Dutch heraldry
The Dutch heraldry shows the very eventful history of the Netherlands . The Heraldry never had a life of its own, but was under the influence of German, Burgundian, Spanish and French (Napoleonic) arms being. The period from 1581 to 1795 was characterized by the free acceptance of coats of arms . The bourgeoisie made good use of it. The state let it go. What is striking in this heraldry is that the heraldic helmet and crown did not establish a hierarchy. Here these things were purely ornamental decorations. The crown of leaves was often chosen. The shield holders were often used in bourgeois coats of arms . The corner figures in the coat of arms of the municipalities represent a special feature. The reference to former feudal lords is documented here, because the affiliation to the Roman-German Empire becomes clear here. As a symbol of justice, the small St. Andrew's crosses , the flanchis , can be found in many coats of arms. An example is the coat of arms of Amsterdam , in which three small crosses stand on stakes .
See also
literature
- Laars, T. vd: Wapens, Vlaggen, en Zegels von Nederland . Amsterdam 1913.
- Sierkrma, K .: De Gemeentewapens van Nederland . Utrecht 1960.
- Pama, C .: Handbook of heraldry . Leyden 1961.
- The great book of heraldic art , Walter Leonhard , Verlag Georg DWCallwey, Munich 2001, ISBN 3-8289-0768-7 .
- Heraldry , Milan Buben , Albatros Prague, 1987.
- Lexicon of Heraldry , Gert Oswald , VEB Bibliographisches Institut Leipzig, 1984.