Coat of arms of Denmark
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{{Infobox coat of arms
| name = Coat of arms of Denmark
| image = Denmark_coa.png
| image_width = 150
| middle =
| middle_width =
| middle_caption =
| lesser =
| lesser_width =
| lesser_caption =
| armiger =
| year_adopted = First documented in the 1190s. Modified [[1819]]
| crest =
| torse =
| shield = Or, three lions passant in pale Azure crowned and armed Or langued Gules, nine hearts Gules
| supporters =
| compartment =
| motto =
| orders =
| other_elements =
| earlier_versions =
| use =
}}
The '''National Coat of Arms of [[Denmark]]''' consists of three crowned blue [[Lion (heraldry)|lions]] accompanied by nine red hearts, all in a golden shield. The oldest known depiction of the insignia dates from a [[seal (device)|seal]] used by King [[Canute VI of Denmark|Canute VI]] c. [[1194]]. The oldest documentation for the colours dates from c. [[1270]].<ref name="Rigsarkivet">{{cite web
| url = http://www.sa.dk/sa/rigsvaaben/valdemarer.htm
| title = Valdemarernes våben
| accessmonthday = [[23 July]]
| accessyear = [[2007]]
| author = Danish National Archives
| language = Danish
}}</ref> Historically, the lions faced the viewer and the number of hearts was not regulated and could be much higher. Historians believe that the hearts originally were ''[[Nuphar|søblade]]''<!--Not sure if an English term exists. See the "Seeblatt" article on the German Wikipedia for more information about this heraldic symbol--> (literally: ''sea-leaves'') but that this meaning was lost early due to worn and crudely made [[seal (device)|signets]] used during the [[Middle Ages]]. A royal decree of 1972 specifies these figures as ''søblade'' but Danes normally refer to them as hearts. The current version was adopted in [[1819]] during the reign of King [[Frederick VI of Denmark|Frederick VI]] who fixed the number of hearts to nine and decreed that the heraldic beasts were lions, consequently facing forward. A rare version exists from the reign of king [[Eric of Pomerania]] in which the three lions jointly hold the [[flag of Denmark|Danish banner]], in a similar fashion as in the coat of arms of the former [[South Jutland County]].<!-- it can be argued if Eric's seal is the actual inspiration or not. The last two books I read argue that the oldest seal of Schleswig is the inspiration behind the modern symbol.-->
Until c. 1960, Denmark used both a "small" and a "large" coat of arms, similar to the system still used in [[coat of arms of Sweden|Sweden]]. The latter symbol held wide use within the government administration, e.g. by the [[Foreign Ministry of Denmark|Foreign Ministry]]. Since this time, the latter symbol has been classified as the coat of arms of the royal family, leaving Denmark with only one national coat of arms, used for all official purposes.
The crown on the shield is a heraldic construction based on the crown of King [[Christian V of Denmark|Christian V]], not to be confused with the crown of King [[Christian IV of Denmark|Christian IV]]. The main difference from the real crown is that the latter is covered with ''table cut''<!--Danish: taffelsten--> [[diamonds]] rather than pearls. Both crowns, and other royal insignia, are located in [[Rosenborg Castle]] in [[Copenhagen]].
The [[blazon]] in [[heraldry|heraldic]] terms is: ''Or, three lions passant in pale Azure crowned and armed Or langued Gules, nine hearts Gules.''
