Danish heraldry

Danish heraldry has its roots in medieval times when coats of arms first appeared in Europe. Danish heraldry is a branch of the German-Nordic heraldic tradition.

The tinctures and metals used in Danish heraldry are the same as in other European heraldic traditions. The tinctures gules, azure and sable are most common with vert and purpure being less common and furs very rare.

Danish heraldry use the same divisions as are common in other heraldic traditions. The most simple charge is the division of the field by a straight line. These divisions are called skjolddelinger (lit. divisions of the shield) in Danish. Ordinaries are called heroldsfigurer (lit. herold figures) in Danish.

Heroldsfigurer

Heroldsfigurer

Pairs of buffalo horns (da. vesselhorn) are very common as crests in Scandinavian and German heraldry although virtually unknown in other heraldic traditions. As these horns were often drawn with an open ring at the tip, they have sometimes been altered into elephant trunks or trumpets.

The National Coat of Arms of Denmark consists of three crowned blue lions accompanied by nine red hearts, all in a golden shield. The national coat of arms was originally the coat of arms of the royal family but by time it became associated with the Danish territory. The oldest known depiction of the insignia dates from a seal used by King Canute VI c. 1194. The oldest documentation of the tinctures of the coat of arms are from a depiction in the Armorial Gelre from 1370-86. From the 13th century to the 1420s the national coat of arms used a horned helmet covered with ermine fur with fans of peafowl feathers. The oldest documentation for the colours dates from c. 1270. Today the coat of arms or derivations of it is used by many state authorities. Only the Folketing use the coat of arms without the crown.

The National Coat of Arms can be found in the first and fourth quarters of the Danish Royal Coat of Arms (sometimes called the greater national coat of arms). This coat of arms is only used by the royal family.

The Danish military has a long heraldic tradition. Every regiment and naval vessel have a coat of arms.

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Wikipedia