Coat of arms of Poland facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Coat of arms of Poland

Armiger	Republic of Poland
Adopted	c. 1000; current design from 1927, last modified on 29 December 1989
Blazon	Gules, an eagle argent, armed, crowned and beaked or, langued argent

The coat of arms of Poland shows a white, crowned eagle with a golden beak and talons, all on a red background.

In Poland, people often call the coat of arms godło. This is a special word for a national symbol, even though other coats of arms are usually called a herb. The word godło originally meant just the eagle itself, not the whole design.

What the Law Says

The design of Poland's coat of arms is explained in two important documents. One is the Constitution of the Republic of Poland from 1997. The other is a law from 1980 about Poland's symbols, like its coat of arms, colors, and anthem. These laws make sure everyone knows what the official symbols look like.

How the Eagle Looks

John III Sobieski's coat of arms crowning the Royal Chapel in Gdańsk

The Constitution says the coat of arms is a crowned white eagle on a red background. The law adds that the crown, beak, and talons (claws) of the eagle are gold. The eagle's wings are spread out, and its head faces right.

In the language of heraldry (the study of coats of arms), this is called "Gules an eagle crowned, beaked and armed Or." This means a red background with a white eagle that has a gold crown, beak, and talons. Unlike some older coats of arms where artists could draw the eagle differently, Poland's law says there is only one official way it should look.

The white eagle itself is drawn in a very special, artistic way. Its wings and legs are stretched out, and its head is turned to the right. This pose is called 'displayed' in heraldry. The eagle's feathers, tongue, and leg scales are white, with shading that makes them look like they are carved. Each wing has a curved band and a five-leaf shape called a 'cinquefoil'. The crown on the eagle's head has a base and three decorative parts that look like fleur-de-lis. The whole crown, including its gems, is gold.

The eagle is placed on a shield that is almost rectangular, with a rounded bottom and a pointed tip. This type of shield is called a Modern French shield. Even though the shield is part of the coat of arms, sometimes the eagle is used by itself without the shield. The exact shades of white and red, which are Poland's national colors, are carefully defined by law.

The Eagle's Story

According to an old legend, the White Eagle symbol began with Poland's first leader, Lech. He saw a white eagle's nest. As he watched, the red setting sun shone on the eagle's wings, making them look golden. The rest of the eagle was pure white. Lech loved this sight and decided to build his settlement there. He put the eagle on his emblem and named the place Gniezdno (now Gniezno), which comes from the Polish word for "nest."

A coin from Bolesław I the Brave (around 1000 AD) showing an early eagle symbol.

Tapestry with the coats of arms of Poland (White Eagle) and Lithuania (Vytis, Pahonia) and a figure of Victory

A tapestry from around 1555 showing the coats of arms of Poland (White Eagle) and Lithuania.

The eagle symbol first appeared on coins made during the time of Bolesław I the Brave (992-1025). It was first the symbol of the Piast dynasty, an early ruling family. By the 12th century, the eagle was seen on shields, flags, coins, and seals of Polish dukes. It became the official Polish coat of arms during the reign of Przemysł II, reminding everyone of the old Piast traditions.

The way the eagle looks has changed a lot over hundreds of years. Its current design, chosen in 1927, was created by Professor Zygmunt Kamiński. His design was based on how the eagle looked during the time of Stefan Batory.

A silver base for King John Casimir's crown, made around 1666.

During the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, the coat of arms was divided into four parts. It showed the Polish eagle and the Lithuanian Pogonia (a knight on horseback). Kings would often add their own family symbols in the middle of the shield.

Even when Poland was divided by other countries, the White Eagle remained a strong symbol. It appeared on many flags and emblems during uprisings, like the November Uprising, showing that Poles still wanted their independence.

After World War II, when Poland became a communist country, the royal crown was removed from the eagle's head. However, Poland was one of the few countries in Eastern Europe that didn't add communist symbols like red stars to its flag or coat of arms. After communism ended in 1989, the crown was put back on the eagle's head.

Today, the eagle is seen everywhere in Poland. It's on government buildings, in schools, and in courts. It's also on Polish coins. The eagle was even on the Poland national football team's shirts, and when it was briefly removed, fans and even the president asked for it to be put back!

How the Eagle Changed Over Time

Period	Dates used	Description
Early Poland	966–1025	An early eagle symbol from coins of Boleslaus I of Poland.
Kingdom of Poland	1295–1371	The coat of arms of the Piast dynasty.
Union of Poland and Hungary	1370–1382	Coat of arms used under Louis I of Hungary, combining symbols of Hungary and Poland.
Kingdom of Poland	1217–1371	The Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania joined together. The shield shows the Polish eagle and the Lithuanian Pogonia.
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth	1573–1575	During the Commonwealth, the king's own family symbol was added in the middle. This one belonged to Henry III of France.
	1587–1668	The coat of arms for the House of Vasa kings.
	1669–1673	The coat of arms for Michał Korybut Wiśniowiecki.
	1674–1696	The coat of arms for John III Sobieski.
	1697–1704 1709–1763	The coat of arms for the House of Wettin kings.
	1704–1709	The coat of arms for Stanisław Leszczyński.
	1764–1795	The coat of arms for Stanisław August Poniatowski.
Duchy of Warsaw	1807–1815	Coat of arms combining the House of Wettin and the Polish eagle.
Kingdom of Poland	1815–1832	The Coat of arms of Congress Poland.
Grand Duchy of Posen	1815–1848	The Prussian eagle with the Polish eagle inside.
Polish National Government	1830–1831	Polish eagle and Pogonia used during the November Uprising.
Polish independence movement	1846
Polish National Government	1863–1865	This coat of arms includes Archangel Michael representing Ruthenia.
Vistula Land	1867–1915
Government General of Warsaw	1915–1918	Seal of the Government-General of Warsaw, includes a Prussian eagle.
Kingdom of Poland	1916–1918	Eagle with the seal of the Regency Council.
Second Polish Republic	1919–1927	The first modern coat of arms of independent Poland.
Second Polish Republic and Polish Government in exile	1927–1939 1939–1956	Zygmunt Kamiński's design, which is similar to the current one.
Polish Government in exile	1956–1990	The crown was redesigned as a closed crown.
Polish People's Republic	1955–1980	The crown was removed during the communist era.
Polish People's Republic	1980–1990	The eagle with updated colors.

Kings of Poland

Restored Poland

The white eagle in the coat of arms of Poland (1919-1927).
Coat of arms of Republic of Central Lithuania (1920–1922).
Official Polish coat of arms (1919-1927) as per law.
Zygmunt Kamiński's original proposed design (1927).
A modernist eagle from a rare coin (1925).
Official Polish coat of arms since 1927 as per law.
Official Polish coat of arms since 1927, seen with the president.
Polish coat of arms (unofficial) in Art Deco style, on a building in Warsaw (1931).
Polish coat of arms (unofficial) in Art Deco style, on a post office in Warsaw (1934).
Polish coat of arms on the ship "Dar Pomorza" (Gift of Pomerania), 1938.
Coat of arms of Poland during the Warsaw Uprising, 1944.

Communist Poland

The coat of arms of the Polish People's Republic (1944–1989) as per law.
The coat of arms of the Polish People's Republic against the Palace of Culture and Science, showing Soviet influence.