Danish heraldry

Danish heraldry has its roots in medieval times when coats of arms first appeared in Europe.

vesselhorn) are very common as crests in Scandinavian and German heraldry although virtually unknown in other heraldic traditions.

As these horns were often drawn with an open ring at the tip, they have sometimes been altered into elephant trunks or trumpets.

The National Coat of Arms of Denmark consists of three crowned blue lions accompanied by nine red hearts, all in a golden shield.

The oldest known depiction of the insignia dates from a seal used by King Canute VI c. 1194.

The oldest documentation of the tinctures of the coat of arms are from a depiction in the Armorial Gelre from 1370 to 1386.

From the 13th century to the 1420s the national coat of arms used a horned helmet covered with ermine fur with fans of peafowl feathers.

Municipal coats of arms require approval by the National Heraldic Consultant and can be registered at the Danish Patent and Trademark Office.

If a municipality chooses to use a logo instead, the approval of the National Heraldic Consultant is not required.

They are mostly simple compositions of straight lines suitable for being scratched in wood or other materials.

Previously the king tried to introduce the French system of rank helmets but these rules were largely ignored even in royal patents.

Canting coats of arms have been popular in Danish heraldry for a long time; examples include a man with a tree for Holzmann (lit.

At many times these newly created arms were equipped with several helmets and crests giving the false impression that the armiger had many notable ancestors.

Today modern Danish heraldry has abandoned the overly complex arms of previous periods and has returned to a more simple style closer to the medieval.

A specific trait of German-Nordic heraldry is that the crest usually repeats the design of the shield.

There is a system of coronets denoting noble rank; supporters also are reserved for high nobility.