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Södermanland (Sweden)

by Mello Luchtenberg
The flag is a banner of the arms;
arms granted in 1560, revised grant on 20 September 1940.

About the flag
Blazon

See also:

County of Stockholm (Stockholms län)
County of Södermanland (Södermanlands län)
County of Västmanland (Västmanlands län)
Regional flags (Sweden)
Clickable map of Sweden (landskap/provinces)
Sweden

About the flag

This was granted as arms for the province in 1560 (at the funeral of Gustavus I) and a revised grant was made on 20 September 1940.

In the 14th Century, major parts of Södermanland belonged to the nobleman Bo Jonsson, who had a griffin's head in his arms (his family would therefore later take the family name Grip (=griffin)), and who built the castle Gripsholm. This is perhaps the origin of the griffin in the arms of Södermanland.

Sources:
· C. Nevéus/B.J. de Wærn: Ny svensk vapenbok, 1992 [nev92]
· C.G.U. Scheffer: Svensk vapenbok för landskap, län och städer, Generalstabens Litografiska Anstalt, Stockholm 1967
Elias Granqvist 2000-Oct-01

Blazon

Official blazon in Swedish: "I fält av guld en upprest svart grip med röd beväring, därest sådan skall komma till användning."

Blazoned in English: "Or, a Griffin rampant Sable beaked, langued, membered and armed Gules."
English blazon by Željko Heimer, 2000-Oct-04