Thecoat of arms of theRepublic of Croatia (Croatian:Grb Republike Hrvatske) consists of one main shield and five smaller shields which form a crown over the main shield. The main coat of arms is acheckerboard that consists of 13 red and 12 white fields (called inblazonChequy of twenty-five gules and argent). It is also informally known in Croatian asšahovnica ("chessboard", fromšah, "chess"). The five smaller shields represent five different historical regions within Croatia. The checkerboard as a heraldic symbol of Croatia was introduced in the late 15th century, and officially since1527 election in Cetin, replacing theoriginal coat of arms of the Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia.
Croatian law describes the coat of arms as follows:[1]
The coat of arms of the Republic of Croatia is the historical Croatian coat of arms in the form of a shield twice divided horizontally and vertically into twenty-five red and white (silver) fields, so that the first field in the upper left corner is red. Above the shield lies a crown with five spikes, slightly arched with its ends conjoined with upper left and right parts of the shield. Within the crown, five lesser shields with historical Croatian coats of arms, lined from left to right in the following order: the oldest known Croatian coat of arms, coats of arms of the Dubrovnik Republic, Dalmatia, Istria and Slavonia. The ratio of height of the field of the main shield to the height of the smaller shields in the crown is 1:2.5, and of the width of the field of the main shield to the width of the smaller shields in the crown is 1:1. The oldest known coat of arms of Croatia contains in a shield on a light blue field a yellow (golden) six-pointed star with a white (silver) crescent. Coat of arms of the Republic of Dubrovnik contains in a shield on a blue field two red bars. The Dalmatian arms contain in a shield on a light blue field three yellow (golden) crowned lion heads. The Istrian arms contain in a shield on a blue field a yellow (golden) goat facing left with red hooves and horns. The Slavonian arms contain on a light blue field two horizontal white (silver) bars, between bars a red field, on which sneaks a marten to the left. In the upper light blue field is a yellow (golden) six-pointed star. The coat of arms is lined red.
However, after recent academic publications, some of the information should be changed.[2]
The current coat of arms of Croatia was not the first coat of arms of Croatia, dating only since the late 15th century. The first coat of arms of Croatia showcased threeleopards orlions heads, which since the late 15th century began to be associated as thecoat of arms of Dalmatia.[4][2][3] In that period, due to theLadislaus of Naples selling of Dalmatia toRepublic of Venice andOttoman conquest of Bosnia and Herzegovina andCroatia, began disintegration of the Croatian lands because of which emerged separate coat of arms for Croatia, Dalmatia and Slavonia (but all of them representing in general the Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia).[3]
Since the 15th century in various armorials existed also other rare variations, for example with three human heads instead, another with three running dogs (because in the German language the Slavs are also calledWinden which reminds of "windhund"), and an arm brandishing a sword (originally ofHrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić, and later usually associated with thecoat of arms of Bosnia and Herzegovina).[4] Sometimes the coat of arms of theFrankopan family, who at the time were one of the most powerful Croatian noble families, was also identified as the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Croatia.[4][5]
The size of the checkerboard ranges from 3×3 to 8×8,[6] but most commonly 5×5, like in the current design. Throughout history, its initial field was mostly in white color and ending in red color, but existed also other examples, as until the 19th century didn't have official standardization and description.[4]
Since the 19th century national revival in Croatia, the oldest Croatian coat of arms with three leopard/lion heads was appropriated by the Italian-Dalmatianist irredentistAutonomist Party,[4] making the checkerboard coat of arms the preferred Croatian national symbol.[4] As such, it sparked the need to find and prove its old age, and consequently fabrications of an early medieval origin. One tradition states it to be the arms ofStephen Držislav in the 10th century.[7] ASplit stone baptistry from the time ofPeter Krešimir IV (r. 1058–1074/5) has engraved falcons that carry something that resembles a checkerboard on their wings, and thebell tower of the medievalChurch of St. Lucy, Jurandvor has a checkerboard pattern carved onto it.[8] It was traditionally conjectured that the colors originally representedRed Croatia andWhite Croatia, but there is no historical evidence to support this as well.
Recently modern scholars are arguing that the Croatian checkerboard coat of arms (CoA) was probably created under the influence of theHabsburg dynasty, replacing the first CoA with leopard/lion heads (becoming attributed to the Dalmatia, meanwhile inVenetian Dalmatia was replaced by theLion of Saint Mark[4]), which checkerboard with red-white fields stylistically to the trend of the time denotes the walls and forts asAntemurale Christianitatis.[9][2]
Towards theLate Middle Ages the distinction for the three crown lands (Croatia proper,Dalmatia,Slavonia) was made. Thešahovnica was used as the coat of arms of Croatia proper & together with the shields of Slavonia and Dalmatia was often used to represent the whole of Croatia inAustria-Hungary. It was used as an unofficial coat of arms of theKingdom of Croatia adopted in 1848 and as an official coat of arms of the post-1868Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia (both unofficially known as theTriune Kingdom). The two are the same except for the position of thešahovnica and Dalmatian coat of arms which are switched around & with different crowns used above the shield – the later employing St Stephen's crown (associated with Hungarian kings).
