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![[National arms of the Netherlands]](../images/n/nl).gif)
image
by Zoltan Horvath, 7 August 2024
Azure a seme of billets Or a crowned lion rampant bearing sword hilted all of
the Second armed and langued Gules.
Christopher Southworth, 8
October 2024
Wikipedia
provides the blazon based on the royal decree by Queen Juliana issued on 1980-04-23:
https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0003312/1980-05-19:
Combining that
with the blazon above would yield a blazon of the full arms like this:
Azure billetty Or a lion of the
same armed and langued Gules and crowned of the Second holding in his dexter
forepaw a sword Argent hilted of the Second and in his sinister forepaw seven
arrows of the Fourth pointed and bound together of the Second, the shield
ensigned with the royal crown of the Netherlands and supported by two lions
Or armed and langued Gules standing on a ribbon Azure inscribed with the
motto Or "Je Maintiendrai".
Tomislav Todorovic, 8 October
2024
The greater coat of arms has a motto of " JE MAINTIENDRAI".
Nozomi Kariyasu, 24 August 2002
This is French. Future tense of the verb "maintenir". The
translation "I will maintain". Since the motto was the oath of Prince Willem, "I" is definitively
correct.
Ivan Sache, 25 August 2002
Maybe I'm misunderstanding the last sentence. But if you are suggesting
that the motto is coming from Willem de Zwijger (William the Silent) I
think you are wrong. I think the first form of the motto was first used
by René de (Nassau-)Châlons, Prince of Orange, as "Je Maintiendray
Châlons". When his cousin Willem I (the Silent) became Prince
of Orange, he changed it to "Je Maintiendray Nassau". After him
it simply became "Je Maintiendray", which I presume is an older
spelling of "Je Maintiendrai".
Mark Sensen, 25 August 2002
Smith refers to "the oath of Prince
William", and the only thing I knew on this topic is that there are several
Princes William in Dutch history.
Concerning "Maintiendray", you are most probably right. The
French orthography was not fixed at all at that time. "Maintiendroi"
and "Maintiendroy" could have been used, too.
Ivan Sache, 26 August 2002