View source for Coat of arms of Croatia

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{{Use American English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox coat of arms
|name             = Coat of arms of Croatia
|image            = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
|image_width      = 200
|middle           = 
|middle_width     = 
|middle_caption   = 
|lesser           = 
|lesser_width     = 
|lesser_caption   = 
|armiger          = [[Croatia|Republic of Croatia]]
|year_adopted     = 21 December 1990
|crest            = 
|torse            =
|shield           = 
|supporters       = 
|compartment      = 
|motto            = 
|orders           = 
|other_elements   = 
|earlier_versions = 
|use              = 
|image2=Coat of arms of Croatia (Pantone).svg|image2_caption=Pantone version}}

The '''[[coat of arms]] of the [[Republic of Croatia]]''' ({{langx|hr|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 a [[checkerboard]] that consists of 13 red and 12 white fields (called in [[blazon]] ''Chequy of twenty-five gules and argent''). It is also informally known in Croatian as '''''[[Croatian checkerboard|šahovnica]]''''' ("chessboard", from ''šah'', "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 since [[1527 election in Cetin]], replacing the [[Coat of arms of Dalmatia|original coat of arms of the Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia]].

==Official description==
Croatian law describes the coat of arms as follows:<ref>[https://www.morh.hr/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/zakon-o-grbu-nn55-90.pdf Zakon o grbu, zastavi i himni Republike Hrvatske te zastavi i lenti predsjednika Republike Hrvatske, Članak 7]</ref>

{{blockquote|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.<ref name="Galovic2021"/>

==History==
[[File:CoA of Dalmatia Bribir 14th century.jpg|thumb|260x260px|14th century [[Coat of arms of Dalmatia|coat of arms of the Kingdom of Croatia and Dalmatia]] from [[Bribir, Šibenik-Knin County|Bribir]], then seat of the [[Šubić family]].<ref name="Stancic2013"/>]]
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 three [[Leopard (heraldry)|leopards]] or [[Lion (heraldry)|lions]] heads, which since the late 15th century began to be associated as the [[coat of arms of Dalmatia]].<ref name="Gordogan2017">{{cite magazine |last1=Božić |first1=Mate |author-link1=Mate Božić |last2=Ćosić |first2=Stjepan |date=2017 |title=Nastanak hrvatskih grbova: Podrijetlo, povijest i simbolika od 13. do 16. stoljeća |url=https://www.academia.edu/35830980 |magazine=Gordogan |volume=15 |issue=34 |language=hr |publisher=Novi Gordogan, udruga za kulturu, Zagreb |pages=22–68 |access-date=9 January 2025}}</ref><ref name="Galovic2021">{{cite magazine |last=Galović |first=Tomislav |date=2021 |title=Geneza, simbolika i povijest hrvatskih zemaljskih grbova od 13. do 17. stoljeća |url=https://www.matica.hr/hr/675/geneza-simbolika-i-povijest-hrvatskih-zemaljskih-grbova-od-13-do-17-stoljeca-32393/ |magazine=[[Hrvatska revija]] |language=hr |publisher=[[Matica hrvatska]] |pages=63–66 |access-date=9 January 2025}}</ref><ref name="Stancic2013">{{cite journal |last1=Stančić |first1=Nikša |last2=Čaldarović |first2=Dubravka Peić |date=2013 |title=Prvi sjedinjeni grb Kraljevstava Dalmacije, Hrvatske i Slavonije iz 1610. godine |url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/en/clanak/161879 |journal=Rad |issue=516=50 |language=hr |publisher=[[HAZU]] |pages=71–93 |access-date=9 January 2025}}</ref> In that period, due to the [[Ladislaus of Naples]] selling of Dalmatia to [[Republic of Venice]] and [[Ottoman conquest of Bosnia and Herzegovina]] and [[Hundred Years' Croatian–Ottoman War|Croatia]], 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).<ref name="Stancic2013"/>

