History

A carving on the wall of Pori’s Old Apothecary (The Market Apothecary).

On the breast of the two-headed Russian eagle is Finland’s arms without  the crown; on its wings are the arms of the eight Provinces of Finland. (The Satakunta Museum, Pori. Sculptor unknown)

In the 16th century Finland was divided into duchies. The provincial system was established in 1634 by the creation of the provinces ofTurku and Pori, Nyland and Häme, Pohjanmaa, Viipuri and Savo and Kexholm (Käkisalmen lääni) which comprised the former duchies.

In thge course of kthe centuries the provinces underwent several changes in border and name, particularly after the loss of territory in the Swedish-Russian wars of the 18th century. In particular the eastern border has fluctuated considerably

The provinces were abolished altogether effectively on 1 January 2010. The state administration has two local hierarchies now, ely-keskus and aluehallintovirasto. Six Regional State Administrative Agencies (aluehallintovirasto, regionförvaltningsverk, abbr. avi) – in addition to the Government of Åland – are primarily responsible for law enforcement: Southern Finland, Eastern Finland, South-Western Finland, Western and Central Finland, Northern Finland and Lapland. Among these, South-Western Finland and Western and Central Finland cover the former province of Western Finland, and the former province of Oulu was recreated as Northern Finland. Other old provincial boundaries remain much the same in the new disposition. There are 15 agencies which are responsible for employment, road and transport infrastructure, and environmental monitoring.

Heraldry

Åland / Ahvenanmaan lääni / Ålands län

1918-2009

Capital: Mariehamn

Had a special status: even though the province was discontinued at the end of 2009 along with the others, there was (and still is) a coextensive "maakunta" (a translation of "province" with a slightly different meaning from the usual) that is semi-autonomous and demilitarized by international treaties

The deer of Åland by Dahlberg, 1699

Arms:  A deer Or, hoofed proper, collared set with jewels Or.

The arms occur for the first time on an epitaph of 1593 and was then of the Swedish isle of Öland which received Azure, strewn with roses two elks Or instead.

Arms of Åland

Stained glass window  by Eric O.W. Ehrström

National Museet

Aland Police Logo

Sleeve Patch

Central Finland / Keski-Suomen lääni / Mellersta Finlands län

1960-1997

Capital: Jyväskylä

Split off from the Provinces of Vaasa, Häme, Mikkeli and Kuopio

Merged into the Province of Western Finland

 Eastern Finland / Itä-Suomen lääni / Östra Finlands län

1997-2009

Capital: Mikkeli

Merged from Provinces of Kuopio, Northern Karelia and Mikkeli (part)

The arms of the province of Eastern Finland are the arms of former Kuopio but, because the historical duchy of Karelia used to be the more important of the two, its blason was placed on the first (dexter) place.

Häme / Hämeen lääni / Tavastehus län

1831-1997

Capital: Hämeenlinna

Created by splitting the Province of Nyland and Tavastehus  merged into the Provinces of Southern Finland and Western Finland

The oldest representation of the arms of Tavastehus are in a manuscript from about 1550-1561. It shows a lynx.

Arms of Tavastehus by Margaretha Gripin, 1560

Arms on the monument of Gustav Vasa, 1581

Arms of H.G. Ströhl 1903

Arms: Gules a lynx passant proper, between in chief three six-pointed stars and in base three/four roses Argent.

 Kexholm / Käkisalmen lääni / Kexholms län

1634-1721

Capital: Kexholm

One of the original provinces formed in 1634

Kuopio / Kuopion lääni / Kuopio län

1831-1997

Capital: Kuopio

Former Province of Savolax and Karelia merged into the Province of Eastern Finland

Arms: Per pale of Savolax and Karelia.

Kymi / Kymen lääni / Kymmene län

1945-1997

Capital: Kouvola

Created from the part of the Province of Viipuri that remained on the Finnish side of the border which Russia merged into the Province of Southern Finland

Kymmenegård /Kymenkartanon lääni / Kymmenegårds län

1775-1831

Capital: Heinola

Split off from the Province of Savolax and Kymmenegård

Arms of Kexholm

emboidered for the funeral procession of 1660

Coll. Livrustkammaren, Stockholm

Arms of Kexholm, 19th cent.

The exploding grenades replaced by stars

Kymmenegård and Nyslott /

 Savonlinnan ja Kymenkartanon lääni Kymmenegårds och Nyslotts län

1721-1747

Capital: Lappeenranta

former Province of Viborg and Nyslott

Lapland / Lapin lääni / Lapplands län

1938-2009

Capital: Rovaniemi

Split off from the Province of Oulu

Arms of Lapland by Dahlberg, 1699

Arms of the Province of Lapland, 1997

Arms: Gules, a savage with a crown and a loin cloth of oak-leaves, proper, shouldering a club Or.

