The heraldic description of the coat of arms is:
Shield: shared, I Frisian half eagle of black gold.
II sections:
A private label in red gold.
B in silver three green clover leaves (2-1).
Crest: a black flight.
Tarpaulins:
right: green made of silver,
left: green made of gold.
In heraldry starts from the shield-bearer: what for him right is left for the viewer, and vice versa.
Heraldry has two metals, gold / yellow and silver / white, and four colors, red, blue, green and black.
Metals and colors should be used alternately for recognition, never metal on metal or color on color.
To understand the characters in the weapon it is necessary to know something of the history of the emergence of the concept of the family crest in Friesland.
The emergence of the Frisian slaughter weapons are inextricably linked to the land, to which public rights were attached. This forms the basis for the old Frisian and the constitutional position of the owners of the erfgronden.
In ancient Friesland, which ran from the Scheldt to the mouth of the Weser, was no class distinction. There was not a peerage. The Frisians therefore relied on their free state, the "freedom fries". The administrative cases were settled along the "own inherited" (= owners of allodial heritage) so those who inherit by farmland owned rights which had been attached. In the countryside was a farm. The size of a "large farm" had to measure at least 120 pounds (1 pdm = 36.74 acres) cover (a state called). This size was sufficient for a good life to be guaranteed. Later, as agriculture became more intensive, were also owners of smaller farms (fourth part) own inherited (this was called a Sathe). The Sinia-Sathe was such a small farm, it covered 45 pdm. By having less than 30 pdm rights expired.
The hamlet and farm.
The hamlet, the community of their own inherited set out to manage the common agricultural interests, the management of "common" grounds included. The local government, if not by higher powers to itself were drawn based on this community.
The hamlet of Middle Friesland, merke, hemric, hamrik or kemmerke (elsewhere often marks) called (in the broad sense) included:
the householders, showing standing houses;
the fields, arable land, which formed a continuous whole (the esch} and individually owned, the combined fields of the landowning formed his farm in the proper sense. Hoeff A farm or a piece of land of certain size: homestead.
the Almende, ie the common pastures, woods, moors, peat fishing waters, sand quarries, etc.
The owner of a farm could only claim the rights that were connected to the farm if he could prove that the farm was owned by the family for at least three generations (two degrees).
The above public rights which were inherent in the homestead property were the following:
The right to judicial office (or rather "the right plan") in annual handling by rotation about the need to fulfill.
The judge in the medieval Friesland spoke not only right but also the other directors lining rested him. A separation between law and governance was still completely unknown. This right was the most important: not only involved the power and authority, but also revenues from fines.
The voting rights.
These included among others the patronage, or collation really. This is the right to vote in the choice of pastors and ministers later. Founded their own inherited a church (Charlemagne urged it strongly on), then they received as church founders jointly collation really. This right was very popular. The right of free choice would priest pronounced Fries.
The Almende law.
That is the right of every yeoman had a share in the "common market", the Almende. This is a share in the meadows and woods fishing waters, etc.
If parts of the Almende law applied the right to hunt, the fishing rights, the right of dovecote, of swans (this is the right to the exclusion of others, pigeons, or swans keep) of bees swarm (this is the right to be where some bees to maintain), and the like. Under the hunting rights was the right to keep hunting.
The brand:
Before the heraldry had developed argued free landowners in the Germanic countries such as personal and property stabbing a brand. These brands consisted of simple figures of straight lines that could easily be carved into a fence, tree or house beam. Properties were marked with them. For the Frisians is already in the Lex Frisionum (± 800) reported that with drawing a lot everyone cut his own brand in a stick. Even in the time of ancient sheriffs law any change of land Almende decided was by lot, in which the shareholders used their brand.
The brands showed themselves very similar and could easily lead to confusion. When the weapon was virtually uitges1oten; besides, it was much nicer. It is verk1aren that own inherited easily went over to her carry weapons. The brand, the pre-feudal possession stabbing, received the weapon and is often a place in the shield sections. The brand comes in the Frisian weapons with shamrocks common.