[[Image:Knud den Sjettes segl.png|thumb|right|350px|The earliest known example of the Danish arms, the seal of [[Canute VI of Denmark|Canute VI]], 1190s. The only known copy of this insignia was discovered in 1879 in the Grand Ducal archive of [[Mecklenburg-Schwerin]], Germany. Note the king's closed crown which differs from the open crowns shown on the seals of his successors.<ref>Henry Petersen (1882): ''Et dansk Flag fra Unionstiden i Maria-Kirken i Lübeck'', Copenhagen: C.A. Reitzel, p. 26 {{da icon}}</ref>]]
[[Image:Skibsflaget fra Mariakirken i Lübeck.png|thumb|right|350px|A medieval ship flag captured by forces from [[Lübeck]] in the 1420s showed the arms of Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Pomerania. The original flag was destroyed during a World War II attack on the city, but a 19th century copy remains in [[Frederiksborg Palace]], Denmark. The saint accompanying the Virgin Mary and infant Christ is Saint [[James, son of Zebedee|James the Greater]], identified by his [[scallop]] shell emblem. [[Image:FIAV historical.svg|23px]] [[Image:FIAV 000001.svg|20px]]]]
This insignia is almost identical to the [[coat of arms of Estonia|coats of arms of Estonia]] and [[Tallinn]] which can both be traced directly back to King [[Valdemar II of Denmark|Valdemar II]] and the [[Danish Estonia|Danish rule]] in northern [[Estonia]] [[1219]]-[[1346]]. The main differences are as follows: In the Danish coat of arms the lions are crowned, face forward, and accompanied by nine hearts. In the Estonian coat of arms, the "leopards" face the viewer, they are not crowned, and no hearts are present. The coat of arms of Tallinn resembles the Estonian arms, but the leopards in the former arms are crowned with golden crowns<ref name="Tallinn">{{cite web
| url = http://www.tallinn.ee/est/g2673/
| title = Tallinna täisvapp
| accessmonthday = [[24 July]]
| accessyear = [[2007]]
| author = Official website of Tallinn
| language = Estonian
}}</ref> similar to the ones in the Danish arms. It shows great similarities with the contemporary insignia of England's [[Richard I of England|Richard the Lionheart]] and the current arms of the German state of [[Baden-Württemberg]]. The Danish coat of arms has also been the inspiration for the [[coat of arms of Schleswig|coat of arms]] of the former [[Duchy of Schleswig]], a former Danish province (two blue lions in a golden shield.) The hearts of the coat of arms also appear in the coat of arms of the [[Germany|German]] district of [[Lüneburg (district)|Lüneburg]].
==Royal coat of arms==
{{Infobox coat of arms
| name = Arms of the Danish royal family
| image = Denmark large coa.png
| image_width = 200
| middle =
| middle_width =
| middle_caption =
| lesser =
| lesser_width =
| lesser_caption =
| armiger =
| year_adopted = [[5 July]] [[1972]]
| crest = Crown of King Christian V of Denmark
| torse = tasseled strings Or
| shield = A shield quartered by a cross Argent fimbriated Gules, first and fourth quarter Or, three lions passant in pale Azure crowned and armed Or langued Gules, nine hearts Gules (for Denmark); second quarter Or, two lions passant in pale Azure armed Or langued Gules (for Schleswig); third quarter Azure, party per fess, in base per pale; in chief three crowns Or (for the Kalmar Union), in dexter base a ram passant Argent armed and unguled Or (for the Faroe Islands), in sinister base a polar bear rampant Argent (for Greenland). Overall an escutcheon Or two bars Gules (for Oldenburg)
| supporters = two [[woodwose]]s armed with clubs [[Proper]]
| compartment = pedestal
| motto =
| orders = [[Order of the Dannebrog]], and [[Order of the Elephant]]
| other_elements =
| earlier_versions =
| use =
}}
[[Image:55verso Dannebrog 1370.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The Danish arms in the [[Gelre Armorial]]<!-- Wapenboek Gelre-->, 14th century. This is the oldest coloured image of the ''[[Flag of Denmark|Dannebrog]].'' The [[crest (heraldry)|crest]] was used by Danish monarchs from the 13th century until c. 1420.<ref name="Rigsarkivet"/> The flag is not part of the crest.]]
