TRINIDAD
AND TOBAGO
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Trinidad Columbus
landed on and named Trinidad in 1498, and Spaniards settled the island a
century later. Spanish colonizers largely wiped out the original inhabitants
- Arawak and Carib Indians - and the survivors were gradually assimilated.
Although it attracted French, free black, and other non-Spanish settlers,
Trinidad remained under Spanish rule until the British captured it in 1797.
During the colonial period, Trinidad's economy relied on large sugar and
cocoa plantations. Tobago Tobago
was inhabited by Carib Indians. Columbus called the island Bella Forma when
he sighted it. The island remained isolated from and unknown to Europeans for
many decades until 1632 when Dutch merchants established a colony here. Tobago's
development was similar to other plantation islands in the Lesser Antilles
and quite different from Trinidad. During the colonial period, French, Dutch,
and British forces fought over possession of Tobago, and the island changed
hands 22 times - more often than any other West Indies island. Britain took
final possession of Tobago in 1803. Trinidad
and Tobago The two
islands of Trinidad and Tobago were incorporated into a single colony in
1888. Trinidad and Tobago achieved full independence on 31st of August 1962
and joined the British Commonwealth. Trinidad and Tobago became a republic on
the 1st of August 1976. Trinidad
and Tobago is a unitary state, with a parliamentary democracy modeled after
that of Great Britain. Although completely independent, Trinidad and Tobago
acknowledged the British monarch as the figurehead chief of state from 1962
until 1976. In 1976 the country adopted a republican Constitution, replacing
Queen Elizabeth with a president elected by Parliament. The general direction
and control of the government rests with the cabinet, led by a prime minister
and answerable to the bicameral Parliament. |
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In 1651 Jacob (James) Kettler (1610-1682), Duke of Courland
(Latvia), obtained a grant of the island from King Charles I and established
a settlement in the north of Tobago. During this time the islands main export
goods were sugar, tobacco, cotton and tropical birds. During the
Swedish-Polish war (1655-1660) Duke Jacob was captured and the colony was
lost to the Dutch. The Peace of Oliva (near Danzig), ended this war and Tobago
was regained for just a short period at the end of Jacob’s rule. On
Jacob’s death in 1682, his son, Friedrich Casimir, the next Duke was not
interested in the island’s now dwindling export potential. He subsequently
sold Tobago to British colonists. Jacob Kettler bore as a
Duke of Courland and Semgallen::
A.: ¼: 1&4: Argent, a lion Gules; 2&3:
Azure, a deer issuant from the outside Or. And on an escutcheon Or, a
kettlehook sable surrounding the crowned cypher SA (= Sigismund August, King
of Poland 1548-’72) parted per pale with the wolfs’ jaw of Bathori (arms of
Stefan Bathori, King of Poland 1575-’86) C.: 1. Kettler; 2. A deer issuant Or (Semgallen); 3.
A lion issuant Gules, crowned Or. (Livonia) (From:
Siebmacher I. 7.) |
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In 1662 Cornelius Lampsins (1600 - 1669) procured Letters Patent from Louis XIV
making him the Baron of Tobago under the Crown of France. In this time Tobago
was called Nieuw Walcheren (New Walcheren)
Photo
St. Jacobskerk, Vlissingen Achievement of Cornelius Lampsins [1] At his
death Cornelius Lampsins bore: Arms: ¼: 1.
¼: 1. Azure, a crowned paschal lamb, with a banner charged with the cypher C
L (Lampsins); 2. Or, three leaves of shamrock Vert, 2 and 1 (Velders); 3.
Argent, a chevron Gules, in chief a roundel Azure between two six-pointed
stars Or, and in base a kneeling monk proper (Morales); 4. Argent, two fishes
issuant from the sinister Azure (De Bult). 2. Azure, a unicorn rearing,
Argent, manes hooves and horn Or (Schot). 3. Parted per fess wavy, in chief a
whale proper the base of four waves Azure and Argent (Walcheren). 4. Or, St.
Martin and the beggar, standi g on a grassy field, proper (St. Maarten). And
an escutcheon of France ancient. Crown: A baronial crown (new). Order: The collar and jewel of the Order of St.
Michel. Supporters: Two crowned lambs, supporting a banner Azure
charged with two rows of nine fleurs de lys Or. |
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This coat
of arms is above the sepulchre of Cornelius Lampsins in the Church of St.
James in Flushing. The coat of arms of St. Maarten is incorporated into the
arms as Cornelius was the owner of the Isle of St. Maarten / St. Martin in
the Caribbean as well. The arms of France ancient are the arms of the French West-Indian Company (1664-1674) After
being occupied for short periods by the Dutch and the French, Tobago was
ceded by France to Britain in 1763 under the Treaty of Paris. It was captured
by the French in 1781 and then recaptured by the British in 1793. The island
was finally ceded to Britain in 1814 by the Treaty of Paris, becoming a Crown
Colony in 1877 and in 1888 being amalgamated politically with Trinidad. In the
time of British Rule the royal achievement of Great Britain was also valid on
Tobago. This is demonstrated by this seal of King George IV (1820-’30),
attached to the will of Samuel
Hall of Tobago, which
shows the royal achievement of the time.
Seal of King George IV used in Tobago. Coll.