The arms are known from a coin  minted 1660.

The arms of the province of 1997 are parted per pale of Lapland and Osterbotten, the savage coloured Argent instead of proper.

Mikkeli / Mikkelin lääni / St. Michels län

1831-1997

Capital: Mikkeli

former Province of Kymmenegård merged into the Provinces of Eastern Finland and Southern Finland

The arms of the province are the arms of former Karelia

Northern Karelia / Pohjois-Karjalan lääni / Norra Karelens län

1960-1997

Capital: Joensuu

Split off from the Province of Kuopio merged into the Province of Eastern Finland

Northern Karelia had the arms of Karelia

Nyland and Tavastehus / Uudenmaan ja Hämeen lääni /

 Nylands och Tavastehus län

1634-1831

Capital: Helsinki / Hämeenlinna

One of the original provinces formed in 1634 Æ Uusimaa

Ostrobothnia

1634-1775

Capital: Oulu / Vaasa

One of the original provinces of 1634

Arms: Azure, six ermines passant proper 2, 2 and 2.

The first arms of Osterbotten in a manuscript from 1550 showed a marten. The present arms with the six ermines are known from a coin of John III minted 1576.

Early representations of the arms of Osterbothnia

Left: B.N. Paris, Ms. lat. 18410, fol. 27 a, 1562 Right: Johan Petri Klint Ms., 1560 [1]

Double golden rosenoble, 1585-‘86

The arms with the six ermines of Osterbothnia at ten past half.

Arms by Dahlberg, 1699

Arms by H.G. Ströhl 1903

Oulu / Oulun lääni / Uleåborgs län

1775-2009

Capital: Oulu

Split off from the province of Ostrobothnia

The boundaries of the Province of Oulu remained unchanged in 1997. The arms are:

Arms: Per pale of Osterbothnia and Azure, a two-towered castle Or opened Gules for Kajaani.

Crown: A ducal crown.

The castle refers to the old, now ruined, castle in the city of Kajaani.

Petsamo / Petsamon lääni / Petsamo län

1921

Capital: Pechenga

The province was established in 1921 when Bolshevist Russia ceded the area of Pechenga to Finland. In 1922, it was merged with the province of Oulu. In 1938, Lapland was separated from the province of Oulu and Petsamo also became part of the new province. The whole of the former province was then ceded to the Soviet Union in 1944.

Original of the grant of arms of Petsamo, 27.01.1921

The Arms of  Petsamo

Petsamo became a province of Finland on 27 january 1921 and it was granted a coat of arms on the same day. The arms are:

Arms: Sable, three stockfish Or

Crest: Fructed blueberry twigs sprouting from the upper rim of the shield, proper.

The arms were designed by the artist E.O.W. Ehrström (1881-1934).

The province however, was abolished before the arms could be taken into use.

The arms were later adopted by the municipality of Pechenga.

North Finland / Satakunta

The first arms of North Finland (Nörrafinlandh) showed a (running) bear passant between two 8-pointed stars in chief and the letter S (of Satakunta) in base. It is in a manuscript dated 1560 which also shows the arms of Upland, Ingermanland, Gelsingaland, Westerbotnia and Osterbotnia. In 1557 the arms of North Finland are descibed as:

Per fess Azure and Or, in chief two six-pointed stars Argent and a bear rampant proper with a sword in his forepaws.

Å Leaf from the manuscript of Ö. Stenby for curate Johan Petri Klint, 1560.

Arms on the monument of Gustav Vasa, 1581

Arms by Dahlberg, 1699

Savolax and Karelia / Savon ja Karjalan lääni /

Savolax och Karelens län

1775-1831

Capital: Kuopio

Split off from the Province of Savolax and Kymmenegård.

Became Küopio Province in 1831

Savolax and Kymmenegård / Kymenkartanon ja Savon lääni / Savolax och Kymmenegårds län

 1747-1775

Capital: Loviisa

Former Province of Kymmenegård and Nyslott

Savolax

Arms: Sable, a bow-and-arrow per bend Argent, the point and feathers of the arrow Or.

The arms are known from a coin minted 1576.

