The coat of arms of the Czech Republic () is divided into two principal variants. Greater coat of arms displays the three historical regions—the Czech lands—which make up the nation. Lesser coat of arms displays lone silver double-tailed lion in red shield. The current coats of arms, which was adopted in 1992, was designed by Czech heraldist

Jiří Louda Jiří Louda (3 October 1920 – 1 September 2015) was a Czech heraldist and veteran of World War II. Louda was considered among the leading coats of arms designers in the Czech Republic and the former Czechoslovakia. He designed the current coat o ...

Background

File:Small coat of arms of the Czech Republic.svg,

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; cs, Čechy ; ; hsb, Čěska; szl, Czechy) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. Bohemia can also refer to a wider area consisting of the historical Lands of the Bohemian Crown ruled by the Bohem ...

and whole Czech lands File:Moravia.svg, Moravia File:Silesia.svg, Silesia The arms of

show a silver double-tailed

lion The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...

on a red background. This Bohemian Lion makes up the first and the fourth quarters of the greater coat of arms, so it is repeated in the shield. The Moravian red-and-silver chequered

eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

is shown on a blue background. Between 1915 and 1918 the Moravian Eagle was chequered in the red-and-gold colors. The arms of Silesia are a black eagle with the so-called "

clover stalk Clover or trefoil are common names for plants of the genus ''Trifolium'' (from Latin ''tres'' 'three' + ''folium'' 'leaf'), consisting of about 300 species of flowering plants in the legume or pea family Fabaceae originating in Europe. The genus ...

" (lat. ''perisonium'') in her breast on a golden background, although only a small south-eastern part of the historical region ( Czech Silesia) belongs to the Czech Republic (the main part is now in Poland). The rulers of Bohemia originally bore for arms a so-called

St. Wenceslas Wenceslaus I ( cs, Václav ; c. 907 – 28 September 935 or 929), Wenceslas I or ''Václav the Good'' was the Duke ('' kníže'') of Bohemia from 921 until his death, probably in 935. According to the legend, he was assassinated by his younger ...

flaming eagle. In the 12th century, Emperor Frederick granted new arms to King Vladislaus II consisting of a silver lion on a red field, to symbolise his valor. The lion was at first represented with one tail. Later a second tail was added, for the help provided by the King Přemysl Otakar I fighting the Saxons (Beware - this is just a legend (from Dalimil's chronicle)). During the first half of the 13th century the kings of Bohemia used a coat of arms bearing a black eagle in a silver shield. Red gonfanons had appeared earlier. From 1253 a two-tailed silver lion in a red field had been the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Bohemia. This lion was originally a sign of the Moravian margraves.Rostislav Nový: K počátkům feudální monarchie v Čechách II. Časopis národního musea 1978. The oldest surviving full color depiction of the arms of Bohemia appears in the Passional of Abbes Cunegund from the 1310s. The Moravian Eagle was first documented on the seal of Ottokar's uncle, Margrave Přemysl (d. 1239). The

Silesian Eagle The Silesian Eagle (German language: ''Schlesischer Adler'') was a medal awarded to members of the German right-wing paramilitary group ''Freikorps Oberland'' for three or six months of service, as well as for fighting during the Silesian Uprisi ...

stems from the ruling dynasty of the

Piasts The House of Piast was the first historical ruling dynasty of Poland. The first documented Polish monarch was Duke Mieszko I (c. 930–992). The Piasts' royal rule in Poland ended in 1370 with the death of king Casimir III the Great. Branche ...

and was first applied by Duke Henry II the Pious (1238-1241). The shields also appeared on the emblems of the Crown of Bohemia established by Emperor Charles IV. The greater shield was also used as the badge for the

Czech national ice hockey team The Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team is the national ice hockey team of the Czech Republic. It is one of the most successful national ice hockey teams in the world and a member of the so-called " Big Six", the unofficial group of th ...

until 2018. The

Czech national football team The Czech Republic national football team ( cs, Česká fotbalová reprezentace), recognised by FIFA as Czechia, represents the Czech Republic in international football. The team is controlled by the Football Association of the Czech Republic ( ...

also featured it in their shirts, until being replaced with a newer, more streamlined badge featuring only the Bohemian lion, since the UEFA Euro 2012.

Variants

Greater version

The greater coat of arms is blazoned in Czech law as follows: ''A shield quartered: first and fourth gules, a

rampant queue forchée argent armed, langued and crowned Or; second azure, an eagle displayed chequé gules and argent armed, langued and crowned Or; third Or, an eagle displayed sable armed and langued gules crowned of the field and charged on the breast with a crescent terminating in trefoils at each end with issuing from the centrepoint a cross patée argent.''