By late 19th centuryšahovnica had come to be considered a generally recognized symbol for Croats and Croatia and in 1919, it was included in the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later theKingdom of Yugoslavia) to represent Croats. When theBanovina of Croatia was formed, thešahovnica (checkerboard gules and argent) was retained as the official symbol.
TheUstaše regime which had ruled Croatia during theWorld War II superimposed their ideological symbol, the letter "U" above or around thešahovnica (upper left square white) as the official national symbol during their rule.
After theSecond World War, the new Socialist Republic of Croatia became a part of the federalSecond Yugoslavia. Thešahovnica was included in the new socialist coat of arms.[17] It was designed in the socialist tradition, including symbols like wheat for peasants and an anvil for workers, as well as a rising sun to symbolize a new morning and ared star forcommunism.
During the change to multiparty elections in Croatia (as part of the collapse of Communist rule in Eastern Europe from the late 1980s), and prior to the establishment of the current design, thešahovnica, shedding the communist symbols that were the hallmark ofCroatia in the second Yugoslavia, reappeared as a stand-alone symbol as both the 'upper left square red' and 'upper left square white' variants. The choice of 'upper left square red' or 'upper left square white' was often dictated by heraldic laws and aesthetic requirements.
The first-field-white variant was adopted by theRepublic of Croatia and used briefly in 1990.[18] According to constitutional changes which came into effect on 26 June 1990 the red star in the flag ofSR Croatia was to be replaced by the "historical Croatian coat of arms with 25 red and white fields", without specifying order of fields.[19] The first-field-white variant was used at the official flag hoisting ceremony on 25 July and was later occasionally used on par with the first-field-red variant until 21 December 1990 when the current coat of arms was officially adopted.[19][20]
On 21 December 1990, the post-socialist government of Croatia, passed a law prescribing the design created by thepainter andgraphic artistMiroslav Šutej, under the aegis of a commission chaired by Nikša Stančić, then head of the Department ofCroatian History at theFaculty of Philosophy,University of Zagreb. The new design added the five crowning shields which represent Croatian historical coat of arms, out of which fourregions of Croatia. They are, from left to right:
The considered the oldest known coat of arms representing Croatia:[21][22]Bleu celeste, a mullet of six points Or surmounted above a crescent Argent – A golden six-pointed star (representing themorning star) over a silvercrescent moon on a blue shield. The oldest example of the symbol is found on the obverse side of theCroatian Frizatiks minted byAndrew II as Duke of Croatia (Latin: Dux Croatiae).[4][23][24][25] Such coins also had leopard/lion head or whole animal.[4] The symbols of the crescent and moon were common at the time in Europe, and were borrowed from the previous coins minted byArchbishops of Salzburg inFriesach (hence the name).[4] These symbols did not have any Croatian CoA state relevancy and significance in the medieval period.[4] Traditionally this supposed coat of arms was depicted on red (gules) background such as the flag of theTriune Kingdom byJosip Jelačić in the 19th century. From the 16th century onward,Illyrian armorials was associated not only with Croatia, but with South Slavic land of "Illyria" in general, getting particular prominence inPavao Ritter Vitezović'sStemmatografia (1701) and during theIllyrian movement in the 19th century.[4][2][26] It is common misconception that it represents the first and oldest known CoA representing Croatia, dating as such only since the 19th century national revival.[4][2]
Republic of Dubrovnik region –Coat of arms of Dubrovnik:Azure, two bars gules – Two red stripes on a dark blue shield. This is a simplified variation of theCoat of arms of Dubrovnik, with two red bars instead of four; it was used byDubrovnik Republic since the 14th century. The original coat of arms is the old coat of arms ofÁrpád dynasty, granted to Dubrovnik Republic byKing Louis I in 1358 as it became a vassal of the Hungarian-Croatian king.[27][28][29][30][31] The red-blue variant hails from the 1950s interpretation of the template (decorative) lines within the originally white lines of the original CoA.[32][33]
Dalmatia region –Coat of arms of Dalmatia: Bleu celeste, three leopards' heads affrontés caboshed Or, crowned Or – Three golden, crownedheraldic leopard heads, two over one, on a blue shield. The depicted version from the crown differs from the traditional depiction of these arms: traditionally, the leopards are roaring and langued (i.e. with tongues visible), and the color of the shield isheraldic azure, not bleu celeste. Historically, this is the first and oldest coat of arms representing Kingdom of Croatia (and Dalmatia), and in use since at least the 13th century.[2] The first officially recorded use goes back toKing Louis I and his daughterQueen Mary who both used an earlier version of the arms as part of their personal coat of arms. Until 1526 this coat of arms was in the coat of arms of several kings:Louis I,Mary,Matthias Corvinus andLouis II. It is also found on the great seals ofSigismund of Luxembourg,[34]Albert II,[35]John Zápolya,[36]Ferdinand I,[37] and from then on various seals and arms of theHabsburgs. Originally the coat of arms was three lion heads on red background, turned to left.[38][39][40][41][42]
