Coat of arms of Croatia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The coat of arms of the Republic of Croatia (Croatian: Grb

Republike Hrvatske) consists of one main shield and five Coat of arms of Cr oatia
smaller shields which form a crown over the main shield.
The main coat of arms is a checkerboard (chequy) that
consists of 13 red and 12 silver (white) fields. It's also
informally known in Croatian as ahovnica ("chessboard",
from ah, "chess"). The five smaller shields represent five
different historical regions within Croatia.

Contents
1 History
2 Current design
2.1 Historical versions of the crown arms
3 Gallery
4 See also Details
5 References Armiger Republic of Croatia
6 External links
Adopted 21 December 1990
Crest A crown of five arms, as follows:
Azure a mullet of six points Or above
History a crescent argent; Azure two bars
gules; Azure three leopard heads
The checkerboard coat of arms (ahovnica) is first attested as
an official symbol of the kingdom of Croatia on an Innsbruck caboshed Or; Azure a goat statant Or
tower depicting the emblem of Maximilian I, Archduke of unguled and armed gules; Azure on a
Austria in 1495.[1][2] It appeared on a seal from the Cetingrad fess gules fimbriated argent a marten
Charter that confirmed the 1527 election of Ferdinand I, Sable courant proper in chief a mullet
Archduke of Austria as king of Croatia in Cetin.[2][3][4] of six points Or
Escutcheon Chequy gules and argent
The origin of the design has often been purported as being
medieval. Historic tradition states it to be the arms of
Stephen Drislav in the 10th century.[5] A Split stone baptistry from the time of Peter Kreimir IV (r. 1058
1074/5) has engraved falcons that carry something that resembles a chequy on their wings, and the bell tower of
the medieval Church of St. Lucy, Jurandvor has a checkerboard pattern carved onto it.[6]

The size of the checkerboard ranges from 33 to 88,[7] but most commonly 55, like in the current design. It
was traditionally conjectured that the colours originally represented two ancient Croat states, Red Croatia and
White Croatia, but there is no historical evidence to support this.

Towards the Late Middle Ages the distinction for the three crown lands (Croatia 'proper', Dalmatia, Slavonia)
was made. The ahovnica was used as the coat of arms of Croatia proper & together with the shields of
Slavonia and Dalmatia was often used to represent the whole of Croatia in Austria-Hungary. It was used as an
unofficial coat of arms of the Kingdom of Croatia adopted in 1848 and as an official coat of arms of the post-
1868 Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia (both unofficially known as Triune Kingdom). The two are the same except
for the position of the ahovnica and Dalmatian coat of arms which are switched around & with different
crowns used above the shield - the later employing St Stephen's crown (associated with Hungarian kings).
By late 19th century ahovnica had come to be considered a generally recognized symbol for Croats and
Croatia and in 1919, it was included in the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia) to represent Croats. When the Banovina of Croatia was formed, the ahovnica
(chequy gules and argent) was retained as the official symbol.

The Ustashe regime which had ruled Croatia during the World War II superimposed their ideological symbol,
the letter "U" above or around the ahovnica (upper left square white) as the official national symbol during
their rule.

After the Second World War, the new Socialist Republic of Croatia became a part of the federal Second
Yugoslavia. The ahovnica was included in the new socialist coat of arms.[8] It was designed in the socialist
tradition, including symbols like wheat for peasants and an anvil for workers, as well as a rising sun to
symbolize a new morning and a red star for communism.

During the change to multiparty elections in Croatia (as part of the collapse of Communist rule in Eastern
Europe from the late 1980s), and prior to the establishment of the current design, the ahovnica, shedding the
communist symbols that were the hallmark of Croatia in the second Yugoslavia, reappeared as a stand-alone
symbol as both the 'upper left square red' and 'upper left square white' variants. The choice of 'upper left square
red' or 'upper left square white' was often dictated by heraldic laws and aesthetic requirements.

