Most of the arms of the provinces or landscapes of Sweden were adopted in the 16th century and they were changed only on minor points or not at all until the present day.

Rosenoble of John III (1568-’92)

With the arms of the 23 Swedish Provinces

Seal of Gustavus Adolphus  (1611-’32)

with the 30 provincial arms of Sweden and Finland

Achievement of Sweden  and the arms of the Swedish and Finnish Provinces

From: Dahlberg, Erik: Suecia Antiqua & Hodierna. Bearbetad och kompletterad upplaga försedd med kommentarer huvudsakligen hämtade ur äldre källor. Paris, 1669. Repr. Sture­forlaget AB. Stockholm 1975.

Charter of Ratification of the Peace Treaty of Kardis and the Pliuisa Agreement,

sent by King Charles XI of Sweden to co-tsars Ivan V and Peter I, dated January 7, 1684 [1]

The arms of the Swedish Provinces

drawn by Ludwig Clericus [2]

Nowadays the arms of the Swedish provinces are often crowned with the Swedish ducal crown. This crown has the shape of the crown of princess Sophia Albertina of Sweden (1753-1829), made in 1772 by Johan Adam Marcklin. The crown is preserved in the Royal Treasury in Stockholm. [3]

Ångermanland

Ms 400,1570 [4]

Dahlberg, 1669

Funeral of King Charles X 1634

Arms: Azure, three salmons,  the second contourné Argent, finned Gules. (1560).

Blekinge

Arms: Azure, an oak tree, three crowns around its trunk Or. (1660)

Funeral of King Charles X 1660

Bohuslän

1669

Arms: Argent, a gate Gules, opened Or/Sable, between a sword upright hilt in base and a lion rampant Azure (1660)

Funeral of King Charles X, 1660

....the doors closed proper.

The oldest representation of 1660 has a lightship for charge consisting of three piles supporting a platform and standing on a boat. This charge has to be compared with the lightship on the arms of Klaipeda/Memel in Lithuania (1446). It probably refers to the long Skagerrak- and Kattegat coast of Bohuslän and a beacon for navigation on it (in Göteborg?). In younger representations of the arms however, the boat was omitted and the platform evoluated to a gate (Fort Bohus?) with two entrances.

Dalekarlie

A seal of Darlarna dates from the time of a resurrection in 1435 agains Eric of Pomerania and it represents a bow and an axe within the legend SIGILLUM DALA ANNO DOMINI MCDXXXV. Arms with arrows in saltire are represented for the first time on a seal dated 1520 (reign of Christian II of Denmark 1520-‘21) with the legend: SIGILLVM COMMVNITATIS IN VALLIBUS. [5]

Seal of 1435

Seal of 1520

(Statens Historiska Museum, inv. nr. 27170)

Tomb of Gustavus I, 1581

Arms: Gules, two arrows in saltire and a crown in chief Or.

Soon, the tincture of the field was changed into Azure but probably the field was once repainted? 

Funeral of Gustavus II, 1634

Arms: zure, two arrows in saltire and a crown in chief Or.

Dalsland

Dahlberg, 1669

Arms: Argent, a bull passant proper/ Gules. (1562)

MS400, 1570

Funeral of Charles X, 1660

Gästrikland

Ms 400, 1570

Funeral of Charles X, 1660

Dahlberg, 1669

Arms: Argent, strewn with balls Azure a deer passant proper.(1560).

In the 19th century the deer proper was replaced by an elk Gules.

Gotland

Gotland was granted its arms in about 1560.

Arms: Azure a ram statant Argent, horned and hoofed Or, standing before a cross-staff of the same a banner Gules bordered and with five tails of the third."

The coat of arms is represented with a ducal coronet.

The county was granted the same coat of arms in 1936. 

Seal of Gotland 1280-‘88

The ram of Gotland dates from the end of the 13th century when it figures on a seal with the legend GUTENSES SIGNO XPISTVS SIGNATVR IN AGNO (Seal of the Gotlanders; The Lamb is the sign of Christ). The banner, which is thought to have been red with a golden bordure, is the banner of the Roman Empire and has the colour of the (Roman) army.