Southern Finland / Etelä-Suomen lääni / Södra Finlands län

1997-2009

Capital: Hämeenlinna

Merged from Provinces of Uusimaa, Kymi, Häme (part) and Mikkeli (part)

Southern Finland had a coat of arms per pale of Häme and Karelia and a bas of Nyland

South Finland                                         

Arms on the monument of Gustav Vasa, 1581

Arms by Dahlberg, 1699

 Turku and Pori / Turun ja Porin lääni / Åbo och Björneborgs län

1634–1997

Capital: Turku

One of the original provinces formed in 1634, though parts were split off since the.

Merged into the Province of Western Finland

Arms: Tierced per pile embowed of Southern Finland, Northern Finland and Aland.

Æ Western Finland

 Uusimaa / Uudenmaan lääni / Nylands län

1831-1997

Capital: Helsinki

Created by splitting the Province of Nyland and Tavastehus.

Merged into the Province of Southern Finland

Arms of Nyland emboidered for the funeral processions in 1633 (left) and 1660 (right)

Coll. Livrustkammaren, Stockholm

Arms by Dahlberg, 1669

Arms by H.G. Ströhl 1903

Vaasa / Vaasan lääni / Vasa län /

1775-1997

Capital: Vaasa

Split off from the Province of Ostrobothnia merged into the Province of Western Finland

The Province of Vaasa was created in 1775 from the southern part of Ostrobothnia County and disbanded in 1996. The province was named after the city of Vaasa and the royal house of Sweden.

On the death of Tsar Nicholas I in 1855, the name of the city was changed to Nikolaistad.  This also meant that the Vaasa Province was called Nikolaistad Province, after 1855. In 1862 a large group of citizens in the city unsuccessfully petitioned to have the old name restored. The new name remained official until 1917, but colloquially the old name continued in use.

Arms of  Vaasa Province

by H.G. Ströhl, 1903

Vaasa

In 1960 the eastern part was separated as the Province of Central Finland. In 1997 it was reunited with Central Finland, together they merged with the northern part of the Province of Häme and the Province of Turku and Pori to establish the new Province of Western Finland.

The former province corresponds to the current regions of Ostrobothnia, Central Ostrobothnia and Southern Ostrobothnia.

Viipuri / Viipurin lääni / Viborgs län

1812-1947

Capital: Vyborg

In the Swedish era Karelia, a territory between the river Kymijoki in the west and the Sestra and Volchya Rivers in the east. The duchy was a bone of contest between Sweden and Russia for centuries and suffered many changes of name. In 1744 it became the Russian Vyborg Governorate and was   transferred as the  Province of Viipuri to the autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812

Most of its area was lost to the Soviet Union in World War II, and is a part of St. Petersburg Oblast now, the remainder becoming the Province of Kymi (disappearing in 1997)

The first Vyborg Castle was founded during the so-called "Third Swedish Crusade" in 1293 by marshal Torkel Knutsson. The castle was fought over for decades between Sweden and the Novgorod Republic. By the Treaty of Nöteborg in 1323, Vyborg was finally recognized as a part of Sweden.

Under Swedish rule, Vyborg was closely associated with the noble family of Bååt, originally from Småland. The late-medieval commanders and fief holders of Vyborg were (almost always) descended from or married to the Bååt family.

Vyborg, the main city of Karelia remained in Swedish hands until its capture in 1710 after the Siege of Vyborg by Tsar Peter the Great in the Great Northern War. In the course of Peter's second administrative reform, Vyborg became the seat of Vyborg Province of St. Petersburg Governorate. The 1721 Treaty of Nystad, which concluded the war with Sweden, finalized the transfer of the town and a part of Old Finland, the areas that Russia gained from Sweden in the Great Northern War and in the Russo-Swedish War (1741–‘43), to Russia.

In 1744, Vyborg became the seat of Vyborg Governorate. In 1783, the governorate was transformed into Vyborg Viceroyalty, then in 1801 back into Vyborg Governorate. In 1802, Vyborg Governorate was renamed Finland Governorate. In 1812 it was transferred as Viipuri Province from Russia proper to the Grand Duchy of Finland.

Following the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the fall of the Russian Empire, Finland declared itself independent. During the Finnish Civil War, Vyborg was in the hands of the Finnish Red Guards until it was captured by the White Guard on April 29, 1918.

In the inter-war decades, the town was known as Viipuri,

In 1939 the Finnish Democratic Republic was established on its territory. The Moscow Peace Treaty, stipulated the transfer of Vyborg and the whole Karelian Isthmus to Soviet control, where it was incorporated into the Karelo-Finnish Soviet Socialist Republic on March 31, 1940. The town became the administrative center of Vyborgsky District.

