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Coat of arms of Belfast
The coat of arms of Belfast was officially granted on 30 June 1890,[1] although it has been used since the 17th century, making its first appearance on a seal adopted in 1640.[2]
The arms depict a sailing ship beneath a pile or triangle of vair. The ship reflects the city's maritime history, while the vair comes from the arms of Sir Arthur Chichester, the founder of modern Belfast. There is also a canton emblazoned with a bell, representing the first syllable of the name (an example of "canting" or punning heraldry).[2]
The symbolism of the shield is carried over into the supporters, a wolf and a seahorse. The wolf is a further reference to the Chichester family, whose arms were supported by two wolves, while the seahorse (which is repeated in the crest) is another maritime symbol, representing the steed on which Neptune was said to ride.[2] The mural crowns were added after Belfast became a city in 1888.[3]
The Latin motto, Pro tanto quid retribuamus, means "What return shall we make for so much?"[3] or "In return for so much, what shall we give back?"[4] This is a paraphrased version of Psalm 116:12, given in the Vulgate as Quid retribuam Domino pro omnibus quae retribuit mihi? ("What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?").[3]
- ^ a b Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1915). The Book of Public Arms. London: T. C. & E. C. Jack. p. 74.
- ^ a b c Young, Robert, ed. (1892). The Town Book of the Corporation of Belfast, 1613–1816. Belfast: Marcus Ward & Co. pp. 309–312.
- ^ a b c Vinycomb, John (1894). "The Seals and Armorial Insignia of Corporate and Other Towns in Ulster". Ulster Journal of Archaeology. 1 (1): 36–46.
- ^ "Celebrating diversity, by Belfast Lord Mayor Tom Ekin". Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. 19 October 2004. Archived from the original on 4 May 2010. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
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