Symbols of Scotland. Why is the unicorn a symbol of Scotland? What plant is depicted on the royal coat of arms of Scotland?
The Kingdom of Scotland is one of the oldest, but not preserved, states in Europe (I have a vague hope for its revival in the future, but I understand that this is an illusion). Officially, its history fits into the period 843–1707. Since 1482, when the English captured the coastal town of Berwick, the borders of the Kingdom of Scotland have generally coincided with modern Scotland.
The situation in which Scotland lost its independence is interesting. This was not just the result of brutal violence on the part of England, but a kind of historical collision. For the first time, the Scottish Royal Stuart dynasty was associated with England when Elizabeth I Tudor ascended to the English throne. According to the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, Elizabeth was considered illegitimate, so Mary Stuart, who was the great-granddaughter of King Henry VII Tudor of England, declared herself Queen of England. This decision of Mary became fatal: Scotland did not have the strength to defend her right to the English throne, and relations with England were hopelessly damaged.
Mary failed to ascend the throne, but later her son succeeded. Elizabeth, also known as the “Virgin Queen,” had no children, and after her death, Mary Stuart’s son James VI was declared King of England, who became James I in England. After the Glorious Revolution (1688) and the overthrow of the Catholic James VII (James II for England) Scotland briefly threatened to elect its own Protestant Monarch, but under the threat of England breaking off trade and transport ties, the Scottish Parliament, together with the English Parliament, adopted the “Act of Union” in 1707 (from a monarchical point of view, of course, illegitimate). As a result of the unification, the Kingdom of Great Britain was formed.
Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Scotland in 1603:
Shield: in a golden field with a scarlet double inner border, sprouted with lilies, a rising lion of the same color with azure arms.
Above the shield is golden helmet surmounted by the crown of Scotland. Crown of Scotland and is the oldest Crown Jewel in the British Isles. The last changes to the crown were made in 1540 for King James V. The crown has 2 arches (4 half-arcs), which are crowned with a golden cross. At the base of the arches are golden heraldic lilies, between which are placed heraldic strawberry leaves (I came across a mention that strawberries in heraldry are a symbol of a wanderer, a tramp). The crown is set with 22 precious stones, including garnets and amethysts, and 20 semi-precious stones, as well as 68 Scottish river pearls.
In the crest there is indeed a crimson crowned lion sitting rearing up, holding a sword and a golden scepter. Above the lion there is a silver ribbon with motto In Defens, inscribed in scarlet letters. In Defens is an abbreviation of the motto In My Defens God Me Defend. Obviously, this element appeared in the coat of arms of Scotland under English influence.
Around the shield is a collar of the Most Ancient and Noble Order of the Thistle with a chain. The thistle is the national symbol of the Scots.
The shield is supported by the rising crowned ones silver unicorns with golden weapons (mane, horns and hooves), shackled in golden chains and standing on green soil overgrown with thistles. Unicorns symbolize the indomitable spirit of the Scots. They support two standard: Royal with a lion and national with St. Andrew's cross. Initially, the coat of arms had only one motto, located according to the traditions of Scottish heraldry at the top. On the Internet I found an indication that the motto of the Order of the Thistle, Nemo me impune lacessit (“No one will attack me with impunity” in Latin), located at the bottom, was added to the coat of arms. The coat of arms lasted with minor decorative changes until 1603, when England and Scotland were united under one crown.
Brief information about the country: Scotland
Scotland ( Scotland) Formerly an independent kingdom in northern Europe, it is now the only autonomous monarchy (including its own parliament) of the four regions that make up the United Kingdom.
Capital- Edinburgh
Language- Currently, there is no officially adopted state language in the UK, but three languages are used in Scotland - English, Scottish Gaelic And Anglo-Scottish.
Flag of Scotland
The Scottish flag is one of the oldest national flags in the world. Its appearance, according to legend, dates back to 832, when King Angus, before the battle with the Anglo-Saxons, saw in the sky a sign in the form of an X-shaped cross, on which, according to legend, Andrew the First-Called, considered the patron saint of Scotland, was crucified. The battle was won, and the image of a white cross on a sky-blue field became one of the symbols of Scotland.
