Have you ever seen a Coat of Arms with your family name on it? Is there a Coat of Arms listed under your family name - perhaps in books or old documents? In some countries a Coat of Arms is a hereditary device carried by one who can show appropriate descent. However, there are other countries where any member of a family, sept or clan can rightfully display the Coat of Arms. In modern times many people have become intrigued by the history of Heraldry which covers Coats of Arms and other insignia from historical times. In fact, it has become quite a mark of distinction to show the Coat of Arms on any number of personal objects and to give these items as very special personalized gifts - perhaps to a loved one who "has everything" as the old saying goes.
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The History of Heraldry & the Origin of Coats of Arms
Heraldry in its broad meaning traditionally had to do with the functions of a herald. That is one whose duty it was to announce tournaments, to carry messages from one manor to another and to record the various insignia borne by individuals. Heraldry arose almost spontaneously in Medieval Europe around the 12th century, coinciding with the development of armor, around the time of the crusades.
Practical Origins:
In battle, a knight clad in armor from head to toe would barely recognize friend from foe. Imagine if you will a warrior's face invisible behind a closed helmet, and you may well appreciate why a new method of instant recognition became necessary. In addition changes in methods of waging war also demanded instant recognition. This resulted in distinctive Insignia being painted on his shield and embroidered on his surcoat, which were the only means by which the warrior could be identified. It is generally accepted that these innovations led to the beginnings of heraldry.
A Movement Towards Recognition:
The insignia thus adopted soon became jealously guarded and objects of pride. In England a son would inherit his father's markings and carry them into battle with pride. After a battle or campaign, the knight would return to his castle and the vassal to his modest home and each would hang his shield or helmet on the wall. The helmet was positioned above the shield. A friend brought the belongings of those who had died in battle back, and the scene was repeated in every humble cottage and magnificent abode. Of course hereditary customs varied from country to country but this gives you some idea of the importance of the Coat of Arms. Heraldry, as we know it, had come into being.
The Medieval Tournaments:
The colorful medieval tournaments, which were held both for entertainment and to give practice in the use of the lance, provided a great stimulus to the development of heraldry. A Marshal and Constable supervised the armorial decorations at these tournaments and in this we find the origins of the College of Arms. This also resulted in heraldry becoming an organized and scientific art. The decline in jousting in the 16th century and changes in methods of warfare did not however, lead to a decline in the importance of heraldry. Arms were displayed on seals and this was useful because many of the nobility were illiterate.
Arms in stone and on stained glass, silver and elsewhere have provided countless clues for historians in dating and identifying buildings and objects. As heraldry flourished and became regulated it was necessary to have a language whereby a herald could accurately describe arms, and that his descriptions should be understood by other heralds. The language used was Norman French. Of course, some countries use their own language.
Heraldry, Therefore, is first of all a system of personal devices (i.e. symbols on the shield) appertaining to an individual and continuing, with certain restrictions, for his descendants in some countries and for a family, sept or clan in others. It is therefore a hereditary distinction. It is also an art.
The Heraldic Language:
Heraldry has a special vocabulary. The wording was developed by the early heralds and its precise formation achieves brevity by which a single word might indicate the position, posture and attitude of a charge - as the symbols are called. If one were to describe this charge in common terms, the resulting description would require several sentences. In heraldic terminology, the written description of an armorial bearing is a blazon. Knowledge of simple rules, which govern the blazoning of arms, is important to an understanding of the arms depicted.
In most cases the first word mentioned is the field or shield color. The next in importance is the major division of the shield, followed by the major charge in the description. Thereafter the remaining elements would follow in order from chief (top) to base (bottom) and Dexter (left) to sinister (right) as one views the shield. In all cases the color of the charge follows the description of the charge. For example: a lion rampant gules means that the lion is the charge, rampant indicates the position of the lion, "gules" (red) tells us the color of the lion.
Colors are never repeated in a blazon. Therefore terms such as "of the first" and "of the last" refer to the first or the last color mentioned in the description. When two or more charges of the same color occur, the color is not mentioned until the end of the description relative to that color. Example: a lion rampant between two roses gules.
Other Heraldic Usages:
Thus heraldry began as a specific mark of the fighting men and continues to be so to this day. Every soldier, sailor, airman and marine wears a specific device, which is heraldic in nature. Yet arms are not exclusive to the fighting man and woman. Most universities and colleges have their individual Coat of Arms or symbolic arrangement, which heralds the school and its principles. Clubs, corporations, churches, fraternities, agencies as well as city and state offices employ the equivalent of a Coat of Arms in some form. The car you drive more than likely displays the company's Coat of Arms proudly. Trademarks and symbols on cigarette packets, signs on stores, advertisements in magazines employ forms of heraldic devices to distinguish the products and elevate the prestige of the company in the eye of the consumer. The unifying quality of a Coat of Arms exists today, as much, if not more than 800 years ago, despite change and mechanization. For today, as in the days of William the Conqueror and all the formidable rulers of the middle Ages, we find the armorial bearing offering a unique purpose in identifying, and binding together, individuals into groups or families serving one cause, dedicated to one purpose, and lifting us out of a conformity and personal extinction.
When you claim use of a Coat of Arms, you are in essence declaring to all the world that you belong to something - some family, clan, group or organization. More than likely you will want to display the Coat of Arms associated with your family name in a conspicuous place, with the knowledge that under the same banner great battles were fought, families gathered in unity and history was made.
