Count of Namur, ruled Luxembourg. When Henry died in 1196 the lands ruled by him were split amongst his children, and his daughter Ermesinde inherited Luxembourg. In the year 1214 Ermesinde married Walram III of Limburg, he changed the lion...
DENMARK NATIONAL ARMS Denmark is a nation of 5 million people in Northern Europe. Denmark is a very old European monarchy and its rulers have, at various times, ruled over extensive empires including not only the Scandinavian Peninsula but also England. The present Royal House of Denmark descends from the ducal House of Oldenburg which came to the Danish throne in 1448. The lion coat of Denmark is found as early as the 12th century and is among the oldest Coats of Arms anywhere, but the complete armorial achievement is the product of historical development.; it virtually embodies the country’s history among its many quarterings which include Denamrk, Schleswig, Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Gothland, and Vandalia; the quarters are...
GREAT SEAL OF THE USA Once the concept of sovereignty expressed in Coats of Arms had become accepted in other parts of the world it was only natural that as countries, which had been colonies, attained independence they should continue the tradition. Of course, not all Arms adopted followed traditional patterns but the intention was clear. On July 4th 1776 the British Colonies in the southern part of North America formally declared their independence. After long and fruitless discussion, the Continental Congress, on June 20th 1782 approved the design for what was to be the Great Seal of the United States of America. This was the work of many hands, but the design on the reverse of the Seal was...
KING ALFONSO XIII In most cases, after the medieval period, it can be seen that even in the face of the most violent upheavals there is a deep-rooted desire to maintain some degree of continuity in the Armorial display of the State. There is also a desire to indicate the full extent of that state and to show this a sovereign may include quarterings for all those States which he claims to represent. Quarterings may also be introduced for reasons connected solely with his House. We have already observed the practice adopted by some sovereigns of placing the Arms of their house on a smaller shield ( an escutcheon ) upon the Arms of their State. A glance at the...