Lesser version

The lesser coat of arms is blazoned in Czech law:Original text of Czech statute 1993:3, 1 §, states: ''Malý státní znak tvoří červený štít, v němž je stříbrný dvouocasý lev ve skoku se zlatou korunou a zlatou zbrojí.'' ''The lesser national coat of arms is a red shield, in it a silver double-tailed lion rampant with golden crown and golden armament.''

History

Czech lands

Plamenna orlice kunhuta.jpg, Přemyslid dynasty ( Duchy of Bohemia)
Right: The earliest known colored coat of arms of Přemyslids depicted in the Passional of Abbes Kunigunde (1310s) Nejstarší dochované barevné vyobrazení znaku Čech, hrad Gozzoburg v Kremži.jpeg, Kingdom of Bohemia (Royal Arms of Bohemia)
Right: The oldest depiction of coat of arms of Bohemia, castle Gozzoburg in Krems, fresco painting from the beginning of 70th of 13. century Nejstarší dochované barevné vyobrazení znaku markraběcí Moravy, hrad Gozzoburg v Kremži.jpeg, Right: The oldest depiction of coat of arms of Moravia, castle Gozzoburg in Krems, fresco painting from the beginning of 70th of 13. century Lev erb kunhuta.jpg, Lesser Royal Arms of

Right: Colored coat of arms of Bohemia depicted in the Passional of Abbes Kunigunde (1310s) Wappen Königreich Böhmen.jpg, Royal Arms of Bohemia by austrian heraldist

Hugo Gerard Ströhl Hugo Gerard Ströhl (24 September 1851 – 7 December 1919) was an Austrian heraldist. Life Ströhl was born in Wels in Upper Austria. A talented painter, he studied at the School for Applied Arts ("Kunstgewerbeschule des Österreichische ...

(1851–1919) King-of-Bohemia.jpg, Kingdom of Bohemia
(Royal Arms of Bohemia) Přemyslovci erb.svg, Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Bohemia (Wenceslaus II of Bohemia).svg, Coat of arms of the Margraviate of Moravia (Wenceslaus II).svg, Lesser coat of arms of the Kingdom of Bohemia (Wenceslaus II of Bohemia).svg, Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Bohemia.svg, Moravská orlice s klenotem.jpg, later form

Bohemian Crown lands

Silesia_arms_Blaeu.png, Duchies of Silesia Coat of arms of Bohemian Crown.svg, Lands of the Bohemian Crown
(simplified) Coat of arms of the House of Luxembourg-Bohemia.svg, Lesser Royal Arms of

Blason Boheme couronne.svg, Royal Arms of Bohemia with

crown of Saint Wenceslas The crown of Saint Wenceslas ( cs, Svatováclavská koruna, german: Wenzelskrone) is a crown forming part of the Bohemian crown jewels, made in 1346. Charles IV, king of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, had it made for his coronation, dedicating it ...

Lands of the Bohemian Crown

Coat of arms of the lands of the Bohemian Crown.svg , Coat of arms of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown Znak českého království.png , Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Bohemia

Czechoslovakia

Lesser arms of Bohemia and Moravia (1939-1945).svg, Provisional coat of arms of Czechoslovakia (1919–1920) Greater coat of arms of Czechoslovakia (1918-1938 and 1945-1961).svg, Greater coat of arms of Czechoslovakia (1920–1960) Middle coat of arms of Czechoslovakia.svg, Middle coat of arms of Czechoslovakia (1920–1960) Lesser coat of arms of Czechoslovakia.svg,

Lesser coat of arms of Czechoslovakia Lesser, from Eliezer (, "Help/Court of my God"), is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Adolf Lesser (1851–1926), German physician * Aleksander Lesser (1814–1884), Polish painter and art critic * Anton Lesser (born 1952), Bri ...

(1920–1960) Coat of arms of Czechoslovak Socialist Republic.svg, Czechoslovakia (1960–1990) Herb Czechosłowacji (1990-1992).svg, Czechoslovakia (1990–1992)

Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia

Greater arms of Bohemia and Moravia (1939-1945).svg, Greater CoA of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia Lesser arms of Bohemia and Moravia (1939-1945).svg, Lesser CoA of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia

Czech Republic

Herb wielki Czech (1990-1992).svg, Greater coat of arms of the Czech Republic (1990–1992) Herb mały Czech (1990-1992).svg, Lesser coat of arms of the Czech Republic (1990–1992)

References and external links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Coat Of Arms Of The Czech Republic National symbols of the Czech Republic Czech Republic Czech Republic Czech Republic Czech Republic Czech Republic Czechia