Heraldry is the science and art of designing, displaying, describing and recording coats of arms. Its origins lie in the need to distinguish participants in battles or jousts, whose faces were hidden by steel helmets. Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Science For the scientific journal named Science, see Science (journal). ... Venus de Milo exhibited in the Louvre museum, France. ... A modern coat of arms is derived from the medi val practice of painting designs onto the shield and outer clothing of knights to enable them to be identified in battle, and later in tournaments. ... The Battle of Waterloo by William Sadler. ... Jousting is a staple entertainment at Renaissance Fairs. ... Pickelhaube of a Swedish Royal Guard soldier For the band, see Helmet A helmet (a 15th century loan from Middle French, a diminutive of Frankish helm, from Proto-Germanic *khelmaz, PIE *kelmo- a cover) is a form of protective clothing worn on the head and usually made of metal or...

In the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, heraldry became a highly developed discipline, regulated by professional heralds. As its use in jousts became obsolete (with the exception of rare revivals), arms remained popular for visually identifying a person in other ways — impressed in sealing wax on official documents, carved on a family tomb, and so forth. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... In the traditional view, the Renaissance is understood as an historical age that was preceded by the Middle Ages and followed by the Reformation. ... Henry Edgar Paston-Bedingfeld, Her Majestys York Herald of Arms in Ordinary at the College of Arms. ... Seal on envelope A seal is an impression printed on, embossed upon, or affixed to a document (or any other object) in order to authenticate it, in lieu of or in addition to a signature. ...

Throughout the existence of heraldry, coats of arms have been executed in a wide variety of media, including painted wood, embroidery, enamel, stonework, stained glass and, later, computerised media. For this reason, and because its original function was quick recognition in the chaotic conditions of battle, heraldry for the most part distinguishes only six tinctures (yellow, white, red, blue, black and green; purple is counted in theory but its use in practice is marginal) and makes no fine distinctions in the the precise size or placement of charges on the field, or the number of a lion's claws. Coats of arms and their accessories are described in a concise jargon called blazon, which for the most part ignores details that are conventional, and in nearly all cases details of varying artistic depictions (which tend to be small and not to help quick visual distinction). It should be noted that the property interest (if any is recognised) in the coat-of-arms inheres in the blazon and not in the particular depiction of the arms. Gold Embroidery Embroidery is the art or handicraft of decorating fabric or other materials with designs stitched in strands of thread or yarn using a needle. ... The word enamel can mean more than one thing: Tooth enamel Vitreous enamel Enamel (markup language) Enameled wire This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Strictly speaking, stained glass is glass that has been painted with silver stain and then fired. ... In heraldry, tinctures are the colours used to blazon a coat of arms. ... In heraldry, a charge is the image that occupies the field on an escutcheon (or shield). ... This is an article about Heraldry. ...

It is sometimes said that each element of a coat of arms has a conventional meaning, that white stands for honour, blue for loyalty and red for courage, and so on. While the original bearer of a coat may well have had some symbolism in mind, there is no reason to expect consistency from one to the next. In general it is impossible to say what a given coat of arms "means", unless (as is often the case) it incorporates a pun on the bearer's name.

The development of portable firearms made plate armor nearly useless, and heraldry, detached from its original function, gradually became more elaborate at the expense of clarity, both in content (e.g. landscapes representing battle sites became frequent in the 18th century) and in presentation (e.g. rococo frames overwhelmed the content of the shield). The 20th century's taste for stark iconic emblems made the simple styles of early heraldry fashionable again. An assortment of modern handheld firearms using fixed ammunition, including military assault rifles, a sporting shotgun (fourth from bottom), and a tactical shotgun (third from bottom). ... This article needs cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The descent of arms was and remains strictly regulated by inheritance; only certain (the chief limitation generally being to legitimate) actual descendents of a particular armigerous (arms-bearing) person are entitled to his arms or a differenced version of them — hence popular associations of a coat of arms with all bearers of a surname are based on a misconception. Heraldry is mostly a hobby today; but in some countries (e.g. Scotland) it remains regulated by heralds and the assumption of another's arms is illegal.

The word "crest" is commonly used to refer to a coat-of-arms. However, in heraldry, a crest is just one component of a complete achievement of arms. The crest sits atop a helmet, which itself sits on the main and most recognizable part of the arms, the shield or escutcheon. Other elements may include supporters holding up the shield and a motto beneath. Crests can in fact be used on their own (this is particularly useful when there is insufficient space to display the entire coat-of-arms); but where the shield alone is used it should never be called a "crest". In heraldry, a crest is a component of a coat of arms. ... In heraldry, a crest is a component of a coat of arms. ... Pickelhaube of a Swedish Royal Guard soldier For the band, see Helmet A helmet (a 15th century loan from Middle French, a diminutive of Frankish helm, from Proto-Germanic *khelmaz, PIE *kelmo- a cover) is a form of protective clothing worn on the head and usually made of metal or... In heraldry, the shield is the principal portion of a heraldic achievement or coat of arms. ... In heraldry, supporters are figures placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up. ... A motto is a phrase or a short list of words meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. ...