The royal coat of arms is more complex.<ref name="Kongehuset">{{cite web
| url = http://kongehuset.dk/publish.php?dogtag=k_en_his_arm
| title = The Royal Coat of Arms
| accessmonthday = [[23 July]]
| accessyear = [[2007]]
| author = Official website of the Danish monarchy
| language = English
}}</ref> The shield is quartered by a silver cross fimbriated in red, derived from the [[flag of Denmark|Danish flag]], the ''Dannebrog''. The first and fourth quarters represent Denmark by three crowned lions passant accompanied by nine hearts; the [[coat of arms of Schleswig|second quarter]] contains two lions passant representing [[Schleswig]], a former Danish province now divided between Denmark and Germany, the third quarter contains a total of three symbols. The three golden crowns on blue are officially interpreted as a symbol of the former [[Kalmar Union]]. This symbol is identical to the [[coat of arms of Sweden]] and originally represented a Danish claim to the Swedish crown. The silver [[ram (sheep)|ram]] on blue represents the [[Faroe Islands]] and the similarly coloured [[polar bear]] represents [[Greenland]].
The current version of the arms, established by royal decree [[5 July]] [[1972]]<ref name="Kongehuset"/>, is greatly simplified from the previous version which contained seven additional sub-coats representing five territories formerly ruled by the Danish kings and two medieval titles: [[Holstein]], [[Stormarn]], [[Dithmarschen]], [[Saxe-Lauenburg|Lauenburg]], [[Delmenhorst]], and ''[[King of the Wends]] and [[King of the Goths|Goths]]<!-- not really sure if "Goter / Gother" is normally interpreted as referring to the island of Gotland. The two insignia are normally displayed with the Goths' ''lindorm'' featuring before the Wends' lion, but the Danish title was always "Konge til Danmark (og Norge) de Venders og Gothers, Hertug til Slesvig, Holsten, ... -->.'' A crowned silver [[stockfish]] on red was formerly included to represent [[Iceland]], but due to Icelandic opposition, this symbol was replaced in 1903 by a silver [[falcon]] on blue. The falcon was in turn removed from the royal arms in 1948 following the death of King [[Christian X of Denmark|Christian X]] in 1947 and reflecting the 1944 breakup of the Dano-Icelandic union.
The centre [[Escutcheon (heraldry)|escutcheon]], two red bars on a golden shield, represents [[Oldenburg]]; the ancestral home of the [[House of Oldenburg|former royal dynasty]] that ruled [[Denmark-Norway|Denmark and Norway]] since the middle of the fifteenth century. When the senior branch of this dynasty became extinct in 1863, the crown passed to [[Christian IX of Denmark|Prince Christian]] of the cadet branch [[Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg|Glücksburg]], whose descendents have reigned in Denmark ever since. The House of Glücksburg continues the use of the arms of the old Oldenburg dynasty, and the symbol is still officially referred to by its old association.
Two [[woodwose]]s (''vildmænd'')<!-- the Danish word means "wild men", but the monarchy's official webpage use the term "savages"--> act as [[supporters]], and this element can be traced back to the early reign of the Oldenburg dynasty. Similar supporters were used in the former [[coat of arms of Prussia|arms of Prussia]]. The shield features the insignias of the [[Order of the Dannebrog]] and the [[Order of the Elephant]] around it.
The shield and supporters are framed by a royal [[ermine]] [[robe]], surmounted by a royal crown.
A blazon in heraldic terms is: ''A shield quartered by a cross Argent fimbriated Gules, first and fourth quarter Or, three lions passant in pale Azure crowned and armed Or langued Gules, nine hearts Gules (for Denmark); second quarter Or, two lions passant in pale Azure armed Or langued Gules (for Schleswig); third quarter Azure, party per fess, in base per pale; in chief three crowns Or (for the Kalmar Union), in dexter base a ram passant Argent armed and unguled Or (for the Faroe Islands), in sinister base a polar bear rampant Argent (for Greenland). Overall an escutcheon Or two bars Gules (for Oldenburg) the whole surrounded by the Collars of the Order of the Dannebrog and the Order of the Elephant. Supporters two woodwoses armed with clubs Proper standing on a pedestal. All surrounded by a mantle Gules doubled Ermine crowned with a royal crown and tied up with tasseled strings Or.'' <!-- no official version of the blazon exists in English and this blazon is a work in progress. Feel free to update it if it is inaccurate. -->
The royal coat of arms has since c. 1960 been reserved exclusively for use by the Monarch, the [[Danish Royal Family|royal family]], the Royal Guards and the [[royal court]] according to royal decree. A select number of [[Royal Warrant|purveyors to the Danish royal family]] are also allowed to use the royal insignia.
