Arms of the Presidents of Finland

Nordic heraldry (Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden)
Jonathan Webster
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Arms of the Presidents of Finland

Postby Jonathan Webster » 22 Sep 2012, 09:57

In line with similar threads regarding the arms of the Presidents of South Africa, Ireland and France; I noticed that quite a few (in fact; I think, all)Finnish presidents are armigerous, either as Knights of various foreign Orders, or by inheritence.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/25/ahtisaariuu8.png/

-The arms of President Martti Ahtisaari.

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-the arms of President Tarja Halonen. Note the unusual (and striking) division line; which is I believe a creation of Finnish Heraldists; though I'm not sure how to blazon it. :s

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Chas Charles-Dunne
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Re: Arms of the Presidents of Finland

Postby Chas Charles-Dunne » 22 Sep 2012, 16:41

Isn't it - Per pale fleurity Or and Gules?
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Marcus Karlsson
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Re: Arms of the Presidents of Finland

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 26 Sep 2012, 17:44

Yes by tradition each new President of Finland makes his/her first foreign visit to Sweden and are duly awared the Order of the Seraphim which requiers them to have Arms made for their stall plate. Which had led to those President lacking Arms have had one created for them.

The new creations are generaly good Heraldry, with perhaps the exeption of the rather unimaginative Arms of Kyösti Kallio (President 1937-40, died in office form a Heart Attack on the Helsinki Railway Station). His Arms where: Argent the letter K Azure.

The First President of Finland 1919-25 Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg didn't recive the Order of the Seraphim. Probably because the Order had already been awarded to the Regent Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim (later Marshal of Finland). It was originaly intended that the newly independent Finland should become a Kingdom, and a German Prince had already been chosen to become King of Finland. The German defeat in the World War I, changed this and Finland become a Republic. Mannerheim then stepped down as Regent. He was however to return and lead the Country as President 1944-46.

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Re: Arms of the Presidents of Finland

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 30 Sep 2012, 14:10

Lauri Kristian Relander (1883-1942), was the second President of Finland 1925-31. He recived the Order of the Seraphim 1925 on his State visit to Sweden. His stallplate Arms are:

Sable three Ears of corn Or.
Mantling Azure doublbed Argent.
Crest on a wreath Or and Sable a lance Or issuant and bearing a Banner with at the hoist a Canton Gules charged with the Finnish Lion surrounde with eight Roses Argent, the rest of the banner per fess Argent and Azure.
Motto Patriae Servio = I serve the Country.

Relander was followed as President by Pehr Evind Svinhufvud af Qvalstad (1861-1944). He served as President 1931-37 and had in 1918 served as Regent and was Primeminister 1930-31. He belonged to a old Noble Family and used the Family Arms:

Azure below a Star Or of six points, a Boar's Head Sable armed Argent and langued Gules.
mantling Azure doubbled Or.
Crest issuant from a wreath Or and Azure, three Peacock feathers Proper.

Then followed Kyösti Kallio whose Arms have been presented earlier.

Kallio was succeded by Risto Heikki Ryti (1889-56) who was President 1940-44. He had not the time to Visit Sweden as Finland at this tims was at War and didn't recived the Order of the Seraphim thus no Stall Plate and I know of no Arms for him.

Ryti was succeded as President by the Marshal of Finland Baron Mannerheim, who as President 1944-46 had the difficult task to distangle Finland from the War with the Sovietunion and expell the former Allied German troops from Northern Finland (The Lapland War). Mannerheim of an old Noble Family as a former noticed already recieved the Order of the Seraphim as Regent. His Stall Plate display the Family Arms:
Divided by a Saltire Argent in chief Or charged with two Colours Azure each bearing below a open Crown two Arrows in Saltire all Or and i base Gules two Gun Barrels in saltire between four Gun Stones all Or, the dextrer Flank Azure charged with a mount Or below a Star of five points Argent and the Sinister flank Azure charged with a Fortress Plan between two Stars of six points all Argent.
On the Shield a large Swedish Baronial Crown between two helmets each crowned by a Swedish Baronial Crown.
Crests Dexter five ostrich plumes alternating Azure and Or, the middle one charged with a lozenge Argent.
Sinister A Human Eye proper between two Wings Argent.
Mantling Dexter Azure doubbled Argent and Sinister Azure doubbled Or.
Supporters: two Savages wreathed at the loin by a Oakleave wreath Vert and bearing on thier Heads open Helmets proper with as Crest three ostrich plumes Or, and holding in thier exterior hand a wooden club proper.
Motto: Candida Pro Causa Ense Candido = With a honourable Sword for a honourable Cause.
Last edited by Marcus Karlsson on 06 Dec 2012, 19:02, edited 2 times in total.

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steven harris
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Re: Arms of the Presidents of Finland

Postby steven harris » 01 Oct 2012, 14:47

Jonathan Webster wrote:Note the unusual (and striking) division line; which is I believe a creation of Finnish Heraldists; though I'm not sure how to blazon it. :s


I very well could be mistaken, but in Suomi (the Finnish langauge), I think that the line may be called "Liljakoro".

please see: http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koro
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Re: Arms of the Presidents of Finland

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 19 Oct 2012, 15:50

Mannerheim was succeded by Juho Kusti Paasikivi (1870-1956) who was President 1946-56. Awared the Order of the Seraphim on 10 June 1947. His Stallplate displayed the Arms Azure a mill-rind Argent. Motto: Isänmaan Puolesta = For the Fatherland.

Paasikivi was succeded by Urho Kaleva Kekkonen (1900-1986),who had been Primeminister of Finland 1950-53 and 1954-56. He is the longest serving President of Finland having held the Office 1956-82. Kekkonen had on 2 October 1956 been awared the Order of the Seraphim and had on his Stallplate the following Arms Vert a Fess Or the upper part of which is formed by a fir twig line. Motto: Sitä Kuusta Kuuleminen = Hear the sigh of that Fir.
Last edited by Marcus Karlsson on 29 Aug 2013, 09:20, edited 2 times in total.

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Jeremy Kudlick
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Re: Arms of the Presidents of Finland

Postby Jeremy Kudlick » 19 Oct 2012, 16:55

steven harris wrote:
Jonathan Webster wrote:Note the unusual (and striking) division line; which is I believe a creation of Finnish Heraldists; though I'm not sure how to blazon it. :s


I very well could be mistaken, but in Suomi (the Finnish langauge), I think that the line may be called "Liljakoro".

please see: http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koro

President Halonen is specifically mentioned in the description, so I'd wager that's correct.
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JMcMillan
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Re: Arms of the Presidents of Finland

Postby JMcMillan » 20 Oct 2012, 14:47

Yes, liljakoro. Lilja=lily, koro=line. Therefore, I suppose, "per pale flory."
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Jonathan Webster
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Re: Arms of the Presidents of Finland

Postby Jonathan Webster » 16 Jan 2013, 12:05

Marcus, do you know what arms the current President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, bears (if any), either as a Knight of the Seraphim Order or otherwise?

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Re: Arms of the Presidents of Finland

Postby Marcus Karlsson » 16 Jan 2013, 18:41

Jonathan Webster wrote:Marcus, do you know what arms the current President of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, bears (if any), either as a Knight of the Seraphim Order or otherwise?


Jonathan, it appears that Arms for President Niinistö is in the progress of beeing created.


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