Dendermonde

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DENDERMONDE

Province : Oost-Vlaanderen
Additions : 1970 Appels, Sint-Gillis-bij-Dendermonde; 1977 Baasrode, Grembergen, Mespelare, Oudegem, Schoonaarde

Official blazon

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on October 7, 1818 and were confirmed on July 31, 1838, July 31, 1974 and again on June 19, 1989.

The arms are derived from the arms of the Lords of Bethune, who became Lords of Dendermonde in 1227. The Bethune family used different arms prior to 1227 and it has been assumed that they derived the arms from the arms of the city. Unfortunately, there is no indication of the use of the arms by older Lords of Dendermonde, nor by the city itself.

The oldest known use of the arms dates from 1229. The arms also appear on the small seals of the city in the 13^th century. The great seal showed a city behind a wall. Most other seals showed the arms either as the only item, sometimes as a small shield on the towers. The arms appear on the great seals since 1412. The arms have thus not changed since the 14^th century.

The arms were first granted by the Dutch College of Arms in 1818 and confirmed by King Leopold I after the Belgium independence in 1838. In 1974 and 1989 the arms were again confirmed, due to the municipal changes in 1970 and 1977.