== Territories and titles formerly represented in the Danish arms ==
[[Image:Våbenskjold Rosenborg.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Coat of arms of [[Frederick IV of Denmark|Frederick IV of Denmark and Norway]], from the Long Hall of [[Rosenborg Castle]].]]
[[Image:Trinitatis Kirke Copenhagen ceiling deco.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Coat of arms from Trinity Church, Copenhagen.<!--Trinitatis Kirke-->]]
The following list is based on the research by Danish heraldist, Erling Svane.<ref>{{cite book |last=Svane |first=Erling |title=Det danske rigsvåben og kongevåben |year=1994 |publisher=Odense University Press | pages = 169-179}} {{da icon}} </ref> Danish names are shown in italics.
* [[Norway]] (''Norge''): 1398 - c. 1819: on red, a crowned golden lion carrying a golden axe with a silver blade. The union with Norway was dissolved in 1814 as a result of the Napoleonic Wars.
* [[Sweden]] (''Sverige''): 1398 - the [[Folkung]] lion, the arms of Sweden until 1364. Only used during the reign of [[Eric of Pomerania]].
* [[Pomerania]] (''Pommern''): 1398 - a red griffin on silver. Only used during the reign of [[Eric of Pomerania]].
* [[Bavaria]] (''Bayern''): 1440 - lozengy blue/white. Only used during the reign of [[Christopher of Bavaria]].
* [[Electoral Palatinate|Palatinate]] (''Pfalz''): 1440 - a crowned golden lion on black. Only used during the reign of [[Christopher of Bavaria]].
* [[King of the Wends]] (''Vendernes Konge''): 1440 - 1972: a crowned golden ''[[lindworm|lindorm]]''<!-- resembles a dragon with two feet--> on red. Canute VI proclaimed himself Rex Sclavorum (King of Slavs). From the reign of Valdemar IV this title was known as King of the Wends. This symbol was later also interpreted as the coat of arms of [[Funen]]<ref>{{cite journal
| author = Anders Thiset
| year = 1893
| title = Om danske By- og Herredsvaaben
| journal = Tidsskrift for Kunstindustri
| issue = 10th year
| pages = page 18
| language = Danish
}}</ref> and appeared in the official insignia of the now-defunct [[Royal Danish Army|army]] regiment ''[[Fynske Livregiment]].'' It should not be confused with the similar insignia of [[Bornholm]], also formerly included in the Danish arms.
* [[King of the Goths]] (''Gothernes Konge''): 1449 - 1972: in gold, a blue [[lion (heraldry)|lion]] passant over nine red hearts arranged 4, 3, 2. Originally a [[leopard (heraldry)|leopard]]. Derived from the arms of Denmark and originally the arms of the [[list of Dukes of Halland|Dukes of]] [[Halland]]. The lion is almost never crowned. This symbol was later also interpreted as the coat of arms of [[Jutland]]. It appears on the [[stern]] of the 19th century [[frigate]] ''[[Jylland (ship)|Jylland]]'' and in the official insignia of the army regiment ''[[Jydske Dragonregiment]].''
* [[Holstein]] (''Holsten''): 1440 - 1972: on red, a silver [[nettle]] leaf; sometimes seen as a silver shield with a red [[Line (heraldry)|indented]] [[bordure]].
* [[Stormarn]] (''Stormarn''): 1496 - 1972: on red, a silver swan with a golden crown around its neck.
* [[Delmenhorst]] (''Delmenhorst''): 1531 - 1972: on blue, a golden cross.
* [[Dithmarschen]] (''Ditmarsken''): 1563 - 1972: on red, a knight dressed in golden armor on a silver horse. On his arm, an oval blue shield with a golden cross. Frederick II conquered Dithmarschen in 1559.
