The Amsterdam Coat of Arms

image courtesy of city of Amsterdam website

The three crosses form the core of the from Amsterdam coat of arms. It Saint Andrew's crosses, the cross was named after the apostle Andrew (Andreas), who is told to have died a martyr's death on such a cross. The coat of arms consists of three vertical banners, with the colours red - black - red. The crosses are in the black, center, banner.

The origin of the cities coat of arms is uncertain. The black banner could symbolise the water in which the city was built. In other Dutch cities such as Dordrecht and Delft it is the case. Two other places in the surroundings of Amsterdam, Ouder-Amstel and Nieuwer-Amstel have also Saint Andrew's crosses in their coat of arms. Perhaps they have been borrowed from the weapon of the Persijn family, a family from Waterland, which used to own a fair amount of land in Amsterdam and surroundings.

The emperor's crown

In 1489 the, then small merchant city, received the right to bear the emporercrown of the Holy Roman State above its simple coat of arms. The country lord, Maximiliaan of Austria, granted Amsterdam that right as a token of gratitude for the support which the city had shown him.

In the fifteenth century fights between the country nobility, who saw its power decreasing, and the rising cities, the Hoekse and Kabeljauwse argue. Country lord Maximiliaan, who stood on the side of the cities, tried to establish his authority in Rotterdam and Woerden, which were in the hands of the Hoekse nobility. Amsterdam supported Maximiliaan with some large loans. Three years later the city received the emperor crown as a token of gratitude. In that time was this more than one symbolic gesture. The proof of imperial protection was for the from Amsterdam kooplieden abroad an important recommendation.

The emperor crown on the Westertower

That was still fely this way in the seventeenth century. Amsterdam was already long a powerful trade city in a meanwhile Protestant country, which would leave Roomse richly in 1648 at peace of Münster also formally saint. But when emperor Rudolf II are crown new let give, Amsterdam hurried himself will oneself conduct itself new version also that. It is that emperor crown which stands now on the Westertoren. In the sixteenth century still the two lions have been added as schilddragers to the weapon.

Over the exact date on which the currency was granted, existed at least two visions: For the attitude of the from Amsterdam population during the German bezetting of 1940-1945 queen Wilhelmina Amsterdam has granted the right to 29 March 1947 to the weapon add the currency mentioned below. In the book of Annet Mooij ' the fight for the February strike state mentioned that the currency was ' granted during the first commemoration of the February strike on 25 feb. 1946. (p. 18 and 19). The currency sounds in any case:

heroic, resolute, merciful