Norwegian heraldry
Encyclopedia
Norwegian heraldry has roots in early medieval times, soon after the use of coats of arms
first appeared in continental Europe
. Some of the medieval coats of arms are rather simple of design, while others have more naturalistic charges. The king-granted coats of arms of later times, were usually detailed and complex. Especially in the late 1600s and the 1700s, many ennobled persons and families received coats of arms with shields containing both two and four fields, and some even with a heart shield above these.
There are very few civic arms dating from before 1900, and the main part of today's governmental and civic arms are from the last decades of the 20th century. Today the public arms are popular in Norway and they are used quite much by the official authorities.
The Norwegian Heraldry Society
is a private heraldic organisation.
The king-granted personal arms of later times, were detailed and complex. Especially in the late 1600s and the 1700s, many ennobled persons and families received coats of arms with shields containing both two and four fields, and some even with a heart shield above these.
While the arms of the old nobility were of ancient origin and inherited through generations within each family, and therefore were not a particular privilege from the king, the arms of the new (post-medieval) nobility were often granted by the king upon ennoblement. In some cases, the ennobled person's former coat of arms or his wishes could be regarded in the process of composing new arms and thereto belonging achievements.
and the Norwegian nobility
enjoyed also heraldic privileges.
Unlike in Sweden, the use of open helmets was not reserved for the nobility. Coronets and supporters were normally reserved for the nobility. Supporters were normally granted only to counts and higher ranks.
Noble coronets (Norwegian: adelskrone), whether they were physical coronets or appearing in heraldic artwork, were reserved for the nobility. There were specific coronets for counts, barons, and untitled nobles. In addition, the Golden Lions
, who were illegitimate royal descendants, had an exclusive coronet.
The use of physical coronets has been very rare, if not non-existing, in Norway.
For royal sanction of new coats of arms, the municipalities must apply to the Ministry of Local Government. This will then consult with the National Archives Office, which must recommend it to the government for the municipality to obtain the required Royal Decree.
Official and public coats of arms may only be used in official duties by offices of state, counties, and municipalities. There are several regulations for such use, i.a. that the arms must be placed at the top of the page on which they are printed.
There is no special Norwegian heraldic authority but the government uses the National Archives of Norway as expert consultant for municipal arms. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the heraldic authority for use of the national coat of arms and the symbolic royal crown.
Other institutions, like churches and some schools, also use coats of arms. The military also uses heraldry, and for this purpose, Major General Torbjørn Bergersen designed arms for all units in the Norwegian Army
. Air force insignia, arms and badges all bear similarities to the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force
as a result of close ties during the Second World War.
Norwegian heraldry uses traditionally the five main colours. Orange is not used.
s with some relations to coats of arms, as they were frequently used instead of arms and often displayed within an escutcheon or a shield. Alike coats of arms, they were often used on private seals
and signet rings. Coats of arms consist of coloured fields whilst house marks consist of simple lines only, suitable for carving on e.g. wooden utensils. They are renditions of very simple runic-like letters and other graphic symbols which signify a specific person or family. They may be passed down through generations with some changes from person to person. This custom has mostly died out. Before literacy became widespread, a bumerke would often be used instead of a signature.
Some bumerkes consist of monogrammes which are owner's name initials. Most bumerkes are not monogrammes, and a monogramme is not automatically a bumerke. However, monogrammes were often used for the same purposes as bumerkes, e.g. when signing documents or marking personal belongings.
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
first appeared in continental Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Some of the medieval coats of arms are rather simple of design, while others have more naturalistic charges. The king-granted coats of arms of later times, were usually detailed and complex. Especially in the late 1600s and the 1700s, many ennobled persons and families received coats of arms with shields containing both two and four fields, and some even with a heart shield above these.
There are very few civic arms dating from before 1900, and the main part of today's governmental and civic arms are from the last decades of the 20th century. Today the public arms are popular in Norway and they are used quite much by the official authorities.
