Editing Samogitia (section)

==Symbols==
{{Multiple image|perrow = 2|total_width = 300
| image1 = Small Coat of Arms of Samogitia.svg
| width1 = 200px
| image2 = Grand Coat of Arms of Samogitia.svg
| width2 = 120px
| footer = Small and greater coats of arms of Samogitia.
}}
{{Multiple image|perrow = 2|total_width = 300
| image1 = Flag of Samogitia.svg
| width1 = 200px
| image2 = Flag of Žemaitija.svg
| width2 = 200px
| footer = Variants of the Samogitian flag with small and greater coat of arms.
}}
The [[coat of arms]] depicts a black bear with silver claws and a collar on a red shield topped with a crown. The greater arms are supported by a knight with a sword and a woman with an anchor and has the motto ''Patria Una'' ([[Latin]]: One Fatherland). The current emblazonment of the arms was created by artist Algis Kliševičius.<ref name="Žemaitijos herbas ir vėliava">{{cite web |url=https://www.ekgt.lt/lietuvos-etnografiniai-regionai/zemaitija/herbas-ir-veliava.html |publisher=The Council for the Safeguarding of Ethnic Culture |title=Žemaitijos herbas ir vėliava |access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref>

The flag of Samogitia depicts the coat of arms on a white background. It is a [[swallowtail (flag)|swallowtail flag]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Kokia turėtų būti Žemaitijos vėliava? |url=https://www.delfi.lt/pilietis/voxpopuli/kokia-turetu-buti-zemaitijos-veliava.d?id=58953361 |date=20 June 2012 |website=[[DELFI]] |access-date=9 April 2021}}</ref> A variant of the flag charged with the greater coat of arms additionally has a red border around the flag.<ref name="Žemaitijos herbas ir vėliava"/>

Both symbols are assumed to have been used for centuries, especially the coat of arms (differing claims assert it was first used in the 14th or 16th centuries). The symbols were used by the [[Duchy of Samogitia]]. These are the oldest symbols of the Lithuanian ethnographic regions. On 21 July 1994, these symbols were recognized by the government of Lithuania. Following their adoption, there has been much controversy revolving around particular details of both the flag and coat of arms of Samogitia.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tartasi dėl Žemaitijos heraldikos|url=https://www.ekgt.lt/naujienos/tartasi-del-zemaitijos-heraldikos.html|language=lt}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=K. Ž. Kerpauskas. Laikas žemaičių tautai išsirinkti vieną vėliavą (video)|url=https://alkas.lt/2020/10/02/k-z-kerpauskas-laikas-zemaiciu-tautai-issirinkti-viena-veliava-video/|language=lt}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Kokia turėtų būti Žemaitijos vėliava?|url=https://www.delfi.lt/kartu/tikros-istorijos/kokia-turetu-buti-zemaitijos-veliava-58953361|website=[[Delfi (web portal)|delfi.lt]]|language=lt}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ar keisti Žemaičių kultūros draugijos įstatus ir heraldiką?|url=https://www.kalvotoji.lt/2023/05/09/ar-keisti-zemaiciu-kulturos-draugijos-istatus-ir-heraldika/|language=lt}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Žemaitijos vėliava – trispalvė?|url=https://klaipeda.diena.lt/naujienos/klaipeda/miesto-pulsas/zemaitijos-veliava-trispalve-1123348|language=lt}}</ref>

Because Žemaitija (Samogitia) does not correspond to any current administrative division of Lithuania, these symbols are not officially used anymore. However, the Samogitian bear was used in the coats of arms of [[Šiauliai County]] and [[Telšiai County]]. It also appears on the arms of the city of [[Šiauliai]].

The emblem of the Lithuanian Armed Forces Motorized Infantry Brigade ''Žemaitija'' (Samogitia) is the [[griffin]] with a sword in his right hand and a shield, which features the Samogitian bear, in his left hand.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dėl krašto apsaugos ministro 2012 m. birželio 13 d. įsakymo Nr. V-630 "Dėl Krašto apsaugos sistemos medalių ir pasižymėjimo ženklų nuostatų patvirtinimo" pakeitimo |url=https://e-seimas.lrs.lt/portal/legalAct/lt/TAD/cb947762449611ebb394e1efb98d3e67?jfwid= |website=[[Seimas|e-seimas.lrs.lt]]|language=lt}}</ref>

===Gallery===
<gallery>
Litauen 2019-2 Samogitien.jpg|Coat of arms of Samogitia on a commemorative [[2 euro coin]] released in 2019
LTU_Šiaulių_apskritis_COA.svg|Coat of arms of Šiauliai County
LTU_Telšių_apskritis_COA.svg|Coat of arms of Telšiai County
Šiauliai_COA_great.svg|Coat of arms of Šiauliai 
Insignia of the Samogitia Motorized Infantry Brigade.svg|Emblem of the Samogitian Infantry Brigade
</gallery>