The Lion: Bavaria's Majestic Symbol Explained

The lion is a symbol of courage, valour, strength, bravery and royalty in Bavaria, and has been since the 12th century when it was used in the signs and flags of the ruling family, the Wittelsbachs. It is now the national symbol of Bavaria and appears on its coat of arms.

The lion is the national symbol of Bavaria

The lion has been a symbol of Bavaria since the 12th century, when it was used in the signs and flags of the former ruling family, the Wittelsbachs. Munich, the capital of Bavaria, was founded in 1158 by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony and Bavaria. Munich was chosen as the residence of the Wittelsbach family in 1255. The famous Residenz palace in Munich has four lion statues guarding its entrances. Citizens and tourists traditionally rub the muzzle of the small lions on the shields for good luck.

The Bavarian coat of arms was introduced in 1950 and has a golden lion in the black quarter, which was originally the symbol of the Palatines of the Rhine. After Ludwig, Duke of Bavaria, was enfeoffed with the Palatinate in 1214, the golden lion served as the common symbol of the old Bavarian and Palatine House of Wittelsbach for centuries. Today, the golden lion stands for the Upper Palatinate administrative district.

The Bavarian coat of arms also features three black lions, which represent the district of Swabia. These lions were derived from the coat of arms of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, the former Dukes of Swabia.

The Wittelsbach family used lions in signs and flags from the 12th century

The lion is the most famous symbol of Bavaria, representing courage, valour, strength, bravery and royalty. The association between lions and Bavaria can be traced back to the 12th century, when the former ruling family, the Wittelsbachs, began using lions in their signs and flags.

The House of Wittelsbach ruled in Bavaria for about eight centuries and adopted the use of the lion symbol from around 1200. The first appearance of the Palatine Lion, or the Pfälzer Löwe in German, was in 1229 on the equestrian seal of Otto the Illustrious, the Wittelsbach Count Palatine. However, the symbol may be older, possibly dating back to the preceding rulers, the Welf counts palatine, who ruled from 1195 to 1214.

The lion symbol was also used by the Hohenstaufen Count Palatine Conrad, the father-in-law of Henry the Elder, who minted coins featuring a lion image around 1190. The colours of the Hohenstaufens—gold and black—further reinforce the association between lions and the Bavarian region.

In the 13th century, the Bavarian Duke Otto II inherited the County of Bogen, which had a blue and white lozenged coat of arms. For centuries, the golden lion on a black field, along with the blue and white lozenges, served as the family coat of arms of the Old Bavarian and Palatine Wittelsbachs.

The lion symbol continued to be used in the flags and coats of arms of Bavaria's ruling families. In 1950, the Bavarian state coat of arms was introduced, featuring a golden lion in the black quarter, representing the Upper Palatinate administrative district. This symbol has come to represent the entire area of Bavaria and can be found prominently throughout the region, especially in Munich, the state capital.

The golden lion represents the Upper Palatinate district

The lion is the most famous symbol of Bavaria, symbolizing courage, valour, strength, bravery, and royalty. The golden lion, specifically, represents the Upper Palatinate district. This symbol has been used since the 12th century by the former ruling family, the Wittelsbachs, and can be found on the Bavarian coat of arms, which was introduced in 1950.

The golden lion was originally the symbol of the Count Palatine at Rhein. After Ludwig, Duke of Bavaria, was enfeoffed with the Palatinate in 1214, the golden lion served as the joint symbol of the Bavarian and Palatine House of Wittelsbach. The golden lion, edged in red and rampant in the top left square of the coat of arms, stands for the Upper Palatinate administrative district.

The Bavarian coat of arms has two versions: a greater and a lesser one. The golden lion appears in the first quarter of the greater version, known as the "First Quarter (The Golden Lion)". This quarter is described as "sable, a lion rampant Or, armed and langued gules". The golden lion is identical to the coat of arms of the Electorate of the Palatinate.

The golden lion has a long history in Bavaria, and its use as a symbol may date back even further than the Wittelsbachs. The symbol is believed to have been used by their predecessors, the Welf counts palatine, who ruled from 1195 to 1214. Additionally, the Hohenstaufen Count Palatine Conrad, father-in-law of Henry the Elder, minted coins with a lion image around 1190.

The black lion represents the Swabia district

The lion is the most famous symbol of Bavaria, symbolizing courage, valour, strength, bravery and royalty. The symbol has been used since the 12th century when it featured on the signs and flags of the former ruling family, the Wittelsbachs.

The black lions were originally uncrowned, but were first depicted with a red crown in the early 14th century in the Zürich armorial. This probably relates to the position held by the Prince-Elector of the Palatinate as an imperial vicar. The Palatine Lion first appears in the County Palatine of the Rhine under the Wittelsbach Count Palatine, Otto the Illustrious, in his equestrian seal of 1229. However, the use of the symbol is probably older. The colours of the Hohenstaufens were gold and black.

The Bavarian coat of arms features a lion

The Bavarian state coat of arms was introduced on 5 June 1950, along with the "Law on the coat of arms of the Free State of Bavaria". The individual heraldic elements of the coat of arms have historical meanings that are rooted in Bavarian history. The golden lion in the black quarter, for example, was originally the symbol of the Palatines of the Rhine. After Ludwig, Duke of Bavaria, was enfeoffed with the Palatinate in 1214, it became the common symbol of the old Bavarian and Palatine House of Wittelsbach.

The Bavarian lion is a symbol of courage, valour, strength, bravery and royalty. Since approximately the 12th century, lions have been used in the signs and flags of the former ruling family, the Wittelsbachs. Munich, which was founded in 1158 by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony and Bavaria, features many lion statues, including four guarding the entrances of the former palace, the Residenz.

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