Royal coat of arms of Scotland

The Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland was the official coat of arms of the monarchs of Scotland, and were used as the official coat of arms of the Kingdom of Scotland until the Union of the Crowns in 1603. Afterwards, the arms became an integral part of the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.

Features

The shield depicts a red lion rampant on a yellow field, surrounded by and double tressure fleury-counter-fleury.

The crest is a red lion sitting on a crown, holding a sword and a sceptre.

The supporters are two crowned unicorns, the dexter supporter holds a banner of the arms; the sinister supporter holds the national flag of Scotland.

The coat features both the motto Nemo me impune lacessit (No-one wounds (touches) me with impunity) and the Order of the Thistle around the shield.

History

Kingdom of Scotland

A form of these arms was first used by King William I in the 12th century. A register in the College of Arms in London describes the arms of the Kyng of Scottz as being Or, a lion rampant within a double tressure flory counter-flory Gules. (The lion is usually also depicted armed and langued azure.) The supporters were unicorns (chained as heraldic unicorns normally are, since they were considered dangerous beasts) and the crest was a crowned lion gules sejant affronte, holding a sceptre and a sword. The motto was Nemo me impune lacessit (Latin: "No one provokes me with impunity") and the war-cry was "in defens."

Union of the Crowns

On the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603, King James VI of Scotland inherited the English throne, becoming King James I of England. The Royal Coat of Arms of England were quartered with those of Scotland, and a quarter for the Kingdom of Ireland was also added, as the English monarch was also King of Ireland.

In each of the still independent kingdoms he used a slightly different version of the same arms, and this distinction was maintained after the Acts of Union 1707 and continues to this day. In the Royal Coat of Arms for Scotland. the Scottish quarter and unicorn supporter are given priority in place; the Scottish crest and mottos are use.

Current use

The Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland are not used in any official capacity on their own, although they do feature in the second quarter of the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom; and in the first and fourth quarters of the Scottish version.

The Royal Standard of Scotland, also known as the Lion Rampant, is a banner of the arms. It is officially flown from Balmoral Castle and the Holyrood Palace when the Queen is not in residence. It is also used unofficially as an alternative flag of Scotland, and is commonly seen on the terraces during football matches involving the Scottish national team.

The Scottish Football Association uses a crest based on the Royal Arms.

Use in other arms

The Royal Coat of Arms of Canada feature the Scottish arms in the second quarter of the shield, and use the unicorn as the sinister supporter.

Both the flag and coat of arms of Nova Scotia feature the Scottish arms.

The standard of the Duke of Rothesay features an inescutcheon, with the arms of the heir apparent to the King of Scotland (the Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland with a three point label).