In the course of time the ram remained the same but the banner was adapted to the political circumstances. In 1361 Gotland was captured by Denmark and its arms were a part of the Danish heraldic repertory. In that quality it is on the seal of Magnus, son of King Christian III of Denmark and King of Livonia (1570—’77). In a swedish context it must be interpreted as arms of pretence and were usded at the funeral of Gustavus I in 1560 and at the coronation of Erik XIV in 1561. In 1645 Gotland was given back to Sweden and afterwards it has remained a Swedish possession. The arms were changed accordingly by making the banner the flag of St. Peter. (See f.e. the roll of arms of Ludwig Clericus supra). Only in 1936 the banner received the shape of the banner on the 13th century seal. At the same time the paschal lamb was changed into a ram. [6]

Arms of Gotland from the Danish era

Gules, a pascal lamb proper, the banner red, a white cross

Holy Roman Empire and Danebrog

Arms of Gotland

at the funeral of King Charles X, 1660

Arms of Gotland after 1660

Azure, a paschal lamb poper, the banner white with a red cross (Vexillum Sancti Petri) [7]

Halland

History

As part of the Scanian lands (then part of the Kingdom of Denmark) Halland came under the Scanian Law and participated in the Scanian Thing, one of three Things electing the Danish king. Local assemblies took place in Getinge.

Halland was the scene of considerable military action from the 13th century and on as Sweden, Denmark and to some degree Norway fought for supremacy in Scandinavia. The many wars made the province poor. Not only were material damages caused by military action, but the social impact of the fighting was devastating; people lacked the motivation to invest in their land and properties as it was likely to be destroyed anyway.

The county was the site of combat and plunder three times during the 13th Century: in 1256 Haakon IV of Norway invaded, followed by Magnus I of Sweden in 1277 and Eric VI of Denmark in 1294. The county came to be split in two parts for the next century, with the river Ätran forming a boundary. The lords of the two parts succeeded each other in a high tempo.

As the Kalmar Union was formed, Halland came for a brief period of time to have a rather central position. According to the union treaty, the king was to be elected in Halmstad.

During the rebellion of Engelbrekt in 1434 the fortress in Falkenberg was burnt down and two years later Lagaholm (sv) was captured by the Swedes. The Swedo-Danish struggles in the early 16th century came to affect the province as well, as in 1519 when the border regions were sacked by the Swedes as a vengeance for similar Danish action in Västergötland.

The Danish civil war called the Count's Feud in 1534-‘36, the Northern Seven Years' War between Denmark and Sweden in 1563–1570 and the Kalmar War between Denmark and Sweden in 1611–1613 all affected Halland. One of the major battles of the Northern Seven Years' War, the battle of Axtorna, took place in Halland.

Halland was for a period of 30 years transferred to Sweden in 1645 under the terms of the Second Treaty of Brömsebro. The conquest was later made permanent by ceding of the province in theTreaty of Roskilde in 1658. The last battle in Halland took place in Fyllebro on 17 August 1676, during the Scanian War.

Heraldry

The first known coat of arms of Halland consisted of a crowned heraldic leopard over 10 hearts and was used by Niels II and James I and most likely also by Niels I although no examples are preserved from the latter's reign. The colours of this first symbol are uncertain. In 1305, James used a seal showing a lion and 20 hearts. Knud Porse used his family's arms depicting three red sea leaves in a gold shield. One of the seals used by Duchess Ingeborg of Sweden, Halland, and Samsø represents Halland by arms party per fess, with an unspecified colour in chief and a leopard in the larger lower base. This seal dates from 1336, and the figure was also repeated on her seal used 1340–1352. A fresco in Søborg Castle, Denmark, dates from her stay there 1331–36 and shows the arms of Halland as Azure, a lion rampant Argent crowned Argent (no picture available). The lion of the current arms of the province is no longer crowned but has two tails.

Duke Benedict's personal escutcheon, from his family, represented a lion.

