Navarra chain
The navarra chain, also known as chain net, is a common figure in heraldry . The figure in the coat of arms is shown with large gold chain links in red. Adapted to the shape of the shield, sometimes also on the short side of an upright rectangle with crossed links to all corner points and all side centers, the viewer is presented with the coat of arms.
It can be found in the coat of arms of the historic Kingdom of Navarre and today's Autonomous Community of Navarre . As a symbol for this region, it can also be found in the Spanish coat of arms .
There are various theories about the origin of the Navarra chain:
According to traditional tradition, the heraldic figure goes back to King Sancho VII . He and his troops are said to have been the first to break the chains that surrounded the camp of the Moorish commander in the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa , who looted his treasure and added the chains to his coat of arms as a reminder of this. The green diamond in the middle of the shield symbolizes the sultan's book of the Koran , which he is said to have left behind in his tent when he escaped. The Navarra chain is only documented on the seals of his successor Theobald I , however .
According to another theory, the heraldic figure of the Glevenwheel developed from metal rods initially attached to the shield for stiffening , which in the case of Navarra was "closed" by connecting the outer ends and thus resembled a network of coins. Later - either under the influence of the legend of the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa or independently of it - the intermediate pieces became chain links.
| Development of the Navarra chain |
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| The development from the Glevenrad (left) via the coin cord mesh (center) to the Navarra chain (right). |
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literature
- Gert Oswald : Lexicon of Heraldry. VEB Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig 1984, DNB 850576571 ; Licensed edition: Bibliographisches Institut, Mannheim / Vienna / Zurich 1984, ISBN 3-411-02149-7 ; 3rd, unchanged. Edition Battenberg, Regenstauf 2011, ISBN 978-3-86646-077-5 (title addition: From apple cross to twin bar ) p. 283.
