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Coat of Arms of Denmark facts for kids

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The coat of arms of Denmark shows three crowned blue lions with nine red hearts. They are all on a golden shield. This special design has been used for a very long time.

National Coat of arms of Denmark
The Coat of Arms of Denmark
Knud den Sjettes segl
Seal of King Canute VI

The oldest known example of Denmark's coat of arms comes from the seal of King Canute VI. This seal was made around the year 1190.

What is the Danish Coat of Arms?

The main coat of arms for Denmark is often called the National Coat of Arms. It is used by the Danish government. This is the one with the three blue lions and nine red hearts.

For many years, Denmark also had a Large Coat of Arms. Both the national and the large coat of arms were used by the government.

In 1959, the Large Coat of Arms became the Royal Coat of Arms. This means it is now used only by the King or Queen and the royal family. It is a more detailed symbol for them. The Royal Coat of Arms was inspired by a design from 1819. King Frederik VI officially adopted that design.

Royal coat of arms of Denmark
Coat of arms of the Danish royal family, 1972-

Symbols in the Royal Coat of Arms

The Royal Coat of Arms includes symbols for different parts of the Danish Kingdom. These symbols represent places that are still part of Denmark today.

  • The top left part of the shield shows the three lions. These represent Denmark itself.
  • In the lower part, you can see three crowns. These crowns represent Sweden. This is because of historical reasons.
  • A polar bear stands for Greenland. Greenland is a large island that is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
  • A ram represents the Faroe Islands. These islands are also part of the Danish Kingdom.
  • The two lions in the upper right side represent the area of Slesvig.

Before 1972, the Royal Coat of Arms also had symbols for other areas. These included parts of Germany and present-day Sweden. These areas used to be ruled by the Danish king.

Changes to the Royal Coat of Arms

In 1972, King Frederik IX passed away. His daughter, Margrethe II, became queen. At this time, the Royal Coat of Arms was updated. The new design only includes symbols for the parts of the Danish Kingdom that exist today.

Images for kids

  • Relief CoA Danemark Champs Elysées Paris

    Relief of the coat of arms at the Danish House in Paris

  • Gelre Folio 55v

    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.

  • Skibsflaget fra Mariakirken in Lübeck.png

    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. Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag Small vexillological symbol or pictogram in black and white showing the different uses of the flag

  • Trinitatis Kirke Copenhagen ceiling deco

    Coat of arms from Trinity Church, Copenhagen

  • Valdemarsejrssegl

    Seal of Valdemar II the Victorious (reigned 1202–41)

  • Erikklippingssegl

    Seal of Eric V Klipping (reigned 1259–86)

  • Erikmenvedssegl

    Seal of Eric VI Menved (reigned 1286–1319). The two eagles are references to his mother, Agnes of Brandenburg.

  • Valdemaratterdagsseglsomjunker

    Seal of Valdemar IV Atterdag (reigned 1340–75), early 1340s

  • Waldemar IV Otherday of Denmark c 1375

    Fresco of Valdemar IV Atterdag as king. Notice the crest on the Danish coat of arms, Saint Peter's Church, Næstved.

  • Erik af Pommerns majestætssegl

    One of the seals of Eric VII "of Pomerania", 1398. Note that the three Danish lions carry a Danish flag (top-left corner).

  • Christian den Førstes sekret 1449

    Sigilum secretum of Christian I, 1449

  • Christian den Førstes sekret 1457-1460

    Sigilum secretum of Christian I, 1457–60

  • KongHans segl b-028

    Seal of King Hans (reigned 1481–1513)

  • Christian 3 segl

    Seal of Christian III (reigned 1534–59)

  • Christian den Tredjes våben - Binck 1550

    Coat of arms of Christian III as it appeared in the first Danish-language Bible, 1550

  • Coat of arms of Frederick II of Denmark and Norway

    Coat of arms of Frederick II. Engraving by Jens Bircherod, 1581

  • Erik XIV af Sveriges pretentionsvåben

    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.

  • Frederik den Andens våben - Lauterbach 1592

    Coat of arms of Frederick II, 1592 engraving

  • Våbenskjold - Adresseavisen 1767

    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

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Escudo de Dinamarca para niños

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