The coat of arms of Schleswig or Southern Jutland ( da, Sønderjylland or Slesvig ) depicts two blue

lions The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large 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 dimorphic; adult ...

in a

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile me ...

en shield. It is the

heraldic Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known bran ...

symbol of the former Duchy of

Schleswig The Duchy of Schleswig ( da, Hertugdømmet Slesvig; german: Herzogtum Schleswig; nds, Hartogdom Sleswig; frr, Härtochduum Slaswik) was a duchy in Southern Jutland () covering the area between about 60 km (35 miles) north and 70 km ...

, originally a Danish province but later disputed between Danes and Germans. The region has been divided between Germany and Denmark since 1920 and the symbol consequently appears in official heraldry in both countries. It is derived from the national

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 ...

and has been dated to the middle of the 13th century, first known from the arms of Erik Abelsøn, Duke of Schleswig. Throughout the ages, the design has featured both crowned and uncrowned lions, the lions have occasionally been accompanied by heraldic hearts, and usage between heraldic lions and

leopards The leopard (''Panthera pardus'') is one of the five extant species in the genus ''Panthera'', a member of the cat family, Felidae. It occurs in a wide range in sub-Saharan Africa, in some parts of Western and Central Asia, Southern Russia, a ...

has shifted. The far most common version was to omit both crowns and hearts and this version has been used exclusively for several centuries. The

blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The vi ...

terms is: ''Or, two lions passant in pale Azure armed Or langued Gules.''

Current use

Denmark

The unmodified arms of Schleswig is represented in the

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

of Denmark's royal family. The symbol has been located in the top-right corner since 1819 as specified by royal

decree A decree is a legal proclamation, usually issued by a head of state (such as the president of a republic or a monarch), according to certain procedures (usually established in a constitution). It has the force of law. The particular term used ...

. The current version was specified by royal decree on 5 July 1972. A modified form of the symbol was used by the

South Jutland County South Jutland County ( Danish: ''Sønderjyllands Amt'') is a former county ( Danish: ''amt'') on the south-central portion of the Jutland Peninsula in southern Denmark. The county was formed on 1 April 1970, comprising the former counties of A ...

from 1980 until the

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

was dissolved effective January 1, 2007. The county originally wished to use the historic arms, but official authorisation was withheld to avoid confusion with both the royal coat of arms and the arms of the German ''Bundesland'' Schleswig-Holstein. This modified version showed the two lions jointly holding a Danish pennant. This was inspired by the

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

seal (device), seal of Eric of Pomerania in which the three lions jointly hold the Flag of Denmark, Danish flag.

Germany

The coat of arms of Schleswig-Holstein is a combination of the historic insignia of Holstein and a slightly modified version of the Schleswig arms. This symbol was used by the secessionist German administration of the two duchies during the First War of Schleswig (1848–51) and depicted on the currency issued by this administration. At this time, the lions faced left. The area became a Prussian Province of Schleswig-Holstein, province following the Second War of Schleswig (1864) and the symbol was restored. The lions have faced right since the 1880s. According to legend, this change was ordered by Otto von Bismarck who noted that it was "impolite" of the Schleswig lions to turn their backs on Holstein. The official insignia is reserved for the government of Schleswig-Holstein, but a slightly modified version is allowed for use by the general public.Official website of Schleswig-Holstein
The lions also appear in the coats of arms of the city of Flensburg, and the ''Kreise'' Schleswig-Flensburg and Rendsburg-Eckernförde. Many municipal arms in the German part of Schleswig also use insignia featuring either the two lions or the Schleswig colours, blue and yellow.

Gallery

Royal_coat_of_arms_of_Denmark.svg, The original coat of arms of Schleswig is represented in the top-right corner of the arms of the Danish royal family Coat of arms of Schleswig.svg, In Danish heraldry, the Schleswig lions normally appear with red tongues and golden claws. Royal Coat of Arms of Greece.svg, The original coat of arms of Schleswig is represented in the top-right corner of the small crest on the arms of the Greek royal family. Coat of arms of the Duchy of Schleswig.svg, Coat of arms of the Duchy of Schleswig on the Geographia Blaviana (1659). DEU Schleswig-Holstein COA.svg, Coat of arms of Schleswig-Holstein, Coat of arms of the German ''Bundesland'' Schleswig-Holstein Hertug Hans Church Haderslev Denmark Coat of arms.jpg, Coat of arms of Duke John II, Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev, Hans the Elder of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev (a son of Frederick I of Denmark) DEU Flensburg COA.svg, Coat of arms of Flensburg Wappen Kreis Schleswig-Flensburg.png, Coat of arms of Kreis Schleswig-Flensburg Wappen Kreis Rendsburg-Eckernfoerde.png, Coat of arms of Kreis Rendsburg-Eckernförde Boeklund-Gemeindewappen.png, Coat of arms of Böklund Busdorf-Wappen.png, Coat of arms of Busdorf Handewitt-Wappen.png, Coat of arms of Handewitt Langballig Amt Wappen.png, Coat of arms of Amt Langballig Munkbrarup-Wappen.png, Coat of arms of Munkbrarup Flensburg Kreis Wappen.png, Coat of arms of the former Kreis Flensburg-Land Husum Kreis Wappen.png, Coat of arms of the former Kreis Husum Rendsburg Kreis Wappen.png, Coat of arms of the former Kreis Rendsburg Flensborghus.JPG, Flag used by the ''South Schleswig Association'', representing the Danish minority in Germany

Current use

Denmark

Germany

Gallery

References

See also