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 called [[Wends|Winden]] which reminds of "windhund"), and an arm brandishing a sword (originally of [[Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić]], and later usually associated with the [[coat of arms of Bosnia and Herzegovina]]).<ref name="Gordogan2017"/> Sometimes the coat of arms of the [[Frankopan 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.<ref name="Gordogan2017"/><ref>{{cite journal |last=Kurelić |first=Robert |date=2021 |title=Grafen von Krabaten: The Curious Designation for the Frankapani in Late Medieval German Sources |url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/265819 |journal=Review of Croatian History |volume=XVII |issue=1 |language=en |publisher=[[Croatian Institute of History]] |pages=203–228 |access-date=10 January 2025}}</ref>

===Croatian checkerboard===
{{main|Croatian checkerboard}}
The size of the checkerboard ranges from 3×3 to 8×8,<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=76849|journal=Vjesnik Arheološkog Muzeja U Zagrebu|publisher=Archaeological Museum in Zagreb|issn=0350-7165|title=Stari grbovi zemalja Nezavisne Države Hrvatske|trans-title=Ancient Arms of Lands of the Independent State of Croatia|language=hr|volume=22–23|issue=1|date=January 1942|author=Emilij Laszowski|pages=207–221|access-date=5 November 2012}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Gordogan2017"/>

====Meaning====
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 irredentist [[Autonomist Party]],<ref name="Gordogan2017"/> making the checkerboard coat of arms the preferred Croatian national symbol.<ref name="Gordogan2017"/> 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 of [[Stephen Držislav of Croatia|Stephen Držislav]] in the 10th century.<ref>Bellamy, Alex J. (2003). ''The Formation of Croatian National Identity: A Centuries-old Dream''. Manchester University Press. p. 36. {{ISBN|0-7190-6502-X}}.</ref> A [[Split (city)|Split]] stone baptistry from the time of [[Peter Krešimir IV of Croatia|Peter Krešimir IV]] (r. 1058–1074/5) has engraved falcons that carry something that resembles a checkerboard on their wings, and the [[bell tower]] of the medieval [[Church of St. Lucy, Jurandvor]] has a checkerboard pattern carved onto it.<ref>{{cite book | title = Ethnologia Europaea | volume = 25–26 | page = 78 | editor = Bjarne Stoklund | author = Jonas Frykman | author2 = Gösta Arvastson | publisher = Museum Tusculanum Press | year = 1995 | isbn = 9788772893426 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=Ioe1OOZG71AC&pg=PA78 | access-date = 2013-02-04}}</ref> It was traditionally conjectured that the colors originally represented [[Red Croatia]] and [[White 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 the [[Habsburg dynasty]], replacing the first CoA with leopard/lion heads (becoming attributed to the Dalmatia, meanwhile in [[Venetian Dalmatia]] was replaced by the [[Lion of Saint Mark]]<ref name="Gordogan2017"/>), which checkerboard with red-white fields stylistically to the trend of the time denotes the walls and forts as ''[[Antemurale Christianitatis]]''.<ref name="Stancic2018"/><ref name="Galovic2021"/>

