In 1574 a new heraldic motif was chosen, which was based on the Dutch Lion/Leo Belgicus, a widely recognized and respected heraldic motif in the Netherlands, that combined several of the motifs above.
The sovereignty of the federal union was emphasized by the title of the States General "their Noble Mightinesses, the Lords States-General" or, in Dutch, "Den Heeren Hoog-Mogenden, Den Heeren Staten-Generaal der Verenigde Provinciën der Nederlanden") [REF].