The Gelre Armorial is an armorial composed between 1370 and 1414 in the Duchy of Guelders. The book displays some 1,700 coats-of-arms from all over Europe, in colour. Most historians claim that the book was written by the herald Claes Heinenszoon. It is now located at the Royal Library of Belgium

Royal Library of Belgium

The Royal Library of Belgium is one of the most important cultural institutions in Belgium. The library has a history that goes back to the age of the Dukes of Burgundy...

. The book is especially important as a historical source. For instance, it gives the first known colour rendering of the Dannebrog

Dannebrog

Dannebrog may refer to;* The national Flag of Denmark* Order of the Dannebrog : A Royal Danish decoration....

, the flag of Denmark

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

, whose precise origin is shrouded in myth.

External links

• Gelre Armorial in Gallica