Chimay

Belgium heraldry portal

This page is part of the Belgium heraldry portal	Heraldry of the World
Civic heraldry: National arms of Belgium Arms of provinces and communities Arms of cities and towns Heraldic literature of Belgium Total pages in the Belgium section : 6,368 of which images : 5,138	Other heraldry: Ecclesiastical heraldry Military heraldry Educational heraldry Institutional heraldry Corporate heraldry Collector's items Heraldic postcards Heraldic stamps Personal arms

CHIMAY

Province : Hainaut
Additions : 1977 Baileux, Bailièvre, Boulers, Forges, L'Escaillière, Lompret, Rièzes, Robechies, Saint-Rémy, Salles, Vaulx, Villers-la-Tour, Virelles

Official blazon

(1823) -
(1838) De gueules à l'épée d'argent emmanchée d'or et posée en bande la pointe en haut.
(1978) De gueules à l'épée d'argent emmanchée d'or et posee en bande la pointe en haut.

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on July 31, 1823, changed on June 30, 1838 and confirmed on May 24, 1978.

The arms show a sword, which is derived from a local legend. In 57 BC the local inhabitants, the Pleumosiens, acquired in a battle against the Roman army, the sword of Julius Cesar, and ever since the sword supposedly was the symbol of Chimay. Most likely the arms were created in the late middle ages based on this legend. The sword appeared for the first time on a seal dating from 1552. Previous seals showed the arms of the Croy family, Lords of Chimay.