Prussia

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PREUSSEN (Prussia)

Former Kingdom in present North Germany and North Poland.

Wappen von Preussen

Origin/meaning

The above arms are the grand arms of Prussia at the end of the 19th century. The arms show the major 52 territories that belonged to Prussia at that time. The original Prussian arms are shown as the escutcheon. The banners show the eagle of Brandenburg (red) and the eagle of Preussen proper (black). The 52 territories are listed at the end of this document.

Preusse2.jpg

The arms of Prussia in 1701.

Prussia was an area in present Poland, which was part of the Holy Roman Empire but owned and ruled by the Teutonic Order. In 1525 the territory was declared an independent Duchy, as the (catholic) Order ceased to exist. In 1618 it was incorporated in the principality of Brandenburg.

The Kingdom of Prussia was founded in 1701 when Prince Friedrich III of Brandenburg declared himself King Friedrich I of Prussia. Prussia became an important and powerful state within the German Empire and existed officially until 1945.


The eagle was first used as the symbol of Prussia by Prince Johann of Bandenburg (1571-1598). The eagle is probably the old German eagle, in the colours of the Teutonic Order (a black cross on a white field). On the first arms the letter(s) on the breast of the eagle were the initial(s) of the Polish King (f.e.V for King Vladislav from 1632-1648), who had Prussia officially in loan from the German Emperor. In 1701 the letters were changed into FR (Friedrich Rex), the letters did not change afterwards.

Wappen von Preussen

The arms of Prussia in 1876, with only the 11 provinces.
Wappen von Preussen

The arms of Prussia in 1817.

The basic arms never changed, but the supporters, crowns and additional fields were added during the centuries. All these were additional symbols, the original arms have always been used as the small arms, mainly for daily use. In 1876 only arms of the 11 provinces were added into the arms, but in the 1800s often many additional territories were added.

Arms of Prussia

The arms in the Wapen- en Vlaggenboek van Gerrit Hesman (1708)

The 52 territories in the upper large arms

The territories are listed according to the image, not according to the official heraldic listings or rank in the title of the Kings of Preussen.
Pru01.jpgUpper escutcheon : Markgrafschaft Brandenburg
Pru02.jpgMiddle escutcheon : Kingdom of Preussen proper
Pru03.jpgLower escutcheon : combines Burggrafschaft Nürnberg (upper half) and County Hohenzollern (lower half)

The other fields are listed starting with the upper (heraldic) right field, showing a horse, and ending at the lower left field with the eagle :

  1. Pru1.jpgDuchy Westfalen
  2. Pru2.jpgGrand-Duchy Posen
  3. Pru3.jpgDuchy Schlesien
  4. Pru4.jpgGrand-Duchy Niederrhein
  5. Pru5.jpgDuchy Sachsen
  6. Pru6.jpgDuchy Engern
  7. Pru7.jpgDuchy Magdeburg
  8. Pru8.jpgDuchy Holstein
  9. Pru9.jpgDuchy Pommern
  10. Pru10.jpgDuchy Lüneburg
  11. Pru11.jpgDuchy Schleswig
  12. Pru12.jpgDuchy Bremen
  13. Pru13.jpgDuchy Wenden
  14. Pru14.jpgDuchy Jülich
  15. Pru15.jpgDuchy Geldern
  16. Pru16.jpgDuchy Kleve
  17. Pru17.jpgDuchy Berg
  18. Pru18.jpgDuchy Kassuben
  19. Pru19.jpgLandgrafschaft Thüringen
  20. Pru20.jpgDuchy Mecklenburg
  21. Pru21.jpgDuchy Krossen
  22. Pru22.jpgDuchy Lauenburg
  23. Pru23.jpgLandgrafschaft Hessen
  24. Pru24.jpgMarkgrafschaft Ober-Lausitz
  25. Pru25.jpgdivided : Principality Paderborn and County Pyrmont
  26. Pru26.jpgPrincipality Rügen
  27. Pru27.jpgMarkgrafschaft Nieder-Lausitz
  28. Pru28.jpgPrincipality Orange
  29. Pru29.jpgPrincipality Ostfriesland
  30. Pru30.jpgPrincipality Halberstadt
  31. Pru31.jpgPrincipality Verden
  32. Pru32.jpgPrincipality Osnabrück
  33. Pru33.jpgPrincipality Münster
  34. Pru34.jpgPrincipality Minden
  35. Pru35.jpgPrincipality Hildesheim
  36. Pru36.jpgPrincipality Kammin
  37. Pru37.jpgCounty Glatz
  38. Pru38.jpgPrincipality Moers
  39. Pru39.jpgPrincipality Fulda
  40. Pru40.jpgPrincipality Nassau
  41. Pru41.jpgPrincipality and County Henneberg
  42. Pru42.jpgdivided : County of Mark and County Ravensberg
  43. Pru43.jpgCounty Veringen
  44. Pru44.jpgCounty Mansfeld
  45. Pru45.jpgCounty Hohenstein
  46. Pru46.jpgdivided : County Tecklenburg and County Lingen
  47. Pru47.jpgCounty Sigmaringen
  48. Pru48.jpgcity Frankfurt am Main

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© since 1995, Heraldry of the World, Ralf Hartemink Ralf Hartemink arms.jpg
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Literature : Ströhl, H.G. Deutsche Wappenrolle, 1897; Schurdel, H.D. Flaggen und Wappen Deutschland. Battenberg, Augsburg 1995.