The state of Prussia developed from the State of the Teutonic Order. The original flag of the Teutonic Knights had been a black cross on a white flag. Emperor Frederick II in 1229 granted them the right to use the black Eagle of the Holy Roman Empire. This "Prussian Eagle" remained the coats of arms of the successive Prussian states until 1947.
Imperial Eagle in the coat of arms of the grand master of the Teutonic Order (1410)
Coat of arms of Royal Prussia after 1450, from 1772 coat of arms of West Prussia
Duchy of Prussia 1525-1633
Arms Duchy of Prussia from 1545
Lesser Arms of the Prince-Elector of Brandenburg in 1686
Arms of the Prince-Elector of Brandenburg in 1686
Prussian arms of 1702
Royal arms after a woodcut from 1709
On January 27, 1701, King Frederick I changed his arms as prince-elector of Brandenburg. The older arms of the electors of Brandenburg depicted a red eagle on a white background. Henceforth, the Prussian eagle, now royally crowned and with 'FR' (Fridericus Rex, "King Frederick") on its breast, was placed in an escutcheon on the shield with 25 quarters instead of the electoral scepter. All the helmets made way for one royal crown.
The wild men—figures from Germanic and Celtic mythology representing the 'Lord of the Beasts' or 'Green Man'— that held the arms of Prussia are probably taken from the arms of Pomerania or Denmark. They are also to be found as supporters of the arms of Braunschweig, Königsberg, and the Dutch towns of Anloo, Beilen, Bergen op Zoom, Groede, Havelte, 's-Hertogenbosch, Oosterhesselen, Sleen, Sneek, Vries and Zuidwolde. A wild man and a wild woman have held the shield of the principality of Schwarzburg in Thuringia and the city of Antwerp since the beginning of the 16th century. Two wild men and a wild woman have been included in the seal of Bergen op Zoom since 1365.