Silesian duchies , under the rule of the
Silesian Piast dynasty. The first coat of arms recorded to be used by a ruler in the area of
Upper Silesia, that featured an
eagle, belonged to duke
Casimir I of Opole, member of the
Silesian Piast dynasty, who ruled the
Duchy of Opole and Racibórz, from 1211 to 1230. Such design was recorded in a document from 1222, marked with Casimir's seal, that featured him holding a shield with an eagle on it. It remains unknown what colours the coat of arms had. The first known usage of a yellow (golden) eagle in the coat of arms had been recorded in the 1257 and 1260 seals of duke
Vladislaus I of Opole, ruler of the Duchy of Opole and Racibórz. Since then, the coat of arms had been used by his descendants.
Opole Voivodeship The
Opole Voivodeship of
Poland was established on 1 January 1999. Its currently-used coat of arms was based on historical coat of arms used by
Jan II the Good, duke of Silesia, and adopted by the
Opole Voivodeship Sejmik in April 2001. == See also ==