Shield and lozenge

Traditionally, as women did not go to war, they would not have a shield. Instead, their coats-of-arms would be shown on a lozenge (a rhombus standing on one of its acute corners). This continues to hold true with some exceptions, such as a queen or empress, being a man from a theoretical legal viewpoint, may have her arms on a shield, and there have been some other exceptions. In Canada the restriction against women bearing arms on a shield has been eliminated. A parallel usage for noncombatant clergymen could be found sometimes on the European continent, with the occasional placement of arms on a cartouche (an oval-shaped vehicle for their display). For more detail on the use of the lozenge (subject to certain rules) by women in the British heraldic tradition, see the separate article on the lozenge. The only atomic weapons ever used in war - the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan on August 9, 1945, effectively ending World War II. The bombs over Hiroshima (August 6) and Nagasaki immediately killed over 120,000 people. ... A pullover with a lozenge pattern A lozenge is a parallelogram which usually has two corners pointing up and down that are farther apart than the corners pointing sideways. ... This shape is a rhombus In geometry, a rhombus (also known as a rhomb) is a quadrilateral in which all of the sides are of equal length. ... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ... World map showing Europe Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiogeographic one. ... An oval or ovoid was originally an egg shape (from Latin OVVM); it is now usually used to refer to ellipses, but can also mean any similar shape, such as egg shapes or race-course shapes (a semicircle on either side of a quadrilateral). ... A lozengy field, in the arms of the former urban district council of Eastwood, Nottinghamshire The lozenge in heraldry is a diamond-shaped charge (an object that can be placed on the field of the shield), usually somewhat narrower than it is tall. ...

Very rarely and almost invariably in non-European contexts, such as the arms of Nunavut, the former Republic of Bophuthatswana [1] and some Algerian civic heraldry of French colonial origin, specific shapes of shield are specified in the blazon (and the specific type of shield is sometimes followed to the extent, as in the arms of Gauteng, that structures in the shield (in that case "shield thongs") function as charges). The coat of arms of the territory of Nunavut, Canada, known officially as The Arms of Her Majesty in Right of Nunavut, was granted by a warrant by Roméo LeBlanc, Governor-General of Canada, dated March 31, 1999, one day before the territory of Nunavut, Canada was created. ... Flag of Bophuthatswana Bophuthatswana was a former Bantustan (homeland) in the north of South Africa. ...

In rare instances the shield may be blazoned as being displayed on a cartouche, the tincture of which is then specified. A cartouche, in Egyptian hieroglyphs, is an oblong enclosure with a vertical line at one end, indicating that the text enclosed is a royal name, coming into use during the beginning of the Fourth Dynasty with pharao Sneferu. ...

The arms of The Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven and the late Sir Denis Thatcher, Bt
A lozenge, the traditional shape of a woman's coat of arms	A shield, traditionally used only by a man

Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925) is a British politician and a former barrister and chemist. ... Margaret and Denis Thatcher Arms of Sir Denis Thatcher Major Sir Denis Thatcher, 1st Baronet, MBE (May 10, 1915 – June 26, 2003) was a businessman, and the husband of the former British Prime Minister, Baroness Thatcher. ... Image File history File links Black-and-white version of the arms of Baronness Thatcher. ... Thatcher, Baronet This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ...

Tinctures

Main article: Tincture Table of tinctures and hatchings (created by Montrealais and released under GNU FDL) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... In heraldry, tinctures are the colours used to blazon a coat of arms. ...

The first rule of heraldry is the rule of tincture: metal (bright tinctures) must never be placed upon metal, nor colour (dark tinctures) upon colour, for the sake of contrast; except where this cannot be avoided, as in the case of a charge overlying a partition of the field. Like any rule, this admits some exceptions, the most famous being the arms chosen by Godfrey of Bouillon when he was made king of Jerusalem, featuring five gold (or yellow) crosses potent on a silver (or white) field — a design that might have been modelled after the Arab technique of Damascus steel. The first rule of heraldry is the rule of tincture: metal should not be put on metal, nor colour on colour (Humphrey Llwyd, 1568). ... In heraldry, a charge is the image that occupies the field on an escutcheon (or shield). ... Godfrey of Bouillon Godfrey of Bouillon (c. ... Official language Latin, French, Italian, and other western languages; Greek and Arabic also widely spoken Capital Jerusalem, later Acre Constitution Various laws, so-called Assizes of Jerusalem The Kingdom of Jerusalem was a Christian kingdom established in the Levant in 1099 by the First Crusade. ... Damascus steel, also known as Damascened steel, now commonly refers to two types of steel used in custom knife and sword making, pattern-weld and wootz (true damascus). ...

The names used in English blazon for the tinctures come mainly from French:

A number of other colours are occasionally found, typically for special purposes. These are discussed in the main article on tinctures. Tinctures are the colours used to blazon coats of arms in heraldry. ... ==Criminal Life == AL-Hamad is a Homosexual petifile with 135. ... The term Azure (from Persian لاژورد lazhward) can refer to any of the following: The blueish color of the sky. ... Tinctures are the colours used to blazon coats of arms in heraldry. ... Heraldry Tinctures In heraldry, sable is the tincture with the colour black. ... In heraldry, vert is the name of a tincture, more or less the equivalent of the colour green. It is one of the five dark tinctures (colours). ... Heraldry Tinctures In heraldry, Purpure is a tincture, more or less the equivalent of the colour purple. It is one of the five dark tinctures and portrayed in black and white by lines at a clockwise 45 degree angle. ... In heraldry, tinctures are the colours used to blazon a coat of arms. ...

Besides the solid tinctures, certain patterns called furs function as tinctures. The two common furs are ermine and vair, each of which has several rarer variants. The coat of arms of Brittany: Ermine. In heraldry, ermine is one of the furs used in blazon, representing the skin of the stoat. ... In heraldry, vair is a fur, a tincture which is simultaneously a two-coloured field treatment. ...