1660

1669

Arms: Azure, a lion Argent [langued and unguled Gules]

Dukes and Duchesses of Halland.

Karl Eriksen, maternal grandson of Canute IV of Denmark, son of Eric, Earl of Falster

Knud VI Valdemarsen

*1163-†1202

Co-regent 1170-1182

prince of Halland 1177–1192

King of Denmark 1182-1202

On the seal of Knud dated 1190 are the famous three leopards on a field strewn with hearts These however are his arms as a king of Denmark and it is not known if he bore the same arms as a prince of Halland.

Seal of King Canute VI of Denmark, the earliest known example of the coat of arms of Denmark. The original insignia dated from c. 1190 and the title indicated on the seal was assumed by the king c. 1187-1193. The only known copy of this seal was discovered in the Grand Ducal Archive in Schwerin, Germany in 1879.

Niels I  

Count of Halland 1216-†1218

bastard son of Valdemar II of Denmark (r. 1202-’41).

Duke Skule of Norway,

fiefholder of Northern Halland 1228–1240

See Æ Norway

Niels II                                                                   

Count of Northern Halland 1241–1251

Son of Niels I

Jacob Nielsen

† 1309 ca

Count of Northern Halland 1283–1305

Son of Niels II

Jacob received Halland in 1283, but switched allegiance to the King of Norway two years later and was declared an outlaw in 1287 after the murder of Eric V of Denmark. In Halland, he built the fortresses of Hunehals and later Varberg Fortress. Jacob's position weakened after the Norwegian king started to lose interest in the conflict with Denmark, and in 1305, he had to give up Halland to Haakon V of Norway. Haakon granted it to his own son-in-law, the Swedish duke Erik Magnusson.

Arms: Per fess, in chief a crowned lion passant guardant the base strewn with hearts.

Legend: SIGILLVM DEI GRACIA COMITIS HALLANDIE (Lost)

Date: 1305 (Petersen 1917 n° 161) [8]

Eric Knudsen of Skarsholm

c. 1235–1304

Duke of Southern Halland 1284–1304

 titularly Duke of Estonia/Reval

eldest son of Canute, Duke of Estonia/Reval, Lolland and Blekinge and grandson of Valdemar II of Denmark.

Arms: Per fess, in chief a crowned lion passant guardant the base strewn with hearts.

Legend: S DOMICELLI ERICI (Lost)

Date: 1305 (Petersen 1917 n° 159)

Christopher, ,

Duke of Southern Halland 1307–1326

brother of Eric VI of Denmark

Six-sided seal strewn with hearts, three lions passant guardant.

Legend: [SECRETVM] CHRI[STOF]OR[I DVCIS] h[ALAN]D[IE ET SAMSO]

Date: 1319-1320 (Petersen n°29)

Erik Magnusson

*1282– †1318

Duke of Svealand, Södermanland 1302

Dalsland, Västergötland, Värmland 1310

Duke of North Halland 1310-1318

¥ Ingeborg Haakansdotter 1312-1318

Second son of Magnus III. Heir to the throne of Sweden. He was the father of King Magnus IV(II) who became king of both Norway and Sweden. He was murdered by his older brother Birger.

1301-1302

Arms 1: Lion

Crest: Two horns set with 2 ´ 5 pennons of the arms

Legend: SIGILLVM ERICI DEI [GRAC]IA D[VCIS] SWEORVM. (n° 46, 1301-1302) [9]

Duke Eric tried to establish an independent kingdom around Elvesyle (South Bohuslän), with the castle of Ragnhildarholm which he had received as a fief from King Haakon V of Norway in 1304. In 1305 Northern Halland with the castles of Huneberg and Varberg was passed to him from Count Jacob. A civil war broke out between the sons of Magnus III, but by 1306 emotions had cooled down to the point where the dukes Eric and his brother Valdemar acknowledged the son of King Birger, Magnus Birgersson, as the successor to the throne. Torgils Knutsson, who was Duke Valdemar's father-in-law, was executed in 1306 as a token of reconciliation between King Birger and his brothers. The same year, in an event known as them Håtuna games (Håtunaleken), Birger was taken captive by his brothers on the Håtuna royal estate in Uppland and taken as prisoner to Nyköping Castle (Nyköpingshus).