====Use====
The checkerboard coat of arms (''šahovnica'') is first attested as a decorative symbol of the [[Croatia in personal union with Hungary|Kingdom of Croatia]] on an [[Innsbruck]] tower depicting the emblem of [[Maximilian I, Archduke of Austria]] in 1495,<ref name="Wappen">Karl-Heinz Hesmer: ''Chronik griffbereit: Flaggen und Wappen der Welt''. Wissen Media Verlag GmbH, 2008. {{ISBN|978-3-577-14537-4}}.</ref><ref name="Neubecker">Ottfried Neubecker: ''Wappen – ihr Ursprung, Sinn und Wert'', {{ISBN|3-8105-1306-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Hye |first=Franz-Heinz |date=1993 |title=Prilog povijesti državnog grba Hrvatske i njegov najstariji prikaz u Innsbrucku |url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/en/clanak/98387 |journal=Arhivski vjesnik |issue=36 |language=hr, de |publisher=[[Croatian State Archives]] |pages=131–147 |access-date=9 January 2025}}</ref> and [[Chiesa dei Domenicani]] in [[Bolzano]], Italy also from the late 15th century.<ref name="Stancic2018">{{cite journal |last1=Stančić |first1=Nikša |date=2018 |title=Nova teorija o podrijetlu hrvatskoga grba / Mate Božić i Stjepan Ćosić. Nastanak hrvatskih grbova / Podrijetlo, povijest i simbolika od 13. do 16. stoljeća, Gordogan, 15 (34), 2017., br. 35-36 (79-80), str. 22-68 |url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php/en/213844 |journal=Rad |issue=535=53 |language=hr |publisher=[[HAZU]] |pages=239–243 |access-date=9 January 2025}}</ref> There's possible analogies dating to 1426 of Swedish nobleman Heindrik Kristiernsson who served [[Ivan VI Frankopan]], and 1491 of [[Senj]] nobleman Ludovik Perović at the [[Co-Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary, Senj]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Ibler |first=Mladen |date=1999 |title=Hrvatski grb u srednjovjekovnoj Švedskoj |url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/en/clanak/157661 |journal=Povijesni prilozi |volume=18 |issue=18 |language=hr |publisher=[[Croatian Institute of History]] |pages=472–474 |access-date=9 January 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Ibler |first=Mladen |date=2002 |title=Hrvatski grb iz Frankopanskog Senja u Švedskoj |url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/en/clanak/106176 |journal=The anthology of Senj |volume=29 |issue=1 |language=hr |publisher=City Museum Senj, Senj Museum Society |pages=105–111 |access-date=9 January 2025}}</ref> It officially appeared on a seal from the [[Cetingrad Charter]] that confirmed the [[1527 election in Cetin|1527 election of Ferdinand I, Archduke of Austria as new king of Croatia]].<ref name="Neubecker"/><ref name="Historical">Robert Stallaerts: ''Historical dictionary of Croatia''. Scarecrow Press, Inc. 2010. {{ISBN|978-0-8108-6750-5}}</ref><ref>Robert Layton, Julian Thomas, Peter G. Stone: ''Destruction and conservation of cultural property''. Routledge, 2001. {{ISBN|0-415-21695-8}}.</ref>

Towards the [[Late Middle Ages]] the distinction for the three crown lands ([[Croatia proper]], [[Dalmatia]], [[Slavonia]]) was made. The ''šahovnica'' 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 in [[Austria-Hungary]]. It was used as an unofficial coat of arms of the [[Kingdom of Croatia (Habsburg)|Kingdom of Croatia]] adopted in 1848 and as an official coat of arms of the post-1868 [[Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia]] (both unofficially known as the [[Triune Kingdom]]). The two are the same except for the position of the ''šahovnica'' 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 century ''šahovnica'' 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 the [[Kingdom of Yugoslavia]]) to represent Croats. When the [[Banovina of Croatia]] was formed, the ''šahovnica'' (checkerboard gules and argent) was retained as the official symbol.

The  [[Ustaše]] regime which had ruled Croatia during the [[World War II]] superimposed their ideological symbol, the letter "U" above or around the ''šahovnica'' (upper left square white) as the official national symbol during their rule.

After the [[Second World War]], the new Socialist Republic of Croatia became a part of the federal [[SFRY|Second Yugoslavia]]. The ''šahovnica'' was included in the new socialist coat of arms.<ref name="sahovnica">Jonas Frykman, Jonas Frykman Gösta Arvastson: ''Ethnologia Europaea'', Volume 26, 1995. {{ISBN|87-7289-342-7}}</ref>  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 a [[red star]] for [[communism]].

