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Belgische Gemeentewapens - Armories communales de Belgique Belgian Civic Heraldry

MECHELEN

Province : Antwerpen
Additions : 1976 Heffen, Hombeek, Leest, Walem

Origin/meaning :
The arms were granted on October 7, 1986 and replaced older arms granted on December 18, 1841.

The arms of 1841 showed the same shield, but with a crown and a crest. The crest showed a golden dragon. The arms also used the motto 'In fide constans' The present arms show two griffins as supporters and the translation of the motto in Dutch, 'In trouwen vast'.
The arms are the arms of the Estate and County of Mechelen. The arms with the red pales are those of the Berthout family, Lords of Mechelen in the 12th and 13^th century. In 1490 Emperor Frederic III granted the city the use of an escutcheon with the imperial eagle. On the seal of the city, dating from the same year, the new arms are shown, with two griffins as supporters. These are the supporters of the Habsburg family, who were Emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. The motto was also added in the late 15^th century.
The dragon crest is probably derived from the arms of the Kingdom of Aragon, which also showed red pales in gold (see for the crest the province of Valencia, in Spain), but which had nothing to do with the city.

In the 16th and 17^th century the eagle in the escutcheon was often shown with two heads, but these were never officially used.

Literature : Anonymous : Van evers en heiligen - wapens en vlaggen van de gemeenten in de provincie Antwerpen. Antwerpen, 1998.

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