The fangs

University of Navarra

Emblem Azure, Saint Michael Argent, vested and nimbed Or, grasping in his dexter hand a spear Or, point downward, and in his sinister hand bearing [ Gules, a chain orlewise, crosswise, and saltirewise Or, charged in the fess point with an emerald Vert, of Navarre ], upon a dragon Vert, armed, langued, fanged, and the eyes Gules.

Emblema de azur, un San Miguel de plata, vestido y nimbado de oro, teniendo en su diestra una lanza de oro, con la punta hacia abajo y en su siniestra trae [ escudo gules, una cadena puesta en orla, en cruz y en sotuer de oro, cargada en el centro de una esmeralda de sinople, de Navarra ], sostenido por un dragón de sinople, armado, lampasado, fierezado y encendido de gules.

Emblem interpreted by me as follows: an oval shape with proportions 5x6, wider than the original; the field illuminated in Azure; its charges outlined in Sable and illuminated in the colours Gules and Vert and the metals Argent and Or; the Archangel Saint Michael vested in Or, unlike others who appear in Argent; his emerald simplified into an area enameled Vert; and the whole emblem has a lightly beaten metal finish.

Due to its special characteristics, the difficulty in complying with the first rule of heraldry concerning metals and colours, and out of prudence, I categorize it as an emblem rather than a shield.

In a relief of the Church of Saint Michael the Archangel in Estella, Saint Michael can be seen fighting a dragon that represents the devil, in a similar but mirrored arrangement to that of this emblem. In that relief, the Archangel Saint Michael bears a pre-heraldic shield with its umbo. According to [Menéndez Pidal de Navascués, F.; 1963], the umbo of the shield is a reinforcing element that is the predecessor of what would later become the pommelly carbuncle of the shield of the Kingdom of Navarre.

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Azure, Male figure, Angel, Archangel, Argent, Vested, Nimbed, Or, Grasping, Dexter, Spear, Point downwards, Sinister, Gules, One, Chain, Orlewise, Crosswise, Saltirewise, Charged, In the fess point, Emerald, Vert, Upon, Dragon, Armed, Langued, The fangs and The eyes.

Style keywords: Oval, Illuminated, Outlined in sable and Soft metal.

Classification: Interpreted, Socioeconomic, Education, Emblem and Kingdom of Navarre.

Bearer: University of Navarra.

Universitas Studiorum Navarrensis

Emblem interpreted as follows: oval in shape and more rounded than the original; the field illuminated in Azure; its charges illuminated in Gules, Vert, Argent, and Or, and outlined in Sable; the emerald represented by an enameled area Vert; and the whole emblem has a parchment-like finish.

The archangels Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are angels; therefore, I classify this emblem both under the category archangel and under angel, while Saint Michael himself is represented in it as a male figure.

Saint Michael the Archangel, in this representation, bears a shield which, at first, I blazon as the current coat of arms of Navarre, chains of gold, the original arms of Navarre being as blazoned in the armorial [Urfé; 15^th century; folio 142]: «Gules, a carbuncle Or pommelly, illuminated Vert in the centre in the manner of an emerald». This description does not suggest the presence of chains, but rather the rays of a carbuncle, nor an actual emerald, since what corresponds to the central umbo from which the rays of the carbuncle emerge is enameled Vert.

Due to my way of painting the arms of Navarre in profile, it stands halfway between a carbuncle and chains, with the outer links round like those of a chain, the central ones long like the rays of a carbuncle, and in the centre I have not drawn an emerald, but an enameled area Vert «in the manner of an emerald».

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Azure, Male figure, Angel, Archangel, Argent, Vested, Nimbed, Or, Grasping, Dexter, Spear, Point downwards, Sinister, Upon, Dragon, Vert, Armed, Langued, The fangs, The eyes, Gules and Motto (identification).