The Scottish flag was included as a component in the flag of Great Britain
Coat of arms of Scotland
The shield holders are two unicorns chained to a pedestal. Unicorns symbolize the indomitable spirit of the Scots. Unicorns support two standards: the royal one with a lion and the national one with the St. Andrew's cross. Initially, the coat of arms had only one motto, located according to the traditions of Scottish heraldry at the top. "In Defense" is an abbreviation of the motto "In My Defens God Me Defend"(“God protects me”). Later, the regalia of the Order of the Thistle was added to the coat of arms - the order chain and motto "Nemo me impune lacessit"(“No one will attack me with impunity”), located below. The coat of arms lasted with minor decorative changes until 1603, when England and Scotland were united under one crown.
Symbol of Scotland
Scotland is rich not only in official state symbols; along with it, there are also so-called semi-official symbols.
The thistle is the plant symbol of Scotland, and it also has its own legend.
One day, warlike Viking troops landed on the coast of Scotland with the goal of conquering the country. The Scots sent their army towards the enemy, which stopped for a halt on the Tay River. At this time, the Vikings had just approached the crossing.
In order not to wake up the enemy army, they took off their shoes and began to gradually approach. But one of the warriors stepped on a thistle, screamed in pain, and the awakened Scots managed to meet them with a worthy rebuff.
In 1702, the thistle appeared on the royal coat of arms, along with the motto "None shall touch me without being hurt." And subsequently the “Order of the Thistle” was formed.
This symbol of Scotland means a lot to local residents, and the British jokingly nicknamed it the “Scottish rose.”
You'll be sure to see the Scottish flag flying proudly in the wind. It is called “seltir” and it looks like St. Andrew’s - on a blue background there is an oblique white cross. The Scottish "Celtyre" is considered to be the oldest flag in use in Europe today. The flag of Scotland has been known since 832, from the day of the battle between the Picts and the Scots led by King Angus and the army of Atlestain, king of Northumbria. According to legend, King Angus received a sign in the form of St. Andrew the Primordial, the patron saint of Scotland, crucified on an oblique cross. As the battle began, the clouds in the bright blue sky began to move quickly and formed a diagonal cross shape. After this sign, the battle was won, and a white diagonal cross on a blue background became the flag of all Scots. The size of the sides of the flag is not strictly regulated, but panels with aspect ratios of 2:3 and 3:5 meters are most often used.
The next symbol of Scotland is the royal coat of arms. The red heraldic lion on a golden field was present on the coats of arms of all Scottish kings.
Small coat of arms of Scotland.
The song "Flower of Scotland" is the unofficial national anthem of Scotland.
This video features the sights of Scotland accompanied by the Scottish anthem “Flower of Scotland”:
Also vying for the title of Scottish anthem is the song “Scotland the Brave” (written by Cliff Handley).
You can listen to “Scotland the Brave” here:
The Scottish bagpipe, another symbol of Scotland, is essentially a reservoir made from the skin of goats or sheep turned inside out with eight pipes attached to it. One of the tubes has playing holes.
Here is the Scottish bagpipe and its structure.
Tartan or “tartan” - a fabric with vertical and horizontal stripes from which kilts, national clothing, are sewn, is also called a symbol of Scotland.
The thistle flower is also called the unofficial symbol of Scotland. You can easily find his images on many coats of arms, coins and emblems. Why did such an unsightly flower, one might say weeds, become one of the symbols of Scotland? This question is answered by an ancient Scottish legend, which tells that the thorny thistle, which generously dotted the fields of Scotland, saved its inhabitants from an unexpected Viking raid. The Vikings, having crossed the river, barefoot, walked straight into the thorny thickets of thistles and burst into loud screams, which betrayed their presence. Since then, the thistle flower has been held in high esteem by the Scots.
