"Symbol of Portugal?" Topic

Feel I should know this, so am a little embarrassed to ask. During the Napoleonic period many countries had an animal as their symbol: eagles for France, Austria and Russia of course. I had it in the back of my mind that Portugal's symbol was a lion but couldn't find anything to back this up. Indeed the only reference I could find were a pair of dragons supporting the Portuguese royal arms. Anyone able to shed some light on the issue?

Eagles are really for Napoleon (he wanted to join the emperor's club), for France it is a cockerel.

Dragons are used as the supporters and have been since St George was adopted as the patron saint; first in Or, later in green. Before that, and in some use until recent times, two angels (often bearing flags & armillary spheres) were the most common supporters.

for what it's worth the modern unofficial animal is the Barcelos Rooster.

Thus, Wellington's "fighting cocks".

FWIW, the symbols of the two big soccer/football clubs in Lisbon are the Red Eagle of Benfica and the Green Lion of Sporting Portugal