1304-1308

Arms 2: Strewn with hearts, three bendlets sinister, a lion

Legend: CLIPEVS ERICI D[VC]IS DEI GRACIA SWEORVM  (n° 47, 1304, n° 52, 1308)

In 1308, Eric and Valdemar were forced by the Danish king to release King Birger, but they did so under humiliating conditions. When King Birger was free, he sought aid in Denmark, and the strife began anew. Birger remained king in name, but had to give up the Royal Domain, exchanging it for eastern Uppland, Närke, his brother Erik's former Duchy Södermanland, Östergötland, Gotland and the Castle of Viborg.

In 1312, Duke Eric married Ingeborg of Norway, daughter of King Haakon V of Norway in a double wedding in Oslo. At the same time, Eric's brother Duke Valdemar married Ingeborg Eriksdottir of Norway, the daughter of King Eric II of Norway (brother of Haakon V).

Duke Erik also held Bohuslän from Norway as well as northern Halland and was creating a separate kingdom centered around Göta river.

1312

Arms 3: Three bendlets sinister, a crowned lion (n° 56, 1312)

Legend: SECRETVM ERICI DVCI SWECIORVM

Ingeborg Haakonsdotter of Norway

*1301-†1361

¥ Erik Magnusson 1312-1318

Queen of Sweden 1318-1319

Regent of Norway and Sweden 1319-1327/’26

¥ Knut Porse 1327-1330

Duchess of Halland 1341–1353 in her own right

Old Norse Ingibjörg Hákonardóttir, Swedish Ingeborg Håkansdotter, Norwegian Ingebjørg Håkonsdatter; 1301 – 17 June 1361), was a Norwegian and by marriage Swedish princess and royal duchess with a position in the regency governments in Norway (1319–27) and Sweden (1319–26). In 1318-1319 she was Sweden's first de facto female ruler and her position subsequently equalled that of an undeclared queen mother for over 40 years. In 1319-1326, she was Sweden's first de jure female regent. Ingeborg of Norway, Duchess of North Halland 1312–1341 as Eric's consort and widow

Arms 1: Norway

(n° 58, 1318. [10])

Seal: The duchess holding the pennons of Norway and Sweden and between the crests of the same. Legend: S INGIBVRGIS DEI GRACIA DUCISSE SWEORV. (n° 57, 1318)

Arms 2: Strewn with hearts, three bendlets sinister a crowned lion (n° 63, 1334)

It is said that a fresco in in Søborg Castle, Denmark, dates from her stay there 1331–36 and represents a lion. These are the arms of her first husband Eric Magnusson as on his seal of 1301.

Arms: In chief Norway; on the dexter Sweden; on the sinister: per fess in base a lion passant.

Legend: IGEBVRG  DI GRA DVC[ ....SWE..]EhALL Z SA[E..].

Date 1336 (Petersen 1917, n°162)

Seal: A square charged with a cross, in the middle a nimbused head; in the four corners 1 A lion; 2. An Eagle;.3. A lion ; 4. Per fess, a lion passant in base.

Legend: S INGIBVRGIS DEI GRA DV[CISS]E SWECIE HALLANDIE  [ET SAMS]O

Date: 1346 (Petersen 1917 n° 163)

Magnus Eriksson

*1316-†1374

Duke, fiefholder of North Halland in 1318

king  of Sweden 1319-1364

 king of Norway 1319-1343

overlord of all of Terra Scania 1332

                                                   Æ See:  King Magnus Eriksson

Knut Porse

*1282-†1330

¥ Ingeborg Haakansdotter1327

Duke of South Halland 1327–1330

Two seals of Knut Porse.

