Noord-Brabant

The old Duchy of Brabant, first mentioned in 1101, had a golden lion on a black shield as its arms. In the 14th century nails and tongue became red. This is identical to the arms of Belgium, that now contains (South) Brabant. The present Dutch province of North Brabant, in the south of the Netherlands, didn't come under Austrian and later French authority and therefore remained separate. Although the arms are as described, it has a chequered red and white flag (the colours of the Bishopric of Utrecht), adopted on 21 January 1959.