Dołęga (pronunciation: ) is a Polish coat of arms. It was used by several szlachta families in the times of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth. Blazon "Azure, a downward opened horse-shoe argent with a cross former of the same charged on the edge of its arch. Inside the horse-shoe an argent arrow whose downward point protrudes. Helmet with mantling azure, lined argent. Crowned. Crest: a vulture's wing with an argent arrow shot through." There are four varieties of the coat of arms of which one is shown on RHS of top of the page. History This coat-of-arms appears in 1345, as the seal of Mysliborz, a Judge of Dobrzyn (Dobrzyń nad Wisłą). In a 1373 manuscript of Jan, the Bishop of Płock, the village of Łeg is first mentioned as a Dołęga Clan possession. It is surrounded by villages once owned by Dołęga Clan families. These are: Dabrowa, Dziedzice, Grabow, Gzino, Koskowo, luzniewo, Mlice, Osiek, Ossowa, Zakrzewo, Zalesie, and others, owned respectively by the Dabrowski, Dziedzicki, Grabowski, Gzinski, Koskowski, Luzniewski, Mlicki, Osiecki, Ossowski, Zakrzewski, and Zaleski families etc. These villages and Płock are in the Masovian region of east Poland. In 1413 the Act of Horodlo Union the Dołęga crest was transferred to Lithuania. Many of the clan families emigrating at the beginning of the seventeenth century migrated to Lithuania. Some settled in the parish areas of Vilnius, given land and properties from Russians who were either killed or exiled. A court record of 1373 describes the war cry as "Do Langa". In records after 1400 the two words merge as "Dolanga," then more recently as Dołęga. "Do łęga" means "To Łeg!" and perhaps served as a rallying point in times of conflict, or for the local clan celebrations. Others say Dołęga means "To Bows" a cry to arms as the enemy approached. Another source says the word Dołęga in old Polish, meant potent - having great physical strength, forcefullness. The coat was born in Poland in King Boleslaw Krzywousty's (1102–1139) war against the Prussians. While defending a castle under siege, Polish knights ambushed the Prussian army. A knight named Dołęga shot the hoof of the Prussian army commander's horse with his crossbow so well that the Prussian commander was thrown from it. The Polish knights captured and executed him during the ambush. This inspired the Polish people to rise up and attack, and the Prussians were driven back by Polish sabers.