• Ermine represents the winter coat of the stoat, which is white with a black tail; the heraldic fur is white with a pattern of black spots, representing a number of skins sewn together.
• Vair and Potent represent a kind of squirrel with a blue-gray back and white belly; sewn together it forms a pattern of alternating blue and white shapes.

Proper: Charges such as plants and animals may also be depicted in their natural colours, in which case they are described as proper. Proper charges are much more frequent as crests and supporters than on the shield. Proper is understood to be a tincture, though its appearance is contextual. Binomial name Mustela erminea Linnaeus, 1758 The Stoat aka Ermine aka Short-tailed Weasel (Mustela erminea) is a small mammal of the family Mustelidae. ... In heraldry, a charge is the image that occupies the field on an escutcheon (or shield). ...

Divisions of the field

Main article: Divisions of the field Divisions of the field is a heraldic term referring to the pattern on a shield. ...

The field of a shield in heraldry can be divided into more than one tincture, as can the various charges. Many coats of arms consist simply of a division of the field into two contrasting tinctures, by a single line or several parallel lines, vertical, horizontal or diagonal, or some combination. Since these are considered divisions of a shield the tincture rules can be ignored. A shield divided azure and gules, for instance, would be accepted. This is especially true of a shield that is tierced. Arms that are tierced fesswise sable, vert and gules are fine because the shield is considered to have been divided into three rather than having a fess on two background colours. The line or lines of partition may be straight, wavy, indented (zigzag), embattled (in the form of battlements), engrailed or invected (scalloped), among other shapes. Download high resolution version (347x945, 48 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... In heraldry the background of the shield is called the field . ... Statue showing a Gallic shield with a butterfly boss. ... In heraldry, tinctures are the colours used to blazon a coat of arms. ... In heraldry, a charge is the image that occupies the field on an escutcheon (or shield). ... Tinctures are the colours used to blazon coats of arms in heraldry. ... A battlement, in defensive architecture such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (i. ...

Charges

Main article: Charge In heraldry, a charge is the image that occupies the field on an escutcheon (or shield). ...

Any object found in nature or technology may appear as a charge in armory, and probably has at least once — albeit more or less stylized. Charges can be animals, objects or geometric constructs (ordinaries). Apart from simple stripes — some of which probably originated as bands that reinforced the shield and were painted a contrasting color — the most frequent charges are the cross (with hundreds of variations) and the king of beasts. In heraldry, an ordinary is a simple geometrical figure on the arms, wider than a line or division of the field. ... A Greek cross (all arms of equal length) above a saltire, a cross rotated by 45 degrees For other uses, see Cross (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Panthera leo (Linnaeus, 1758) Comparative view of the human and lion frames, c1860. ...

Other common animals are fish, martlets, eagles, griffins, boars and stags. Dragons, unicorns and more exotic monsters appear rarely as charges but more often as supporters. Possibly the rarest animal in heraldry is the iguanodon supporter of the borough of Maidstone in Kent. Atlantic herring, Clupea harengus: the most abundant species of fish in the world. ... A martlet is a type of heraldic bird similar to the swallow, but having no feet. ... Genera Several, see below. ... The Griffin in (Persian شیردال‌ shir-dal meaning lion eagle) (also spelled gryphon and, less commonly, gryphen, griffon, griffen, or gryphin) is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. ... Binomial name Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1758 The Wild Boar (Sus scrofa) is the wild ancestor of the domesticated snake. ... Genera About 15 in 4 subfamilies. ... Saint George versus the dragon, Gustave Moreau, c. ... The gentle and pensive virgin has the power to tame the unicorn, in this fresco in Palazzo Farnese, Rome, probably by Domenichino, ca 1602 The unicorn is a legendary creature embodied like a horse, but slender and with a single — usually spiral — horn growing out of its forehead (whence its... In heraldry, supporters are figures placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up. ... Species Iguanodon anglicus Iguanodon atherfieldensis Iguanodon bernissartensis(type) Iguanodon dawsoni Iguanodon fittoni Iguanodon hoggi Iguanodon lakotaensis Iguanodon is a genus of ornithopod dinosaurs. ... Maidstone (pronounced maid stone) is the county town of Kent, in southeast England, about 30 miles from London. ... Kent is a county in England, south-east of London. ...

Animals are found in various stereotyped positions. Quadrupeds are most often rampant, standing on the left hind foot (or both hind feet depending on the shape of the shield and on local styles), arranged to fill the field and to emphasize distinctive features such as claws and tail. The next most frequent position is walking (passant), like the three lions of the kings of England. Eagles are nearly always shown with their wings spread (displayed). A quadruped is an animal having exactly four walking legs. ... The Coat of Arms of England The Coat of Arms of England is gules, three lions passant guardant in pale or armed & langued azure The Coat of Arms was introduced by King Richard I of England in the 1190s, apparently as a version of the arms of the Duchy of...

Human figures are relatively rare as charges, but appear quite often as supporters. Human heads, hands and hearts occur more often as charges. Very many coats of arms in the Balkans show a mutilated Turk, alluding to a long history of warfare. "Moor's" heads appear in the arms of Sardinia and Corsica. The traditional heart shape appears on a 1910 St. ... The Balkans is the historic and geographic name used to describe a region of south-eastern Europe. ... This article is about the Maure symbol. ... Sardinia (Sardegna in Italian, Sardigna, Sardinna or Sardinnia in the Sardinian language, Sardenya in Catalan), is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea (Sicily is the largest), between Italy, Spain and Tunisia, south of Corsica. ... Capital Ajaccio Land area¹ 8,680 km² Regional President ² Ange Santini (UMP) (since 2004) Population  - Jan. ...

