Or a Lion rampant gules armed and langued azure within a Double Tressure flory-counter-flory of the second.
A form of these Arms is said to have been first used by King William the Lion in the 12th century, though no trace can be made out on his seal. However, a Lion rampant can clearly be seen on the seal of his son, Alexander II (see illustration). Claims that the Arms are much older are clearly untrue as that would largely predate the existence of heraldry by several centuries. Throughout the ages the Arms saw only slight variations in detail. In some early examples the Lion holds a Sword or wears a Crown, and the royal Tressure has sometimes been interpreted as an Orle or Bordure. These will have largely resulted from 'artistic license'. The distinctive Fleurs-de-Lys in the royal Tressure are traditionally said to represent the "auld alliance" with France. This is unlikely, as the alliance did not exist until 1295, when the royal Tressure had been firmly established for many years. It was perhaps added merely to make the arms more distinctive, as the symbol of a rampant lion was already used by several lords and kings. |
Upon the creation of the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland in 1672, Charles II registered the blazon of the achievement of the King of Scots as it appears at the top of this Blog.
Atop the Shield sits the Helm and Crest. The Helm is full-faced of damasked gold with six bars and features gold Mantling lined with ermine. Upon the Helm sits the crest, depicting the red Lion, forward facing and sitting atop the Crown of Scotland, displaying the Honours of Scotland.
Crest: Upon the Royal Helm the Crown of Scotland proper, thereon a Lion sejant affronté gules armed and langued azure, royally crowned proper holding in his dexter Paw a Sword and in his sinister a Cceptre, both proper
Typically of Scottish Heraldry, the original Motto, wich is maintained to this day, appears above the Helm. This is "In Defens", a contraction of "In My Defens God Me Defend" ("defens" being the Scots language spelling of "defence"). The motto is also associated with an old Scots prayer, of which there are several versions where In my defens God me defend appears as the opening line.
The Shield is surrounded by the Collar of the The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, the Scottish Order of Chivalry. The Royal Arms of Scotland were augmented again during the reign of King Charles II with the inclusion of the Latin Motto of the Order, Nemo me impune lacessit, which appears on a blue scroll underneath the Shield and overlying the compartment, which is a grassy Mound for the Supporters to stand on and which is strewn with Scottish Thistles. (This was largely to balance up with the use of the Motto of the English Order of the Garter.)
The Motto Nemo me impune lacessit (No one provokes me with impunity) comes at least from the reign of James VI when it appeared on the reverse side of merk coins minted in 1578 and 1580. It is the adopted motto of the Order of the Thistle (and of a number of Scottish regiments in the British Army) and appears to be associated with Thistles as French city of Nancy has a similar motto, Non inultus premor ("I cannot be touched unavenged"), also a reference to the Thistle, which is the symbol of that region of Lorraine.
The Scottish Thistle was also covered in a previous Blog.
Supporters: Unicorns argent royally crowned proper, armed, crined and unguled or, gorged with a Coronet of the second composed of Crosses patée and Fleurs-de-Lys a Chain affixed thereto passing between the Forelegs and reflexed over the Back also of the second. Dexter holding the Standard of Saint Andrew, sinister holding the Banner of the Royal Arms
The Chains are said to represent Christ's love. But the Unicorn was believed to be the strongest of all animals – wild and untamed - humbled only by a virgin maiden. It is possible that the Chains symbolise the power of the Scottish kings – they were strong enough to tame even a unicorn!
As we saw with Blog on James I and VI, there has always been a Scottish version of the Coat of Arms of Great Britain and subsequently the United Kingdom, where the Scottish Quarter appears in first and fourth place, England is in second place and Ireland remains in third. Please note that both Scottish Mottoes are used and whilst the dexter Supporter remains a Unicorn, the Flag on the dexter side is changed to the Saltire of St. Andrew and the sinister Supporter becomes an English Lion with the Flag of St George. (Please note that in heraldry dexter and sinister are the opposite way round to what people might expect. In heraldry this is because Arms are described from the viewpoint of the carrier of the Shield rather than that of the outside observer.) |