Coat of arms of Mespalia

The Coat of arms of Mespalia (Mespalian Mechpælæn armâri, : Armoires de la Mespalie) was originally created in the 1500s as a symbol of the Viceroyalty of Mespalia and adopted in its present form with the ratification of the Constitution of Mespalia on 4 October 1825.

The coat of arms consists of a crowned Northern Toucan on a white shield with a blue bordure. The shield is surrounded by the grand collar of the Order of the Toucan and topped by the Royal Crown of Mespalia. This is also the lesser version of the arms used by the Mespalian government, ministries and other state organs. The greater arms also includes two crowned toucans supporting the shield, standing on a compartment of golden vines. The greater arms are only used by the King of Mespalia.

History
The northern toucans, which are actually a subspecies of s, has been used as symbol of Mespalia and Mespalians for thousands of years. Several old Mespalian tribal kingdoms used insignia featuring the toucan. Ovancia conquered the entirety of modern-day Mespalia by 1142 and the these symbols fell into disuse.

However, but by 1420 the toucan had become the symbol of the new Viceroyalty of Mespalia. At the time, the arms consisted of a toucan on a white field. The Viceoroyalty of Verquinte and the Sardennes, which consisted of the modern day provinces of Old Verquinte, New Verquinte and Sardennes instead adopted an impaled arms featuring a silver lion on a blue field for Verquinte, and a red cross and a black saltire on a silver field. Both arms were surrounded by a bordure of red and silver, the national colors of Ovancia, and topped by a viceroyal crown.

When Mespalia declared its independence in 1823, there was fierce debate on future national symbols. Especially some rich Ovancian aristocrats wanted the new state to be called Mespalia, Verquinte and the Sardennes and wanted the new coat of arms to reflect this by dividing the shield into three quarters: one for Mespalia, one for Verquinte and one for Sardennes.

The debate continued until the Constitutional Convention of 1825, where it was decided that the new state would use the name Mespalia for the entirety of its territory, including the former Viceroyalty of Verquinte and the Sardennes. The new coat of arms consisted of the toucan from the former coat of arms of the Viceroyalty of Mespalia, but with the red and white bordure replaced with blue. The blue color came from both the blue and white flag of the Order of the Toucan and Mespalian revolutionaries, while also paying homage to the blue coat of arms of Verquinte.

Usage
Since 1922, there have been two separate versions of the coat of arms, the greater and lesser arms:
 * The greater coat of arms is used solely by the royal family and institutions directly related to it. These include the military, which the King is the commander-in-chief of and the judicial system, who give justice in the name of the King.
 * The lesser coat of arms is used by all other state organs, including the government, ministries, Parliament and the National Assembly. It is also displayed on the state and naval ensigns.