Aarschot

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AARSCHOT

Province : Vlaams-Brabant
Additions : 1976 Gelrode, Langdorp, Rillaar

Official blazon

(1819) Van zilver beladen met eene zwarte lelie; het schild rustende tegen den arend van goud.
(1841) Eenen zilveren schild, met eenen zwarte leliebloem, den schild gedekt met eenen gulden arend, daeruyt opspringend en met uytgestrekte vleugels.
(1985) In zilver een lelie van sabel. Het schild getopt met een halve adelaar van goud.

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on September 15, 1819, again on July 30, 1841 and finally on March 5, 1985.

The arms of Aarschot are based on the arms of the Counts of Aarschot. Three black fleur-de-lis were already used by the counts in the 12^th century. The city later adopted a single fleur-de-lis as its arms. The eagle supporter, often mistaken as the Imperial eagle, probably is a canting element (Arend=eagle). The city never was an imperial city, and thus not entitled to use the imperial eagle.