Coat of arms of Transylvania
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Transylvania's coat of arms, representing the privileged nations in the region, was codified by the Diet of 1659. It depicts:
- on a blue background, a black turul facing dexter, with gold bill and red tongue representing the medieval nobility, which was primarily Magyar.
- the Sun (dexter) and the crescent Moon (sinister) representing the Szeklers.
- a red dividing band (originally not part of the coat of arms).
- seven red towers with black doors in two series (4+3) on a gold background representing the seven fortified cities of the Transylvanian Saxons - the display is connected with German name of Transylvania - Siebenbürgen ("Seven Cities").
[edit] History
The red dividing band was used for the first time by Prince Michael I Apafi, and its first variant was featured on gold coins he issued in 1666.
On the coat of arms used after 1765 was the new Grand Principality crown, awarded by Maria Theresa of Austria, and two women supporters representing abundance (dexter) and justice (sinister); the figures were removed in 1848, when Transylvania was reunited with the Kingdom of Hungary (see Revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas).
The historical coat of arms was used within the coat of arms of the Hungarian Kingdom from 1867 (after the Ausgleich and until 1949), and is used today within the coat of arms of Romania.
