HeraldryThe Miriam Webster dictionary defines heraldry as the practice of devising, blazoning, and granting armorial insignia and of tracing and recording genealogies. *For my study, I have used the Royal Coat of Arms from Scotland — the first and a comparison with Mary Queen of Scots. I have also included some from Ireland as I have a number of Scots Irish and the reverse. I can see I will have to go back and resolve some of my errors with the family regarding Coats of Arms. However, that may take some time. How many of us have struggled to find an accurate crest or coat of arms for a member of our ancestral tree? The fact is, it is much more difficult than most of us expect. They fill the web with coats of arms and crests that are bogus and easily fool those who do not understand the science behind heraldry. I have made errors, so I set on a mission to make it straightforward for myself and others to understand. It takes understanding and a keen eye to spot what is true and what is not. Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branch of heraldry, concerns the design and transmission of the heraldic achievement. The achievement, or armorial bearings, usually includes a coat of arms on a shield, helmet and crest, together with any accompanying devices, such as supporters, badges, heraldic banners and mottoes. What most of us are interested in would appear in the paragraph above, which best describes just what is involved with a coat of arms and crest. I propose to simplify how to understand all that goes into that transmission to a visual design to represent family, considering the parameters. Keep in mind that a coat of arms (is a design on the shield of a medieval knight unique to that individual) some not all could pass it down to descendants. Then it became the coat of arms. These symbols represent the achievements of the individuals to whom they were granted. History The 11th century Bayou tapestry is first siting of a coat of arms which took place during the Norman invasion of England. However, it was not until the 12th century that knights and feudal lords used them in battle. During the 13th century, families adopted them from previous ancestors and use them as their logos or mottos. Sewn onto flags that flew above their castles or manors of only the highest classes. As time passed, the crown imposed more rules and regulations. An individual had to be granted a coat of arms by a ruling monarch to use it legally. In England and Scotland, only the person granted the coat of arms could use it, until after the Crusades (1096-1291). It was during the reign of Richard III; they became hereditary. Each generation had to change the design slightly to distinguish it from a prior ancestor. As time passed, they gave changes such as royal charters to companies and universities, which became modern-day company logos. Today, England’s coats of arms in are trademarked to protect who can and cannot use them. Both England and Scotland have heraldic authorities who regulate and grant their use. To gain one for your family, you must submit a request to the College of Arms directly and be able to prove your direct line pre-separation to the crown and be a direct male ancestor to receive an honorary arms. Even a newly designed creations can be granted heraldic authority if they meet the proper procedures. The rules for the rest of Europe vary as in many countries do not recognise them. Many families just display a crest (part of the Coat of Arms), with a logo instead. It is to note that the coat of arms in the United Kingdom was never granted to a surname but only to an individual, so we must attain permission before using them. Therefore, the coat of arms must be the “one” they granted it to or a male line descendant with legitimate rights only. Each part of the coat of arms tells you something about the individual who owns it. Deconstructing the Coat of ArmsThe Coat of arms consists of the following parts each with rules and regulations that must be followed. Escutcheon (Shield)The shield contains the field and the images are charges RULES OF COLOUR
RULES OF DESIGN When it comes to design we have much more choice FIELDS The field in the first COA of Scotland and is blazoned with a lion. The second is a later version for Mary Queen of Scots blazoned in divided fields and featuring symbols for England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. CHARGES These are images put on the field of the shield. There are some called the ordinaries, which are mostly geometric and the most commonly seen on shields. The lion in the shield on the left below represents England. A more complex blazoning on the shield on the right (during the reign of Mary Queen of Scots), shows the the United Commonwealth. Each of these divisions represent part of the unification of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. These are like divisions and variations, yet are made others up of animals, crosses, flowers, body parts and other objects. Their meaning is subject to what the creator of the coat of arms meant it to signify. There are some charges that almost always signify a specific meaning. Below are some obvious ones, often used. We refer to these "achievements" placed on the shield as “blazoning” it. SUPPORTERS The supporters are on each side of the shield to support it and, in most cases, are animals but can also be humans or buildings. There are some significance to what they chose, in that lions represent England and unicorns, Scotland. However, they can also be as the second image below. Supporters are not always present on most achievements. Their use was for those with high status or as a special award or service. COMPARTMENT The small landscape below the supporters is referred to as the mantle. HELM (HELMET) Originally the helm which sits atop the crest did not have any significance but over time an open helmet signified nobility or royalty while a closed helm was for the gentry (most the land-owning social class who typically had a coat of arms, but did not have a peerage). Women and clergy did not have helms on their achievements (some exceptions) as they did not go to war. TORSE The torse was a cloth that sat atop the helm. Royalty and nobility usually had a crown in its place. CREST The crest on a coat of arms sits above the torse and was there because knights put fanciful objects above their helms. I.e. birds, animals during tournaments. Crests were mainly decorative and sometime used as badges. Below are three examples of crests. MOTTO The motto usually appears above the crest on a coat of arms, although sometimes it appears as a secondary motto beneath the shield as shown above. It belongs to the individual granted the Coat of Arms and said something about that person, group or family name located at the top of the arms. The motto chosen by the family or member who earned it, did not always appear on the coat of arms until years or even generations later. It is important to note that it was chosen by them and not designated. The mottos were usually in Latin. MANTLING The cloth around the helm which referred to how the knights dresses. In heraldry, mantling or “lambrequin” (its name in French) is drapery tied to the helmet above the shield. Knights from their helmets wore the protective cloth covering (often of linen). It was used to stave off the elements, and, secondarily, to decrease the effects of sword-blows against the helmet in battle. They often showed it tattered or cut to shreds. Clergy and women might use a helmet and intact mantling (to symbolise they have not been involved in combat), although this is usually the artist’s discretion and done for decorative rather than symbolic reasons. CONCLUSIONS
The internet is filled with many if not a majority of fake Coats of Arms that many people use to represent their family. It is not always easy to find the correct one and even many companies that we pay to produce our family Coat of Arms are not always honest and/or knowledgeable. When doing so avoid such things as thin stripes, symbols used only for royalty, clichéd symbols and other tabooed rules. Due to the rules around heraldry there are few who would have actual rights to an official coat of arms. That said, there is nothing stopping us from creating our own Coat of Arms to represent families in our ancestry, whether they were nobility, gentry or those without peerage. Keep in mind to follow rules and keep within your family's hierarchy within the society. That way you can produce your own Coat of Arms or Crest to be proud of.
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Stephanie Bell-Boissonneault"When researching Family never leave a stone unturned, not even a pebble." Archives
July 2023
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