Territorial Heraldry of Sweden

[Marcus Karlsson]

As for the Arms of Län, the following uses the same aRms as the corresponding Landskap:

Blekinge län (approved in 1944), Gotlands län (approved in 1936), Hallands län (approved in 1941), Dalarnas län (formely known as Kopparbergs län, which also used the Arms of Dalarna approved in 1936), Södermanlands län (approved 1940), Uppsala län (uses the Uppland Arms approved in 1939), Värmlands län (approved in 1936), Västmanlands län (approved in 1943) and Östergötlands län (approved in 1972, the delayment was caused by discussions about returning to Arms with a regular Dragon). The former Skaraborgs län used the Västergötland Arms, approved in 1942.

The Following Län had and has differented Arms:
Gävleborgs län: quartered Gästrikland and Hälsingland. Approved 1938.

The former Göteborg och Bohus län: quarterly Göteborg and Bohuslän. Approved 1962.

Jämtlands län: per fess the upper part shows the Arms of Jämtland and the lower one the Arms of Härjedalen. Approved 1935.

Jönköpings län: Gules a Castle trippletowered Argent masoned Guled with portcullis raisen and issuant from a base wavy Azure, and on a chief Azure three open crowns Or in fess. Approved 1942, and shows a combination of the City Arms of Jönköping with the three Crowns from the lesser Swedish State Arms.

Kalmar län: quarterly Småland and Öland.

Kristianstads län see previously in this thread. The Arms was approved in 1939.

Kronobergs län: As Småland but the Lion stands on a tripple Mount Vert. Approved 1944. The Mount perhaps alludes to the name as Berg is Swedish for Mount.

Malmöhus län, see previously in the thread. The Arms was approved in 1939.

Norrbottens län: quarterly Västerbotten and Lappland. Approved in 1949.

Stockholms län, see previously in the thread.

Västerbottens län: per fess the upper part showing the Västerbotten Arms and the lower part is divided per pale Lappland and Ångermanland. Approved in 1949.

Västernorrlands län: per pale Ångermanland and Medelpad. Approved in 1941.

The former Älvsborgs län had: quarterly Västergötland and Dalsland. Approved in 1942.

Örebro län: under a chief showing the Arms of Närke a field per pale Värmland and Västmanland. Approved in 1944.

[Marcus Karlsson]

Below the Landskap and Län there existed different forms of territorial divisions. Of these only one form exists today the Kommun (Municpality, för historical reasons some of these can used the designation Stad (City)).

The oldest armorial carrying unit of these where the Stad (City), one can say that it wa one of the privilegies of a Stad to use armorial bearings. And it wasn't until the begining of the 20th Century other Municpalities where allowed to use armorial bearings. The oldest Arms are those of the City of Kalmar dating from 1250 (Argent between two sixpointed stars Gules, a Tower Gules port and window Or, issuant from a base wavy Azure).

[Chris Green]

Here is the CoA of the town where I live - Karlstad:



The blazon in Swedish is: I fält av silver den högra hälften av en blå örn med röd beväring mellan två höga, med spetsiga huvar försedda röda torn. Translated into English: Argent the dexter half of an eagle displayed azure, beaked, clawed and tongued rouge, between two tall towers with pointed roofs rouge.

The blue eagle comes from the CoA of Värmland county. As to the two towers I have no idea. As far as I know there were never any such towers in Karlstad, which never had a castle or city walls.

Karlstad's claims to fame are three: in 1809 it was the seat of the coup d'etat that overthrew Gustaf IV Adolf; in 1905 the negotiations which led to the dissolution of the union between Sweden and Norway took place there; Sweden's best ice-hockey team, Färjestad, is based there.

[Marcus Karlsson]

My guess is that the two Towers are used as a general symbol for the status as a City.

[Chris Green]

My guess is that the two Towers are used as a general symbol for the status as a City.

Yeees. I would be more convinced if other Swedish städer had the same device.

[Marcus Karlsson]

A peculiar feature of the Territorial Heraldry of Sweden is the rather many Arms that features Saints or the Symbols. Peculiar as these symbols survived the Reformation and the offical abolishion of addoration of Saints.

So does the Capital of Sweden Stockholm in its Arms show the Head of St Erik (Patron of Sweden) Or on a field Azure.

The Ancient city of Torshälla (a City since 1317) had Arms approved as late as 1947 showing St Olof in a boat on a base wavy. This Arms was made obsolete whe Torshälla was merged into Eskilstuna in 1971.