* [[Iceland]] (''Island''): 16th century - 1903: on red, a crowned silver [[stockfish]]. The symbol had been associated with Iceland from the early sixteenth century. First included in the arms of Frederick II. 1903 - 1947: a silver [[falcon]] on blue. Iceland dissolved the union with Denmark in 1944, and when King Christian X died in 1947, the new King Frederick IX decided to remove the falcon from his arms. It does, however, appear on the front page of ''Hof- og Statskalenderen's'' 1948-49 edition.
* [[Gotland]] (''Gotland''): on red, a silver [[Agnus Dei]]. First included by King Frederick II. Last used during the reign of King Frederick VI.
* [[Saaremaa]] (''Øsel''): from 1603, last used by King Frederick VI: on blue a black [[eagle (heraldry)|eagle]]. Several historians have explained this violation of the heraldic [[rule of tincture]] as the black colour being the result of an oxidation of white paint containing [[lead]].<!--blyhvidt--><ref>{{cite book |last=Svane |first=Erling |title=Det danske rigsvåben og kongevåben |year=1994 |publisher=Odense University Press | pages = 177}} {{da icon}} </ref>
* [[Fehmarn]] (''Femern''): from 1666, last used by King Frederick VI: on blue, a golden crown.
* [[Bornholm]] (''Bornholm''): from c. 1665, last used by King Frederick VI: on red, a golden four-legged dragon.<!-- i.e. different from the "lindorm" -->
* [[Saxe-Lauenburg|Lauenburg]] (''Lauenborg''): 1819 - 1972: on red, a golden horse's head. Derived from the German ''[[Sachsenross]]'' arms which shows a silver horse on red.
<br clear = both>
==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:Valdemarsejrssegl.jpg|Seal of [[Valdemar II of Denmark|Valdemar II the Victorious]] (reigned 1202–1241).
Image:Erikklippingssegl.jpg|Seal of [[Eric V of Denmark|Eric V Klipping]] (reigned 1259–1286).
Image:Erikmenvedssegl.jpg|Seal of [[Eric VI of Denmark|Eric VI Menved]] (reigned 1286-1319). The two eagles are references to his mother, Agnes of [[Brandenburg]].
Image:Valdemaratterdagsseglsomjunker.jpg|Seal of [[Valdemar IV of Denmark|Valdemar IV Atterdag]] (reigned 1340-1375). Early 1340s.
Image:Valdemar Atterdag.jpg|Fresco of King Valdemar IV Atterdag as king. Notice the crest on the Danish arms, Saint Peter's Church, [[Næstved]].
Image:Erik af Pommerns majestætssegl.png|One of the seals of [[Eric of Pomerania|Eric VII "of Pomerania"]], 1398. Note that the three Danish lions carry a [[flag of Denmark|Danish flag]] (top-left corner).
Image:Christoffer af Bayerns majestætssegl.png|Seal of [[Christopher of Bavaria|Christopher III "of Baravia"]], 1440s.
Image:Christian den Førstes sekret 1449.png|''Sigilum secretum'' of [[Christian I of Denmark|Christian I]], 1449.
Image:Christian den Førstes sekret 1457-1460.png|''Sigilum secretum'' of [[Christian I of Denmark|Christian I]], 1457-1460.
Image:KongHans segl b-028.jpg|Seal of King [[John of Denmark|John]] (reigned 1481 – 1513).
Image:Christian 3 segl.jpg|Seal of [[Christian III of Denmark|Christian III]] (reigned 1534 - 1559).
Image:Christian den Tredjes våben - Binck 1550.png|Coat of arms of [[Christian III of Denmark|Christian III]] as it appeared in the first Danish-language Bible, 1550.
Image:Frederik den Andens våben - Jens Bircherod 1581.png|Coat of arms of [[Frederick II of Denmark|Frederick II]]. Engraving by Jens Bircherod, 1581.
