SEVILLA
Origin/meaning:
Sevilla was in the Arab times the capital of the Abbasides. It was conquered by Ferdinand III of Castille-Leon in 1248. The arms show Ferdinand. The letters "NO DO" stand besides what looks like an 8, but is a 'madeja'. Madeja is the Spanish word for a skein of yarn; what looks like an 8 on its side is a picture of a skein. The motto is a pun: NOMADEJADO sounds like No me ha dejado, which means "She has not abandoned me." The motto was given by Alfonso X, because, during a rebellion, Sevilla was the only important city that remained loyal the king.
Louda shows a more elaborate coat; with Ferdinand sitting between the brothers St. Isidore and St. Leander, who were both bishop of Seville and converted the Visigoths to Christianity in the 7th century. The bordure is the bordure of Castille and Leon. The bordure, however, is officially nio part of the arms and is not used. The origin of this picture thus is not clear.
On a Spanish stamp the arms are again shown in a different form. Ferdinand and the bishops are shown in different colours, but otherwise the arms are identical to the arms above.
The arms according to Louda (left) and the stamp.
Finally the city itself uses on its website a very 'artistic' and non heraldic image of the arms :
Literature : de Cadenas, A. A. and de Cadenas, V. : Heraldica de las comunidades autonomas y de las capitales de provincia. Hidalguia, Madrid, 1985; Louda, 1966; www.sevilla.org/
coats of arms on-line ! 
