Dinant

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 : 6,282 of which images : 5,066	Other heraldry: Ecclesiastical heraldry Military heraldry Educational heraldry Institutional heraldry Corporate heraldry Collector's items Heraldic postcards Heraldic stamps Personal arms

DINANT

Province : Namur
Additions : 1964 Anseremme, Bouvignes-sur-Meuse, Dréhance; 1977 Falmagne, Falmignoul, Foy-Notre-Dame, Furfooz, Lisogne, Sorinnes, Thynes

Official blazon

(1840) D'argent,à un lion naissant de gueules couronné d'or, entourné de joncs de gueules.
(1927) D'argent au lion naissant de gueules, couronné d'une couronne d'or à 3 fleurons. L'écu orné extérieurement d'un bijou de la croix de guerre française, muni de son ruban et mouvant de la pointe.
(1977) D'argent au lion issant de gueules, couronné d'une couronne d'or à trois fleurons, l'écu orné de la croix de guerre française, munie de son ruban et mouvant de la pointe.

Origin/meaning

The arms were granted on December 22, 1840 changed on December 7, 1927 and confirmed on August 19, 1977.

Dinant was an important fortress city already in early medieval times. The oldest known seals date from the late 14^th century and show a tower and a bridge over the Meuse river. In 1399 a new seal showed a city with three towers, the local patron saint and the patron saint of the State of Liège, to which the city at the time belonged. On the middle tower a small shield was seen, with a demi-lion. A later seal, known since 1466, shows St. Perpète, the local patron saint, holding a shield with the lion. Coloured images are known from the 16^th century and the arms have not changed since.

In 1840 the arms were granted with a red lion and red rushes in silver, this was corrected in 1927, with the addition of the French War Cross.

The arms from 1840:

The origin of the lion is not clear. It has been speculated that the arms are derived from the arms of the oldest Lords of Dinant.

Another story deals with the battle of Steppes in 1214, where the troops of Liège, especially from Dinant, fought the army of the Dukes of Brabant. During the battle St. Lambert, patron saint of Liège, appeared in the sky. This gave power to the forces of Liège and they defeated the Brabant forces, thereby cutting the banner of the Duke of Brabant in half. The arms of Brabant show a golden lion on a black field. Ever since the city of Dinant used the demi-lion....

Finally it has been speculated that the lion is derived from the arms of the Counts, later Dukes, of Limburg.