Subscribe to download
Bohemia royal banner 2

The two-tailed silver lion on a red background is used as a symbol of Bohemia since 1253.

According the legend, the lion got on the shield of Bohemia when Bruncvík, son of duke Žibřid, on his journey helped a lion in a fight against a dragon.
More historically the symbol of lion was awarded by Friedrich Barbarossa to duke Vladislav II. for his help in siege of Milan in 1158. By that time it had only one tail. The chronicle says it got the second tail in 1204 for the help of Přemysl Otakar I. to Otto IV. in his fight against the Saxons. Until the mid of 13th century the lion was used by the Přemyslids as a symbol of margraves of Moravia, while the kings of Bohemia were using the Přemyslid eagle. The lion became the symbol of kings of Bohemia in 1253, when Přemysl Otakar II., margrave of Moravia until that time, ascended to the throne and kept the lion as his symbol even as a king.

The lion had to withdraw from the banners after the loss of Bohemian nobility against the Habsburg army in 1620 during the 30-years war. The imperial eagle of Habsburgs was then used on the flags instead. But on the coat of arms, shields and seals the lion survived as a symbol of Bohemia to modern times.


Přemyslids (9th century)


Royal banner (1253)


Land banner (19th century)