The flag of Scotland is its national historical symbol and insignia. As everyone knows, Scotland is part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. In the past (until 1707) it was an independent kingdom, but today it is only an autonomous region. Having achieved independence in 1999, what did Scotland get? Coat of arms and flag, elected Parliament, separate state church and its own legal system. This article will focus on national
Flag of Scotland
This beautiful and unique flag has been seen by many. From this article you will learn everything about the flag of Scotland: photos, parameters, history, legends.
So, the national Scottish symbol is a rectangular blue canvas with an oblique white cross on it. Part of it is also used in the national one, namely: the red cross of the British is superimposed on the Scottish flag.
The exact aspect ratio of the flag is not regulated anywhere. As a rule, panels with a ratio of 2:3 are used. Less often - 2:5. But the width of the stripes of the diagonal cross is determined with an accuracy of 1/5 of the entire width of the flag.
St. Andrew's flag
This symbol on a blue background was first used in 1286; it adorned seals. The flag of Scotland itself appeared much later - in 1542. This symbol has another name - the flag of “St. Andrew”, and in Russia - “St. Andrew’s”. Why is the Scottish national symbol named after someone?
Saint Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland. He was one of the disciples of Jesus Christ and also preached Christianity. For which the Romans crucified him. But Saint Andrew considered himself unworthy to die like Christ, so he was crucified on two pillars that intersected diagonally. Hence the name - “St. Andrew’s Cross”.
The Legend of King Angus
Around historical banners there have always been full of secrets, conjectures, tales and guesses. And the national flag of Scotland also has its own legend.
So, it all started back in 832, during a great battle near the modern capital of Scotland - Edinburgh. Then the Scots' army was surrounded by a huge army of English, and the chances of victory were minimal. On the night before the decisive battle, King Angus Mac Ferguson cried out to God. He asked for victory over the English. That night he made a vow before God that if the Scots were victorious, he would declare St. Andrew the patron saint of the free kingdom of Scotland.
And early in the morning, clouds in the shape of a diagonal “St. Andrew’s” cross suddenly appeared in the blue sky. The Scottish army rejoiced, but the English were frightened. As a result, the victory remained with King Angus, despite the superiority of the enemy. And the monarch fulfilled his vow to God - St. Andrew became the patron saint of Scotland, and his symbol adorns the national flag.
And although historians claim that the flag of Scotland appeared only many years later, in 1542, I would like to hope that in this case there is truth behind the legend.
Coat of arms of Scotland
The kings of Scotland also had their own official standard - a fierce red lion with its mouth open and sharp claws released on a golden background. This symbol was considered the unofficial flag of the kingdom and was flown into the air above the castle only when the monarch was present. This “fierce lion” later became a mandatory element of every royal coat of arms of Scotland.
This symbol has not been approved by British law as the official flag of the country. However, it later became the national emblem of Scotland.
Anthem of Scotland
Scotland has no official anthem. However, there are several contenders for his title.
The first work is rightfully considered to be “The Flower of Scotland” by the Scottish group “The Corries”. This is the song that plays when the Scottish rugby team takes to the field.
The second contender is “Scotland the Brave” performed by Cliff Handley.
To date, none of these songs have been recognized as the official anthem. The fact is that the first song does not quite characterize Scotland today, and almost no one knows the text of the second. As a result, the autonomous region of Great Britain needs a new modern anthem.
Unofficial symbols
In addition to official symbols, Scotland has so-called semi-official symbols. This is a white unicorn with a shield, bagpipes - a national musical instrument, tartan - a Scottish pattern and a thistle, which is depicted on banknotes.
Why thistle? Scotland is full of it. This inconspicuous flower, in addition to being depicted on money, is found in all souvenir shops, and, of course, grows in fields and meadows.
No one knows why the thistle is a symbol of the Scots. But there is a legend here too. According to legend, while the Scottish army was sleeping, the enemy quietly crept towards them to cut them down in their sleep. However, the enemy troops advanced and howled in pain, thereby awakening the Scots. The army mobilized after sleep and killed the enemy. In gratitude, the thistle was named the Guardian and became a symbol of Scotland, albeit an unofficial one.
Hello dears!