Istria region –Coat of arms of Istria: Azure, a goat (buck goat) statant Or, attired and hoofed Gules – Golden goat (buck goat) with red hooves and horns, on a dark blue shield. The goat as a symbol of Istria is claimed to be associated with Istria since ancient times.[43][44] However the origins of this coat of arms are unclear and until the 19th century there was no official symbol of Istria.[45] The first depictions are found on the maps ofJohann Weikhard von Valvasor in the 17th century and later inStemmatographia sive armorum Illyricorum delineatio, descriptio et restitutio (1701) byPavao Ritter Vitezović.[45][46] It was only in 1861 when theMarch of Istria became theCrown land in the Austrian Empire that this coat of arms became official.[45] Traditional depictions of the arms differed greatly depending on the authors: mostly depicted on a blue but sometimes also on green background, colors (tinctures) of the charge (goat – sometimes with gold and sometimes with red hooves and horns), position orattitude of the goat – sometimes shown aspassant (passing with front leg up) and sometimesstatant (standing with all four legs on the ground), orientation of the charge – sometimes turned to right and sometimes to left (dexter and sinister) and even the charge itself with some variants showing a female goat and some a buck goat (male goat).[47][48] The current variant used in the crest and also as the coat of arms ofCounty of Istria are both derived from theMarch of Istria arms from 1861 byHugo Gerard Ströhl.
Slavonia region –Coat of arms of Slavonia: Bleu celeste, a fess Gules fimbriated Argent surmounted by a mullet of six points Or, amarten Sable courant proper in chief – Six-pointed star (morning star, butMars instead ofVenus[2]) above two silver stripes on a blue shield (representing the riversDrava andSava marking the Northern and Southern border of Slavonia), between them a runningPine marten in natural colors (Kuna in Croatian – note the former currencyCroatian kuna) on a red field. Historically correct version of the arms uses aheraldic blue rather than light blue (Bleu celeste). This coat of arms was derived from an earlier version found onSlavonian Banovac coins minted between 1235 and 1384,[49] which showed a marten running on a field between two six-pointed stars.[23][25][50] The coat of arms was officially granted by kingVladislaus II Jagiellon on December 8, 1496.[3][49][51] It is only Croatian land which has preserved original coat of arms and description, stating that it received because of the Slavonian peoples heroic defense against the Ottoman Turks, and considered as "a special shield or rather a bulwark of this our Hungarian kingdom".[2][3] In 1515 the Slavonian nobility opposed Vladislaus's call to help the Croatian nobility, using as excuse the received CoA because of defense of own and Hungarian southern borders.[3] Since 1497 it was used as the official seal of the Slavonian Sabor, and since 1558 of unifiedSlavonian and Croatian Sabor until the late 19th century.[3][49][52]
More traditionalheraldic pundits have criticized recent unorthodox designs such as adding a crown to the coat, varying shades of blue in its even fields, adding the red border around the coat, andusing red and blue together. The government has accepted their criticism insofar as not accepting further nontraditional designs for thecounty coats of arms, but the national symbol has remained intact.
Unlike in many countries, Croatian design more commonly uses symbolism from the coat of arms, rather than from theCroatian flag. This is partly due to the geometric design of the shield which makes it appropriate for use in many graphic contexts (e.g. the insignia ofCroatia Airlines or the design of the shirt for theCroatia national football team), and partly because thePan-Slavic colors are present in many European flags.
^Emilij Laszowski (January 1942)."Stari grbovi zemalja Nezavisne Države Hrvatske" [Ancient Arms of Lands of the Independent State of Croatia].Vjesnik Arheološkog Muzeja U Zagrebu (in Croatian).22–23 (1). Archaeological Museum in Zagreb:207–221.ISSN0350-7165. RetrievedNovember 5, 2012.
^Bellamy, Alex J. (2003).The Formation of Croatian National Identity: A Centuries-old Dream. Manchester University Press. p. 36.ISBN0-7190-6502-X.
^Jonas Frykman; Gösta Arvastson (1995). Bjarne Stoklund (ed.).Ethnologia Europaea. Vol. 25–26. Museum Tusculanum Press. p. 78.ISBN9788772893426. RetrievedFebruary 4, 2013.
^"The Symbols of State". CARNet & Department of Telecommunications, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb. RetrievedJune 13, 2014.
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