Finnish heraldry
Encyclopedia
Finnish heraldry has common past with Swedish heraldry
until 1809 and it belongs to German heraldic tradition.
originated in the early Vasa era
. Arms of the Grand Duchy of Finland
were created in 1581.
Between 1950 and 1970, heraldry
in Finland
enjoyed an unprecedented increase in popularity. Within a brief period, coats of arms were assigned to all Finnish municipalities. Arms were designed to high standards. Notable heraldists (heraldic designers) included Gustaf von Numers
, Ahti Hammar, and Olof Eriksson; the Danish heraldist Sven Tito Achen esteemed them the best in the world at the time.
(1297).
The coats of arms of the Finnish nobility are recorded by the Finnish House of Nobility. The last ennoblement was 1912. Coronet
s of rank are the same as in Swedish heraldry
.
After the renaissance of municipal heraldry, burgher arms
also became popular. Burgher arms were used in Finland in the 17th and 18th centuries by wealthy merchants, priests, officers and magistrates, but in many cases by one generation only and they became rare after a royal statute against “use of ‘noble shield and open helmet’ by burghers, 1762”. In fact, non-noble family heraldry now began from almost nothing. The Heraldic Society of Finland began to keep an unofficial register of burgher arms, which was published in 2006 as an armorial, containing 1356 arms. The Swedish edict against “use of ‘noble shield and open helmet’ by burghers" is still respected and The Heraldic Society of Finland does take in its register burgher arms only with tilting helmet.
Each President of Finland
needs a coat of arms as a member of Order of the Seraphim
in Sweden and for Order of the Elephant
in Denmark.
Finnish heraldry is generally quite high quality, which can be seen from the "Ten Commandments for a Designer of Finnish Heraldry", drawn up by Jukka Suvisaari and amended by a committee set up by the Heraldic Society of Finland in April 1990. The committee consisted of Kimmo Kara, Juhani Vepsäläinen and Jukka Suvisaari.
Finnish heraldry has introduced some new lines of partition, such as "Fir twig partition" (havukoro) and "Fir tree top partition" (kuusikoro). For example the arms of Outokumpu
, designed by Olof Eriksson in 1953, has a fir-twigged chief
. Finnish heraldry has also had some influence on South African heraldry
.
Swedish heraldry
Swedish heraldry refers to the cultural tradition and style of heraldic achievements in modern and historic Sweden, including royal and civic arms, noble and burgher arms, ecclesiastical heraldry, heraldic displays and Swedish heraldic descriptions...
until 1809 and it belongs to German heraldic tradition.
Official Heraldry
Arms of the historical provinces of FinlandHistorical provinces of Finland
The historical provinces of Finland are a legacy of the country's joint history with Sweden. The provinces ceased to be administrative entities in 1634 when they were superseded by the counties, a reform which remained in force in Finland until 1997. The provinces remain as a tradition, but have...
originated in the early Vasa era
Early Vasa era
The Early Vasa era is a period that in Swedish history lasted between 1523–1611. It began with the reconquest of Stockholm by Gustav Vasa and his men from the Danes in 1523, and Sweden's consequent abandonment of the Kalmar Union, and continued with the reign of Gustav's sons Eric XIV, John...
. Arms of the Grand Duchy of Finland
Coat of arms of Finland
The coat of arms of Finland is a crowned lion on a red field, the right forepaw replaced with an armoured hand brandishing a sword, trampling on a saber with the hindpaws...
were created in 1581.
Between 1950 and 1970, heraldry
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
enjoyed an unprecedented increase in popularity. Within a brief period, coats of arms were assigned to all Finnish municipalities. Arms were designed to high standards. Notable heraldists (heraldic designers) included Gustaf von Numers
Gustaf von Numers
Gustaf von Numers was a Swedish-speaking Finnish civil servant and leading heraldic artist.-Life:Von Numers studied heraldry in the 1930s under Arvid Berghman and was considered one of the leading Finnish experts in the area. He was a tireless writer on all heraldic matters...
, Ahti Hammar, and Olof Eriksson; the Danish heraldist Sven Tito Achen esteemed them the best in the world at the time.
Private Heraldry
The oldest known coat of arms in Finland is in the seal of Bertold, vouti (sheriff) of Häme CastleHäme castle
Häme Castle is a medieval castle in Hämeenlinna, Finland. The castle is located on the coast of lake Vanajavesi in the city center. The castle was originally located on an island....
(1297).
