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Baard (The Netherlands)

Littenseradiel municipality, Fryslân province

image by Jarig Bakker, 8 Sep 2003
adopted 1999; Design: J.C. Terluin and R.J. Broersma.

Baard village
Baard coat of arms

See also:

Baard village

Baard (older spelling: Baerd), village in Littenseradiel municipality, Fryslân province. It used to be in the former municipality of Baarderadeel, of which it was till 1700 the municipal seat. Population (1958): 252; (1974): 200. In the Middel Ages the village was dominated by the Dekama family. In 1494 Juw Dekema was chosen as "potestaat", regent of Fryslân (a title used in Italian cities (podesta), here used as first noble among equals); in 1498 he was deposed, and in 1514 the Geldersen burnt his "state" in Baerd.
Nickname: "Katten" (cats, referring to feline qualities of the bearded ladies)
Baard coat of arms: divided I. in blue in chief a golden six-pointed mullet; II. in red in chief a golden six-pointed mullet and over all a silver fleur-de-lis and a walking silver lamb, placed under each other.
Flag: five diagonal stripes of blue and red; on the third stripe two six-pointed yellow stars.
Baard is one of the oldest municipal centers of Baarderadeel. For these old villages the colors blue and red are chosen. The blue color is from the old municipal arms; the red from the arms of the Dekema family, from which the fleur-de-lis was also taken. The golden stars are from the arms of Baarderadeel. The lamb is a symbol of the baptists (Menisten), and also an old Christian symbol. In Baerd the oldest Baptist parish of Fryslân was founded (together with the one in Ameland). The lamb also represents the cattle-breeding in the village.
The division of the flag points at the old Baarderadeel municipal flag with two stars.
Design: J.C. Terluin and R.J. Broersma.
Source: Genealogysk Jierboekje, 2001.
Encyclopedie van Friesland, 1958.
Baerderadiel: in Geakunde, 1977.
Jarig Bakker, 8 Sep 2003

"Podesta" (from Latin "potestas", power) was the title borne by the first magistrate in the Italian cities in the XIII-XIVth centuries. The "commune libre" (free city) of Marseilles (1221-1252) was also ruled by a "podestat" appointed by the merchant oligarchy which had taken control of the city for that short period.
I seem to remember that the title of "podesta" was recreated by Mussolini. My source is Carlo Levi's "Christ stopped at Eboli", but this would need verification.
Ivan Sache, 9 Sep 2003

Baard coat of arms

from Wapens en Flaggen fan Littenseradiel, booklet of the municipality.