Heraldry of the World
The largest heraldry site on the net, with presently 
coats of arms on-line !
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Heraldry of the World The largest heraldry site on the net, with presently |
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National Coat of arms of ESTONIA
 The Grand and Small State Coat of Arms of the Republic of Estonia were confirmed by the Riigikogu by a Law adopted on June 19, 1925. According to the description in that Law, the coat of arms can be in two shapes, a large coat of arms or a small coat of arms. The large national coat of arms has three blue lions (or according to some interpretations, leopards) on a shield with a gold base. The shield is surrounded on three sides by a wreath of golden oak leaves. The smaller coat of arms lacks this. Upon the passing of the Law, proposals were made in the Riigikogu on possible interpretations of the images on the coat of arms. A consensus was reached on the suggestions offered by Leopold Raudkepp: One of the lions symbolises the courage of the fight for freedom in ancient times. The second stands for the courage in the uprisings in Harjumaa in 1343. The third represents the courage of the Estonian fight for freedom between 1918-1920. The wreath of oak leaves stands for the perseverance and strength of Estonia and the evergreen traditions of freedom. The golden-yellow shield with three blue lions was used for the first time as the corporate seal of the association of Tartu and Viru vassals in 1284. Later it became the coat of arms of Estonian chivalry, used also past its loss of status in 1920, during the first period of independence of the Republic of Estonia. The coat of arms of Estonian chivalry also served as the coat of arms of the Province (Guberniya) of Estonia from 1721-1917. The three lions (leopards) also appear on the arms of Tallinn whose origin is noted to be in connection with the battle between the Danes and Estonians in 1219 below Tallinn. Until the creation of the Republic of Estonia, the coat of arms did not exist as a national emblem. Working out of a design for the coat of arms began immediately after the end of the German occupation in 1918, and it spanned many years. This coat of arms of the Republic of Estonia was in use until the beginning of the Soviet occupation on June 21, 1940. On May 8, 1990, the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR passed a law on the emblems of Estonia. Pursuant to it, the designation "Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic" was declared invalid and the use of the Estonian SSR's coat of arms, flag, and anthem as national symbols was terminated. On August 7, 1990, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia decided to adopt the national flag and national coat of arms that were official for the Republic of Estonia until August 1940. On October 16, 1990, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia passed a Law on the use of the national flag and national coat of arms, which states that the national Arms can take two shapes - a large coat of arms and a small one. The large coat of arms shall have three blue lions rendered as leopards with silver eyes and red tongues, facing to the right yet gazing at the viewer, on a golden baroque shield. The shield shall be surrounded on three sides by a garland of two intertwined golden oak branches. The small coat of arms of the Republic of Estonia has the same figures, but is without the oak branches. The 1990 description of the Arms is much more specific than the 1925 version. |
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