Last modified: 2002-02-01 by franc van diest
Keywords: gelderland | netherlands |
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Gelderland is one of the oldest and largest Dutch Provinces. The oldest arms of a count of Gelre dates from 1190 and shows three red circles on a golden shield. The circles were replaced before 1200 by three roses. Early in the 13th century the arms were changed to a golden lion on a blue field scattered with golden rectangles. These arms indicated the military rank of the counts of Gelre. In 1339 the counts became dukes and the rectangles were removed. At the same time the lion got two tails and a crown. The arms were in the 14th century combined with the arms of Gulik (a county in present day Germany). The counts of Gulik inherited the duchy of Gelre. In the 15th and 16th century there were several wars of succession in Gelderland. Finally in 1543 Charles V combined the lion of Gelderland with the lion of Zutphen (the dukes were also counts of Zutphen). This was a red lion with golden crown on a silver shield. This combination was used until 1799. In 1802 the present arms were used by the new province. In these