The coats of arms of the Finnish nobility are recorded by the Finnish House of Nobility. The last ennoblement was 1912. Coronet
Coronet
A coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. Unlike a crown, a coronet never has arches.The word stems from the Old French coronete, a diminutive of coronne , itself from the Latin corona .Traditionally, such headgear is – as indicated by the German equivalent...
s of rank are the same as in Swedish heraldry
Swedish heraldry
Swedish heraldry refers to the cultural tradition and style of heraldic achievements in modern and historic Sweden, including royal and civic arms, noble and burgher arms, ecclesiastical heraldry, heraldic displays and Swedish heraldic descriptions...
.
After the renaissance of municipal heraldry, burgher arms
Burgher arms
Burgher arms are coats of arms of commoners in heraldry of the European continent, and, by definition, the term is alien to British heraldry....
also became popular. Burgher arms were used in Finland in the 17th and 18th centuries by wealthy merchants, priests, officers and magistrates, but in many cases by one generation only and they became rare after a royal statute against “use of ‘noble shield and open helmet’ by burghers, 1762”. In fact, non-noble family heraldry now began from almost nothing. The Heraldic Society of Finland began to keep an unofficial register of burgher arms, which was published in 2006 as an armorial, containing 1356 arms. The Swedish edict against “use of ‘noble shield and open helmet’ by burghers" is still respected and The Heraldic Society of Finland does take in its register burgher arms only with tilting helmet.
Each President of Finland
President of Finland
The President of the Republic of Finland is the nation's head of state. Under the Finnish constitution, executive power is vested in the President and the government, with the President possessing extensive powers. The President is elected directly by the people of Finland for a term of six years....
needs a coat of arms as a member of Order of the Seraphim
Order of the Seraphim
The Royal Order of the Seraphim is a Swedish Royal order of chivalry created by King Frederick I of Sweden on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Polar Star...
in Sweden and for Order of the Elephant
Order of the Elephant
The Order of the Elephant is the highest order of Denmark. It has origins in the 15th century, but has officially existed since 1693, and since the establishment of constitutional monarchy in 1849, is now almost exclusively bestowed on royalty and heads of state.- History :A Danish religious...
in Denmark.
Characteristics
- Only heraldic tincturesTincture (heraldry)In heraldry, tinctures are the colours used to emblazon a coat of arms. These can be divided into several categories including light tinctures called metals, dark tinctures called colours, nonstandard colours called stains, furs, and "proper". A charge tinctured proper is coloured as it would be...
are used. These are the metals, gold (Or) and silver (ArgentArgentIn heraldry, argent is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures, called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it...
); and the colors, red (GulesGulesIn heraldry, gules is the tincture with the colour red, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of vertical lines or else marked with gu. as an abbreviation....
), blue (AzureAzureIn heraldry, azure is the tincture with the colour blue, and belongs to the class of tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of horizontal lines or else marked with either az. or b. as an abbreviation....
), black (SableSable (heraldry)In heraldry, sable is the tincture black, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures, called "colours". In engravings and line drawings, it is sometimes depicted as a region of crossed horizontal and vertical lines or else marked with sa. as an abbreviation.The name derives from the black fur of...
) and green (VertVertThe colour green is commonly found in modern flags and coat of arms, and to a lesser extent also in the classical heraldry of the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern period....
). In heraldic drawings yellow can be used in place of gold and white in place of silver. In flags and pennantPennonA pennon was one of the principal three varieties of flags carried during the Middle Ages . Pennoncells and streamers or pendants are considered as minor varieties of this style of flag. The pennon is a flag resembling the guidon in shape, but only half the size...
s this is almost always done nowadays. Heraldic colours are bright and clean; tones of the colours are picked from center of the scale. - The use of only two tinctures, of which one is a metal, is preferred. The use of a third tincture requires good reasons, but a fourth is definitely bad heraldry.
- According to the tincture rule, one must not place colour on or next to colour or metal on or next to metal, unless the line of contact is very short.
- Letters, numbers or texts do not belong on a heraldic emblem.
- Figures (chargesCharge (heraldry)In heraldry, a charge is any emblem or device occupying the field of an escutcheon . This may be a geometric design or a symbolic representation of a person, animal, plant, object or other device...
) must be as big as possible and fill the space intended for them as completely as possible. - In figures natural presentation is not important, but characteristic is. (i.e. the ferocity of the lionLion (heraldry)The lion is a common charge in heraldry. It traditionally symbolises bravery, valour, strength, and royalty, since traditionally, it is regarded as the king of beasts.-Attitudes:...