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, the ''šahovnica'', shedding the communist symbols that were the hallmark of [[Croatia 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 the [[Republic of Croatia]] and used briefly in 1990.<ref>{{cite video | date=2015-06-20 | url=https://daniponosa.hrt.hr/dani-ponosa/43/20-lipnaj-1990-prijedlog-o-promjeni-imena-i-grba-d | title=20. lipanj 1990. - Prijedlog o promjeni imena i grba države | trans-title=20 June 1990 - Proposal on the change of name and coat of arms of the state | medium=Motion picture, [[TV kalendar]] | location=[[Zagreb]], [[Croatia]] | publisher=[[Croatian Radiotelevision]] | access-date=2021-06-28 | archive-date=2021-06-28 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210628203325/https://daniponosa.hrt.hr/dani-ponosa/43/20-lipnaj-1990-prijedlog-o-promjeni-imena-i-grba-d | url-status=dead }}</ref> According to constitutional changes which came into effect on 26 June 1990 the red star in the flag of [[SR Croatia]] was to be replaced by the "historical Croatian coat of arms with 25 red and white fields", without specifying order of fields.<ref name="heimer1990">{{cite web|url=http://zeljko-heimer-fame.from.hr/hrvat/hr-hist.html#hr-1990|title=Republika Hrvatska, 1990.|last=Heimer|first=Željko|work=The Flags and Arms of the Modern Era|language=hr|access-date=14 December 2011}}</ref> 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.<ref name="heimer1990"/><ref name="udrugahrvpol">{{cite web|url=http://www.uhp.hr/dan|title=Dan udruge|publisher=Udruga hrvatski policajac|language=hr|access-date=14 December 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111111161322/http://www.uhp.hr/dan|archive-date=11 November 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Current design==
On 21 December 1990, the post-socialist government of Croatia, passed a law prescribing the design created by the [[painter]] and [[graphic artist]] [[Miroslav Šutej]], under the aegis of a commission chaired by Nikša Stančić, then head of the Department of [[History of Croatia|Croatian History]] at the [[Faculty of Philosophy, Zagreb|Faculty of Philosophy]], [[University of Zagreb]]. The new design added the five crowning shields which represent Croatian historical coat of arms, out of which four [[regions of Croatia]]. They are, from left to right:

