Flag of Brabant (Belgium)

In black a lion of gold, nailed and tongued gules

Flag of Brabant

Flag of Brabant
Brabantian Lion
Proportion	2:3
Adopted	1190
Design	In black a lion of gold, nailed and tongued gules
Arms of Brabant

The flag of Brabant or the Brabantian lion is a heraldic symbol that has been associated with Brabant since the 12th century, mainly the Duchy of Brabant (1183-1795). The golden lion with red tongue and claws (Leo Belgicus) on a black shield represents strength, courage and dominion. This coat of arms was used by the Dukes of Brabant and can be found today on the flags and coats of arms of some Belgian and Dutch provinces.

Blazoning

The description of the flag is as follows: "In black a lion of gold, nailed and tongued gules"

The flag is based entirely on the coat of arms of Brabant and therefore looks exactly the same.

Origin of the flag

The choice of the lion as a heraldic symbol for Brabant (and the Low Countries) has deep historical and symbolic roots. The lion became one of the most popular heraldic animals in heraldry in the Middle Ages, mainly because it stood for strength, courage and royal dignity. As ‘king of the animals’, the lion was the ideal symbol for princes and knights who wanted to show their power and bravery.

In the Low Countries, the lion became an important heraldic emblem for several principalities. In the County of Flanders (862-1795), a black lion on a yellow shield was introduced by Philip I of Alsace (1168 - 1191), Count of Flanders. Other principalities, such

as Hainaut, Namur, Limburg and Luxembourg, also included a lion in their coats of arms.

The first Duke of Brabant who seems to have used a lion as a heraldic symbol was Godfrey the Bearded. Godfrey, then already Count of Leuven, was given the area as a fief in 1106 and used the lion in his banner. Henry I later used this lion in his coat of arms in the twelfth century. It is not known whether the lion and the shield already had the same colours at that time. The first two sources that mention this at about the same time date from the middle of the 13th century and both show a gold lion on a sable field. The coat of arms has not changed since then.

Brabantian flags

Belgian Provinces

Flag	Date	Region/Province	Use
	1815-1995	Brabant (province)	Flag of (former) Belgian province Brabant (before split in 1995)
	1995-Now	Flemish-Brabant	Flag of Flemish Brabant (Belgian province)
	1995-Now	Walloon-Brabant	Flag of Walloon-Brabant (Belgian province)

Brabantian Lion carried by Floris de Merode, Baron of Leefdael during the Funeral of Albert VII. This emblem of the dukes of Brabant is now the coat of arms of Belgium.

Historical

Flag	Date	Country	Use
	1183-1795	Duchy of Brabant	Flag of the Duchy of Brabant
	1789-1790	United Belgian States	Flag of the United Belgian States

Variants

Flag	Date	Country	Use
	1183-Now	Brabant	Variant of the flag commonly used in the Belgian provcinces of Brabant
	1995-Now	Walloon-Brabant	Variant of the flag commonly used with ratio 2:3 instead of 13:15

See also

• Flemish Brabant
• Walloon-Brabant
• Belgium