Today we will finish the topic of European coats of arms, started here: and continued here:. However, as you understand, we naturally do not finish the general topic of state heraldry, in particular, and heraldry in general. Therefore, you will have to endure my exercises further :-)
Today we'll talk about Great Britain and Portugal.
The coat of arms of Great Britain, or more correctly the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is similar to the coat of arms of the British monarch and the ruling family. As everyone knows, the current monarch (God bless her) of Great Britain is Elizabeth II of Windsor (aka Saxe-Coburg and Gotha).
Wedding of Princess Royal Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten. 1947
The coat of arms of Her Royal Majesty could be seen by many, and it is one of the most recognizable in the world of heraldry. It can be described something like this:
On the green lawn, which serves as the main one, there is an English heraldic shield of Gothic form, surrounded by a garter ribbon and embroidered on it with the motto of the Order of the Garter “Honi soit qui mal y pense” on both sides supported by a crowned Rampant Guardant lion and a unicorn on a chain . The lawn contains rose, clover and thistle. At the very bottom there is a motto in French: “ DIEU ET MON DROIT“. The coat of arms is divided into 4 quarters. In the 1st and 3rd quarters there are 3 marching, straight-looking (Passant Guardant) golden lions in a scarlet field, which are usually called leopard lions or simply leopards. In the 2nd quarter there is a scarlet lion with azure weapons (claws and tongue) in a golden field with a scarlet double inner border, overgrown with lilies, and in the 4th quarter there is a golden harp in an azure background. The shield is crowned with a tournament helmet crowned with the imperial crown, surrounded by a mantle, and on top of the helmet there is a golden crowned leopard. 
Official Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom and Monarchy
Before we begin to examine in detail the elements of this coat of arms, we must talk about one of its interesting features. This coat of arms has another version, which is called Scottish and is used, accordingly, exclusively in Scotland. We will talk about the differences between the main coat of arms and its Scottish version a little later, but now I propose to start looking at the main coat of arms.
In violation of all blazing rules, we will start not with the shield, but with the base. Yes, yes, exactly from the base (soil). Agree that the short-cropped English green lawn is as integral an attribute of Foggy Albion as, say, the monarchy and the five-o-clock. So I cannot help but note how correctly and competently the soil (base) was chosen. However, on the soil there are 3 more interesting heraldic elements - a rose, a clover and a thistle, and these elements are repeated twice and the most paradoxical thing is that they grow from the same stem. These plants are included in the coat of arms with special intent. The fact is that the rose is a symbol of England, the clover is of Northern Ireland, and the thistle is of Scotland. 
Everything is clear with the rose of England; everyone has probably heard or read about the War of the Scarlet and White Roses. The Hampshire rose was the ancestral sign of two families claiming hegemony in the kingdom - the Lanksters (Scarlet Rose) and the Yorks (White Rose). King Henry VII, who came to the throne in 1485, in order to finally end the feud between the families, combined these 2 roses into one - a white flower on top of a scarlet one, or divided into four scarlet and white sectors (“quarters”), or into two parts of scarlet and white with a vertical stripe in the middle. Since Henry VII became the ruler of the royal Tudor Dynasty (which ruled until 1604), this rose is often also called the Tudor Rose. 
The emblem of the football club from Northern Ireland "Cliftonville"
The three-leaf green clover is an ancient symbol of Ireland. According to legend, the patron saint of the island, Patrick, used the clover flower to explain the doctrine of the Trinity. Green is the color of this saint. In addition, the ancient Celts considered clover to be the best protection against the forces of evil and witchcraft. Great Britain now controls part of the island, a territory called Northern Ireland, but the presence of clover seems to imply that the British claim not a part, but the entire green island of Ireland. 
