I felt a connection to this coat of arms even though I never understood the history or meaning. I had a place, as young Estonian filled with pride and strength, within the heritage the coat of arms held. In return, it had a place in my heart and mind.
Finding the Meaning
Heraldry [EE: "the study of coats of arms and the history of the families that they belong to" as defined by the Cambridge Dictionary] is a visual language originally used to differentiate warriors. As you may imagine, knights in armour looked very similar. A symbol and colour was worn on their shield, and later over their armour, to help identify themselves. Coats of arms were passed down from one generation to another. A son would wear the same arms as his father but would make small changes in the design.