{| class="noresize" style="border:0;border-collapse:collapse"
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| [[File:HRV Central Croatia COA.svg|center|90px]]
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The considered the oldest known coat of arms representing Croatia:<ref name="uprava">{{cite web|url=https://uprava.gov.hr/ustrojstvo/drzavni-strucni-ispit-789/primjeri-pitanja-i-odgovora-za-srednju-strucnu-spremu/ustavno-uredjenje/navedite-znamenja-republike-hrvatske-opisite-grb-republike-hrvatske-i-gdje-se-sve-rabi/11896|title=Symbols of Republic of Croatia|publisher=Ministry of Public Administration of Croatia|language=hr|access-date=13 June 2014}}</ref><ref name="www.hr">{{cite web|url=https://www.hr/croatia/facts/symbols|title=The Symbols of State|publisher=CARNet & Department of Telecommunications, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, University of Zagreb|access-date=13 June 2014}}</ref> [[Bleu celeste]], a mullet of six points Or surmounted above a crescent Argent – A golden six-pointed star (representing the [[Venus|morning star]]) over a silver [[Star and crescent|crescent moon]] on a blue shield. The oldest example of the symbol is found on the obverse side of the [[Frizatik|Croatian Frizatiks]] minted by [[Andrew II of Hungary|Andrew II]] as Duke of Croatia ([[Latin language|Latin]]: Dux Croatiae).<ref name="Gordogan2017"/><ref name="First Croatian money">Croatian National Bank [http://old.hnb.hr/novcan/povijest/h-nastavak-3.htm First Croatian money] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170402081328/http://old.hnb.hr/novcan/povijest/h-nastavak-3.htm |date=2017-04-02 }} (in Croatian), accessed 24 July 2013</ref><ref>Croatian National Bank [http://old.hnb.hr/novcan/povijest/slike/andrija.jpg Croatian Frizatik (picture)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170112201448/http://old.hnb.hr/novcan/povijest/slike/andrija.jpg |date=2017-01-12 }}, accessed 24 July 2013</ref><ref name="Hrvatski novac u zadnjih 90 godina">Croatian Internet Portal in Switzerland [http://www.croatia.ch/zanimljivosti/090928.php Hrvatski novac u zadnjih 90 godina] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130823062709/http://www.croatia.ch/zanimljivosti/090928.php |date=2013-08-23 }} (in Croatian), accessed 24 July 2013</ref> Such coins also had leopard/lion head or whole animal.<ref name="Gordogan2017"/> The symbols of the crescent and moon were common at the time in Europe, and were borrowed from the previous coins minted by [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Salzburg|Archbishops of Salzburg]] in [[Friesach]] (hence the name).<ref name="Gordogan2017"/> These symbols did not have any Croatian CoA state relevancy and significance in the medieval period.<ref name="Gordogan2017"/> Traditionally this supposed coat of arms was depicted on red ([[gules]]) background such as the flag of the [[Triune Kingdom]] by [[Josip 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 in [[Pavao Ritter Vitezović]]'s ''[[Stemmatografia]]'' (1701) and during the [[Illyrian movement]] in the 19th century.<ref name="Gordogan2017"/><ref name="Galovic2021"/><ref>{{cite journal |last=Korovo |first=Goran |date=2016 |title=Dubravka Peić Čaldarović, Nikša Stančić, Povijest hrvatskoga grba: Hrvatski grb u mijenama hrvatske povijesti od 14. do početka 21. stoljeća, Zagreb: Školska knjiga, 2011., 316 str. (Review) |url=https://hrcak.srce.hr/en/185384 |journal=Pro tempore |language=hr |publisher=[[University of Zagreb Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences]] |pages=346–351 |access-date=9 January 2025}}</ref> 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.<ref name="Gordogan2017"/><ref name="Galovic2021"/>
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| [[File:HRV Dubrovnik COA.svg|center|90px]]
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[[Republic of Dubrovnik]] region – [[Coat of arms of Dubrovnik]]: [[Azure (heraldry)|Azure]], two bars gules – Two red stripes on a dark blue shield. This is a simplified variation of the [[Coat of arms of Dubrovnik]], with two red bars instead of four; it was used by [[Dubrovnik Republic]] since the 14th century. The original coat of arms is the old coat of arms of [[Árpád dynasty]], granted to Dubrovnik Republic by [[Louis I of Hungary|King Louis I]] in 1358 as it became a vassal of the Hungarian-Croatian king.