Coat of arms of Sweden
| Coat of arms of Sweden | |
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 The lesser coat of arms of Sweden, with the Order of the Seraphim. |
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 The lesser coat of arms of Sweden, as used by the Government |
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| Armiger | Carl XVI Gustaf |
| Adopted | April 11, 1525 November 17, 1905 |
| Crest | Royal Crown of Sweden |
| Escutcheon | Azure, quartered by a cross Or with outbent arms, and an inescutcheon containing the dynastic arms of the Royal House. In the first and fourth fields three open crowns Or, placed two above one. In the second and third fields three sinisterbendwise streams argent, a lion crowned with an open crown Or armed gules. The inescutcheon is party per pale the arms for the House of Vasa (Bendwise azure, argent and gules, a vasa (sheaf of wheat) Or); and the House of Bernadotte (Azure, issuant from a wavy base a bridge with three arches and two towers embattled argent, in honor point an eagle regardant with wings inverted resting on thunderbolts Or, and in chief the Big Dipper constellation of the same). The main shield is crowned by a royal crown and surrounded by the insignia of the Order of the Seraphim. |
| Supporters | two lions regardant, crowned and with forked tails (queue fourchée) Or armed gules, standing on a compartment Or |
| Orders | Order of Seraphim |
| Other elements | All surrounded by ermine mantling, crowned with a royal crown and tied up with tasseladorned strings Or |
The greater national coat of arms (stora riksvapnet) and the lesser national coat of arms (lilla riksvapnet) are the official coats of arms of Sweden.
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[edit] Description
Swedish law states the greater national arms consist of:
A shield azure, quartered by a cross Or with outbent arms, and an inescutcheon containing the dynastic arms of the Royal House. In the first and fourth fields three open crowns Or, placed two above one. In the second and third fields three sinisterbendwise streams argent, a lion crowned with an open crown Or armed gules. The inescutcheon is party per pale the arms for the House of Vasa (Bendwise azure, argent and gules, a vasa (sheaf of wheat) Or); and the House of Bernadotte (Azure, issuant from a wavy base a bridge with three arches and two towers embattled argent, in honor point an eagle regardant with wings inverted resting on thunderbolts Or, and in chief the Big Dipper constellation of the same). The main shield is crowned by a royal crown and surrounded by the insignia of the Order of the Seraphim. Supported by two lions regardant, crowned and with forked tails Or armed gules, standing on a compartment Or. All surrounded by ermine mantling, crowned with a royal crown and tied up with tasseladorned strings Or.[1]
The greater national arms may be displayed without the Order of the Seraphim insignia, supporters, compartment or mantling. While the arms have undergone significant changes over the years (such as changing the inescutcheon with the ruling dynasty), they are based on arms created by King Karl Knutsson (Bonde) in 1448.[2]
[edit] Escutcheon
The escutcheon used in the greater blazon has in total five elements: 4 quarterings on the main escutcheon (two coats of arms duplicated), and three coat of arms incorporated into a escutcheon of pretense. However, Bernadotte never used any stars in the arms of Pontecorvo (neither as Prince of Pontecorvo, nor as King of Sweden and Norway) contrary to the illustration below. The stars were introduced as an element in the royal coat of arms in mid 19th century and then above the eagle.[3]
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 The three crowns |
 Coat of arms of the House of Bjelbo |
 Coat of arms of the House of Bernadotte |
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 Coat of arms of the House of Vasa |
 The initial coat of arms of the Jean-Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, Prince de Ponte Corvo, Maréchal de France (later King Charles XIV John of Sweden) |
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↑ Standard quartering for the sovereign princes under the Napoleon I of the First French Empire. |
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↑ Eagle emblem of Napoleon I |
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[edit] Supporters
The arms are supported by two lions with forked tails (queue fourchée), facing away from the shield and crowned with Royal Crowns. For centuries, the lion has been an important element in Swedish heraldry and especially for the State Coat of Arms.
[edit] Collars of the Royal Orders
The shield may be surmounted by the Collar of the Order of Seraphim, the foremost order in Sweden, and the highest honour the Swedish state can bestow on an individual.[4]
[edit] General description
Besides being the official national coat of arms, the greater coat of arms is also the personal coat of arms of the king, and as such he can decree its use as a personal coat of arms by other members of the Royal House, with the alterations and additions decided by him.
Blazon: "The greater state arms consist of a head shield azure, quartered by a cross or with outbent arms, and an inescutcheon containing the dynastic arms of the Royal House.
In the first and fourth fields three coronets or, placed two above one. In the second and third fields three sinisterbendwise streams argent, a lion crowned with an open crown or with armaments gules. The inescutcheon is party per pale the arms for the House of Vasa and the House of Bernadotte. The main shield is crowned by a royal crown and surrounded by the insignia of the Order of the Seraphim. Supported by two lions regardant or crowned, with parted tails and armaments gules, standing on a postament. All surrounded by hermine mantling crowned with a royal crown and tied up with tasseled strings or."
[edit] Personal Command Sign of H.M. the King
The Personal Command Sign of H.M. the King of Sweden was introduced by a Royal regulation in 1943. The Command sign includes the central part of the greater coat of arms. The banner, officially termed His Majesty's Personal Command Banner, is one of a kind. The only copy was created by Einar Kedja, a renowned Swedish heraldic artist. The cloth is permanently attached to a pole with a crown serving as finial.
[edit] The lesser coat of arms
The lesser coat of arms is mainly used by the Government of Sweden and its agencies. As such it may be joined by insignias symbolising their activity, following approval by the State Board of Heraldry. It is, for instance, embroidered on all Swedish police uniforms.
Blazon: "Azure, with three coronets Or, ordered two above one." Crowned with a royal crown. The shield may also be surrounded by the insignias of the Order of the Seraphim."
[edit] Regulated usage
The usage of the coats of arms is regulated by Swedish Law, Act 1970:498, which states (in translation) that "in commercial activities, the coats of arms, the flag or other official insignia of Sweden may not be used in a trademark or other insignias for products or services without proper authorisation. This includes any mark or text referring to the Swedish government which thus can give the commercial mark a sign of official endorsement. This includes municipal coats of arms which are registered."
Any representation consisting of three crowns ordered two above one are considered to be the lesser coat of arms, and its usage is therefore restricted by law 1970:498.
[edit] References
- ^ Original text of Swedish statute 1982:268, 2 §, states: Stora riksvapnet utgörs av en blå huvudsköld, kvadrerad genom ett kors av guld med utböjda armar, samt en hjärtsköld som innehåller det kungliga husets dynastivapen. Huvudsköldens första och fjärde fält innehåller tre öppna kronor av guld, ordnade två över en. Huvudsköldens andra och tredje fält innehåller tre ginbalksvis gående strömmar av silver, överlagda med ett upprest, med öppen krona krönt lejon av guld med röd tunga samt röda tänder och klor. Hjärtskölden är kluven. Första fältet innehåller Vasaättens vapen: ett i blått, silver och rött styckat fält, belagt med en vase av guld. Andra fältet innehåller ätten Bernadottes vapen: i blått fält en ur vatten uppskjutande bro med tre valv och två krenelerade torn, allt av silver, däröver en örn av guld med vänstervänt huvud och sänkta vingar gripande om en åskvigg av guld samt överst Karlavagnens stjärnbild av guld. Huvudskölden är krönt med en kunglig krona och omges av Serafimer ordens insignier. Sköldhållare är två tillbakaseende, med kunglig krona krönta lejon med kluvna svansar samt röda tungor, tänder och klor. Lejonen står på ett postament av guld. Det hela omges av en med kunglig krona krönt hermelinsfodrad vapenmantel av purpur med frans av guld och uppknuten med tofsprydda snören av guld. Stora riksvapnet får brukas även utan ordensinsignier, sköldhållare, postament eller vapenmantel. "Lag (1982:268) om Sveriges riksvapen" (in Swedish). Swedish Code of Statutes. Sveriges Riksdag. 1982-04-29. http://www.notisum.se/rnp/sls/lag/19820268.HTM. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
- ^ "Stora riksvapnet" (in Swedish). Swedish National Archives. 2011-12-20. http://www.riksarkivet.se/default.aspx?id=1268&ptid=0. Retrieved 2012-01-29.
- ^ Arvid Berghman: Dynastien Bernadottes vapen och det svenska riksvapnet (Stockholm : Svensk litteratur, 1944)
- ^ See sections 2 and 3, Lag No. 268 om Sveriges Riksvapen of April 29, 1982.
[edit] See also
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