Maaseik

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MAASEIK

Province : Limburg
Additions : 1977 Neeroeteren, Opoeteren

Official blazon

(1819) Van lazuur beladen met een eikel van goud, het schild gedekt met een gouden kroon.
(1846) D'azur à un gland feuillé, d'or, l'écu timbré d'une couronne de même.
(1909) Gedeeld: een, gedwarsbalkt van tien stukken, goud en rood; twee, in zilver een eik in natuurlijke kleur, geplant in een groenen grond en in het schildhoofd vergezeld van drie verkorte roode kruisjes.
(1981) Gedeeld 1. gedwarsbalkt van tien stukken, goud en keel, beladen met een omgewende vis van sabel, paalsgewijze geplaatst 2. in zilver een eik van sinopelll op een grasgrond, in het schildhoofd vergezeld van drie korte kruisjes van keel.

Origin/meaning

The arms were officially granted on January 22, 1981.

The new arms combine the fish of the arms of Neeroeteren with the previous arms of Maaseik. As Opoeteren also used a combination of fish and the red and golden bars of Loon, all three municipalities are represented in the new arms.

The fish is black, but the municipality generally uses the arms with a silver fish.

The bars of Loon indicate that the area historically belonged to the Loon county. The village of Nieuw Eik (later Maaseik) received city rights in 1386, but the whole surrounding area remained part of Loon. Both were ruled by the same council. The council used the seal of the city which, from 1369-1423, showed a shield divided of Loon and an oak branch (Eik=oak). In the 16th century the city used a seal with new arms, instead of the oak branch an oak tree and three crosses was used. The meaning of the crosses is not known. During the centuries the crosses were placed in, around or above the oak tree. In 1909 they were pplaced above the tree.

The seal of the city of Maaseik (date unknown)

The previous arms were granted on May 22, 1909.

These arms are based on the old seal as described above.

The 1909 arms replaced the arms granted on December 21, 1819 and December 12, 1846.

The arms of 1819

The arms of 1846

Both arms show an oak branch as a canting element, taken from the oldest seal. As no historical colours were known, the arms were granted in the Dutch national colours. After the Belgian independance the arms were continued, but with a different crown.