(, German for 'lake leaf', plural '; da, søblad; fy, pompeblêd; East Frisian: Pupkeblad) is the term for the stylized leaf of a water lily, used as a

charge Charge or charged may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * '' Charge, Zero Emissions/Maximum Speed'', a 2011 documentary Music * ''Charge'' (David Ford album) * ''Charge'' (Machel Montano album) * ''Charge!!'', an album by The Aqu ...

in heraldry.

Background

This charge is used in the heraldry of Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia, but not so much in France and Britain. Seeblätter feature prominently on the

coat of arms of Denmark The coat of arms of Denmark ( da, Danmarks rigsvåben) has a lesser and a greater version. The state coat of arms () consists of three pale blue lion (heraldry), lions attitude (heraldry)#Passant, passant wearing crown (heraldic charge), crowns ...

as well as on Danish coins. In West Frisian, the term ''pompeblêd'' is used. The name is used to indicate the seven red lily leaf-shaped blades on the

Frisian flag 'Frisian flag' can refer to: * Any flag associated with the greater region of Frisia; see Frisia#Flag or Flags of Frisia **Specifically, the modern flag of the Dutch province of Friesland (Fryslân) * A Dutch (''Friesche Vlag'') and Indonesian ( ...

. The seven red ''pompeblêden'' (leaves of the yellow water lily and the

European white waterlily ''Nymphaea alba'', the white waterlily, European white water lily or white nenuphar , is an aquatic flowering plant in the family Nymphaeaceae. It is native to North Africa, temperate Asia, Europe and tropical Asia (Jammu and Kashmir). Descrip ...

) refer to the medieval Frisian 'sea districts': more or less autonomous regions along the Southern North Sea coast from the city of Alkmaar to the

Weser The Weser () is a river of Lower Saxony in north-west Germany. It begins at Hannoversch Münden through the confluence of the Werra and Fulda. It passes through the Hanseatic city of Bremen. Its mouth is further north against the ports of Bre ...

River. There never have been exactly seven of these administrative units, the number of seven bears the suggestion of 'a lot'. Late medieval sources identify seven Frisian districts, though with different names. The most important regions were West Friesland,

Westergo Westergoa was one of the seven sealands and one of the three that now lie within the borders of today's Dutch province of Friesland. Later it was one of the three goaen of Frisia. In the Middle Ages Westergoa most probably formed the political c ...

Oostergo Eastergoa (also Ostergau, Ostergo, or Oostergo) was one of the seven areas and one of the three '' Gaue'' within what is today the province of Friesland in the Netherlands. Area On its west side Eastergoa was bordered by the Middelsee with ...

Hunsingo Hunsingo (Gronings: Hunzego or Hunzengo) is a region in the province of Groningen, Netherlands, between the Reitdiep and Maarvliet. Hunsingo was one of three Ommelanden. It is bordered to the north by the Wadden Sea, to the east Fivelingo, ...

Fivelingo Fivelingo or Fivelgo is a historical region and one of the Ommelanden (shires) in the province of Groningen. It was located southeast of Hunsingo, northeast of Gorecht, and northwest of Oldambt, and southwest of the Wadden Sea. Fivelingo was n ...

Reiderland Reiderland () is a former municipality in the province Groningen in the northeastern Netherlands, which was founded in 1990 during a large municipal reorganisation. The former municipalities Finsterwolde and Bad Nieuweschans were abolished and add ...

, Emsingo,

Brokmerland The Brokmerland is a landscape and an historic territory, located in western East Frisia, which covers the area in and around the present-day communities of Brookmerland and Südbrookmerland. The Brokmerland borders in the east on the Harlingerl ...

Harlingerland The Harlingerland is a strip of land on the North Sea coast of East Frisia. While today the whole of the district of Wittmund is usually described as Harlingerland, historically it specifically refers to the northern part of the present district, ...

and

Rüstringen Rüstringen or Rustringen was an old Frisian gau, which lies between the modern district Friesland and the Weser river in modern Lower Saxony. Nowadays, only a small part of the original territory remains, namely the Butjadingen peninsula. The lar ...

(

Jeverland Jeverland refers to the northern part of the present-day district of Friesland in northern Germany with the town of Jever as the seat of its local government. The Jeverland was formed in the 15th century from the Barony of Jever, which itself desc ...

and

Butjadingen Butjadingen is a peninsula and municipality in the Wesermarsch district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. Geography Butjadingen is situated on the German North Sea coast. It is bordered on the west and southwest by the Jade River and the east by the ...

).{{citation needed, date=January 2022

Gallery

File:Frisian flag.svg, The

File:Groningen provincie wapen.svg, The Coat of arms of Groningen File:DE Tecklenburg COA.svg,

Tecklenburg Tecklenburg () is a town in the district of Steinfurt, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Its name comes from the ruined castle around which it was built. The town is situated on the Hermannsweg hiking trail. The coat of arms shows an anchor ...

, Germany File:Tecklenburg-Wappen wwb-316-2.png, Original arms of the German

counts of Tecklenburg Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

File:Interfrisian Flag.svg, Flag of the

Interfrisian Council The Interfrisian Council is a geopolitical organization that represents the common interests of the Frisians. The organization consists of three regional councils or "sections": North Frisia, East Frisia and West Frisia. Every three years, the ...

References

Symbols Heraldic charges Visual motifs

Background

Gallery

See also

References