Lietuvos Heraldika Lithuanian Civic Heraldry

KEDAINIAI

Origin/meaning:
Kedainiai was ruled in 1590 by the Kiška family who applied for city rights from Grand Duke Sigismund Vasa, who granted the city rights on April 15. At the same time arms were granted to the city. These oldest arms showed a silver horseshoe with the three golden crosses in a blue filed. In addition two salmon were shown palewise in the horseshoe.
The same arms were granted at the same time to Liubcia, another town belonging to the Kiška family. The horsehoe is taken from the Kiška arms, the two salmon from the Montigirdas family.

In the early 17^th century the city became a possession of Duke Christophorus Radvila by marriage. He changed the arms of the city on August 24, 1627. These arms were identical to the present arms and were formally granted by Grand Duke Vladislaus Vasa on April 28, 1628. The wing was taken from the arms of the Radvila family. The salmon disappeared from the arms. The claw symbolised the acquisition of the city by the new ruler.

In the 19^th century the arms were shown wrongly, with the claw of the eagle disappearing from the arms. The arms thus showed the horsehoe with the crosses in one field and a wing, without claw, in the other field. These arms were used in the early 20^th century as well as from 1968-1970.

The present arms were restored and granted on August 30, 1991.