Crest An Armillary sphere Or Supporters Two monk seals | Torse Azure and Or | |
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Escutcheon blue a pale or charged with the Cross of Christ Motto Portuguese: Das Ilhas as Mais Belas e Livres | ||
The coat of arms of the Autonomous Region of Madeira was established by Regional Legislative Decree n.ยบ 11/91/M, on 24 April 1991.
Contents
Interior
The central shield is blazoned, azure a pale or charged with a Cross of Christ.
Supporters
The monk seals supporting the shield in the coat of arms are an homage to the only large mammals found by the first inhabitants of the island, and allude to the need to preserve this endangered species.
Crest
The gold armillary sphere represents the Age of Discovery, initiated by the Portuguese, and King Manuel I of Portugal who ordered the settling of the archipelago.
Motto
The Autonomous Region of Madeira motto, Das Ilhas as Mais Belas e Livres, is Portuguese for "Of all islands, the most beautiful and free".
References
Coat of arms of Madeira Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA