According to chronicles, the militias of the council of Madrid carried a banner identified them in different battles of the early 13th century: a bear sable () on a field argent. In the early 13th century, the Clerical cabildo vied against the municipal council over the use of the
fodder in the fields and forests of . In 1222, the fodder was determined to belong to the clergymen, whereas the forests would pertain to the council. The bear, which formerly had been displayed on all fours, began to stand on its hind legs leaning on a tree in council representations, possibly underpinning the control of timber by the council, whereas the cabildo's bear in cabildo emblems remained walking. There are several hypotheses regarding the beginnings of the identification of the tree with a
strawberry tree (
Arbutus unedo), be it a
Arbutus/
Arbustus confusion the improbable abundance of the species in Madrid (unlike that of
Celtis australis), or perhaps an attempt to improve on the gaudiness or the composition. ==Gallery==