The first-field-white variant was adopted by the Republic of Croatia and used briefly in 1990.[9] According to
constitutional changes which came into effect on 26 June 1990 the red star in the flag of SR Croatia was to be
replaced by the "historical Croatian coat of arms with 25 red and white fields", without specifying order of
fields.[10] The first-field-white variant was used at the official flag hoisting ceremony on 25 July and was later
occasionally used on par with the first-field-red variant until 12 December 1990 when the current coat of arms
was officially adopted.[10][11]

Current design
On 21 December 1990, the post-socialist government of Croatia, passed a law prescribing the design created by
the graphic designer Miroslav utej, under the aegis of a commission chaired by Nika Stani, then head of
the Department of Croatian History at the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Zagreb.

The new design added the five crowning shields which represent the historical regions from which Croatia
originated. They are, from left to right:

Considered the oldest known symbol representing Croatia:[12][13] Bleu celeste, a mullet of six
points Or surmounted above a crescent Argent - A golden six-pointed star (representing the
morning star) over a silver crescent moon on a blue shield. The oldest known example is
found on the obverse side of the Croatian Frizatik's minted by Andrew II as Duke of Croatia
(Latin: Dux Croatiae).[14][15][16] Traditionally this coat of arms was depicted on red (gules)
background such as the flag of the Triune Kingdom by Josip Jelai. This coat of arms was
also commonly associated with the Illyrian movement.

Dubrovnik region - Coat of arms of Dubrovnik: Azure, two bars gules - Two red stripes on a
dark blue shield. This is a simplified variation of the Coat of arms of Dubrovnik, with two red
bars instead of four, it was used by Dubrovnik Republic since the 14th century. The original
coat of arms is the old coat of arms of rpd dynasty, granted to Dubrovnik Republic by King
Louis I in 1358 as it became a vassal of the Hungarian-Croatian king.[17][18][19][20][21] The
red-blue variant hails from 1950s interpretation of the template (decorative) lines within the
originally white lines of the original CoA.[22][23]
 Dalmatia - Coat of arms of Dalmatia: Bleu celeste, three leopards' heads affronts caboshed
Or, crowned Or - Three golden, crowned heraldic leopard heads, two over one, on a blue
shield. The depicted version from the crown differs from the traditional depiction of these
arms: traditionally, the leopards are roaring and langued (i.e. with tongues visible), and the
colour of the shield is heraldic azure, not bleu celeste. Historically, this coat of arms was in
use since at least the 14th century. First officially recorded use goes back to King Louis I and
his daughter Queen Mary who both used an earlier version of the arms as part of their personal
coat of arms. Until 1526 this coat of arms was also used to represent Croatia in general,[24]
apparent from the coat of arms of several kings: Louis I, Mary, Matthias Corvinus and Louis
II. It is also found on the great seals of Sigismund of Luxembourg,[25] Albert II,[26] John
Zpolya,[27] Ferdinand I,[28] and from then on various seals and arms of the Habsburgs.
Originally the coat of arms was three lion heads on red background, turned to
left.[29][30][31][32][33]

Istria - Coat of arms of Istria: Azure, a goat (capricorn) statant Or, attired and hoofed Gules -
Golden goat (capricorn) with red hooves and horns, on a dark blue shield. The goat as a
symbol of Istria is claimed to be associated with Istria since ancient times.[34][35] However the
origins of this coat of arms are unclear and until the 19th century there was no official symbol
of Istria.[36] The first depictions are found on the maps of Johann Weikhard von Valvasor in
the 17th century and later in Stemmatographia sive armorum Illyricorum delineatio, descriptio
et restitutio (1701) by Pavao Ritter Vitezovi.[36][37] It was only in the 1861 when March of
Istria became the Crown land in the Austrian Empire that this coat of arms became official.[36]
Traditional depictions of the arms differed greatly depending on the authors: mostly depicted
on a blue but sometimes also on green background, colors (tinctures) of the charge (goat -
sometimes with gold and sometimes with red hooves and horns), position or attitude of the
goat - sometimes shown as passant (passing with front leg up) and sometimes statant
(standing with all four legs on the ground), orientation of the charge - sometimes turned to
right and sometimes to left (dexter and sinister) and even the charge itself with some variants
showing a female goat and some a Capricorn (male goat).[38][39] The current variant used in
the crest and also as the coat of arms of County of Istria are both derived from the March of
Istria arms from 1861 by Hugo Gerard Strhl.

