Castelo Rodrigo Commune (Portugal) (original) (raw)


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Freguesia de Castelo Rodrigo, Concelho de Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo, Distrito da Guarda

Last modified: 2017-03-18 by klaus-michael schneider
Keywords: [castelo rodrigo](keywordc.html#castelo rodrigo) | triplemount | castle | caltrop | [royal arms](keywordr.html#royal arms) | [abatement mark](keyworda.html#abatement mark) |
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[[Castelo Rodrigo commune]](../images/p/pt-fcrcr.gif)2:3 image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 Mar 2017

About the Flag

It is a typical Portuguese communal flag, with the coat of arms centred on a field quartered of green and white.
Source: Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo municipal webpage
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 Mar 2017

Coat of arms

[[Castelo Rodrigo commune CoA].gif)](../images/p/pt-fcrcr%29.gif)image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 Mar 2017

Shield Argent; a castle Sable, masoned Argent with port and windows Or and two embattled towers, flanked in chief by two caltrops Gules; issuant from base a triple mount Vert. Mural crown Argent with four visible towers (town rank) and white scroll with inscription in black capitals "CASTELO RODRIGO".
Source: this webpage
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 Mar 2017

Flag and arms published in the official journal Diário da República: III Série on 19 February 2002
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 Mar 2017

Former Coat of Arms

[[Castelo Rodrigo commune former CoA]_.gif)](../images/p/pt-fcrcr%29%5F.gif)image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 27 Aug 2014

The arms are Argent, carrying the royal arms of Portugal set upside down. The royal arms display a shield Argent charged with five inescutcheons Azure set in cross, each carrying five plates in quincunx (quina), a bordure Gules charged with seven castles Or, the whole crested with a royal crown Or.
Meaning:
A shield displayed upside down marks a traitor. We here have one of the rare examples of a mark of abatement (or degradation) realized in municipal heraldry. The people of Castelo Rodrigo supported the Castilian cause and Queen Beatriz of Castile, who was the legitimate heir to the Portuguese throne. The shield was given to the village by King Dom João I (1385 - 1433) as an act of punishment. Not even an insurrection against Spain in 1640 washed away this blemish.
Sources:

  1. Jose Saramago: "Die portugiesische Reise" (original title: "Viagem a Portugal"), 1994; pp.251-254
  2. Stephen Slater:"The Complete Book of Heraldry" , 2002; pp.106-107
    Klaus-Michael Schneider, 27 Aug 2014

Presentation of Castelo Rodrigo

Castelo Rodrigo Commune is one of the ten communes of Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo Municipality; it had 517 inhabitants in 2011 and covers 32.9 km².
Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 Mar 2017

back to Figueira de Castelo Rodrigo Communes click here