Coat of arms of Normandy

Common card · No. 304888

The coat of arms of the duchy of Normandy was a red shield with two golden lions passant guardant. Its usage was established by the 15th century, when the duchy was a part of the crown lands of the French kings. It has been suggested that Henry II, Duke of Normandy since 1151, might have used a coat of arms featuring two lions passant guardant. The main argument in favour of this theory is the fact that a number of his associates used this device. Though it's possible that Henry II had two lions on his shield, it remains unclear whether he used one specific coat of arms and what exactly might have been depicted on it. A popular legend suggests that the coat of arms of England featuring three lions was created following the marriage of Henry II to Eleanor of Aquitaine, when a single lion representing Aquitaine was added to the two lions of Normandy. However, this coat of arms was actually adopted during the reign of Richard the Lionheart, and there is no evidence that such symbols were associated...

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