Slavonia - Coat of arms of Slavonia: Bleu celeste, a fess Gules fimbriated Argent surmounted
by a mullet of six points Or, a marten Sable courant proper in chief - Six-pointed star
(morning star) above two silver stripes on a blue shield (representing the rivers Drava and
Sava marking the Northern and Southern border of Slavonia), between them a running Pine
marten in natural colors (Kuna in Croatian - note the national currency Croatian kuna) on a red
field. Historically correct version of the arms uses a heraldic blue rather than light blue (Bleu
celeste). This coat of arms was derived from an earlier version found on Slavonian Banovac
coins minted between 1235 and 1384,[24] which showed a marten running on a field between
two six-pointed stars.[14][16][40] The coat of arms was officially granted by king Vladislaus II
Jagiellon on December 8, 1496.[24][41] It was used as the official seal of Croatian Sabor from
1497 until the late 18th century.[24][42]

Some of the more traditional heraldic pundits have criticized the latest design for various design solutions, such
as adding a crown to the coat, varying shades of blue in its even fields, and adding the red border around the
coat. The government has accepted their criticism insofar as not accepting further non-traditional designs for
the county coats of arms, but the national symbol has remained intact.
Unlike in many countries, Croatian design more commonly uses symbolism from the coat of arms, rather than
from the Croatian flag. This is partly due to the geometric design of the shield which makes it appropriate for
use in many graphic contexts (e.g. the insignia of Croatia Airlines or the design of the shirt for the Croatia
national football team), and partly because the Pan-Slavic colors are present in many European flags.

Historical versions of the cr own arms

Most coats of arms used in the crown on the modern-day coat of arms differ significantly from historically
accurate versions.

"Illyrian" coat of arms Coat of arms of Coat of arms of Coat of arms of Istria
(considered oldest Dubrovnik Dalmatia
known symbol of
Croatia)

Coat of arms of
Kingdom of Slavonia

Gallery
First known example of Coat of arms of Croatia Kingdom of Croatia Coat of arms of
Croatian chequy as used in 1527 as part of a (1525-1868). Croatian Crown land
depicted in Innsbruck, seal on the Cetingrad (until 1868)
Austria (1495). Charter.

Kingdom of Croatia- Coat of arms of Patriotic badge from Lesser Coat of arms of
Slavonia (18681918). Transleithania (1868- 1914 Transleithania (1915-
The official version had 1915). 1918).
St. Stephen's crown due
to Croatia being part of
Lands of the Crown of
Saint Stephen.

Common coat of arms Austria-Hungary lesser Kingdom of Yugoslavia Banovina of Croatia

of Austria-Hungary version, (1916-1918). (19181943). (19391943).
(19151918).
Banovina of Croatia Independent State of ZAVNOH & Federal Socialist Republic of
greater version (1939 Croatia (19411945). State of Croatia (1943 Croatia (19471990).
1943). 1947).

Early coat of arms of

the Republic of Croatia
(1990).

See also
Flag of Croatia

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External links
Republic of Croatia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs & European Integration
Croatian Government website - Flag, Coat-of-Arms and National Anthem
Croatian Coat of Arms during centuries - Darko Zubrinic, 2005
Croatia - Coat of Arms - Zeljko Heimer 2000
Croatia - Proposals for New Flag in 1990 - Flags of The World
Croatia - Political Flags - Flags of The World
C. Michael McAdamas: Croatia - Myth and Reality

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