
The coat of arms of Denmark has a long and complex history. There are two versions: the small National Coat of Arms and the larger Royal Coat of Arms. The National Coat of Arms consists of three crowned blue lions accompanied by nine red hearts, all in a golden shield. The oldest depiction of the insignia dates back to a seal used by King Canute VI in 1194. The Royal Coat of Arms, on the other hand, has quarterings in one shield held by savages in a pavilion and was altered by a royal decree in 1972. Both coats of arms are used by the royal house and state authorities as national symbols.
What You'll Learn
The three lions and nine hearts
The three lions are depicted passant (with their right forepaw raised and facing forward) and crowned, in pale blue, on a golden shield. The nine hearts, which are red, are usually interpreted as heraldic hearts but were originally intended to represent waterlily pads, or 'lake leaves'. In Danish, they are officially called 'søblade'.
The coat of arms is similar to that of Estonia and the greater coat of arms of Tallinn, which can be traced back to King Valdemar II and the Danish rule in northern Estonia from 1219 to 1346. The main differences are that the Estonian coat of arms features 'leopards' (or lions) that face the viewer, are not crowned, and have no hearts.
The Danish royal family now uses a more complex version of the coat of arms, which was established by royal decree on 5 July 1972. The national coat of arms, however, remains the same.
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The colours gold, pale blue and red
The colours featured in the Danish coat of arms have changed over time. The oldest documentation for the colours dates from c. 1270. The current design, which features gold, pale blue and red, was introduced in 1819 under Frederick VI.
The three lions passant (depicted walking, with their right forepaw raised) represent the coat of arms of the House of Estridsen, the dynasty that provided the kings of Denmark between 1047 and 1412. The nine 'hearts' (originally lily pads) are known as søblade, or 'lake leaves' in Danish.
The gold and red colours of the shield are also featured in the royal coat of arms, which has a more complex design. The centre of the shield features the arms of the House of Oldenburg, the former royal dynasty that ruled Denmark and Norway from the middle of the 15th century. The shield is quartered by a silver cross derived from the Danish flag, the Dannebrog. The first and fourth quarters represent Denmark, the second quarter contains two lions representing Southern Jutland, and the third quarter contains three symbols: the Three Crowns of the Kalmar Union, the ram of the Faroe Islands, and the polar bear of Greenland.
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The royal crown on top
The royal crown is also featured on the coat of arms of individual members of the royal family, such as Queen Mary and Crown Prince Christian. The only difference in Crown Prince Christian's coat of arms is that it features the crown of an heir apparent.
The royal crown is also featured on the Royal Danish Coat of Arms, which was established by royal decree on 5 July 1972. The Royal Coat of Arms may be shown without supporters and a pavilion, but the crowned coat of arms encircled by the collars of the orders of chivalry can be seen on Queen Margrethe's shield in the Chapel of the Orders at Frederiksborg Palace.
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The two versions: National Coat of Arms and Royal Coat of Arms
There are two versions of the Danish coat of arms: the National Coat of Arms and the Royal Coat of Arms.
The National Coat of Arms
The National Coat of Arms of Denmark, also known as the state coat of arms or 'rigsvåben', consists of three pale blue lions 'passant' wearing crowns, accompanied by nine red lilypads (often represented as heraldic hearts), all in a golden shield. This design was introduced in 1819, under Frederick VI, and has been in use ever since.
The number of hearts was not always regulated and could be much higher, but King Frederick VI fixed their number to nine in 1819. The "heart" shapes, or 'søblade', originally represented waterlily pads. The current design is also similar to the coat of arms of Estonia and the greater coat of arms of Tallinn, which can be traced back to King Valdemar II and the Danish rule in northern Estonia from 1219 to 1346.
The Royal Coat of Arms
The Royal Coat of Arms, or 'kongevåben', is more complex and was established by royal decree on 5 July 1972. It is much simpler than previous versions, with a reduced number of quarterings. The shield is quartered by a silver cross fimbriated in red, derived from the Danish flag, the Dannebrog.
The first and fourth quarters represent Denmark, featuring the three crowned lions and nine hearts of the National Coat of Arms. The second quarter contains two lions representing Southern Jutland, or Schleswig, a former Danish province now divided between Denmark and Germany. The third quarter contains three symbols: the Three Crowns, representing the Kalmar Union; a silver ram, representing the Faroe Islands; and a polar bear, representing Greenland.
At the centre of the Dannebrog cross is a small escutcheon with the two bars of the Oldenborg royal dynasty, indicating that the Royal House of Denmark is a branch of the Oldenborg line. The shield is encircled by the collars of the Order of the Elephant and the Order of Dannebrog and is supported by two savages, or 'woodwoses', which were added by Christian I. The savages stand in a pavilion topped by the Royal Crown.
The Royal Coat of Arms is reserved for the monarch, the royal family, the Royal Guards, and the royal court.
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The history of the design
The design has been altered on various occasions, most recently by a royal decree in 1972, which established the current version of the Royal Coat of Arms. The Royal Coat of Arms is reserved for the monarch, the royal house, and the royal household. It consists of a shield quartered by a silver cross derived from the Danish flag, the Dannebrog. The first and fourth quarters represent Denmark, featuring three crowned lions and nine hearts. The second quarter contains two lions representing Southern Jutland, derived from the Danish coat of arms and added when Christian I became Duke of Southern Jutland in 1460. The third quarter is divided into three smaller sections, featuring the Three Crowns, which represent the Kalmar Union of the three Nordic Kingdoms, the ram symbol of the Faroe Islands, and an upright polar bear representing Greenland.
At the centre of the Dannebrog cross is a small escutcheon with the two bars of the Oldenborg royal dynasty, indicating that the Royal House of Denmark is a branch of the Oldenborg line. The shield is encircled by the collars of the Order of the Elephant and the Order of Dannebrog and supported by two savages, added by Christian I. The Royal Coat of Arms may be displayed without the supporters. The crowned coat of arms encircled by the collars of the orders of chivalry can be seen on Queen Margrethe's shield in the Chapel of the Orders at Frederiksborg Palace.
The National Coat of Arms, also known as the "small" coat of arms, is used by other state authorities as a national symbol denoting sovereignty. It features three lions surrounded by hearts and is known from the time of the Valdemars. The Royal Coat of Arms, or the "large" coat of arms, has been used by the monarch, the royal house, and the court since 1959.
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Frequently asked questions
The Danish coat of arms features three crowned blue lions and nine red hearts, all in a golden shield. The shield is topped by a royal crown.
The lions are a common feature of Estonia's symbols and have been used since the 13th century. The hearts, originally interpreted as waterlily pads, are now officially called "søblade" in Danish, meaning "lake leaves".
There are two versions: the small National Coat of Arms and the larger Royal Coat of Arms.
The Royal Coat of Arms is used by the monarch, the royal family, the Royal Guards, and the royal court. The National Coat of Arms is used by other state authorities.