Societas Heraldica Scandinavica

Societas Heraldica Scandinavica (SHS), known in Swedish as Heraldiska Sällskapet and in Danish as Heraldisk Selskab, is a Nordic association founded in 1959 to spread knowledge about heraldry, sigillography and closely related subjects. It has slightly more than 400 members and operates across the Nordic countries, with activities in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland. The society publishes the journal Heraldisk Tidsskrift twice a year and, since 2011, has also administered Skandinavisk Vapenrulla, a Scandinavian roll of arms. Its official website, heraldik.org, serves as a hub for lecture programmes, conference announcements and society news. The society is a non-commercial membership organisation rather than a business, but it functions as a brand-like umbrella for Nordic heraldic activity, with national sub-groups such as Svenska Heraldiska Föreningen and Societas Heraldica Lundensis organising local events. Since 2001 SHS has arranged biennial Nordic heraldic conferences that rotate among the Nordic countries, covering themes from military and church heraldry to personal arms and ceremonial symbolism. The next major gathering, the XIV Nordic Heraldic Conference, is scheduled for Bergen on 7–8 May 2027 in cooperation with Det Hanseatiske Museum og Schøtstuene, under the theme 'Heraldry and symbolism in the Hanseatic world'. The society's day-to-day work includes public lectures, often held in Copenhagen at Rosenborg's lecture hall, and the publication of scholarly articles and member arms. Although its legal seat is in Denmark, its identity is pan-Nordic, and its name appears in several Scandinavian languages on its website. The society does not sell commercial products; its 'offerings' are publications, conferences, lectures and membership services for heraldry enthusiasts and researchers.

Societas Heraldica Scandinavica was founded in 1959 as a Nordic association dedicated to the study and dissemination of heraldry, sigillography and related fields. From its inception it aimed to unite heraldic enthusiasts and scholars across Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland, and it has maintained a membership of slightly more than 400 individuals. The society's primary publication, Heraldisk Tidsskrift, has been issued twice a year and remains a central forum for Nordic heraldic research. In 2011 the society took on the administration of Skandinavisk Vapenrulla, a Scandinavian roll of arms, further cementing its role as a custodian of regional heraldic records. Since 2001 SHS has organised biennial Nordic heraldic conferences, each hosted in a different Nordic country and focused on a specific theme. The first was held in Kalmar in 2001, followed by Åbo (2003), Oslo (2005), Hillerød (2007), Stockholm (2009), Helsingfors (2011), Trondheim (2013), Sønderborg (2015), Lund (2017), Oslo (2019), Åbo (2022), Roskilde (2023) and Göteborg (2025). These conferences have covered topics such as Nordic unions, royal orders, personal arms, church heraldry, military heraldry and heraldic design in medals. The next conference, the fourteenth, is scheduled for Bergen on 7–8 May 2027 in collaboration with Det Hanseatiske Museum og Schøtstuene, with the theme 'Heraldry and symbolism in the Hanseatic world'. In addition to conferences, the society organises regular lecture series, often held in Copenhagen at Rosenborg's lecture hall, and supports national sub-groups such as Svenska Heraldiska Föreningen, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2026, and Societas Heraldica Lundensis. Through these activities, SHS continues to serve as the leading pan-Nordic network for heraldic scholarship and practice.

• 2026

  Svenska Heraldiska Föreningen celebrates its 50th anniversary with a seminar in Lund.

• 2025

  Thirteenth Nordic Heraldic Conference held in Göteborg, Sweden, on 'Heraldry today and tomorrow'.

• 2023

  Twelfth Nordic Heraldic Conference held in Roskilde, Denmark, on 'Heraldry in the church – the church in heraldry'.

• 2022

  Eleventh Nordic Heraldic Conference held in Åbo (Turku), Finland, on heraldic design in medal art.

• 2019

  Tenth Nordic Heraldic Conference held in Oslo, Norway, on military heraldry.

• 2017

  Ninth Nordic Heraldic Conference held in Lund, Sweden, on heraldry and ceremonies in academia.

• 2015

  Eighth Nordic Heraldic Conference held in Sønderborg, Denmark, on Nordic ducal arms.

• 2013

  Seventh Nordic Heraldic Conference held in Trondheim, Norway, on church heraldry.

• 2011

  Sixth Nordic Heraldic Conference held in Helsingfors (Helsinki), Finland; SHS also begins administering Skandinavisk Vapenrulla.

• 2009

  Fifth Nordic Heraldic Conference held in Stockholm, Sweden, on personal arms and armorial law.

• 2007

  Fourth Nordic Heraldic Conference held in Hillerød, Denmark, on arms for Nordic knights of the Elephant, Dannebrog and Seraphim orders.

• 2005

  Third Nordic Heraldic Conference held in Oslo, Norway, on the theme 'Nordic unions: formation and dissolution – heraldry and flags'.

• 2003

  Second Nordic Heraldic Conference held in Åbo (Turku), Finland.

• 2001

  First Nordic Heraldic Conference held in Kalmar, Sweden.

• 1959

  Societas Heraldica Scandinavica founded as a Nordic association for heraldry.

• XIV Nordic Heraldic Conference to be held in Bergen, Norway, on 'Heraldry and symbolism in the Hanseatic world'.

A pan-Nordic scholarly society for heraldry and related disciplines, serving members through publications, conferences and lectures.

• Heraldisk Tidsskrift

  The society's journal, published twice a year, featuring articles on heraldry and related topics.

• Skandinavisk Vapenrulla

  A Scandinavian roll of arms administered by SHS since 2011.

1. 1Societas Heraldica Scandinavica – Heraldisk Selskab – Heraldinen Seura – Skjaldfræđafélagiđ – Heraldisk Selskap – Heraldiska Sällskapetheraldik.org
2. 2Wikidata: Heraldisk selskabwikidata.org
3. 3Wikipedia (Swedish): Societas Heraldica Scandinavicasv.wikipedia.org