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TheSaxon Steed (German:Sachsenross,Niedersachsenross,Welfenross,Westfalenpferd;Dutch:Twentse Ros,Saksische ros,Saksische paard;Low German:Witte Peerd) is a heraldic motif associated with the German provinces ofLower Saxony andWestphalia, and the Dutch region ofTwente.
The horse as a heraldic charge associated with Saxony first appears in the late 14th century, at which time it was described as an "old Saxon" motif. For this reason, there has been a long history of antiquarian speculation identifying the motif as a tribal symbol of the ancientSaxons.[1][2][3]
A tradition first recorded in 1492 reports that the 8th-century Saxon rulerWidukind displayed a black horse as his field sign.[4]
Historian James Lloyd suggests that "the Saxon Steed motif was invented in the 14 century …. as afaux ancient symbol for the Saxons", being derived from an account byGobelinus of the myth ofHengist and Horsa in Britain.[5]
The horse motif was adopted by theHouse of Welf, whose original symbol was a golden lion on red ground. It has also been used in several provinces inWestphalia (therefore, it is also calledWestfalenross meaning 'Westphalian steed', andWelfenross meaning 'Welf steed'). After this, it became the heraldic animal of theKingdom of Hanover (since 1866 thePrussianProvince of Hanover), of the PrussianProvince of Westphalia, and of theFree State of Brunswick from 1922 until 1935, when state flags were prohibited by theNazis and only theflag of Nazi Germany was to be used. This tradition continues in two of the modern federalStates of Germany ofLower Saxony andNorth Rhine-Westphalia.
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AfterWorld War II, on 23 August 1946, theProvince of Hanover became an independent state and again used the steed as its coat of arms.Brunswick, which was also an independent state, had made the same decision some weeks before, on 8 July 1946. When these two states, along withOldenburg andSchaumburg-Lippe, were merged into the new state of Lower Saxony, the Saxon Steed became the coat of arms of the new state, at first unofficial and then official.
The Saxon Steed is also shown in one of the three sections of the coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia, particularly associated with the area ofWestphalia.
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In 1714 theHouse of Hanover became united inpersonal union with the United Kingdom. As a result, the Saxon Steed is found in the British royal arms during the Hanoverian period.
To express the Saxon heritage of theTwente region, local language and culture enthusiast J.J. van Deinse designed a common flag in the 1920s. The region borders on both the German states of Lower Saxony and North-Rhine-Westphalia. The local language,Tweants, is commonly classified as an extension of the Westphalian branch of theLow Saxon language. Within the Netherlands, it is known to be one of the more traditional (or conservative) varieties of the language.
Due to growing interests and pride in local culture, the Saxon Steed has become a popular image. It can be found in varying formats and appearances, as well as to various degrees of stylisation in the likes of localfootball clubFC Twente's logo, the local branch (Twents) of a Dutch public transport provider, and a growing range of other instances.
TheKing George County, Virginia adopted the shield of 1714 British royal arms,[6][full citation needed] thus the Saxon Steed is found in the seal of King George County.
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