, majesty of the eagleEagle (heraldry)The eagle is used in heraldry as a charge, as a supporter, and as a crest. Parts of the eagle's body such as its head, wings or leg are also used as a charge or crest....
, gracefulness of the deer) - In principle the charges should be two dimensional. At a minimum they must be recognisable even when presented as coloured flat surfaces, without shading or extra borderlines.
- A heraldic emblem must be easy to remember. It should not be crowded with too many symbols, only the essential. The ideal is only one charge.
- It is forbidden to be repetitive in heraldry: one idea should not be symbolized with two or more charges. On the other hand, if one charge suffices to symbolize two or more ideas, it only strengthens the symbolism of the charge, and therefore the whole emblem.
- The charges and the whole emblem must be such that they can be redrawn according to a written description (blazonBlazonIn 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...
) of the coat of armsCoat of armsA 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...
or flagFlagA flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...
without a model. This means that the charge must be a general presentation of its kind. For example, a castle cannot be a specific castle, but only a stylized heraldic castle (although it can be explained as referring to, say, Korela FortressKorela FortressKorela Fortress , at the town of Priozersk, was founded by the Karelians who named the place Käkisalmi.- Origin :...
). In other words, the description of the charge should not require the use of a proper nounProper name"A proper name [is] a word that answers the purpose of showing what thing it is that we are talking about" writes John Stuart Mill in A System of Logic , "but not of telling anything about it"...
.
Finnish heraldry has introduced some new lines of partition, such as "Fir twig partition" (havukoro) and "Fir tree top partition" (kuusikoro). For example the arms of Outokumpu
Outokumpu, Finland
Outokumpu is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the North Karelia region. The municipality has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is ....
, designed by Olof Eriksson in 1953, has a fir-twigged chief
Chief (heraldry)
In heraldic blazon, a chief is a charge on a coat of arms that takes the form of a band running horizontally across the top edge of the shield. Writers disagree in how much of the shield's surface is to be covered by the chief, ranging from one-fourth to one-third. The former is more likely if the...
. Finnish heraldry has also had some influence on South African heraldry
South African heraldry
South African heraldry reaches back for more than 350 years, inheriting European heraldic traditions. Arms are borne by individuals, official bodies, local authorities, military units, and by a wide variety of organisations...
.
Some Basic Vocabulary
| Tincture | Heraldic name | Finnish name |
|---|---|---|
| Metals | ||
| Gold/Yellow | Or Or (heraldry) In heraldry, Or is the tincture of gold and, together with argent , belongs to the class of light tinctures called "metals". In engravings and line drawings, it may be represented using a field of evenly spaced dots... |
kulta/keltainen |
| Silver/White | Argent Argent In heraldry, argent is the tincture of silver, and belongs to the class of light tinctures, called "metals". It is very frequently depicted as white and usually considered interchangeable with it... |
hopea/valkoinen |
| Colours | ||
| Blue | Azure Azure In heraldry, azure is the tincture with the colour blue, and belongs to the class of tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of horizontal lines or else marked with either az. or b. as an abbreviation.... |
sininen |
| Red | Gules Gules In heraldry, gules is the tincture with the colour red, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of vertical lines or else marked with gu. as an abbreviation.... |
punainen |
| Black | Sable Sable (heraldry) In heraldry, sable is the tincture black, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures, called "colours". In engravings and line drawings, it is sometimes depicted as a region of crossed horizontal and vertical lines or else marked with sa. as an abbreviation.The name derives from the black fur of... |
musta |
| Green | Vert Vert The colour green is commonly found in modern flags and coat of arms, and to a lesser extent also in the classical heraldry of the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern period.... |
vihreä |
- heraldry = heraldiikka
- coat of arms = vaakuna
- coat of arms of a noble family = aatelisvaakuna
- burgher arms = porvarisvaakuna
| Example |  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English name | Parted per fess | Parted per pale | Parted per bend sinister | Parted quarterly | Parted quarterly with a heart |
| Finnish name | katkoinen | halkoinen | vastalohkoinen | nelijakoinen | nelijakoinen ja sydänkilpi |
External links
- Municipal coats of arms of Finland
- Heraldic Society of Finland
- Coats of arms in registered by Heraldic Society of Finland (click "PORVARISVAAKUNAT" on left)
- Finnish nobility arms