Coat of arms of Württemberg

Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Württemberg
Versions
Middle arms, with main Duchy's arms only
Details
Crest	King's helm and Crown
Escutcheon	Per pale: on the dexter, the shield of Württemberg, on the sinister, the shield of Swabia
Supporters	On the dexter, a black lion crowned; on the sinister, a gold deer
Motto	Furchtlos und trew (Fearless and loyal)
Other elements	Surrounded by laurel and palm branches

The coat of arms of the Kingdom of Württemberg shows an impalement of the three black antlers that represent Württemberg on the dexter (viewer's left) side; and the three black lions passant of medieval Swabia on the sinister (viewer's right) side, both on a gold field.

It was formally adopted by King William on 30 December 1817, lasting between 1817 and 1922, occasionally seen on state flags of this period.

This version derived from the escutcheon found in the centre of the much larger and more elaborate coat of arms that was used when Württemberg was elevated to the status of a kingdom in 1806. Württemberg had recently acquired several territories under the mediatisation system, and incorporated their heraldries into its arms, resulting in an overcomplicated design. This caused the need to choose something much simpler, and the 1817 arms had the two essential elements – 3 lions for the whole region of Swabia, and 3 antlers for its largest ruling dynasty.

By 26 December 1816, the Kingdom had also settled on the colours red and black for its flag; gold and black being too similar to the ruling Habsburg dynasty of Austria, and red and gold being the colours of Würzburg, their allies in the Napoleonic Wars.

The deer antler motif had been used for at least five centuries previously by the Counts of Württemberg. From 1495 the royal dukedom's coat of arms included the 4 quarters shown below. Their symbolism is: