Coat of arms of Luxembourg

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The coat of arms of Luxembourg has its origins in the Middle Ages, and was derived from that of the Duchy of Limburg, in modern day Belgium and the Netherlands. In heraldic language, these arms are described as: burely of 10 argent and azure, a lion rampant queue fourché in saltire gules armed, langued and crowned or.

Contents 1 The coat of arms of Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (1216–1281) 2 The coat of arms of Charles I, Count of Luxembourg (1316–1378) 3 References 4 See also

[edit] The coat of arms of Henry V, Count of Luxembourg (1216–1281)

Henry V was the first Count of Luxembourg to adopt a primitive form of these arms. His father, Waleran III, Duke of Limburg, bore the arms, argent a lion rampant queue fourché gules armed, langued and crowned or (white field bearing a red double tailed lion with yellow claws, teeth, tongue and crown). Henry V replaced the white field by a series of white and blue stripes (burely of 10 argent and azure) to differentiate from his half-brother Henry IV, Duke of Limburg.

It is yet uncertain where the origins of this burely of 10 argent and azure are. Jean-Claude Loutsch, Luxembourg's most prominent heraldist, authored the theory that the original Luxembourg dynasties may have born a striped banner (colours unknown). Two dynasties closely related to the first Houses of Luxembourg also adopted striped coats of arms during this period. Both the Counts of Loon and Counts of Grandpré bore the arms burely of 10 or and gules (yellow and red alternating stripes). In such a case, the choice of colour of the stripes would have been determined to match the white field and red lion of Limburg.

Coat of arms of Waleran III, Duke of Limburg

Coat of arms of the Counts of Grandpré and Counts of Loon

Coat of arms of Henry V, Count of Luxembourg

[edit] The coat of arms of Charles I, Count of Luxembourg (1316–1378)

In 1346, after the extinction of the senior line of the Counts of Berg, Charles I, Count of Luxembourg, modified his arms by placing the lion's tail in saltire.

Coat of arms of the Counts of Luxembourg before 1348

Coat of arms of the Counts of Berg

Coat of arms of Charles I, Count of Luxembourg

[edit] References

• Armorial du pays de Luxembourg, Dr. Jean-Claude Loutsch, Publications nationales du Ministère des Arts et des Sciences, Luxembourg 1974

[edit] See also

• Flag of Luxembourg