<ref name="Vito">Vito Galzinski, Državni grbovi, page 344</ref><ref>Zdenka Janeković-Römer, Okvir slobode, page 364, {{ISBN|953-154-369-0}}</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Ies_AAAAcAAJ&q=scudo Jakov Lukarić – Copioso ristretto degli annali di Rausa, page 155] Accessed 24 June 2013</ref><ref>Frane Čizmić, Državni grb Dubrovačke Republike, page 32</ref><ref>[http://www.mdc.hr/dubrovnik/hr/pomorski/predmet-10.html Maritime Museum in Dubrovnik] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717003403/http://www.mdc.hr/dubrovnik/hr/pomorski/predmet-10.html |date=2012-07-17 }} Accessed 24 June 2013</ref> The red-blue variant hails from the 1950s interpretation of the template (decorative) lines within the originally white lines of the original CoA.<ref>Frane Čizmić, Državni grb Dubrovačke Republike, pages 22 and 32</ref><ref>Vito Galzinski, Državni grbovi, pages 346 and 347</ref>
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| [[File:HRV Dalmatia COA.svg|center|90px]]
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[[Dalmatia]] region – [[Coat of arms of Dalmatia]]: Bleu celeste, three leopards' heads affrontés caboshed Or, crowned Or – Three golden, crowned [[Leopard (heraldry)|heraldic 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 is [[Azure (heraldry)|heraldic 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.<ref name="Galovic2021"/> The first officially recorded use goes back to [[Louis I of Hungary|King Louis I]] and his daughter [[Mary, Queen of Hungary|Queen 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 of Hungary|Louis I]], [[Mary, Queen of Hungary|Mary]], [[Matthias Corvinus]] and [[Louis II of Hungary|Louis II]]. It is also found on the great seals of [[Sigismund of Luxembourg]],<ref>[http://mek.niif.hu/00800/00893/html/doc/c400251.htm Szilágyi Sándor: A Magyar Nemzet Története] (in Hungarian)</ref> [[Albert II of Germany|Albert II]],<ref>Austria Forum Web Books Viewer [http://austria-forum.org/ebook/wbin/ambrosius.html#pagenum=60&book=Kronprinzenwerk/Kronprinzenwerk_Band_03_dt&layer=default1&thumbview=2p&pageid=00000064 Die osterreichisch-ungarische Monarchie in Wort und Bild, Ubersichtsband, 2. Abtheilung: Geschichtlicher Theil (page 47)], (in German), accessed 1 August 2013</ref> [[John Zápolya]],<ref>[http://mek.oszk.hu/05700/05752/html/04.htm Fraknói Vilmos: WERBŐCZI ISTVÁN, 1458–1541]</ref> [[Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor|Ferdinand I]],<ref>[http://mek.oszk.hu/05800/05808/html/04.htm Dr. Veress Endre: IZABELLA KIRÁLYNÉ, 1519–1559]</ref> and from then on various seals and arms of the [[House of Habsburg|Habsburg]]s. Originally the coat of arms was three lion heads on red background, turned to left.<ref>Konrad von Grünenberg – [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Konrad_von_Gr%C3%BCnenberg_-_Beschreibung_der_Reise_von_Konstanz_nach_Jerusalem_-_Blatt_13v_-_032.jpg Beschreibung der Reise von Konstanz nach Jerusalem, page 32 &#91;13v&#93;] (in German), accessed 24 July 2013</ref><ref>Konrad von Grünenberg – [http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/0003/bsb00034952/images/index.html?fip=193.174.98.30&id=00034952&seite=125 Wappenbuch (1602–1604)] (in German), accessed 24 July 2013</ref><ref>Bayerische Staatsbibliothek München [[:commons:File:Wernigeroder Wappenbuch 049.jpg|Wernigeroder (Schaffhausensches) Wappenbuch]], accessed 24 July 2013</ref><ref>[[Gelre Armorial]] – [[:commons:File:Gelre Folio 52v.jpg|Gelre Folio 52v]], accessed 24 July 2013</ref><ref>[[Ulrich of Richenthal|Ulrich von Richental]] –  [http://tudigit.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/show/inc-iii-55/0343/image?sid=0a5e0b54f9fa02f0fbc4bb9577bdad24 Chronik des Konzils zu Konstanz] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022034037/https://tudigit.ulb.tu-darmstadt.de/show/inc-iii-55/0343/image?sid=0a5e0b54f9fa02f0fbc4bb9577bdad24 |date=2021-10-22 }} (Chronicle of the [[Council of Constance]], page 343), (in German), accessed 14 February 2014</ref>
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[[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.<ref>Hrčak – Portal znanstvenih časopisa Republike Hrvatske [http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=74882 Goat on the Istrian Coat of Arms], accessed 24 July 2013</ref><ref>The FAME [http://zeljko-heimer-fame.from.hr/descr/hr-pn.html#hr-pn Istria County Coat of Arms], accessed 28 July 2013</ref> However the origins of this coat of arms are unclear and until the 19th century there was no official symbol of Istria.<ref name="GrbIstre">[http://istra.lzmk.hr/clanak.aspx?id=1060 Istarska Enciklopedija: Grb Istre]</ref> The first depictions are found on the maps of [[Johann Weikhard von Valvasor]] in the 17th century and later in ''[[Stemmatographia]] sive armorum Illyricorum delineatio, descriptio et restitutio (1701)'' by [[Pavao Ritter Vitezović]].