Sachsen

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SACHSEN

Official blazon
German	In neunmal von Schwarz und Gold geteilten Feld einen schrägrechten grünen Rautenkranz.
English	No blazon/translation known. Please click here to send your (heraldic !) blazon or translation

Origin/meaning

The arms of the present State were officially adopted in 1991.

The background of the arms, the bars, are based on the arms of the Ballenstadt family. In 1170 Bernhard, Count of Ballenstedt asked the Emperor for the title and rights of the Dukes of Sachsen, as the former Duke, Heinrich the lion, was killed. He succeeded partly, but his eldest son Heinrich I of Sachsen finally acquired all the territory. Bernhard was also the first one to use the arms with the bars. The crown-ring on the bars is known since 1260 in the seals of Albrecht II and his brother Johann. Their father did not use the ring. The meaning or origin of the ring is not known, although several explanations exist.

The original Duchy was later raised to a Kingdom, that used the same arms until 1918.

The original territory in the meantime was divided in many different territories, all of which used the old Sachsen arms in their arms, see Sachsen-Weimar-Eisenach, Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha, Sachsen-Meiningen-Hildburghausen, Sachsen-Altenburg and Anhalt.

From 1918-1945 it was the Free State of Sachsen, which used the same arms as the current State.