Coat of Arms of Denmark Facts for Kids

The coat of arms of Denmark consists of three crowned blue lions with nine red hearts, all in a golden shield.

The Coat of Arms of Denmark

Seal of King Canute VI

The seal of King Canute VI of Denmark is the oldest known example of the coat of arms of Denmark. It is from around 1190.

Coat of arms of the Danish royal family, 1972-

Until around 1960 Denmark also had a large coat of arms. Both were used by the government. In 1959, the large coat of arms changed status and became the royal coat of arms - that is a coat of arms for the king and the royal family. The large coat of arms is inspired by one which was designed in 1819 and adopted by king Frederik VI.

The large coat of arms comprise symbols representing all parts of the Danish kingdom - or to be precise: only territories that are still part of the Kingdom of Denmark. In the coat of arms shown to the left the upper left part of the shield (the three lions) represents Denmark. In the lower part the three crowns (only two are visible) represents Sweden, this is for historic reasons. The polar bear represents Greenland and the ram represents the Faroe Islands. The two lions in the upper right side represents the principality of Slesvig. Until 1972, it also included other symbols representing principalities in Germany and parts of present-day Sweden that used to be ruled by the Danish king.

In 1972 when King Frederik IX died and Margrethe II became queen the coat of arms of the royal family was redesigned, and today it only comprises symbols representing the current parts of the Danish Kingdom.

Images for kids

Relief of the coat of arms at the Danish House in Paris
The Danish coat of arms in the Gelre Armorial, 14th century. This is the oldest coloured image of the Dannebrog. The crest was used by Danish monarchs from the 13th century until c. 1420. The flag is not part of the crest.
A medieval ship flag captured by forces from Lübeck in the 1420s showing the arms of Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Pomerania. The original flag was destroyed in World War II during a British attack on the city, but a 19th-century copy remains in Frederiksborg Palace, Denmark. The saint accompanying the Virgin Mary and infant Christ is Saint James the Greater, identified by his scallop shell emblem.
Coat of arms from Trinity Church, Copenhagen
Seal of Valdemar II the Victorious (reigned 1202–41)
Seal of Eric V Klipping (reigned 1259–86)
Seal of Eric VI Menved (reigned 1286–1319). The two eagles are references to his mother, Agnes of Brandenburg.
Seal of Valdemar IV Atterdag (reigned 1340–75), early 1340s
Fresco of Valdemar IV Atterdag as king. Notice the crest on the Danish coat of arms, Saint Peter's Church, Næstved.
One of the seals of Eric VII "of Pomerania", 1398. Note that the three Danish lions carry a Danish flag (top-left corner).
Seal of Christopher III "of Bavaria", 1440s
Sigilum secretum of Christian I, 1449
Sigilum secretum of Christian I, 1457–60
Seal of King Hans (reigned 1481–1513)
Seal of Christian III (reigned 1534–59)
Coat of arms of Christian III as it appeared in the first Danish-language Bible, 1550
Coat of arms of Frederick II. Engraving by Jens Bircherod, 1581
Eric XIV of Sweden added the Norwegian and Danish arms to the Swedish national coat of arms (the two lower quarters). This was one of the main events leading to the Northern Seven Years' War.
Coat of arms of Frederick II, 1592 engraving
Coat of arms from the first issue of Kongelig allene privilegerede Tronhiems Adresse-Contoirs Efterretninger, 1767, showing the arms of Denmark, Norway and the Kalmar Union

Coat of Arms of Denmark facts for kids

Images for kids

See also