Tartan and thistle. Real Scotland
Thistle is the national plant of Scotland. Since ancient times, it has been credited with having a magical effect on evil spirits. In addition, according to legend, in the 10th century, the coastal settlements of the Scots suffered from raids by the Danish Vikings. In 990, near Perth, the Danes came ashore to defeat the army of King Kenneth II under cover of darkness. The Scotts did not expect that the Danes would attack them at night, so they slept peacefully, without even setting up external posts. In order not to make noise when moving, the Danes took off their shoes, but by a fatal accident, one of them stepped on a thistle and screamed in pain, waking up the entire camp of the Scots king with a scream. Awakening from sleep, the Scots put up a worthy rebuff to the Danes and put them to flight. This is the legend. And finally, some wits joke that thistle perfectly illustrates national character, especially in relation to money.
Thus, 3 out of 4 parts of the United Kingdom in the coat of arms, even at a minimal level, are not offended. It will only go around Wales, whose plant symbols - leeks or daffodils, I could not find on the coat of arms. Maybe you can help? 
Flag of Wales
Let's continue further. And let's go to the order ribbon surrounding the shield. The blue strap with a gold buckle is a garter, the badge of the highest and oldest English Order of the Garter, established by King Edward III in 1348. If you translate the motto from French into Russian, you get something like “Let him who thinks badly of it be ashamed.” I will not dwell in detail on this Royal Order for the same reasons that I did not examine the Order of the Seraphim on the coat of arms of Sweden (I describe all this in my third book and hope to publish it someday), but still without a few explanations can't get by here. According to one of the most widespread legends, the playful and cheerful lady (and at the same time also a mistress, according to some sources of the aforementioned King Edward III), the Countess of Salisbury at one of the royal balls went into such a dance frenzy that she dropped one of the intimate parts of a woman’s toilet - a garter - on the floor. Everyone around laughed, plunging the poor countess into the throes of shame, but the gallant king picked up the garter and tied it on his own leg with the words “Let him be ashamed who thought ill of it,” which became the motto of the order. The legend is of course beautiful, but if you look closely at the ribbon of the order on the coat of arms, you will probably notice that most of all it is not on the garter at all, but rather on the belt on which the sword was hung. But this is true, by the way. 
Regalia of the Order of the Pendant
At the bottom of the coat of arms we can see another motto - " Dieu et mon droit", which translated into Russian sounds like " God and my right". Since the beginning of the 15th century, this has been the personal motto of English monarchs, indicating the divinity of the monarch's rights to power and the crown. And do not be confused by the French spelling of all these mottos - it is quite understandable. Firstly, the English dynasties of that time had French roots, and most of the kings did not know English at all, which was considered the language of the common people (an example here could be the most famous, perhaps the king of England, Richard I the Lionheart), and secondly, Henry V, under whom this motto first began to be used, had every chance of uniting in his hands crown not only of England, but also of France, therefore he acted with special intent, drawing the motto in French. The current dynasty would probably have written it in German. 
English King Henry V
Well, perhaps it's time to move on to the shield. Leopard lions or leopards located in the 1st and 3rd quarters are an ancient coat of arms of England. Its official name is “walking lions on guard.” It was created by Richard I the Lionheart in 1190. The coat of arms of William the Conqueror and the Norman dynasty was taken as a basis, slightly modified and another one was added to the 2 existing lions. The British, as well-known traditionalists, stick to their basics.
The red lion on a golden background, which we can see in the second quarter, is the oldest symbol of Scotland. It is believed that it was taken from the coat of arms of the county of Fife, and they in turn adopted it from the Vikings. It was first used in the state coat of arms by the Scottish monarch William I the Lion of Scotland, who reigned from 1165 to 1214, who added a fancy double border to the lion. This coat of arms was officially established under Alexander III, who sat on the throne from 1249 to 1286. 
Somewhere in Edinburgh...
Since then, this coat of arms has remained unchanged (despite all the intermediate disturbances associated with various historical events, such as kinship with the French royal house and others like it). After the royal dynasty of Scotland ceased to exist with the accession of the Scottish monarch James I to the English throne, the coat of arms of Scotland became part of the Royal Arms of Great Britain. 