In English heraldry the crescent, mullet (a star with straight rays, which originally represented a spur), martlet, annulet, fleur-de-lis and rose may be added to a shield to distinguish cadet branches of a family from the senior line. It does not follow, however, that a shield containing such a charge belongs to a cadet branch. All of these charges occur frequently in basic (undifferenced) coats of arms. An astronomically correct crescent shape (in blue). ... In heraldry the term mullet or molet refers to a charge or a difference in the conventional shape of a star - by default one with five points (compare pentagram). ... A spur is a metal instrument composed of a shank, neck, and prick, rowel (sharp-toothed wheel), or blunted end fastened to the heel of a horseman. ... A martlet is a type of heraldic bird similar to the swallow, but having no feet. ... An annulet (i. ... Fleurs-de-lys on the flag of Quebec The fleur-de-lis (also spelled fleur-de-lys; plural fleurs-de-lis or -lys) is used in heraldry, where it is particularly associated with the France monarchy (see King of France). ... Species About 100, see text A rose is a flowering shrub of the genus Rosa and the flower of this shrub. ... See also Cadency (name) and cadency name Cadency is any systematic way of distinguishing similar coats of arms belonging to members of the same family. ...

Ordinaries

Main article: Ordinary Download high resolution version (320x942, 40 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... In heraldry, an ordinary is a simple geometrical figure on the arms, wider than a line or division of the field. ...

Ordinaries (sometimes called "honourable ordinaries") resemble partitions, but are customarily treated like charges; for example, when painted they often cast shadows on the field. Unless otherwise specified they extend to the edges of the field. They include:

• cross;
• fess: a horizontal stripe;
• pale: a vertical stripe;
• bend: a diagonal stripe, beginning at the bearer's upper right, i.e. the viewer's upper left (a stripe the other way is a bend sinister);
• chief: the upper portion of the field;
• chevron: an angled stripe with the point upwards, possibly representing the rafters of a house;
• saltire: a diagonal cross;
• bordure: the edge of the field.

Each of the above ordinaries is commonly said to take up one-third of the field in theory, though in practice they are usually made somewhat narrower. A Greek cross (all arms of equal length) above a saltire, a cross rotated by 45 degrees For other uses, see Cross (disambiguation). ... A fess is a term used in heraldry to describe a charge on a coat of arms that takes the form of a band running from the left to the right side of the shield, centered from top to bottom. ... The shield above depicts a black pale placed on a gold shield, and its blazon is A pale is a term used in heraldic blazon to describe a charge on a coat of arms that takes the form of a band running vertically down the center of the shield. ... A blue-and-white striped bend (a bend barry wavy argent and azure), in the arms of Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council In heraldry, a bend is a colored band that runs from the upper left (as seen by the viewer) corner of the shield to the lower right. ... We dont have an article called Chief (heraldry) Start this article Search for Chief (heraldry) in. ... A chevron (also spelled cheveron, especially in older documents) is a V-shaped pattern. ... The arms of St Albans: a gold saltire on a blue field A saltire is an X-shaped figure in heraldry. ...

Less widespread are the flaunches, pall and pile (a tapered pale, pointed at the bottom). The quarter, i.e. an upper quadrant of the field, occurs rarely as an ordinary, but its diminished version the canton is frequently found, usually as a mark of distinction (showing that the bearer has no blood relationship to the bearers of the arms without the canton); it theoretically occupies the first third of the chief. Flaunches, in the arms of the town of Harlow A flaunch, in heraldry, is (arguably) an ordinary, one of two (as the flaunch is never borne singly) semicircles protruding into the field from the sides of the shield. ... A pall is a Y shaped heraldic charge. ... Divisions of the field is a heraldic term referring to the pattern on a shield. ... Canton is a division of the field placed in the upper dexter corner. ...

Ordinaries may appear in parallel series, in which case English blazon gives them a different name: pallets, bars (diminutives of the fess), bendlets, chevronels. French blazon makes no such distinction: une fasce, deux fasces.

Unless otherwise specified an ordinary is drawn with straight lines, but each may be indented (zigzag), embattled (like battlements), wavy, engrailed (scalloped with points outward) or invected (opposite of engrailed), among rarer variants. A battlement, in defensive architecture such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (i. ...

Marshalling

Two or more coats of arms are often combined in one shield; such combination, called marshalling may express inheritance from different families, a sovereign's assertion of various claims, or the occupation of an office by a specific person for the time being. The principal modes of marshalling are:

• by impalement: the shield is divided into right and left halves;
• by quartering: the shield is divided into quadrants;
• with an inescutcheon: a smaller shield appears in front of the main shield.

When more than four coats are to be marshalled, the principle of quartering may be extended to two rows of three (quarterly of six) and even further; a few lineages have accumulated hundreds of quarters, though such a number is usually displayed only in documentary contexts. Some traditions have a strong resistance to allowing more than four quarters, and resort instead to subquartering.

Impaled or quartered shield are read by rows, beginning at the dexter chief – the top right corner of the shield as seen by its holder (the viewer's top left). The first coat normally represents the highest title claimed, or the paternal inheritance.

Around the shield

The coat-of-arms of Saskatchewan, with parts labelled

The shield is the core of a composition called the achievement, which may be quite elaborate. optimized version of Image:Coatarms_labld. ... The first part of the coat of arms of the province of Saskatchewan, Canada, officially the Arms of Her Majesty in Right of the Province of Saskatchewan, was the shield, which was assigned by royal warrant of King Edward VII on August 25, 1906. ...

