Brazão da Cidade de Elvas - Portugal
Posted by: 
manchanegra
N 38° 52.671 W 007° 10.463
29S E 658360 N 4304805
Coat of arms of the city of Elvas made with hand painted tiles.
Waymark Code: WMCCPF
Location: Portalegre, Portugal
Date Posted: 08/22/2011
Views: 6
This Coat of Arms is made hand painted tiles and placed in the Elvas Aqueduct outside the city walls.
It´s a variation of today´s coat of arms, but, since the actual coat of arms was aproved only in 1930 we believe that this may be an older version (1864).
The coat of arms features an open curtain with a circle inside with the words "Camara Municipal de Elvas 1864" (Elvas City Hall 1864), probably the date it was placed. inside the circle, a, shield with a knight with full armor of iron with gold helmet with feathers on top, galloping on a green field.
Around, a verse from the bible "Custodi nos Domine, Ut Pupillam Oculi" (Roughly translated like "Our Lady, protect us like the pupil of your eye") separated by the Portuguese Cross (Cross of the order of Christ).
Little is known about the origins of the Coat of Arms of the City of Elvas, but there´s a famous legend that may explain it.
It´s the famous legend of the Portuguese rider who went for the flag (banner) in Spain.
This story happened in the times of King Fernando, during the political crisis (1383-1385), when great battles where fought between the Portuguese and Spanish by the succession of the crown of Portugal. The Captain-General of Elvas was Gil Fernandes, brother of Dom Nuno Alvares Pereira (one of the most important military strategists of Portugal, later "Condestável do Reino" - Second in command after the King).
Legend says that the daughter of the mayor met a knight by which she fell deeply in love.
At those times it was not allowed the daughter of a mayor to marry someone not belong to a noble house.
As the knight and the maiden were in love, the mayor decided to impose a tough test, something impossible for the knight to achieve.
The mayor called the knight to his presence, telling him that if he could go to Badajoz (Nearby spanish city) and retrieve the Portuguese Flag robbed by the Spanish in the last battle, and brought it to him he would gave him the hand of his daughter.
The knight heard this and fed his horse with fava beans for several days.
When the feasts of Badajoz came, the knight ride day and night without stopping.
He arrived in Badajoz during the Procession of Corpus Christi, and he took off the flag from the hands of the a Spaniard who was carrying it and he head back riding without stopping.
Arriving in Elvas he went to the castle. To his surprise the castle gates were closed by order of the Mayor because from the castle they could see the Spanish troops.
The rider didn´t know what was going on all and he rode around the castle walls looking for an open doorway to escape but failed.
He tryhed desperately to fled the persecution of the Spaniards, but his tired horse did not survive and died.
The Knight, since it can not enter the castle, resolved to not let his mission unfulfilled so he launched the flag over the wall.
While he was wounded and captured by the Spanish, he shouted:
- "Morra o homem e deixe a fama" (The man dies but the fame stays".
Seriously injured by the swords and spears he was led to Badajoz, where he died in a cauldron of boiling oil.
From that day the Spaniards held in front of the Corpus Christi procession, in Badajoz, a boiler, while the Portuguese in Elvas showed the flag taken by the rider on the feast of the city.
Even today Portuguese scholars discuss the origin of the Coat of Arms of the city of Elvas. Some say it has to do with the rider, while others refer to D. Sancho II (the conqueror of Elvas from the Moors in 1226).
The anonymous knight's on the coat of arms will be for many generations the faithful knight who went to recover the Portuguese Flag from Spain
Bearer of Coat of Arms: Town
Full name of the bearer: Cidade de Elvas
Where is Coat of Arms installed (short description) ?:
Mounted on the walls of the local Aqueduct (Aqueduto da Amoreira)
Material / Design: Other...
Blazon (heraldic description):
Hand Painted Tiles
Address:
N372 s/n (National Road 372)
Near Avenida de Badajoz roundabout
Web page about the structure where is Coat of Arms installed (if exists): [Web Link]
Web page about the bearer of Coat of Arms (if exists): [Web Link]
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