The Lamb of God was used by the City of Visby and subsequently by its sucessor the Gotland municipality. These arms are nearly the same as those given for Gotland, but the field are Gules instead of Azure. The Lamb of God can also bee seen in the arms of the municipalities of Håbo (from 1978, Gules a Lamb of God Or carrying a Gonfalon Or with a Latin Cross Gules) and Järfälla (from 1955, Vert a Lamb og God reguardant Argent and hoved Or and carrying a Patriarcal Cross Or).

The former Borough (Sw. Köping, one step below a City) of Götene (now a municpality/Kommun) Was in 1953 granted Arms Gules between two Swords erect Argent below a Cross Argent a fountain. This symbolises the legend of the Local Saint St Elin (Helena) of Skövde who was killed by sword at Götene. At the place of her murder a spring was later seen hence the fountain. This was according to local tradition marked by a Cross.

The City of Kungbacka (now a municpality/Kommun) had in its oldes known seal from the 1580ies a unidenfied female Saint. Probably St Gertrud, to which the local Church was dedicated. However the Saint remained unidentified when the City had Arms officaly approved in 1948. The Swedish blason "I blått fält en kvinnlig helgonfigur av silver, hållande i högr hand en stav och i vänster en kalk, båda guld" = "Azure the figure of a female Saint Argent holding in dexter hand a staff and in sinister a chalice both Or".

The Rural municipality (Sw. Landskommun) of Leksand had in 1950 had the following Arms approved Or a Key erect Sable. This is the Key of St Peter, as the Church of Leksand was dedicated to SS Peter and Paul. The present municipality of Leksand uses these arms.

St Paul didn't find his way unto the Shield of Leksand but in the Arms of the Cathedral City of Strängnäs he and St. Peter are to be seen in full figure. The Arms might be blasoned as Or SS Peter and Paul habited Gules and nimbed Argent, St. Peter on the dexter side holding in his dexter hand a Key Azure on the other side St. Paul holding in his sinister hand a sword Azure. The Strängnäs Cathedral was dedicated to SS Peter and Paul.

The City of Södertälje has had armorial connection with first St Olov (who featured in a Seal from 1386), then the Virgin Mary who appeared in a seal carying the infant Jesus but from 1628 a new Saint appears in the seal of the City namely St Ranghild. According to legend she was a half mytical Saint Queen burried at Södertälje. And in 1935 Arms was approved showing St Ranghild - Azure the figure of Sancta Ranghild dressed Argent bearing a greek cross Gules on the chest, crowned and nimbed Or and holding in her dexter hand a palmers staff Or.

[Chris Green]

The former Borough (Sw. Köping, one step below a City) of Götene ...

A small aside for our English members mostly. Köping (pronounced approximately Sherping) comes from the same linguistic root as the English Chipping as in Chipping Camden and Chipping Sodbury. Chipping means a market town; Köping means a market town.

[Torsten Laneryd]

First there was a tradition that the two towers represented blast furnaces and had with iron production to do. Then they said the church and town hall tower, but they did not exist in 1584, when the seal was determined. The herald Clara Nevéus agrees with Marcus that the intention is the traditional way to imply a fortified city.

[Marcus Karlsson]

My guess is that the two Towers are used as a general symbol for the status as a City.

Yeees. I would be more convinced if other Swedish städer had the same device.

Well Clara Nevéus the former State Herald in her Book "Ny Svensk vapenbok" at least seems to be of the same opinion as me. she writes that "Säkerligen är avsikten endast att på traditionellt vis antyda en befäst stad" - "Surely the intention is mearly to in a traitional way to suggest a fortified City". As Torsten Laneryd already as pointed to.

And surely there are quite a few Swedish cities with Towers or other fortifications in their Arms like Lund, Nyköping, Varberg and Kungälv. But of cause they could in many cases back the Arms up with real existing fortifications, not present at Karlstad. But this doesn't have to mean anything as the tradition was that many Cities in Europe did include fortifications in their Arms regardless of the acctual existance of such things. A fact particular strong in Germany, and German Heraldry had great inpact on the developing Swedish Heraldry.

[Chris Green]

...real existing fortifications, not present at Karlstad ...

Not only not present when the arms were designed (1949) but as far as I can ascertain never in the town's history. Although Karlstad was for many years the home of an infantry regiment, Värmland's defences were many miles away near the border with Norway. The border Kommun of Eda depicts its fortress in its CoA:



As you can see, the CoA gives a good idea of the actual shape of the fortress:

http://www.edaskans.com/frameset.htm