Coat of arms of Victoria
Encyclopedia
The Coat of Arms of Victoria is the official symbol of the Australia
n state of Victoria
. Victoria was the second state of Australia to gain arms, granted on 6 June 1910 by King George V
. The state had been named in 1851 after his grandmother, who was Queen at the time. Following the adoption of the pink heath
(Epacris impressa Labill) as Victoria's floral emblem, Queen Elizabeth II
signed a Royal Warrant on 28 March 1974 adding a Compartment from which the heath could grow. Although the rest of the arms remained the same in the blazon
, certain elements were reinterpreted.
The 1910 blazon of the Coat of Arms of Victoria is:
Arms: Azure, five Stars Argent representing the Constellation of the Southern Cross. Crest: On a Wreath of the Colours, Argent and Azure, a demi-Kangaroo
proper holding in the paws an Imperial Crown
Or. Supporters: Dexter, a Female Figure (representing Peace
) proper vested Argent cloaked Azure wreathed round the temples with a Chaplet and holding in the exterior hand a branch of Olive also proper; and Sinister, a like figure (representing Prosperity) vested Argent cloaked Gules wreathed round the temples with a Chaplet of Corn and supporting with the exterior hand a Cornucopia
proper. Motto: Peace and Prosperity.
(The current interpretation of the arms uses St Edward's Crown. It is unclear whether this is in spite of the interpretation or if the interpretation was modified.)
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n state of Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
. Victoria was the second state of Australia to gain arms, granted on 6 June 1910 by King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
. The state had been named in 1851 after his grandmother, who was Queen at the time. Following the adoption of the pink heath
Pink heath
Epacris impressa, also known as Common Heath, is a shrub that is native to the south-east of Australia. The pink-flowered form, often referred to as Pink Heath, is the floral emblem of the state of Victoria.-Description:...
(Epacris impressa Labill) as Victoria's floral emblem, Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
signed a Royal Warrant on 28 March 1974 adding a Compartment from which the heath could grow. Although the rest of the arms remained the same in the blazon
Blazon
In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image...
, certain elements were reinterpreted.
The 1910 blazon of the Coat of Arms of Victoria is:
Arms: Azure, five Stars Argent representing the Constellation of the Southern Cross. Crest: On a Wreath of the Colours, Argent and Azure, a demi-Kangaroo
Kangaroo
A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
proper holding in the paws an Imperial Crown
Imperial State Crown
The Imperial State Crown is one of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom.- Design :The Crown is of a design similar to St Edward's Crown: it includes a base of four crosses pattée alternating with four fleurs-de-lis, above which are four half-arches surmounted by a cross. Inside is a velvet cap...
Or. Supporters: Dexter, a Female Figure (representing Peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
) proper vested Argent cloaked Azure wreathed round the temples with a Chaplet and holding in the exterior hand a branch of Olive also proper; and Sinister, a like figure (representing Prosperity) vested Argent cloaked Gules wreathed round the temples with a Chaplet of Corn and supporting with the exterior hand a Cornucopia
Cornucopia
The cornucopia or horn of plenty is a symbol of abundance and nourishment, commonly a large horn-shaped container overflowing with produce, flowers, nuts, other edibles, or wealth in some form...
proper. Motto: Peace and Prosperity.
(The current interpretation of the arms uses St Edward's Crown. It is unclear whether this is in spite of the interpretation or if the interpretation was modified.)