Nancy

Official blazon

Origin/meaning

The arms show a thistle and a chief with the complete historical arms of Lorraine.

Nancy was the capital city of Lorraine and adopted a thistle in it's arms probably after the defeat of the Duke of Burgundy in 1477. The meaning, however, is not known. The thistle has been the symbol of the city since the 15th/16^th century.
The chief shows the arms of Lorraine as used in 1575, when the chief was added by Charles III, Duke of Lorriane. The arms show the red bars of Hungary, the shield with fleur-de-lis and a label for the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, the golden cross for Jerusalem, the red pals of Aragón, the fleur-de-lis and red bordure of Anjou; the golden lion of Gelre, the black lion of Jülich, the two fish for the Duchy of Bar and overall the historical arms of Lorraine.

The arms by Guilbert, 1853	The arms in the Café Sanka album +/- 1932
The arms on a tobacco card by Laurens	The arms on a postcard by Barré Dayez
The arms on a postcard from the 1990s	The arms on a Union trade card
The arms on a postcard by Maurice Jacquez	The arms on a trade card from Félix Potin