Castilla y León

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CASTILLA Y LEÓN

Status : Autonomous Region

Official blazon

Cuartelado en cruz o contracuartelado. El primer y cuarto cuarteles: en campo de gules, un castillo de oro almenado de tres almenas, mamposteado de sable y aclarado de azur. El segundo y tercer cuarteles: en campo de plata, un león rampante de púrpura, linguado, uñado y armado de gules, coronado de oro.

Origin/meaning

The arms are a combination of the arms of the two historical Kingdoms of Catille and Leon. Both used canting arms, the lion for Leon, and the castle for Castille.

The lion design is attributed to Alfonso VII, who became king of Castile and León in 1126. The castle symbol is attributed to his grandson Alfonso VIII. In 1230, Ferdinand III united the two kingdoms and quartered the arms as a symbol of the union. Until the sixteenth century, a full castle, with walls and three towers, rather than the current town design, was used. Th elion, now officially blazoned as purpure, historically was mainly seen as red.