British Library [2] The seal bears
the Royal coat of arms which consists of the Royal shield bordered by a
garter on which is written ‘HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE’(Shame to him who thinks ill of it), and
this is topped by the Imperial crown. The English lion supports the garter
from the left and the Scottish unicorn supports the right. Underneath is a
banner which bears the Royal Motto ‘DIEU ET MON DROIT’ (God and my right). Around the edge of
the seal is written ‘GEORGIUS QUARTUS DEI GRATIA BRITANNIARUM REX
FIDEI DEFENSOR’ (George IV,
By the Grace of God, King of the British and Defender of the Faith). In 1816 the
motto PULCHRIOR EVENIT (It arises more beautiful than ever) was given to the colony. This motto
goes back to a jeton of king Louis XIV showing his arms on the obverse and a
sun rising from a cloud on the reverse. |
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Jeton of King Louis XIV, 1654 Showing a sun
rising from a cloud and the motto PULCHRIOR EVENIT (Coll.
Delcampe) Almost exactly
the same picture of the reverse of this jeton was on a button of the British
Admiralty on Tobago made between 1838 -’42. It is supposed that this was the
first badge of the colony. [3]
Photo Denis A. Darmanin Button with sun rising from a cloud,
motto and foul anchor of the British Admiralty, about 1840 |
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On the
flag adopted in 1880 however, there is a rising sun above the Island with a
palmtree on the foreground and a
sailing vessel on the roads.[4] In base is the Louis XIV
motto:
Badge of Tobago, 1880 Another badge, known from 1889, is on the seal of
the House of
Assembly of Tobago, established 1980:
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The badge
of the crown-colony consisted of a picture of Port of Spain and mount El
Tucouche (936 m.) with a frigate with the white ensign and a boat before the
jetty. In base is the motto MISCERIQUE PROBAT POPULOS ET FOEDERA JUNGI, designed by Sir
Ralph Abercromby (1734-1801), who took Trinidad from the Spanish crown in
1797. It is a verse from Virgil (Publius Vergilius Maro, 70-19 B.C.) who
wrote in his “Aeneid” Book IV, line 112: ‘Miscerive probet populos, aut
foedera iungi ’(He approved of the mingling of peoples and their being joined
together by treaties). It was
adopted for the blue ensign of Trinidad in 1880 and was maintained for the
Colony of Trinidad and Tobago in 1889. |
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Arms of Trinidad and Tobago, 1958-‘63 Placed on a shield the badge of Trinidad was adopted by Royal Warrant of the 13th of October 1958 as the first coat of arms of the colony. Because these arms were not very satisfactory from a heraldic point of view, a year after the proclamation of independence a new achievement was granted by Royal Warrant of 9th of August 1963. It is: |
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Arms.: Per chevron enhanced Sable and
Gules, a chevronel enhanced Argent, between in chief two humming birds (Polytmus
guainumbi – Trochilidae)
respectant Or, and in base the three ships of the fleet of Christopher
Colombus, the Santa Maria, the Pinta and the Nina also Or, the sails set,
proper. Crest.: On a royal helmet guardant Or,
lambrequined Argent and Gules, on a wreath of the colors, a palmtree proper
and a steering-wheel Or. Supporters.: D.: a scarlet ibis (Eudocimus
ruber – Threskiornithidae) for Trinidad proper and S.: a cocrico (Ortalis
ruficauda – Cracidae) for Tobago also proper. Compartment: Two islands washed by the waves
of the sea, all proper Motto: TOGETHER
WE ASPIRE, TOGETHER WE ACHIEVE in black lettering on an escroll Or. By
R.W. 9th august 1963 Æ See illustration in the head of this essay The
adoption of a republican Constitution in 1976 did not have any consequence for the
achievement. |
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The
Royal Arms |
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In
colonial times the royal arms of the King of the United Kingdom was also
valid in Trinidad and Tobago. It consisted of a quarterly of England,
Scotland and Ireland and was crowned with the Crown of St Edward and
surrounded by the strap of the Order of the Garter. H.M.
Governor of the Islands displayed a dark blue flag charged with the Royal
Crest and the name of the colony on a yellow ribbon.
At the
occasion of the gaining of independence and Queen Elizabeth II becoming its
head of state, a royal flag was adopted which was blazoned the same as the
arms of the state with the Royal cypher of Queen Elizabeth II in the middle:
This flag
was abandoned when Trinidad and Tobago became a republic in 1976. It was
replaced by the flag of the president of the Republic. This shows on a light
blue cloth the achievement of the Republic surrounded by a yellow garland.
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Ancient
Achievement
New Achievement
(about 2012) |
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Trinidad & Tobago Coast Guard |
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Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard
officers cap badge |
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Trinidad & Tobago Air Guard |
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Emblem
Roundel |
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Trinidad and Tobago police badge 1901-‘53 |
Present Trinidad and Tobago police badge |
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The
ancient police badge of Trinidad and Tobago, used 1901-’53 consisted of a
hexagram enclosing the royal crest and surrounded by a garland of oak crowned
with the crown of St Edward. The
present police emblem of Trinidad and Tobago consists of a a hexagram
enclosing a humming bird, crested with the arms of Trinidad & Tobago
within a garland, and within a garland of oak.. Below is
the name of the service on a blue ribbon. Motto: TO PROTECT AND SERVE WITH PRIDE.
Present Trinidad and Tobago police emblem in full color and with the
motto |
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© Hubert de Vries 2007.10.10. Updated 2010-02-02; 2012-04-13;
Heraldry of the World