Mortsel

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

MORTSEL

Province : Antwerpen

Official blazon

(1880) D'or, à trois pals de gueules; l'écu sommé d'une image de St. Benoit tenant une crosse et un livre.
(1993) In goud drie palen van keel. Het schild overtopt met een Sint-Benedictus houdende een boek en een staf, alles van natuurlijke kleur.

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on January 5, 1880 and confirmed on March 1, 1993.

The arms of Mortsel are derived from the arms of the Berthout family. The Cantincrode fortress in the municipality was established in the 11th century and became a possession of Willem II Berthout at the end of the 13th century. He rebuilt and significantly enlarged the fortress. The family later also became Lords of Cantecroy, to which the village of Mortsel belonged. Only in 1781 the village and estate were sold to the Helman de Termeeren family.

Already in the late 15th and 16th century the Mortsel council used the arms of the Berthout family, with the local patron saint, St. Benedict, as supporter. The present arms are based on that seal.