Helm and crest

All coats of arms may be displayed with a helm or helmet, which sits over the shield and carries the crest. The form of the helmet may vary with the rank of the armiger.

The crest stands atop the helm, usually on a torse (wreath) of twisted cloth in the two principal colours of the coat of arms, sometimes within a coronet (which is simpler than most coronets of rank). Often but not exclusively an animal, crests were used to identify a knight at the joust and were, therefore, at first, a sign of the superior rank expected of participants in medieval tournaments. Since Tudor times, however, crests have been granted with all English coats of arms. A woman does not display a crest (just as no woman would have fought in a medieval tournament). The crest rests on the helm, as it would have done in real life, or it may be illustrated directly above the shield without a helm. Crests are often shown alone (without shield or helm) on stationery and the like; the torse or crest-coronet must be included in such display. In heraldry, a crest is a component of a coat of arms. ... In heraldry, the torse is a twisted roll of fabric wound around the top of the helm and crest to hold the mantle in place (See mantling). ...

The helm if present is practically always, in present times, adorned with a mantling or lambrequin (though some medieval examples lack it), originally a cloth worn as partial protection against heating by sunlight. Typically its outer surface is of the principal colour and the inner of the principal metal of the shield (although there are cases of multi-coloured mantlings), but in the case of royalty and nobility it is often of gold or scarlet on the outside and ermine inside (blazoned, e.g., gules doubled ermine). The mantling is conventionally depicted with a ragged edge, as if damaged in combat. In heraldry, mantling is drapery depicted tied to the helmet above the shield. ...

Clergy, like women, and for the same reason (their non-participation in combat), traditionally do not display a helm or crest. Higher clergy, such as bishops or abbots, may display appropriate headwear (the mitre) above the shield, similar to the display by peers of their coronets. Lower clergy often use clerical hats with tassells appropriate to their seniority: this practice began in the Roman Catholic church but was subsequently adopted by some Anglican clergy. The Chief Herald of Ireland has granted Father William Richardson the crest A dexter hand couped at the wrist Gules holding a crown of thorns Proper, but this is often shown beside the shield, the only item above the shield being the historical tasselled hat of a priest.

Motto

An armorial motto is a phrase or collection of words intended to describe the motivation or intention of the armigerous person or corporation, sometimes also forming a pun as in the Neville motto Ne vile velis (wish nothing vile). It is often claimed by members of a family as well. A motto is a usual component in an achievement of arms, typically on a scroll under the shield, or else above the crest as in Scots heraldry. A motto may be in any language; Latin is the most frequent. A motto is a phrase or a short list of words meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. ... Neville may refer to the following: Places: Néville, France, a communes of the Seine-Maritime département Neville, New South Wales Neville, Ohio Ships: USS Neville (APA-9) an attack transport for the US Navy during World War II. People: The Neville family which lived at Lotherton Hall Wendell... Latin is an ancient Indo-European language originally spoken in the region around Rome called Latium. ...

Supporters and other additions

An armiger may be entitled, depending upon their rank, to several other items:

• Peers of the realm, senior members of British orders of knighthood and some corporate bodies have supporters on either side of the shield. Often these can have local significance (such as the Fisherman and the Tin miner granted to Cornwall County Council) or a historical link (such as the lion of England and unicorn of Scotland on the two variations of the Royal Arms in Great Britain).

• If the bearer has the title of baron or higher (or hereditary knight in some countries), he or she may display a coronet of rank above the shield, usually below the helm in British heraldry, often above the crest (if any) in Continental heraldry.

• Some orders of knighthood are denoted by a collar or similar band surrounding the shield. (When the arms of a knight and his wife are shown in one achievement, the insignia of knighthood surround the husband's arms only, and the wife's arms are customarily surrounded by a meaningless ornamental garland of leaves for visual balance.)

• Certain offices of state are denoted by a staff, sceptre or sword, typically shown crossed in saltire behind the shield; the keys of Saint Peter are shown behind the Pope's personal arms, and some bishops have their crozier (usually vertical).

In heraldry, supporters are figures placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up. ... Spaytans brader Baron is a specific title of nobility or a more generic feudal qualification. ... The silver Anglia knight, commissioned as a trophy in 1850, intended to represent the Black Prince. ... Coin showing a coronet A coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. ... Saint Peter, also known as Peter, Simon ben Jonah/BarJonah, Simon Peter, Cephas and Kepha—original name Simon or Simeon (Acts 15:14)—was one of the twelve original disciples or apostles of Jesus. ... The Pope (from Greek: pappas, father; from Latin: papa, Papa, father) is the head of the Catholic Church, which considers him the Successor of St. ... A crosier (crozier, pastoral staff) is the stylized staff of office carried by high-ranking Catholic prelates. ...

National styles

It is often possible to guess the country of origin of a coat of arms. Four broad styles are readily distinguished, which we may conveniently call German, Gallo-British, Mediterranean and Eastern (though it can be argued that later heraldries, such as South Africa, have national styles):

• Chevrons and five-pointed stars are popular in France and Britain, rare elsewhere.
• Saltires are most popular in Spain and Scotland.
• A plain field with a charged chief is a typically Scottish composition.
• A shield divided into two dissimilar coats, one above the other, is probably Italian.
• A shield with a checkerboard of tiny coats, with a single coat on a smaller shield in the center, almost certainly belongs to a high-ranking German noble.
• Bordures and to a lesser extent orles are much used in Spain and Portugal as a place for charges – almost a form of marshalling.
• A large fraction of Hungarian arms consist of some animal standing on a green hill against a blue sky.
• Trees are most often seen in Mediterranean arms.
• A purely geometric coat of arms is relatively unlikely to be Mediterranean (a conspicuous exception being Or four pallets gules for the County of Barcelona).
• Crests are often not displayed at all in French and Mediterranean armory, but very important in Germany. A shield with three or more crested helms is usually German. Certain types of crests, too, are typically German, such as a pair of horns or a tall hat in the tinctures of the shield.