Arms: [Or] three Søblade [Gules]

a. Legend: KANVTI PORSE (1312. N° 150)

b. Legend: SIGILLVM KANVTI PORSE (1326,.N° 201) [11]

Seal of Knut Porse

Arms: Barry of four

Crest: A fan

Legend: S KANVTI DEI GRACIA DVCIS HALLANDIE ET SA (1329. N°226)

Knut Porse was succeded by his sons:

Knut Porse, Jr., Duke of Halland 1330–1350 holding the title simultaneously with his mother Ingeborg (supra) and brother Hacon

Haakon Porse, Duke of Halland 1330–1350 holding the title simultaneously with his mother Ingeborg and brother Knut Jr. (supra)

No heraldic information

Benedict II Algotsson

†1360

Duke of Halland and Finland 1353–‘57

Seal of 1350 [12]

Arms: [Azure], a lion rampant [Argent]. Legend: X S’ BENEDICTI ALGVTS’

Æ See Finland

Modern Dukes of Halland after 1912

Bertil Gustaf Oskar Carl Eugén of Sweden Duke of Halland 1912–1997

Lilian May Davies 

Duchess of Halland 1976–2013

Hälsingland

Dahlberg 1669

Arms: Sable a ram statant Or.

At  first the ram was an Argali (Ovis ammon-Bovidae) but later it became an Ibex (Capra ibex – Bovidae) and its attitude became rampant instead of statant.

Ms400 1570

Härjedalen

Arms: Argent, tongs Sable, a plane of the second, pierced Gules, two hammers of the second their handles of the third, per pale, the first inversed. (1647)

Jämtland

Dahlberg, 1669

Arms: Azure,  A deer Argent, attacked by a fox and a vulure Or.

In the 19th century (1884) the deer was replaced by an elk (Alces alces – Cervidæ).

Lappland

Dahlberg 1669

Arms: Argent, a naked man armed with a club proper

As on the seal of Gustavus Adolphus (1611-’32)

Medelpad

  Dahlberg, 1669

Arms: Barry wavy Azure, Argent, Gules, Argent and Azure

Ms 400, 1570

Närke

Ms 400, 1570

Arms: Gules, two arrows in saltire Or, their points Argent between four roses of  the last (1560)

Norrbotten

Arms: Bendy wavy of 8 Azure and Or, a bend sinister of the first in base (1995)

Östergotland

1581

At first the arms were

Arms: Gules, a dragon Or between four flowers and a six pointed star in base

The arms on the tomb of king Gustavus I (1581) are:

Arms: Gules, a dragon Or and two flowers in chief

The newer arms are:

Arms: Gules, a griffin Or [billed and clawed Azure] between four roses Argent

Ms 400, 1570

Dahlberg 1669

Embellished arms

Skane

Dahlberg 1669

Arms: Or, a griffinshead Gules crowned Azure.

The arms are derived from the arms of the city of Malmö

1660

Småland

1581

1660

Arms: Or, a lion Gules with a crossbow upright

Södermanland

Arms: Or, a griffin Sable (billed and clawed Gules).

Uppland.

1581

Arms: Azure/Gules, an orb Or

1669

Värmland

Dahlberg, 1669

Carl Adolph, Duke of Värmland 1798-†1798

Ms 400, 1570

1917 [13]

1936

Arms: Argent, an eagle Sable

The arms were for a long time a black eagle on a silver or a golden field. In 1884 the field was made Or. In 1936 the arms were changed into Argent, an eagle Azure, billed and clawed Gules.

Västerbotten

Dahlberg, 1669

Ms 400, 1570

Arms: Azure, a deer proper

In the 17th century a semy of stars was added and the deer was changed into an elk (Alces alces- Cervidæ)

Västergötland

1581

Arms: Per bend sinister Sable and Or, a lion counterchanged [langued and unguled Gules], and two six-pointed stars in dexter chief quarter Or/Argent

Ms 400, 1570

Duke of Västergotland

Västmanland

1581

Dahlberg, 1669

Ms 400, 1570

Funeral of Gustavus II, 1634

Arms: Argent, three volcanoes Azure, burning with flames Gules.