| Coat of arms of Asturias | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Adopted | 1984 |
| Crest | Spanish Royal Crown |
| Shield | Azure, the Cross of Asturias (called that of Victory) Or garnished with precious stones proper, a majuscule Alpha and minuscule Omega pendant from its dexter and sinister arms respectively; and in two lines, in letters Or, the legendHoc Signo Tvetvr Pivs/Hoc Signo Vincitvr Inimicvs, the first line in the dexter flank and the second in the sinister.[1] |
Thecoat of arms ofAsturias was adopted on 27 April 1984.
The oldest attributed arms of the Principality of Asturias date from the 16th century, and show aquartered shield with the castle of theKingdom of Castile, the lion ofLeón and a goblet.[2] But this coat of arms is wrongly attributed to the Prince and the Principality of Asturias, as provedGaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, author, philosopher and main figure of the Age of Enlightenment in Spain.This coat of arms appeared in printed books and maps, even It was included in theEncyclopédie of Denis Diderot.
The arms consist of afield ofazure with theVictory Cross (Spanish:Cruz de la Victoria) ofOr adorned bygemstones. The cross is the symbol of there-conquest of Spain from the Moors. The cross was used, according to the legend or tradition, by the localVisigothic governorPelagius of Asturias, in the initial battles against the Moors. It was claimed that the cross had brought victory, and it was later gold-plated.[2] However, there is no historical evidence that Pelayo used exactly this same cross.
TheGreek letters ofalpha andomega are suspended from the left and right bars, respectively. Accompanying the cross is the legendHoc Signo Tvetvr Pivs/Hoc Signo Vincitvr Inimicvs: "With this sign the pious are safeguarded. With this sign the enemy is conquered."
The arms are "ensigned of aSpanish Royal Crown".
In 1985 a simplified version of the shield was legislated for exclusive use in the Administration of the Principality.
The arms must appearde jure in:
One stays the existing shields in those declared buildings historical-artistic monuments. Also those that appear in those others that they form substantial part of the ornato and decoration.
The Shield of the Principality enjoys the same degree of protection as that of the other symbols of Spain.
