During September of 2024 I’ve received an email from Miss Gabriela with unusual idea to give her fiancé coat of arms as a birthday gift. At first I was reluctant to agree, but when I saw how well she knows her fiancé I’ve changed my mind.
The coat of arms of Mr Vladimir Nikolić was finished by the Decembar of 2025. Blazon of these armorial bearings was devised by the reasoning of The Reverend Father Deacon Hadži Nenad M. Jovanović, Heraldist of The Board for Heraldic and Genealogical Studies of The Center for Research of Orthodox Monarchism.
The blazon of the coat of arms of Mr Vladimir Nikolić are:
Arms: Sable, a wolf rampant Argent holding in the sinister forepaw an oak trefoil slipped Or.
Crest: Upon a helm, a falcon proper, wings displayed and elevated, holding in the dexter claw the Serbian sword (spada schiavonesca) and in the sinister claw a samurai sword, both Argent.
Mantling: Argent doubled Sable. Motto: AD ASTRA PER ASPERA (in Latin: Through hardships to the stars).
The wolf has for centuries symbolized strength, intelligence, and courage, and is also the favourite animal of the armiger.
The oak trefoil is a charge adopted from the flag of Mladenovac, the birthplace of the armiger.
The falcon is a symbol of magnificence and power; in heraldic terms it represents one who is persistent in achieving set goals, which is one of the defining character traits of the armiger.
The sword symbolizes power, protection, authority, strength, and courage—qualities that characterize the personality of the armiger. The Serbian sword (spada schiavonesca) was chosen as an additional allusion to the armiger’s origin, while the samurai sword symbolizes the armiger’s admiration for the culture of the Land of the Rising Sun.
The motto Ad Astra Per Aspera faithfully reflects the life of the armiger, according to the testimony of his fiancée, and is also the motto of the Starfleet from the series Star Trek, which the armiger greatly admires.
The epilogue of the story is that Vladimir was truly delighted with his birthday gift, which lifted a great weight from my heart, as I had feared he might be disappointed, even though I was impressed by Gabriela’s deep understanding of his character. I wish them both great happiness in their future married life, and for Vladimir that his coat of arms may be inherited by many generations. The coat of arms of Vladimir Nikolić is a true example of a personal coat of arms, for it faithfully embodies the character of its armiger.