<ref name="GrbIstre"/><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SjZZAAAAcAAJ&pg=PP6 |author=Pavao Ritter Vitezović |title=Stemmatographia sive armorum Illyricorum delineatio, descriptio et restitutio|year=1701}}</ref> It was only in 1861 when the [[March of Istria]] became the [[Austrian Empire#Constituent lands|Crown land]] in the Austrian Empire that this coat of arms became official.<ref name="GrbIstre"/> Traditional depictions of the arms differed greatly depending on the authors: mostly depicted on a blue but sometimes also on green background, colors ([[Tincture (heraldry)|tinctures]]) of the charge (goat – sometimes with gold and sometimes with red hooves and horns), position or [[Attitude (heraldry)|attitude]] of the goat – sometimes shown as ''passant'' (passing with front leg up) and sometimes ''statant'' (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).<ref>[http://www.grboslovje.si/arhivistra.php Slovenska heraldika – Grb Istre] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306122621/http://www.grboslovje.si/arhivistra.php |date=2014-03-06 }} (in Slovenian)</ref><ref>[http://hrcak.srce.hr/index.php?show=clanak&id_clanak_jezik=74881 Koza u grbu Istre: prilog poznavanju povijesne pozadine grba i istarskog kozarstva – Jagoda Vondraček-Mesar] (in Croatian)</ref> The current variant used in the crest and also as the coat of arms of [[County of Istria]] are both derived from the [[March of Istria]] arms from 1861 by [[Hugo Gerard Ströhl]].
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[[Slavonia]] region – [[Coat of arms of Slavonia]]: Bleu celeste, a fess Gules fimbriated Argent surmounted by a mullet of six points Or, a [[marten]] Sable courant proper in chief – Six-pointed star (morning star, but [[Mars]] instead of [[Venus]]<ref name="Galovic2021"/>) above two silver stripes on a blue shield (representing the rivers [[Drava]] and [[Sava]] marking the Northern and Southern border of Slavonia), between them a running [[Pine marten]] in natural colors (Kuna in Croatian – note the former currency [[Croatian kuna]]) on a red field. Historically correct version of the arms uses a [[Azure (heraldry)|heraldic blue]] rather than light blue (''Bleu celeste''). This coat of arms was derived from an earlier version found on [[Banovac|Slavonian Banovac]] coins minted between 1235 and 1384,<ref name="Grbovnica Slavonije">Ivan Bojničić-Kninski – [http://hrcak.srce.hr/file/94493 Grbovnica kraljevine "Slavonije", (1895)] – PDF file (in Croatian), accessed 28 February 2014</ref> which showed a marten running on a field between two six-pointed stars.<ref name="First Croatian money"/><ref name="Hrvatski novac u zadnjih 90 godina"/><ref>Matica Hrvatska [http://www.matica.hr/HRRevija/revija052.nsf/AllWebDocs/novcar HRVATSKA NOVČARSKA BAŠTINA] (in Croatian), accessed 24 July 2013</ref> The coat of arms was officially granted by king [[Vladislaus II of Hungary|Vladislaus II Jagiellon]] on December 8, 1496.<ref name="Stancic2013"/><ref name="Grbovnica Slavonije"/><ref>Matica Hrvatska [http://www.matica.hr/HRRevija/revija2011_3.nsf/AllWebDocs/Povijest_dezintegracije__integracije__ideologije__i_samostalnosti Hrvatski grb u mijenama hrvatske povijesti] (in Croatian), accessed 24 July 2013</ref> 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".<ref name="Galovic2021"/><ref name="Stancic2013"/> 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.<ref name="Stancic2013"/> Since 1497 it was used as the official seal of the Slavonian Sabor, and since 1558 of unified [[Croatian Sabor|Slavonian and Croatian Sabor]] until the late 19th century.<ref name="Stancic2013"/><ref name="Grbovnica Slavonije"/><ref>{{cite book | isbn=9789532972306 |author=Mario Jareb |title=''Hrvatski nacionalni simboli'' (Eng.: ''Croatian National Symbols'') |year=2010}}</ref>
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More traditional [[heraldry|heraldic]] 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, and [[Rule of tincture|using red and blue together]]. The government has accepted their criticism insofar as not accepting further nontraditional designs for the [[Counties of Croatia|county]] 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 the [[Flag of Croatia|Croatian 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 of [[Croatia Airlines]] or the design of the shirt for the [[Croatia national football team]]), and partly because the [[Pan-Slavic colors]] are present in many European flags.