The Norwegian Heraldry Society
Norwegian Heraldry Society
Norwegian Heraldry Society is a heraldry society based in Oslo, Norway.It was founded in 1969. The first chairman was Herman Leopoldus Løvenskiold, and other founding members include C. S. Schilbred and Jørgen Mathiesen. The Norwegian Heraldry Society organizes lectures and publishes the members'...
is a private heraldic organisation.
Private heraldry and coats of arms
History
Coats of arms, and the use of them, evolved on the battle fields in early medieval times. Intended for simple and immediate identification of the person inside the armour, the first arms were of rather basical design.The king-granted personal arms of later times, were detailed and complex. Especially in the late 1600s and the 1700s, many ennobled persons and families received coats of arms with shields containing both two and four fields, and some even with a heart shield above these.
While the arms of the old nobility were of ancient origin and inherited through generations within each family, and therefore were not a particular privilege from the king, the arms of the new (post-medieval) nobility were often granted by the king upon ennoblement. In some cases, the ennobled person's former coat of arms or his wishes could be regarded in the process of composing new arms and thereto belonging achievements.
Noble heraldic privileges
The DanishDanish nobility
Nobility in Denmark was a leading social class until the 19th or 20th century. Danish nobility exists yet and has a recognized status in Denmark, a monarchy, but its real privileges have been abolished....
and the Norwegian nobility
Norwegian nobility
Norwegian nobility are persons and families who in early times belonged to the supreme social, political, and military class and who later were members of the institutionalised nobility in the Kingdom of Norway. It has its historical roots in the group of chieftains and warriors which evolved...
enjoyed also heraldic privileges.
Unlike in Sweden, the use of open helmets was not reserved for the nobility. Coronets and supporters were normally reserved for the nobility. Supporters were normally granted only to counts and higher ranks.
Noble coronets (Norwegian: adelskrone), whether they were physical coronets or appearing in heraldic artwork, were reserved for the nobility. There were specific coronets for counts, barons, and untitled nobles. In addition, the Golden Lions
Gyldenløve
Gyldenløve is the name of two important noble families in Danish and Norwegian history. The first Gyldenløve family belonged to the Norwegian high nobility...
, who were illegitimate royal descendants, had an exclusive coronet.
The use of physical coronets has been very rare, if not non-existing, in Norway.
Usage before and now
Coats of arms were in older times relatively frequent, used by nobles as well as citizens and farmers. There are today comparatively few personal coats of arms in Norway, especially in active use, and many of them are of foreign origin. Many Norwegian family arms have been created and established by private individuals and needed no grant or confirmation by any official authorities. Not many Norwegian family arms are those of former noble families.Regulation
New private coats of arms need no official sanction and there is no legislation, official regulation or registration of such arms. The situation is different with the national and royal arms, the arms of military and civil governmental bodies, counties and municipalities; they are sanctioned by the King and they are protected by the Norwegian Penal Code.For royal sanction of new coats of arms, the municipalities must apply to the Ministry of Local Government. This will then consult with the National Archives Office, which must recommend it to the government for the municipality to obtain the required Royal Decree.
Official and public coats of arms may only be used in official duties by offices of state, counties, and municipalities. There are several regulations for such use, i.a. that the arms must be placed at the top of the page on which they are printed.
There is no special Norwegian heraldic authority but the government uses the National Archives of Norway as expert consultant for municipal arms. The Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the heraldic authority for use of the national coat of arms and the symbolic royal crown.
Civic heraldry
Today practically all Norwegian municipalities and all counties have their own coat of arms and corresponding banner of arms as their flag. They usually have just one tincture and one metal, they are very simple in design, easy for blazoning, and very strong in symbolism. Some coats of arms are allowed to break from these rules if they are a revival of an old coat of arms with connection to the area.Other institutions, like churches and some schools, also use coats of arms. The military also uses heraldry, and for this purpose, Major General Torbjørn Bergersen designed arms for all units in the Norwegian Army
Norwegian Army
Norway achieved full independence in 1905, and in the first century of its short life has contributed to two major conflicts, the Cold War and the War on Terror. The Norwegian Army currently operates in the north of Norway and in Afghanistan as well as in Eastern Europe. The Army is the oldest of...