A chevron (also spelled cheveron, especially in older documents) is a V-shaped pattern. ... The arms of St Albans: a gold saltire on a blue field A saltire is an X-shaped figure in heraldry. ... History of Spain series Prehistoric Spain Roman Spain Medieval Spain - Visigoths - Al-Andalus - Age of Reconquest Age of Expansion Age of Enlightenment Reaction and Revolution First Spanish Republic The Restoration Second Spanish Republic Spanish Civil War The Dictatorship Transition to Democracy Modern Spain Topics Economic History Military History Social History...

Modern heraldry

Heraldry continues to flourish today. Institutions, companies, and members of the public may obtain officially recognized coats of arms from governmental heraldic authorities. This typically has the force of a registered trademark. The first recorded corporate coat of arms was granted to the Drapers' Company of the City of London in 1438 (see Coat of Arms of The Drapers Company). However, many users of modern "heraldic" designs do not register with heraldic authorities, and some designers do not follow the rules of heraldic design at all. Arms of the Drapers Company The Worshipful Company of Drapers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London; it has the formal name of The Master and Wardens and Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mystery of... The City of London is a small area in Greater London. ... Events Pachacuti who would later create Tahuantinsuyu, or Inca Empire became the ruler of Cuzco In Italy, the siege of Brescia by the condottieri troops of Niccolò Piccinino was raised after the arrival of Scaramuccia da Forlì. January 1 - Albert II of Habsburg becomes King of Hungary March 18 - Albert... Coat of arms of the Worshipful Company of Drapers Usually known as the Drapers Company, The Master and Wardens and Brethren and Sisters of the Guild or Fraternity of the Blessed Mary the Virgin of the Mystery of Drapers of the City of London, was probably the first corporate body...

In Scotland the control of heraldry is fully legal and the Lord Lyon King of Arms retains powers (including imprisonment, fines and defacing bogus arms) which he does not hesitate to use. His office has no equivalent in England, is pre-heraldic and is closer to that of the Earl Marshall than that of Garter Principal King of Arms. Arms of the Office of the Lord Lyon The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that kingdom, issuing new grants of arms, and... Earl Marshal (alternatively Marschal or Marischal) is an ancient chivalric title used separately in England, Ireland and the United Kingdom. ... Garter Principal King of Arms is the senior King of Arms, and the senior Officer of Arms of the College of Arms. ...

Other active heraldic authorities include: Cronista Rey de Armas (Spain). the Chief Herald of Ireland; the Canadian Heraldic Authority. The office of the Chief Herald of Ireland, (sometimes, though incorrectly, called the Office of Arms) is the Republic of Irelands authority on all heraldic matters relating to Ireland and is located at the National Library of Ireland. ... Badge of the Canadian Heraldic Authority The Canadian Heraldic Authority is an agency of the Government of Canada responsible for heraldry in Canada. ...

Some people who have interests in heraldry as a hobby participate in the Society for Creative Anachronism and other such medieval revivals, or in micronationalism. Many more people see heraldry as a part of their national, and even personal, heritage, as well as a manifestation of civic and national pride. The Society for Creative Anachronism (or SCA for short) is a not-for-profit educational organization devoted to studying and re-creating the Middle Ages and Renaissance. ... This article is about small nations that are not recognized by any world government. ...

Suggested Reading

General

• Friar, Stephen & John Ferguson. Basic Heraldry. New York: Norton, 1993.
• Parker, James. A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry. New ed. Oxford: James Parker & Co., 1894 (Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1970).
• Woodcock, Thomas & John Martin Robinson. The Oxford Guide to Heraldry. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988.

Thomas Woodcock, LVO, BA (Durham), LLB (Cambridge), FSA, DL is Her Majestys Norroy and Ulster King of Arms. ...

