| Coat of arms of Dalmatia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Adopted | 13th century |
| Supporters |
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| Earlier version(s) |  Early type used byKings of Hungary (Dalmatia and Croatia) (13-16th century)  Crowned coat of arms byHoly Roman Emperors (15-18th century)  Coat of arms fromChronicon Helveticum (16th century)  Coat of arms ofKingdom of Dalmatia (1797–1805, 1815–1918) .png) unofficial coat of arms |
| Use | For theKingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia, and later regionally forDalmatia |
Thecoat of arms of Dalmatia is theheraldic symbol used for the historical region ofDalmatia on the eastern coast ofAdriatic Sea, and previously theKingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia until early 16th century. It is also featured on thecrest of thecoat of arms of Croatia. The arms have three golden lion heads, facing front, with golden crowns and red tongues, on a blue shield. Theblazon, or formal heraldic description, isazure, with three crowned goldenleopards' heads affrontés caboshedOr, langued ingules. Thelions' heads affrontés were historically referred to asleopards, but this refers to their pose rather than species.
The symbol of the leopard/lion heads is probably of Byzantine origin, and was used by the Hungarian kings and queens of theÁrpád dynasty from the time ofBéla III of Hungary (1172–1196; on coinsFrizatik andBanovac, seal), until kingSigismund (1387–1437), but most prominently by those Hungarians who held the title of theDuke of Slavonia, which CoA would become state CoA of the Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia.[1] Meanwhile the so-calledÁrpád stripes and theHungarian Patriarchal cross became main elements of the royalcoat of arms of Hungary.[1]
Earliest depiction of the coat of arms are from 13th century.ArmorialVermandois (L'Armorial du Héraut Vermandois) from the year 1285 is showing variation showing one Lion head on shield with description "Le Roy Danit" archaicFrench for King of Dalmatia.[1][2] A similar coat of arms inHerald's Roll (1270-1280) is attributed to the King of Hungary.[1] Another second half of the 13th century depictions of the coat of arms is from theArmorial Wijnbergen in which is described as "le Roi dezclauonie",[1] and fromLord Marshals' Roll[3] from the year 1295 showing three silver heads on blue shield with description "Le Roy de Esclevoni" (the King of the Slavs i.e. Croats; the Hungarian kings and dukes, as well as foreign sources, used the term "totius Sclavonie" in the meaning of the Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia, see titleDuke of Slavonia).[1][4]
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A more modern version of the CoA, with three golden crowned lions on blue shield, first appeared in 14th centuryGelre Armorial (pre-1396) representingKingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia (Regnum Croatiae et Dalmatiae) as part of the coat of arms of KingLouis I (1342-1382).[1]Hermann II, Count of Celje also started to use it in his CoA because of title's and estates in Croatia.[1] Until 1526 these arms were used to represent Kingdom of Croatia in general,[1][6][7][5] as can be seen from coat of arms of several kings:Louis I,Mary,Matthias Corvinus andLouis II. It is also found on the great seals ofSigismund, Holy Roman Emperor,[8]Albert II,[9]John Zápolya,[10]Ferdinand I,[11] and from then on, on various seals and arms of theHabsburgs. During theRepublic of Venice's government of theVenetian Dalmatia, since the 16-17th century was used in Venetian decorative cartography, and some decorative armorials inspired byIllyrian armorials (e.g. on so-called unofficial "Greater coat of arms" of Venice from 1680, 1693 and 1706), but it was never included in the framework of its state emblem nor was it officially used by the Venetians who officially used only theLion of Saint Mark.[1]
Historically there are two main variants of these arms:
From a strictlyheraldic point of view thecharges on the arms are notlions butheraldic leopards. Theheraldic leopard differs from the real-lifeleopard (Panthera pardus). It does not have any spots and often has amane. Therefore, in heraldry, theleopard is generally similar, and is often referred to as alion (Panthera leo). The reason for this lies in the fact that in theMiddle Ages leopards were thought to be acrossbreed between a lion and apard.[17]
The presence of the Dalmatian coat of arms in military units raised in Dalmatia spans from the Middle Ages to modern times, reflecting the region’s evolving political and military affiliations. In the medieval period, as Dalmatian cities like Zadar and Split aligned with various powers such as Venice and Hungary, local militias and city guards sometimes bore symbols tied to regional identity, including early forms of the Dalmatian arms. During the Habsburg rule, the coat of arms—depicting three crowned leopard heads—became more formalized and prominently featured in the insignia, standards, and uniforms of Dalmatian regiments, signifying their provincial origin within the imperial military framework. Even into the 20th century, echoes of this heraldic tradition persisted in military and paramilitary units during both World Wars and the Yugoslav wars period, serving as a cultural and historical reference point for Dalmatian identity within broader national armies.
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