. Air force insignia, arms and badges all bear similarities to the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
as a result of close ties during the Second World War.
Features
Norwegian heraldry belongs historically and basically to German-Nordic heraldic tradition. However, foreign impressions have found their way into modern heraldry.Norwegian heraldry uses traditionally the five main colours. Orange is not used.
House marks and monogrammes
Bumerke (plural: bumerker), rarely spelled bomerke, are house markHouse mark
A House mark is a graphical figure used as a mark of recognition, that consists of simple lines with no fixed colors. A house mark is similar in appearance to pictograms and many logos....
s with some relations to coats of arms, as they were frequently used instead of arms and often displayed within an escutcheon or a shield. Alike coats of arms, they were often used on private seals
Seal (device)
A seal can be a figure impressed in wax, clay, or some other medium, or embossed on paper, with the purpose of authenticating a document ; but the term can also mean the device for making such impressions, being essentially a mould with the mirror image of the design carved in sunken- relief or...
and signet rings. Coats of arms consist of coloured fields whilst house marks consist of simple lines only, suitable for carving on e.g. wooden utensils. They are renditions of very simple runic-like letters and other graphic symbols which signify a specific person or family. They may be passed down through generations with some changes from person to person. This custom has mostly died out. Before literacy became widespread, a bumerke would often be used instead of a signature.
Some bumerkes consist of monogrammes which are owner's name initials. Most bumerkes are not monogrammes, and a monogramme is not automatically a bumerke. However, monogrammes were often used for the same purposes as bumerkes, e.g. when signing documents or marking personal belongings.
See also
- Coat of arms of NorwayCoat of arms of NorwayThe coat of arms of Norway is a crowned, golden lion rampant holding an axe with an argent blade, on a crowned, triangular and red escutcheon. Its elements originate from personal insignias for the royal house in the High Middle Ages, thus being among the oldest in Europe...
- Flag of NorwayFlag of NorwayThe flag of Norway is red with an indigo blue Scandinavian cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog, the flag of Denmark.- History :...
- List of coats of arms of Norway
- List of flags of Norway
- Burgher armsBurgher armsBurgher arms are coats of arms of commoners in heraldry of the European continent, and, by definition, the term is alien to British heraldry....
- House markHouse markA House mark is a graphical figure used as a mark of recognition, that consists of simple lines with no fixed colors. A house mark is similar in appearance to pictograms and many logos....
- Norwegian nobilityNorwegian nobilityNorwegian nobility are persons and families who in early times belonged to the supreme social, political, and military class and who later were members of the institutionalised nobility in the Kingdom of Norway. It has its historical roots in the group of chieftains and warriors which evolved...
Literature and sources
- H.J. Huitfeldt-Kaas et al.: Norske Sigiller fra Middelalderen, Oslo 1899-1950 (Norwegian seals from the Middle Ages)
- Hallvard Trætteberg: «The Coat of Arms of Norway», The American-Scandinavian Review, June 1964
- Hans Cappelen: Norske slektsvåpen, Oslo 1969 (2nd ed. 1976) (Norwegian family coats of arms)
- Hans Cappelen and Knut Johannessen: Norske kommunevåpen, Oslo 1987 (Norwegian municipal coats of arms)
- Harald Nissen and Monica Aase: Segl i Universitetsbiblioteket i Trondheim, TrondheimTrondheimTrondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
1990 (seals in the University Library of Trondheim) - Harald Nissen: «Norwegian Heraldry», Heraldry in Canada (1-2), 1995
- "Art by Royal Resolution" from the National archive of Norway
- About bumerkes (Norwegian)
- English summary of the page above