Image:Erik XIV af Sveriges pretentionsvåben.png|[[Eric XIV of Sweden]] added the Norwegian and Danish arms to the Swedish national coat of arms (the two lower quarters). This was one of the main events leading to the [[Northern Seven Years War]]
Image:Frederik den Andens våben - Lauterbach 1592.png|Coat of arms of [[Frederick II of Denmark|Frederick II]]. 1592 engraving.
Image:Våbenskjold - Adresseavisen 1767.png|Coat of arms from the first issue of ''[[Adresseavisen|Kongelig allene privilegerede Tronhiems Adresse-Contoirs Efterretninger]]'', 1767, showing the arms of Denmark, Norway and the Kalmar Union.
Image:Danmarks rigsvåben 1819-1903.png|Coat of arms of Denmark used 1819 - 1903. This was the first Danish arms following the removal of the [[coat of arms of Norway|Norwegian lion]].
Image:Det danske rigsvåben - Salmonsen 1916.jpg|Coat of arms of Denmark. Version used 1903-1947. This was the only version of the Danish arms in which [[Iceland]] was represented by a falcon rather than its traditional stockfish arms.
Image:Danmarks rigsvåben 1947-1972.png|Coat of arms of Denmark. Version used 1947-1972
</gallery>
==Related symbols==
[[Image:RibeCOA-colour.png|thumb|right|150px|Coat of arms of Ribe]]
* The [[coat of arms of Estonia]] and [[coat of arms of Tallinn|Tallinn]]
* The [[coat of arms of Schleswig|coat of arms]] of [[Schleswig]] (also represented in the coat of arms of Denmark's royal family)
* The [[coat of arms of Schleswig#Denmark|coat of arms]] of [[South Jutland County]]
* The coats of arms of the towns of [[Ribe]] and [[Varde]].
* The [[Lüneburg (district)#Coat of arms|coat of arms]] of the German district of [[Lüneburg (district)|Lüneburg]]
* The [[coat of arms of Schleswig#Germany|coat of arms]] of [[Schleswig-Holstein]]
* The coats of arms of the German town of [[Dannenberg]] and [[Dannenberg (district)|Landkreis Dannenberg]]
* The personal arms of [[Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh]] contain the arms of Denmark in the first (i.e. upper left) quarter of the shield, and the sinister (i.e. left-side) supporter is the savage from the Danish arms. He uses them on account of his descent from the [[List of Kings of Greece|Greek]] [[House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg|Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg]] branch of the Danish [[House of Oldenburg]].
==References==
<div class="references-small"><references/></div>
==See also==
* [[Danish heraldry]]
* [[Flag of Denmark]]
<!--==External links== -->
{{commonscat|Coats of arms of Denmark}}
{{Coat of arms of Europe}}
[[Category:National symbols of Denmark]]
[[Category:National coats of arms|Denmark]]
[[Category:Danish coats of arms| ]]
[[be:Герб Даніі]]
[[be-x-old:Герб Даніі]]
[[bs:Grb Danske]]
[[bg:Герб на Дания]]
[[da:Danmarks rigsvåben]]
[[de:Wappen Dänemarks]]
[[el:Εθνόσημο της Δανίας]]
[[et:Taani vapp]]
[[es:Escudo de Dinamarca]]
[[fr:Armoiries du Danemark]]
[[hr:Grb Danske]]
[[bpy:ডেনমার্কর চিনত্হান]]
[[it:Stemma della Danimarca]]
[[he:סמל דנמרק]]
[[ka:დანიის გერბი]]
[[lt:Danijos herbas]]
[[hu:Dánia címere]]
[[ja:デンマークの国章]]
[[no:Danmarks riksvåpen]]
[[pl:Herb Danii]]
[[pt:Brasão de armas da Dinamarca]]
[[ru:Герб Дании]]
[[simple:Coat of Arms of Denmark]]
[[sr:Грб Данске]]
[[fi:Tanskan vaakuna]]
[[sv:Danmarks riksvapen]]
[[uk:Герб Данії]]
[[zh:丹麥國徽]]