On August 29, 1941, Vyborg was recaptured by Finnish troops and, soon after, the Government of Finland formally annexed it along with the other areas lost in the Moscow Peace Treaty. In the subsequent Moscow Armistice of September 19, 1944, Finland returned to the borders set by the Moscow Peace Treaty and ceded more land than the treaty originally demanded. In the 1947 Paris Peace treaties, Finland relinquished all claims to Viipuri/Vyborg.

After the Winter War, Leningrad Oblast wanted to incorporate the area of Vyborg, but it took until November 1944 for it to be finally transferred from the Karelo-Finnish SSR.

The Kymi Province (Kymen lääni, Kymmene län) was a province of Finland from 1945 to 1997.

The Kymi Province was the remainder of the territory from the Viipuri Province after the main part was left to Russia at the Moscow Armistice in 1944. By the Paris Peace Treaty in 1947 territories on the Karelian Isthmus and around of the Lake Ladoga were formally ceded to the Soviet Union.

In 1997 the Kymi Province was merged with the Uusimaa Province and the southern parts of the Häme Province into the Southern Finland Province.

The arms

The oldest representation of the arms of Karelia are in a manuscript from 1562. They are:

Arms: Gules, two arms opposing, the one on the dexter in armor, swinging a sword, the one on the sinister in coat of mail swinging a sabre all proper.

In the time of John III a crown was added in chief

B.N. Paris, Ms. lat. 18410, fol. 27 a, 1562

Arms on the monument of Gustav Vasa, 1581

Arms of Karelia  designed for the funeral of

Gustavus II Adolphus, 1633.

Arms of Karelia by Dahlberg, 1699

After 1744 the arms for the russian part of Karelia, then called Vyborg Governorate the arms of Karelia were augmented with another crown, being the Imperial Crown of Russia. These arms symbolize “Karelia under the Imperial crown”  as the western part of the duchy had become a part of  Savolax and Karelia in 1775. As the arms were of the Russian part, formerly symbolized by the sinister arm in coat of mail, both opposing arms were dressed in coat of mail now.  These arms with the Imperial crown occurred at the end of the 18th century when Vyborg Governorate had been made the Viceroyalty of Vyborg in 1783.

Arms of Vyborg Viceroyalty

In the Atlas of Vyborg Governorate, 1797

Arms of Vyborg Viceroyalty, 1800 ca

on a leaf with the note: Герб карелской опредљленной  для Висборгской Губернїи (Arms of Karelia appointed for Vyborg Governorate)

Arms of Karelia

In: The Manifesto on the Complete Arms of the All-Russian Empire, 1800

These arms were also in the 10th quarter of the larger imperial arms of Paul I. [2]

After Vyborg Governorate/Finland Governorate  had been transferred to the Grand Duchy of Finland as Vyborg Province in 1812, the arms of the city of Vyborg were made the arms of the province. These arms go back to the seal of the city dated 1403. In the course of history it came to be supported by two angels.

Seal of Viborg, 1403

Arms of  Vyborg Province

by H.G. Ströhl, 1903

The arms are:

Arms: Per fess Gules and Azure in chief three crowns 1&2 Or. In bade the capital W, Or.

Crown: Of three leaves and two pearls.

The crowns are from the the arms of Sweden, the ‘W’ is the initial of ‘Wiborg’.

The Finnish Democratic Republic of 1939, established on the territory of Vyborg Province flew the flag of the Republic of Finland. No information is available about the arms it probably used.

After the recapture of Vyborg by Finnish troops in 1941, the arms of Karelia reappeared on stamps issued 1942.

Arms of Vyborg Rayon

after 1944 - present

Arms of Kymi province

1945-1997

Viborg and Nyslott / Viipurin ja Savonlinnan lääni /Viborgs och Nyslotts län

1634-1721

Capital: Vyborg

one of the original provinces formed in 1634

The county was established in 1634 as Karelia County (Karjalan lääni, Karelens län), but in 1641 Nyslott County (Savonlinnan lääni, Nyslotts län) was made a separate entity. The remainder of Karelia County was called Viborg County. In 1650 the counties were joined again as the Viborg and Nyslott County

Western Finland  / Länsi-Suomen lääni / Västra Finlands län

1997-2009

Capital: Turku

Merged from Provinces of Turku and Pori, Vaasa, Central Finland and Häme (part)

Arms: Per pale of Southern Finland and Northern Finland and a base of Osterbotten

í The illustration in the head of this article is from Blaeu’s Grand Atlas, 1651-’57.