Clover:
Only clovers (for a farm with grasslands) and acorns (for woodlots) are to this day in the memory remained as own inherited emblems. But the tradition has preserved the heredity principle: only three clovers or three fucks his own inherited emblems. The number of three can only relate to the previously mooted three generations (two degrees). Still in the Doleantie and points of reformation of 1627 was passed "that only they own inherited held that their state in the second degree would prove". This rule was not abolished until 1723.
The eagle
Above here stand two readings:
1st The eagle symbolizes the imperial eagle:
All judges could carry the realm symbol, the imperial eagle. The reign office were entitled particularly large in the Frisian countries. They were, however, only entitled to employ it in service of the office of judge. (So apparently as official seal).
This explains also why the Frisian half eagle should be in the right (honor) half of the shared shield.
2nd The eagle symbolizes the "Free Frisian":
The way the heraldic eagle is depicted (tempered as ready to attack, the fearsome claws opened, opened beak, wild eye) indicate resistant "resilience" and "militancy".
The eagle is indeed the symbol of this. This is reminiscent of the "Free Frisian" who constantly addressed battle.
Source: Friesian freeholders WEAPONS
The arms of the Friesian freeholders in connection with their berechtigd allodial heritage.
Author: G.F.E. Gonggrijp
Published in 1943 by: N. V. Publishers Me A. Rutgers in Naarden.
There are two branches originated from the ancestor Gerrit (± 1595 - ± 1669). The branch of Gerrit (IV-f) and the branch of Reinder (IV-d). In both branches we find the weapon.
In Gerrits branch emerges in various places on the weapon. The weapon emerges on various places in the Gerrits branch. For his son Gerrit (V-h) a silver tobacco box of exceptional quality was made in 1756. His name and the coat of arms are also engraved in it. By inheritance, the box came into the possession of Jacob Sjolle Vriesema from Burgum. He has donated it to the museum "The Admiralty House" in Dokkum.
Zoon Rinse (V-g) liet in 1760 te Morra, op Headamsterwei 1, een nieuwe Son Rinse (V-g built a new farm in 1760 in Morra on the Headamserwei 1 with two beautiful stones, one in the side wall which mentiones that Aukjen Gerrits Sinia has placed the first stone on the age of 4 years old. The other stone is located in the front wall, mentioning owher Rinse Gerrits Sinia with the following inscription:
"This House is here to water and road God give the Owner his blessing Soo that it is well located God hat'' the dog for all Quaad".
This is also a coat of arms made, unfortunately not in the correct colors.
We find the weapon in the church of Anjum, where Idze of Eizenga and Johnny Gerrits Sinia (VI-h), have inscribed both their family weapons in their pew in 1782. Johnny was a granddaughter of Gerrit Renzes (Vh) and has inherited Sinia Sathe.
In the branch of Reinder we find the weapon in Harlingen in the Hannemahuis. There it was made for Trijntje Lieuwes of Alema-Sinia (Ve-7). On the board is written: Cathrijna Alema gebr. Sijnia 1785. She was part of the "Guardians of the City Orphanage in Harlingen." Trijntje was a granddaughter of Reinder. This is the only old weapon in color.
The horizontal line of the brand is quite broad. This probably caused the confusion about what the image represents: this relates in any case no table, trestle, manger or beams.
According to "Fynplakken" the Frisian council for Heraldry (published by the Frisian Academy) is the weapon "Sinia" in: "The collection arm chips" Dr. A. L. Heermabrug of Voss (Reading Library RAF No. 192).It shows a black/white drawing of the arms. The brand is correct, but in my opinion presented too coarse, causing it to appear. On beam construction The escutcheons in Harlingen by Mr.. O. Schutte (Prov. Library Fryslân Pc 8356bis). Schutte mentions in his book that the brand represents a "table (?) With three legs." The weapon is also described in "Dutch coats of arms" by H. Kits New Camp, published in 1975 by Gijsbers & van Loon in Arnhem. Here, the brand is called "a silver trestle" (drawn with four legs!) "On purper". In the description of the origin of the family are also a number of inaccuracies.
Zuidhorn, 30th september 2002
Sijtse J. Sinia.