Controversial figure in English history James I Stuart
And finally, in the 4th quarter we can see the coat of arms of Ireland. This is the so-called Irish Harp, which has become a symbol of the “Green Island” since the 13th century. I must say that this is the only country at the moment in which a musical instrument is a symbol, so it’s difficult to confuse something here. The appearance of the golden harp is associated with ancient Irish folklore (which, by the way, is very rich, interesting and unusual - if you have the opportunity, check it out). So, according to legend, the supreme gods of light and warmth gave the Supreme King of the Tribes of the goddess Dana, named Dagde, some magical harps, the sounds of which helped the common people to live and enjoy. One flute was called Daurdabla(“The Oak of Two Greens”), another Coir Ketarcuir(“Song of the Four Corners”). 
A well-known airline with the symbol of Ireland on its livery
So, in fact, the Irish began to be called from those times as the people of the harp. But this is only one of the legends, of which there are many. Some are associated with such notorious characters as Tristan, and even King David. Be that as it may, the golden harp in a green field became the coat of arms of the province of Leinster, and through it the coat of arms of the state of Ireland. Following the unification of Ireland, England and Scotland under James I of England in March 1603, the harp appeared on the third quarter of the royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom. I would like to note, however, that the coat of arms of Northern Ireland differs from the all-Ireland one. So here, too, one can discern not only a tribute to tradition, but also claims to the whole of Ireland. 
Coat of arms of Northern Ireland
Well, once again I would like to note that such an important part of the kingdom as Wales has been ignored. On the one hand, Wales has the status of a principality, it has never had a sovereign state within its actual borders (even Welsh football clubs such as Swansea play in the English championship), and its national coat of arms has not been approved, but still feels absent in There is some injustice in the heraldry of the United Kingdom and Welsh symbolism. This injustice, apparently, was also felt by the English monarchs, who tried to level out the imbalance in another way. The heir to the British crown bears the title Prince of Wales. 
Welsh coat of arms. Leeks present
A few words must be said about shield holders. The lion as a shield holder supports the shield on the right. A white horse with a screw-shaped horn in its forehead is a unicorn on the left. Everything is clear with Leo - the symbol of England. But what about the unicorn, you ask? Along with the thistle and tartan, the unicorn is considered an alternative national symbol of Scotland to the red lion. This mystical beast is full of symbolism, but why is it considered a symbol of Scotland, I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you - I don’t know. I only know that it replaced the Welsh dragon as a shield holder at the beginning of the 17th century. In addition to the red dragon, the shield-bearers were a silver antelope, a silver swan, a silver boar and a silver hound. 
and this is in Glasgow
Well, the coat of arms is crowned with a golden helmet with a closed visor. He wears an imperial crown (about 12 more pieces can definitely be made out in England) with a crest - a golden crowned leopard, which is colloquially called the “British lion”. To the right and left of the helmet is a golden mantle lined with ermine.
Perhaps this is where we will complete the blazing and analysis of the main British coat of arms. However, at the beginning of the story, we mentioned that there is also a Scottish version of the coat of arms. It differs in detail and significantly. First of all, the shield holders are swapped, and the unicorn is crowned as well as the lion, which hold in their paws and hooves scarlet staffs with the national flags of England (a white flag with the cross of St. George) and Scotland (a blue flag with a white cross of St. Andrew). It is not the imperial crown that is used, but the crown of the King of Scotland with a crest in the form of a red Scottish lion holding a scepter and sword in its paws. Above the crest is the motto "In Defense", which is part of the full Scottish motto sounding like " In My Defense God Me Defend". This, of course, is not in English at all, because all the rules of grammar are violated, but roughly I could translate it like this: In my defense, God is my helper. Well.. something like this. 
Scottish version of the coat of arms
Around the shield we can see the chain of the Order of the Thistle, another of Britain's most important and oldest organizations and awards. On the base (soil) thistle blooms in wild colors. Well, the inscription in Latin at the bottom of the coat of arms is the motto of the Order: Nemo me impune lacessit, that is, “No one will touch me with impunity.”
The shield is also different. Only the golden harp in the 3rd quarter remained unchanged. The 1st and 4th quarters are occupied by the Scottish lion, and in the 2nd quarter we can see the historical coat of arms of England from 1558 to 1603, when the English kings considered themselves
I am the possible heir to the throne of France.