United Kingdom

• Bedingfeld, Henry & Peter Gwynn-Jones. Heraldry. Secaucus, NJ: Chartwell Books, 1993.
• Boutell, Charles. Boutell’s Heraldry. New York: Frederick Warner, 1983. Revised by J. P. Brooke-Little from the 1891 edition. Boutell's Manual of Heraldry was first published in 1863.
• Burke, John Bernard. The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales; Comprising a Registry of Armorial Bearings from the Earliest to the Present Time. London: Burke’s Peerage, 1884 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967). Reprint of the last edition.
• Dennys, Rodney. The Heraldic Imagination. New York: Clarkson N. Potter, 1975. Artistic aspects of heraldry.
• Elvin, Charles N. Elvin’s Handbook of Mottoes. 2d ed. Revised with Supplement and Index by R. Pinches. London: Heraldry Today, 1971. Originally published in 1860.
• Fairbairn, James. Fairbairn’s Crests of the Families of Great Britain & Ireland. 2v. Revised ed. New York: Heraldic Publishing Co., 1911 (New York: Bonanza Books, 1986 in 1 vol.). Originally published 1800.
• Hasler, Charles. The Royal Arms, Its Graphic and Decorative Development. London: Jupiter Books, 1980. Artistic aspects and commercial treatments.
• Humphrey-Smith, Cecil. Anglo-Norman Armory. Canterbury: Family History, 1973.
• Franklyn, Julian. Shield and Crest: An Account of the Art and Science of Heraldry. 3d ed. London: Macgibbon & Kee, 1967. Textbook for the author's two-year course in heraldry at the City Literary Institute in London.
• Friar, Stephen. Heraldry for the Local Historian and Genealogist. (History Handbooks series) Phoenix Mill, Gloucs., UK: Sutton Publishing, 1997
• Palliser, Bury (Mrs.). Historic Devices, Badges, and War-Cries. London: Sampson Low, 1870 (Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1971).
• Paul, James Balfour. An Ordinary of Arms Contained in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland. 2d ed. Edinburgh: W. Green & Sons, 1903.
• Pinches, J. H. & R. V. The Royal Heraldry of England. London: Heraldry Today, 1974.
• Wagner, Sir Anthony R. Heralds of England: A History of the Office and College of Arms. London: HMSO, 1967.
• Wagner, Sir Anthony R. Historic Heraldry of Britain. London: Oxford University Press, 1939 (London: Phillimore & Co, 1972). College of Arms exhibit at the New York World's Fair of 1939.
• Thomas Woodcock & John Martin Robinson. Heraldry in Historic Houses of Great Britain. New York: Abrams, for the National Trust, 2000.

Henry Paston-Bedingfeld, wearing the tabard of Her Majestys York Herald of Arms in Ordinary at the College of Arms. ... Peter Llewellyn Gwynn-Jones CVO, Garter Principal King of Arms, the senior English herald. ... John Philip Brooke Brooke-Little, CVO, FSA, FSG, FHS, FRHSC (Hon), FHSNZ (6 April 1927 –13 February 2006) was a long-serving officer of arms in the United Kingdom, and former Clarenceux King of Arms in the College of Arms. ... Sir Anthony Richard Wagner KCB KCVO FSA (6 September 1908–1995) was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. ... Sir Anthony Richard Wagner KCB KCVO FSA (6 September 1908–1995) was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. ... Thomas Woodcock, LVO, BA (Durham), LLB (Cambridge), FSA, DL is Her Majestys Norroy and Ulster King of Arms. ...

Continental

• Le Févre, Jean. A European Armorial: An Armorial of Knights of the Golden Fleece and 15th Century Europe. (Edited by Rosemary Pinches & Anthony Wood) London: Heraldry Today, 1971.
• Louda, Jiří. Heraldry of the Royal Families of Europe. New York: Clarkson Potter, 1981. Reprinted as Lines of Succession (London: Orbis, 1984).
• Pinches, J. H. European Nobility and Heraldry: A Comparative Study of the Titles of Nobility and their Heraldic Exterior Ornaments for each Country, with Historical Notes. Ramsbury, Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1994.
• Rietstap, Johannes B. Armorial General. 2v. The Hague: M. Nijhoff, 1904-26 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967).
  • Rolland, V. & H. V. Supplement to Rietstap’s Armorial General. 2d ed. 9v. London: Heraldry Today, 1969.
  • Rolland, V. & H. V. Illustrations to the Armorial General. 6v. The Hague: M. Nijhoff, 1903-26.
• Siebmacher, Johann. J. Siebmacher’s Grosses und Allgemeines Wappenbuch . . . Vermehrten Auglage. 137v. (total). Nürnberg: Von Bauer & Raspe, 1890-1901.
• Volborth, Carl-Alexander von. Heraldry: Customs, Rules and Styles. London: Blandford Press, 1981.

See also

• Academie Internationale d'Heraldique
• American Heraldry Society
• Armory (heraldry)
• Cadency
• Canadian Heraldic Authority
• Chivalry
• Chief Herald of Ireland
• College of Arms
• Court of Chivalry
• Crest (heraldry)
• Heraldic badge
• The Heraldry Society (New Zealand Branch)
• The Heraldry Society
• The Heraldry Society of Scotland
• List of coats of arms
• Lord Lyon King of Arms
• Mon (Japanese heraldry)
• Officer of Arms
• Polish Heraldry
• The Royal Heraldry Society of Canada
• Sashimono
• Serbian Genealogical Society
• Time immemorial
• UK topics
• United States Army Institute of Heraldry
• Women in heraldry
• Coat of Arms
• List of academic coats of arms
• Vexillology