===Historical versions of the crown arms===
Most coats of arms used in the crown on the modern-day coat of arms differ slightly from historically accurate versions.

<gallery perrow="5" class="center">
File:Coat of arms of Illyria (yellow star).svg|[[Illyrian movement|"Illyrian"]] coat of arms<br>(also known as Leliwa coat of arms or the oldest symbol of Croatia)
File:Coat of arms of Dubrovnik.svg|[[Coat of arms of Dubrovnik]]
File:HRV Dalmatia COA langued gules.svg|[[Coat of arms of Dalmatia]]
File:Coat of arms of Istria.svg|Coat of arms of [[Istria]]
File:HRV Slavonia COA.svg|Coat of arms of [[Kingdom of Slavonia]]
</gallery>

==Gallery==
<div align="left">
<gallery perrow="9">
File:Coat of arms of Croatia 1495.svg|First known example of Croatian checkerboard as depicted in [[Innsbruck]], [[Austria]] (1495)
File:Nürnberg St. Sebald - Kaiserfenster Wappen Kroatien.jpg|Coat of arms of Croatia as depicted in [[St. Sebaldus Church, Nuremberg]] (1514)
File:Croatian coa 1527.png|Coat of arms of Croatia used in 1527 as part of a seal on the [[Cetingrad Charter]]
File:Coat of Arms of Kingdom of Croatia.svg|[[Kingdom of Croatia (Habsburg)|Kingdom of Croatia]] (1525–1868)
File:Wappen Königreich Croatien.jpg|Coat of arms of Croatian [[Crown land]] (until 1868)
File:Coa Croatia Country History (with crown) (1868-1918).svg|[[Kingdom of Croatia-Slavonia]] (1868–1918). The official version had [[Holy Crown of Hungary|St. Stephen's crown]] due to Croatia being part of [[Lands of the Crown of Saint Stephen]].
File:Coa Hungary Country History Mid (1867).svg|Coat of arms of [[Transleithania]] (1868–1915)
File:Domoljubna značka 1914.jpg|Patriotic badge from 1914
File:Coa Hungary Country History (1916).svg|Lesser coat of arms of [[Transleithania]] (1915–1918)
File:Austro-hungarian coat of arms 1914.svg|Common coat of arms of [[Austria-Hungary]] (1915–1918)
File:Lesser Coat of arms of Austria-Hungary.svg|Austria-Hungary, lesser version (1916–1918)
File:Coat of arms of Croatia (State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs).svg|Coat of arms of Croatia ([[State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs]] period)
File:Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.svg|[[Kingdom of Yugoslavia]] (1918–1941)
File:Coat of Arms of the Banate of Croatia.svg|[[Banovina of Croatia]] (1939–1941)
File:Coat of arms of Croatia (1941–1945).svg|[[Independent State of Croatia]] (1941–1945)
File:Emblem of the State Anti-fascist Council for the National Liberation of Croatia.svg|[[State Anti-fascist Council for the National Liberation of Croatia|ZAVNOH]] & [[Federal State of Croatia]] (1943)
File:CoA of the Federal State of Croatia.svg|[[ZAVNOH]] & [[Federal State of Croatia]] (1943–1947)
File:Coat of Arms of Socialist Republic of Croatia.svg|[[Socialist Republic of Croatia]] (1947–1990)
File:Coat of arms of Croatia (white chequy).svg|Early coat of arms of the [[Independence of Croatia|Republic of Croatia]] (1990)
File:Grbovi u Crkvi Majke Božje Sljemenske, Kraljice Hrvata.jpg|Historical Croatian coats of arms depicted in ''Church of the Mother of God of Sljeme, Queen of Croats''
</gallery>
</div>

== See also ==
{{portal|Heraldry|Croatia}}
* [[Flag of Croatia]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Coats of arms of the Kingdom of Croatia (Chequy argent and gules)}}
* [http://www.mvep.hr/en/about-croatia/state-emblems/coat-of-arms/ Republic of Croatia – Ministry of Foreign Affairs & European Integration]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130920205942/http://vlada.hr/en/about_croatia/information/flag_coat_of_arms_and_national_anthem Croatian Government website – Flag, Coat-of-Arms and National Anthem]
* [http://www.croatianhistory.net/etf/coat.html Croatian Coat of Arms during centuries – Darko Zubrinic, 2005]
* [http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/hr).html Croatia – Coat of Arms – Zeljko Heimer 2000]
* [http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/hr!1990.html Croatia – Proposals for New Flag in 1990 – Flags of The World]
* [http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/hr}.html Croatia – Political Flags – Flags of The World]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060430110748/http://mirror.veus.hr/myth/coat-of-arms.html C. Michael McAdamas: Croatia – Myth and Reality]

{{Croatia topics|state=collapsed}}
{{Coats of arms of Europe}}
{{National symbols of Hungary}}

[[Category:Croatian coats of arms|C]]
[[Category:National coats of arms|Croatia]]
[[Category:National symbols of Croatia]]
[[Category:Coats of arms with stars|Croatia]]
[[Category:Coats of arms with moons|Croatia]]
[[Category:Coats of arms with lions|Croatia]]
[[Category:Coats of arms with crowns|Croatia]]
[[Category:Coats of arms with sables|Croatia]]
[[Category:Coats of arms with goats|Croatia]]