Coat of arms of Schleswig

The first known example of the insignia: the seal of Erik Abelsøn, Duke of Schleswig (d. 1272)

The coat of arms of Schleswig or Southern Jutland (

Schleswig, 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 and has been dated to the middle of the 13th century,^[1] 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

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 heraldic 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 of Denmark's royal family. The symbol has been located in the top-right corner since 1819 as specified by royal decree. The current version was specified by royal decree on 5 July 1972.

A modified form of the symbol was used by the

seal of Eric of Pomerania in which the three lions jointly hold the Danish flag

.

Germany

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.^[2] 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

The original coat of arms of Schleswig is represented in the top-right corner of the arms of the Danish royal family
In Danish heraldry, the Schleswig lions normally appear with red tongues and golden claws.
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 on the Geographia Blaviana (1659).
Coat of arms of the German Bundesland Schleswig-Holstein
Coat of arms of Duke Hans the Elder of Schleswig-Holstein-Haderslev (a son of Frederick I of Denmark)
Coat of arms of Flensburg
Coat of arms of Kreis Schleswig-Flensburg
Coat of arms of Kreis Rendsburg-Eckernförde
Coat of arms of Böklund
Coat of arms of Busdorf
Coat of arms of Handewitt
Coat of arms of Amt Langballig
Coat of arms of Munkbrarup
Coat of arms of the former Kreis Flensburg-Land
Coat of arms of the former Kreis Husum
Coat of arms of the former Kreis Rendsburg
Flag used by the South Schleswig Association, representing the Danish minority in Germany