Leopard (heraldry)

The leopard is a frequently used emblem in heraldry.

Heraldic and zoological leopards

The heraldic leopard is very different from leopards (Panthera pardus ). It has no stains, and he often has a mane. In heraldry, the leopard is therefore similar also generally more like a lion. The reason for this is that one called from male lion and panther as a leopard in the middle ages races. This assumption has been held in heraldry.

Difference between lion and leopard

The heraldry distinguishes between lion and leopard only by the position of the coat of arms figure to the viewer. In the old coat of arms art has not yet been distinguished.

Standard:

  • The leopard is mapped always border and directed his head to the spectator.
  • The lion is also constantly rising or with the view to the right ( heraldic, so from the perspective of the heraldic animal ) are shown.

Details:

  • Later, she called the standing on his hind legs and side-facing ( towards the viewer flipped ) a lion gelöwten leopard.
  • From a leopardierten lion is called with a border and straight -looking lion.

Border ( Leopardierter ) Lion ( Schenck to pig mountain )

Deviation:

  • Based on the posture or viewing direction of the center of gravity for the name is defined by the Herald.
  • This can be one of those, however, do not apply at the root of Arms Lions von Pentz: this lion is hersehend like the leopard, but does not proceed like the leopard, but standing on all four paws ( border he would only if he brought the right front paw and the right would have pushed back paw more). If one were to focus less on the line of sight, so you would have to refer to this as a lion standing, leopardierten lions. So it was actually in the Genealogical manual of the aristocracy. However, this is diametrically opposed to the standard designation leopardierter lion and thus a contradiction in terms. Hence, one must describe the lion of the von Pentz as standing and hersehend (looking towards the viewer ).

The coat of arms

Three Leopards

There are many countries with leopards in the national coat of arms. In some states leopard point to the former colonial rule of the British.

  • Coat of Arms of Denmark ( forward -looking lion )
  • Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom * (symbolizing England, see also coat of arms of England )
  • Coat of Arms of Canada
  • Coat of arms of Estonia
  • Coat of arms of Dalmatia

* And all modified versions (see also coat of arms of Scotland and the arms of Canada )

Two Leopards

Coat of Arms Normandy

A leopard

  • Fiji Coat of Arms
  • Ghana Coat of Arms

( True ) Leopards

  • Benin Coat of Arms
  • Coat of Arms of Gabon ( Black Panther)
  • Malawi Coat of Arms
  • Coat of arms of Somalia
  • Coat of arms of the Democratic Republic of Congo ( Zaire ehemal. )

In the literature

Many older translations of the novel " The Leopard " by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa translate erroneously the title and the emblem of the main character as " The Leopard ". In fact, it is an Ocelot ( Ocelot ), a cat style, which can not roar - in an ironic allusion to the behavior of the figure. The coat of arms of Tomasi di Lampedusa, however adorns actually a leopard.

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