Well, to finish the topic, I must say that the coat of arms of the United Kingdom, which we carefully examined today, became such only during the reign of Queen Victoria. 
The royal family in the vestments of the Knights of the Order of the Thistle.
Well, the last of all the European coats of arms, which I decided to consider, ironically turned out to be the heraldic sign of the only non-monarchical country of all those reviewed above, although in the past it had rich royal traditions. We will talk about the coat of arms of Portugal.
The coat of arms of Portugal is a golden armillary sphere on which is placed a heraldic shield. In the silver shield there are five azure shields with a cross with five silver bezants, on a scarlet border there are seven golden castles with triple towers, three of which are the main ones. The armillary sphere is framed by golden branches tied at the bottom with two ribbons - red and green. 
Coat of arms of Portugal
Let's figure it out. Let's start with the most basic thing - the shield. Five shields in the form of a cross are associated with the events of the 13th century. The first Portuguese king Afonso Henriques, aka Afonso I of Portugal, aka Afonso the Great, aka Afonso the Conqueror, aka Afonso the Founder, or, if we switch to mocking Russian, Alfonso Henryovich of Burgundy in 1139 won a decisive victory over the united forces of the Arabs at Orica. In principle, from that moment he began to call himself king. Five blue shields in a silver field symbolize the five Islamic “kings” defeated at Oriko (apparently, they were talking about military leaders). The five silver nails on each of the blue shields were reminiscent of the crucifixion of Christ, the cross of St. Andrew, or the 5 wounds that Afonso received in battle, or 5 smaller skirmishes that he successfully fought before this battle. Over time, the 5 nails turned into a simple coat of arms, a bezant (circle), named after Byzantine gold coins. The meaning also changed, now it was not nails, but money, that is, the opportunity and right of the king to mint his own coin. The very number of bezants on the shield was also different - from 6 to 12. This was the original Portuguese coat of arms. 
Afonso I
I will say that one of the first Portuguese flags was a white cloth with a blue straight cross (one of the symbols of Henry of Burgundy). White and blue colors until the beginning of the 20th century. were the main ones in Portuguese symbolism. Later, now it is impossible to establish exactly when a scarlet border with locks appeared around the silver field. The number of castles constantly changed from 8 to 12. King Afonso IV determined their number at 12, and Sebastian I finally approved 7, which is still the case today. Presumably they refer to Moorish castles recaptured by Portugal during the Reconquista. The fact that this is an allusion to the dependence of the Kingdom of Portugal on Castile is unlikely, since the castles are similar to Castilian ones, but unlike the Spanish ones, they do not have open gates. 
Henry the Navigator
This shield is used as a small state emblem.
Such an interesting element of Portuguese heraldry as the armillary sphere (from the Latin armilla - bracelet, ring) is an astronomical instrument used to determine the equatorial or ecliptic coordinates of celestial bodies. This is a hint of Portugal's great contribution to the Age of Discovery, as well as the vastness of its former colonial possessions and also a personal sign of Henry the Navigator. The sphere depicts the celestial sphere with its main circles: 4 small arcs and one large (twice as wide as the others). The minor arcs correspond to the celestial equator, the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, and the celestial meridian. The major arc corresponds to the ecliptic, the great circle of the celestial sphere along which the apparent annual movement of the Sun occurs. 
Coravel of the Order of Christ. The stylized insignia of the order, albeit modified, is applied to the sails.
The green and red ribbon are made in the colors of the national flag. The meaning of these colors is ambiguous and everyone can choose one that suits them personally. The first meaning: green is the color of hope, and red is the color of the blood of those who died for the nation. The second is the green color of the cross of the Avis Military Spiritual Order. In other words, this is a symbol of one of the dynasties that once ruled the Kingdom of Portugal. Red is also the color of the cross, but of another military-spiritual organization - the Order of Christ. Third, the red color stands for Portugal itself, and the green pearl in its possessions stands for Brazil. Everyone chooses the version they personally like best.
Let's finish this for today.
To be continued….