Ukrainian Coat of Arms, the Princely State Symbol of Volodymyr the Great

Nay, thou art not dead, Ukraine, see, thy glory's born again,
And the skies, O brethren, upon us smile once more!
As in Springtime melts the snow, so shall melt away the foe,
And we shall be masters in our own home.

Soul and body, yea, our all, offer we at freedom's call
We, whose forebears, and ourselves, proud Cossacks are!

-Ukrainian National Anthem (English Poetic Translation)

These revised lyrics of the Ukrainian National Anthem, adopted in 2003, could not be more prophetic as we view the events of early 2022 in Eastern Europe. Ukraine, she fights and she lives yet! May she overcome and prosper!

This spirit of endurance, solidarity, and national identity embodied in Ukraine spans over a thousand years, hearkening back to at least the 9^th century. From around 980 to 1015 AD, Volodymyr Sviatoslavich the Great was the ruler of an area known as Kievan Rus’ that stretched from Finland to Crimea in the Baltic Sea encompassing what is today modern Ukraine. His influence is still present throughout Eastern Europe and within the Slavic regions. Rulers of this territory thereafter until around the 13^th century were given the name the Grand Prince of Kyiv and they adopted the tryzub or trident symbol on a shield known formally as the Princely State Symbol of Volodymyr the Great.

Although some historians have proposed that the origins of the Ukrainian trident type symbol go as far back as Greek mythology (the Greek god Poseidon), it is more likely that the symbol we see today is actually a stylized falcon, diving through the air and possibly a dove as homage to the Christian Holy Trinity. That the image represents a dove is lent credence from the fact that Volodymyr the Great converted Kiev Rus’ to Christianity around 980 AD. Alternatively, falconry was for centuries a royal sport and the gyrfalcon was a Norweigan falcon and considered a royal bird. It is not hard to envision the wings and tail as the trident forks and the base of the image as the falcon’s or dove’s head. The yellow and gold colors symbolize, like the Ukrainian flag, the beautiful blue skies and golden fields that abound in this wonderful part of Europe and serve as a reminder of its royal heritage and rich history.

Today this tryzub symbol is known as the coat of arms of Ukraine and it is for at least the second time the official emblem of this great country. In its first familiar form, the Ukrainian People’s Republic adopted it in 1918 during a period of renewed Ukrainian nationalism, before the country was taken over by the Soviets in 1920. In 1992 after the fall of the Soviets, and after much debate, it was renewed as the small coat of arms for Ukraine and formally incorporated into the Ukrainian constitution in 1996. The Ukrainian currency contains the trident image on each of its paper bills and all of its coins with varying degrees of conspicuousness.

Add our Ukraine coat of arms patch to your collection to show others your support of this wonderful people who yearn to be free of oppression yet again. Become a part of their history!

Слава Україні! (Slava Ukraini!) – Glory to Ukraine!

3x2.125"
Embroidered
Hook Backing
Vinyl Decal
Release: 3/2/2022

The Republic (Clearance)