Zuid-Holland Province (The Netherlands)

South-Holland

Last modified: 2003-05-10 by jarig bakker
Keywords: zuid-holland | lion |
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by Gerard van der Vaart, 11 February 1996

• South Holland Province
• Zuid Holland flag (1948-1985)
• South Holland CoA
• 1938 Parade flag

• Clickable map of South Holland
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• The Netherlands
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• South Holland province - the municipalities
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South Holland Province

On 22 June 1948 the flag of Zuid-holland was established as three horizontal stripes YRY. On 24 Oct 1985 the Province decided to change the flag into a yellow field with a red rampant lion. That is: the old flag of the Counts of Holland was restored, which according to tradition had been in use since the time of the Crusades. The lion was suppose to symbolize the "always victorious lion of Judah". The present flag is official since 1 Jan 1986.
From: "De Nederlandse vlag in heden en verleden", by Derkwillem Visser, 1990.
Jarig Bakker, 18 Apr 2003

Zuid Holland flag (1948-1985)

I noticed that the twocolored triband from 1948 is missing. I'm pretty sure I posted it May 1999 with the other provincial flags..
Mark Sensen, 19 Apr 2003

South Holland CoA

"Or, a lion rampant gules, armed and langued azure. The shield is crested by a coronet of four pearls between five leaves or. Supporters: two lions rampant gules, armed and langued azure. On a golden ribbon the motto VIGILATE DEO CONFIDENTES in red lettering."

The arms of Zuid-Holland are the original arms of the county of Holland. The arms are known since the end of the 12th century. In the 14th century the arms were quartered with the arms of the county of Henegouwen (Hainaut), resulting in a shield with four lions (see f.e. Tholen, Beverwijk, Rotterdam and Poortvliet, cities which were granted city rights in the 14th century). Later the counts quartered the Holland-Henegouwen arms with Bavaria, as the new family was a branch of the Wittelsbach family (who were kings of Bavaria). These arms can be seen in the arms of Goes and Reimerswaal. Since the 15th century only the original lion is the arms of Holland. The lion was often placed in a so-called Garden of Holland, a fence surrounding the shield. Not only the provincial government, but also many cities in Holland used this symbol. Nowadays only Geertruidenberg and Gent (Belgium) use the Garden of Holland. As both the counts of Holland as the provincial government were quite influential, the lion of Holland is present in many arms, f.e. in the arms of the provinces of Overijssel, Utrecht and Zeeland. The motto was introduced in the 16th century.
Info from Ralf Hartemink's site.

1938 Parade flag

In 1938 Queen Wilhelmina had reigned the Netherlands for 40 years. On that occasion a lot of municipalities paraded in front of HM with their flags, which consisted of the provincial flag with the municipal CoA in the canton (or something...). Those municipal flags can only be considered as 'curiosities', while the status of the provincial flags is not quite clear.
Jarig Bakker, 26 January 2001