Coat of arms of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth

The coat of arms of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth was the symbol of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, representing the union of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and Grand Duchy of Lithuania.^[1]

Coat of arms of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
Armiger	King of Poland/Grand Duke of Lithuania
Adopted	Following 1386[Note 1][citation needed]
Shield	Quarterly 1st and 4th Gules, an eagle argent, crowned or; 2nd and 3rd, Gules, Pogonia.[1][2][3][4]

Modern reconstruction

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  Grand coat of arms of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
• 
  Grand coat of arms of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
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  Coat of arms of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth design during the House of Vasa reign

Background

The coat of arms of the Commonwealth combined the coat of arms of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which are depicted as follows:

• 
  Coat of arms of Poland, the White Eagle
• 
  Coat of arms of Lithuania, the White Knight

During the Commonwealth, an inescutcheon contained the personal or family arms of the reigning monarch.

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  Polish–Lithuanian coat of arms under King Henry
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  Polish–Lithuanian coat of arms under Vasa dynasty
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  Polish–Lithuanian coat of arms under Vasa dynasty
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  15 ducats of King Sigismund III Vasa from 1617
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  Polish–Lithuanian coat of arms under Michael I. Korybut coat of arms is placed in the escutcheon point.^{[citation needed]}
• 
  Polish–Lithuanian coat of arms under John III Sobieski. Janina coat of arms is placed in the escutcheon point.^{[citation needed]}
• 
  Polish–Lithuanian coat of arms under John III Sobieski. Janina coat of arms is placed in the escutcheon point.
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  Polish–Lithuanian coat of arms under Stanisław I. Wieniawa coat of arms is placed in the escutcheon point.^{[citation needed]}
• 
  Polish–Lithuanian coat of arms under Wettin dynasty
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  Polish–Lithuanian coat of arms under Stanislaus II Augustus. Ciołek coat of arms is placed in the escutcheon point.
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  Polish–Lithuanian coat of arms under Stanislaus II Augustus, 1764–1795
• 
  Coat of arms of Stanislaus II Augustus, 1780

Insurrections

During the January uprising a similar coat of arms was proposed for the restored Commonwealth, with Archangel Michael, the coat of arms of Ruthenia added as the third element. However, it was never officially introduced.

• 
  Coat of arms for a proposed Polish–
  Lithuanian–Ruthenian Commonwealth

The coat of arms in various cities

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  Malbork Castle, Malbork, 1590s
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  Wawel, Kraków
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  Royal Castle, Warsaw, 17th century
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  Royal Castle, Warsaw, 18th century
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  Royal Castle, Warsaw, 18th century
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  Łazienki Park, Warsaw, 18th century
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  Henryk Sienkiewicz Monument, Łazienki Park, Warsaw, 20th century
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  Wawel Cathedral, Kraków, 1633
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  Wawel, Kraków
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  Royal Chapel, Gdańsk, 1681
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  John III Sobieski Monument, Gdańsk (moved from Lviv), 1898
• 
  Zwinger, Dresden, 18th century
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  Dresden Cathedral, Dresden, 18th century
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  Bridge over Mulde, Grimma, 18th century
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  Post milestone, Pirna, 1722
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  Freiberg Cathedral, Freiberg, 18th century
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  Post milestone, Lubań, 1725
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  Moritzburg Castle, Moritzburg, 18th century
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  Town hall, Wilsdruff, 18th century
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  Catholic church, Nancy, 18th century
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  Church of the Holy Spirit, Vilnius, 18th century
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  Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, Vilnius, restored in late 2010s
• 
  Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, Vilnius
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  Albertina, Vienna, 18th century
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  Theatine Church, Munich, 18th century
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  Walderdorff Palace, Trier, 18th century
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  Guardhouse, Poznań, 1780s
• 
  Adam Mickiewicz Monument, Lviv, 1904

See also

• Polish heraldry
• Banner of Poland § Polish–Lithuanian union
• Coat of arms of Poland

Notes

1. Adopted after the Union of Krewo, 184 years before the creation of the Commonwealth.

References

1. Rimša, Egidijus. "Lietuvos valstybės herbas". Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 22 May 2021.
2. "History of the national coat of arms of Lithuania". Seimas. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
3. "Double Cross". Seimas. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
4. Herby Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej i Wielkiego Księstwa Litewskiego. Orły, Pogonie, województwa, książęta, kardynałowie, prymasi, hetmani, kanclerze, marszałkowie (in Polish). Jagiellonian Library. 1875–1900. pp. 6, 30, 32, 58, 84, 130, 160, 264, 282, 300. Retrieved 21 August 2021.