Conference turris::scandia

20.0. "Flags, Coats of Arms, & Seals" by TLE::SAVAGE () Thu Jul 25 1991 12:58

    From: [email protected] (Tero Juhani Heikkinen)
    Newsgroups: soc.culture.nordic
    Subject: Re: Nordic flags
    Date: 23 Jul 91 18:22:54 GMT
    Sender: [email protected] (Usenet pseudouser id)
    Organization: Helsinki University of Technology
 
    In article <[email protected]>  [email protected] (Steen
    Linden) writes:

   >One of the things the Nordic countries have in common is the cross-flag.
   >
   >There is a long legend about how "Dannebrog", the Danish version with a
   >white cross on a red background, fell out of the sky as a sign of
   >victory when king Valdemar Sejr was defeating the Baltic states (Venderne).
 
    Actually this flag (Gules a cross argent) seems to have been quite
    popular everywhere on the marches of the Holy Roman Empire. The arms of
    City of Wien (Vienna Austria) and the kings of Italy come to mind. 
 
    Here's the list of the flags of the Nordic countries:
 
    Denmark:   Gules a cross argent (Red and white)
    Finland:   Argent a cross azure (White and blue)
    Iceland:   Azure on a cross argent a cross gules (Blue, white and red)
    Norway:    Gules on a cross argent a cross azure (Red, white and blue)
    Sweden:    Azure a cross or (Blue and yellow)
    Faeroes:   Argent on a cross azure a cross gules (White, blue and red)
    Greenland: Per fess argent and gules a roundel counterchanged (top white, 
               bottom red, with a roundel at the centre)
    Aaland:    Azure on a cross or a cross gules (Blue, yellow and red)
 
    Somebody noted that it was a shame Greenland did not adopt a cross flag
    as well, but their flag does resemble a cross between the Polish and
    Japanese flags. So I think it is a cross flag of sorts.

    >The Danish coat-of-arms consists of three blue lions with nine(?) hearts,
    >the Swedish has three crowns and the Norwegian has an axe carrying lion.
    >Are there any other in Norden ?
 
    I guesstimate Norden to be one of the most heraldically rich regions in
    the world, seeing that (virtually) every unit of local government has
    its own  arms, and uses them to proclaim its civic pride, at the town
    border to greet visitors, on uniforms, fire engines, garbage trucks,
    want ads; also on post cards and various souvenirs. So I expect it is
    only reasonable that all Nordic countries also have national
    coats-of-arms, as opposed to those surrealist pizzas formerly so
    beloved in Eastern Europe. This is what they are:
 
    Denmark:   Or three lions passant in pale azure crowned or, followed by
    nine  hearts gules.

    Finland:   Gules a lion rampant crowned or his dexter forepaw replaced
    by an arm in armour grasping a sword argent hilted or and treading with
    his hindpaws a crooked sabre argent hilted or, followed by nine roses
    argent.

    Iceland:   Azure on a cross argent a cross gules.

    Norway:    Gules a lion rampant crowned or maintaining with his
    forepaws an axe argent hafted or.

    Sweden:    Azure three crowns or, 2+1.

    Faeroes:   Azure a ram passant argent horned or.

    Greenland: Azure a polar bear sejant erect argent.

    Aaland:    Azure a stag trippant or.
 
    Yes that is pretty heavy going, but that's what those arms look like.
    If you ask nicely, I'll be happy to post long explanations of heraldic
    terminology. Simply put, this is a general idea of the Nordic national
    arms:

    Denmark:   In yellow, three blue lions, with nine red hearts.
    Finland:   In red, a yellow lion with a sword in an armored hand and
               walking on a crooked sabre, with nine white roses.
    Iceland:   The same as the national flag.
    Norway:    In red, a yellow lion holding an axe.
    Sweden:    In blue, three yellow crowns.
    Faeroes:   In blue, a white ram.
    Greenland: In blue, a white sitting polar bear.
    Aaland:    In blue, a yellow stag.
 
    >Steen Linden
    >Dept. of Computer Science (DIKU)
    >University of Copenhagen
 
    Tero J Heikkinen
 
-- 
***  [email protected]  ***********  Disclaimer wanted: Apply within  ***
"Could I just butt in at this point and say that this is the very first time 
I have ever been quoted in a .sig?"
"No I'm sorry, we don't have enough space for that."