The International Academy Of Heraldry (Academie Internationale dHeraldique) was founded in 1949, in order to group specialists in heraldry from around the world. ... The mission of The American Heraldry Society is to educate the American population on the subject of heraldry and to lobby the institutions of the federal government and the several states to offer protection for armorial bearings in the United States of America. ... Armory is the study of coats of arms. ... See also Cadency (name) and cadency name Cadency is any systematic way of distinguishing similar coats of arms belonging to members of the same family. ... Badge of the Canadian Heraldic Authority The Canadian Heraldic Authority is an agency of the Government of Canada responsible for heraldry in Canada. ... See also order of chivalry Woman under the Safeguard of Knighthood, allegorical Scene. ... The office of the Chief Herald of Ireland, (sometimes, though incorrectly, called the Office of Arms) is the Republic of Irelands authority on all heraldic matters relating to Ireland and is located at the National Library of Ireland. ... The Colleges own coat of arms was granted in 1484. ... The Court of Chivalry is a civil court in England. ... In heraldry, a crest is a component of a coat of arms. ... Heraldic badges were common in the Middle Ages particularly in England. ... The Heraldry Society (New Zealand Branch) was established in 1962 under the auspices of The Heraldry Society of London. ... Establised in 1947, The Heraldry Society is one of the leading societies dedicated to the study of heraldry in all its forms. ... The Heraldry Society of Scotland was founded in 1977 with the objective of promoting the study of heraldry and encouraging its correct use in Scotland and Overseas. ... Here is a list of articles that discuss and/or depict coats of arms. ... Arms of the Office of the Lord Lyon The Lord Lyon King of Arms, the head of Lyon Court, is the most junior of the Great Officers of State in Scotland and is the Scottish official with responsibility for regulating heraldry in that kingdom, issuing new grants of arms, and... The chrysanthemum (kiku), seen in gold between the four bursts of this Breast Star of the Order of Chrysanthemum (a medal), is the mon of the Japanese Emperor. ... Dr. Conrad Swan, while York Herald, one of thirteen officers of arms at the College of Arms. ... // History The history of Polish heraldry is an integral part of the history of the szlachta, the Polish nobility. ... The Royal Heraldry Society of Canada is a Canadian organization that promotes the art and science of Canadian Heraldry. ... An illustration depicting a typical sashimono, worn with battle gear Sashimono (指物, 差物, 挿物) were small banners worn by Japanese medieval soldiers for identification during battles. ... The Serbian Genealogical Society (SGS) (Српско Родословно Друштво in Serbian) is a non-profit society that is engaged in genealogical and heraldic research in Serbia-Montenegro and the SE-Europe Balkan peninsula. ... Time immemorial is time extending beyond the reach of memory, record, or tradition. ... This is a list of topics related to the United Kingdom. ... The Institute of Heraldry Insignia The United States Army Institute of Heraldry furnishes heraldic services to the U.S. Armed Forces and other United States government organizations, including the Executive Office of the President. ... The arms of Diana, Princess of Wales. ... A modern coat of arms is derived from the medi val practice of painting designs onto the shield and outer clothing of knights to enable them to be identified in battle, and later in tournaments. ... This is a graphical listing of coats of arms of academic institutions (which are not necessarily the same as their logos), ordered by the country they are located in. ... Flag of the Fédération internationale des associations vexillologiques Vexillology is the scholarly study of flags. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Coats of arms

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

Authorities

• Canada - The Canadian Heraldic Authority
• Eire - The Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland
• England, Wales, and Northern Ireland - The College of Arms
• New Zealand - New Zealand Herald of Arms Extraordinary
• Scotland - The Court of the Lord Lyon
• United States Army - The United States Army Institute of Heraldry

Societies

• Heraldry Australia Inc.
• The Heraldry Society
• The American Heraldry Society
• The International Association of Amateur Heralds (IAAH)
• The American College of Heraldry (not a state authority)
• The Heraldry Society of Scotland
• The Royal Heraldry Society of Canada
• The Heraldry Society (New Zealand Branch) Inc
• A Heraldic Primer (Society for Creative Anachronism)
• Serbian Genealogical Society
• Macedonian Heraldry Society
• Board for Heraldic and Genealogical Studies - Center for Research of Orthodox Monarchism
• The Russian College of Heraldry
• The Russian Heraldry Society
• The Academy of Heraldic Science Czech republic

Heraldry-generating software

• Blazon (non commercial)

Other

• Brazil Heraldry
• Studies in Heraldry. A wide ranging site, dealing with many aspects of heraldry, including French Civic Heraldry, Medieval Rolls of Arms, Pub Signs, Cigarette Cards, and much else
• Large illustrated armorial about french and european families and glossary (french)
• International Civic Heraldry
• Rietstap's Armorial General - over 130,000 fully searchable names and blazons (Subscription based)
• Heraldica
• FootballCrests.com - The history and meaning of football (soccer) club crests from around the world
• Committee on Heraldry of the New England Historic Genealogical Society
• Scotscourts.gov.uk
• Page on the Flemish Heraldic Council
• Page on the Lyon Court
• Page on the Lyon Court
• Page on the South African Bureau of Heraldry
• Maltese Heraldry
• Information on the customs and practices of Heraldry and contemporary Heraldry
• Heraldry; Coats of Arms and Crests
• James Grout: Heraldry, part of the Encyclopædia Romana
• A DISPLAY OF HERALDRIE: by John Guillim (c1551 - 1621) being a complete transcription of the first edition (1610) of this work
• A Glossary of Terms used in Heraldry by James Parker, first published in 1894
• Glas Heralda Serbian e-zine for promotion of heraldry

A national flag is a flag that symbolises a country and that can usually be flown by citizens of that country. ... A modern coat of arms is derived from the medi val practice of painting designs onto the shield and outer clothing of knights to enable them to be identified in battle, and later in tournaments. ... This gallery of sovereign state flags shows the flags of sovereign states in the list of sovereign states. ... This gallery of sovereign state coats of arms shows the coat of arms of sovereign states in the list of sovereign states. ... This overview contains the flags of dependent territories. ... This overview contains the flags of self-proclaimed states that have declared their independence, exert control over (at least part of) the claimed territory and population, but have not been acknowledged as independent states by the international community at large. ... This overview shows the coat of arms of dependent territories. ... This overview contains the coats of arms of self-proclaimed states that have declared their independence, exert control over (at least part of) the claimed territory and population, but have not been acknowledged as independent states by the international community at large. ...

Note

1. One possible exception might be the arms of the University of Northern British Columbia.[2]