The Franconian Rake is first recorded in the early 14th century on the grave of the
Würzburg Prince-bishop, Wolfram Wolfskeel von Grumbach (d. 1333), and in a seal for the city of
Gerolzhofen. The Franconian Rake was initially chosen by the Bishops of Würzburg as a symbol of their (albeit rather nominal)
Franconian ducal status. It was however not a symbol for Franconia as a whole, as the former
stem duchy had ceased to exist as an administrative entity a long time ago. From 1835 the Rake appeared in the
coat of arms of Bavaria; referring to the East Franconian regions which had been incorporated into the newly established
Kingdom of Bavaria after the
German mediatization of 1803. Only at this point did it become a symbol for the whole of Franconia in the public consciousness. Today the emblem is found as part of the coat of arms of many administrative bodies in the Franconian region e.g. the
Bavarian provinces of
Upper,
Middle and
Lower Franconia, as well as in adjacent districts covering the territory of the historic East Franconian lands, e.g.
Main-Tauber-Kreis in the state of
Baden-Württemberg or
Hildburghausen in southern
Thuringia, and many towns and villages, e.g. in the coat of arms of
Volkach or
Frankenhardt. So the Franconian Rake demonstrates an allegiance to the common heritage, although the Franconian lands have been split between many lords over the centuries. The Franconian Rake is also part of the large
armorial achievements of the Free State of Bavaria and of Baden-Württemberg. == Examples ==