Heraldry

People use special signs to show who they are.

These signs are called heraldry. They can go on a shield or a helmet.

Some signs use bright colors and animals. A blue shield might have golden lions on it.

These signs show a person's pride. They also tell stories about history. Today, towns and groups still use them. It is a way to show their past.

People use special signs to show who they are. This is called heraldry.

These signs are often called coats of arms. A full set can include a shield and a helmet. It might also have a crest on top.

A crest is a decoration on a helmet. A set of signs can also have banners or mottos.

In the Middle Ages, these designs became very important. They were a way to show a person's family. They also showed a person's rank.

Heralds were people who studied these signs. They were experts on family history. They knew the rules for making new designs. They also helped settle fights over who owned which sign.

Some parts of heraldry came from old ways of dress. Knights wore a surcoat over their armor. This was a cloth garment to block the sun. They often put their family signs on it. This is where the name "coat of arms" comes from. Today, many groups still use heraldry. Cities and companies use it to show their pride and history.

Heraldry is a special way to design and study symbols. These symbols are called armorial bearings. People use them to show who they are and where they come from. A full set of these designs is called a heraldic achievement.

It often includes a shield and a helmet. You might also see a crest on top of the helmet. Some sets include extra things like banners, badges, or mottos.

People use these designs to show their pride and history. Today, cities, towns, and even big companies use them. They help show what a group has achieved.

There is a specific way to describe these designs. This way of writing is called a blazon.

A blazon uses special words to name the colors and shapes. This makes sure everyone knows exactly what the design looks like. You can see many different parts in a single achievement. For example, a shield might have a specific animal on it. A helmet might have a decoration called a crest.

Some designs even have supporters, which are figures standing next to the shield. These parts all work together to tell a story.

Long ago, people used symbols to represent themselves. In ancient Egypt, they used symbols of gods on tall poles.

Ancient Mesopotamian art also used special symbols. In the Bible, the children of Israel used emblems to gather together.

Greek and Latin writers wrote about heroes with special shields. Even the Roman army had distinctive markings on their shields. However, these were not quite like modern heraldry. Modern heraldry began to grow during the High Middle Ages. It became a way to pass designs down through families.

True heraldry grew in Europe during the twelfth century. We see early examples on old seals used for documents.

One famous example is from the tomb of Geoffrey Plantagenet. He died in 1151 and had a blue shield. This shield had six golden lions on it.

Later, King Richard the Lionheart used three lions on his arms. This became a very famous design for England. The Crusades also helped spread these ideas across Europe. Knights wore a cloth garment called a surcoat over their armor. This is where we get the name "coat of arms."

As more people used these signs, a new job appeared. This job was called a herald.

Heralds were experts who knew all the rules. They learned about a person's rank and their family history. They also knew how to describe the designs using a blazon. Sometimes, two people might want to use the same design. This could lead to a big argument. Heralds helped settle these fights to make sure everyone followed the rules. They made sure each design belonged to only one person or family.

Heraldry, also known as armory, is a formal discipline involving the design, display, and study of armorial bearings. These bearings are symbolic designs that represent individuals or groups. A complete set of these elements is called a heraldic achievement.

A full achievement can be quite complex. It may include a shield, a helmet, and a crest on top of the helmet. It might also include supporters, which are figures that stand beside the shield. Other parts include heraldic banners, badges, and mottoes.

These designs are formally described using a specific system of language called a blazon. This allows people to communicate exactly what a design looks like.

To understand how heraldry works, one must look at the individual parts of an achievement. The shield is often the central piece of the design. On top of the shield, a knight might wear a helmet. A crest is a decoration placed upon that helmet. The surcoat, an outer garment worn over armor, often displayed the same symbols as the shield. This garment is where we get the term "coat of arms." Another part is the lambrequin, or mantling. This is the decorative cloth that hangs from the helmet and frames the shield. In the past, this served the practical purpose of protecting the neck and helmet from the sun.

While many believe heraldry began with knights in battle, its true origins are more gradual. People have used symbols to represent themselves for thousands of years. In ancient Egypt, standards were topped with images of gods. Ancient Mesopotamian art also used various symbols. The Bible mentions the children of Israel using standards and ensigns to gather. Even the Roman army used distinctive markings on their shields. However, these were not true heraldry. True heraldry requires hereditary designs that are passed down through generations. This specific characteristic did not develop until the High Middle Ages.

Modern heraldry began to take shape in Europe during the twelfth century. We see evidence of this in official seals used for documents. For example, a charter from Philip I, Count of Flanders, in 1164 shows an early armorial seal. One of the most famous early examples is the tomb of Geoffrey Plantagenet. He was the Count of Anjou and died in 1151. An enamel from his tomb shows him with a blue shield decorated with six golden lions rampant.

This design likely inspired the English royal arms. King Richard the Lionheart is believed to have been the first to use three lions passant-guardant. This design remains the arms of England today.

Historical events like the Crusades, which lasted from 1096 to 1487, helped spread heraldry. As large armies gathered from all over Europe, they needed ways to identify commanders. The Crusades helped disseminate the principles of armory across the continent. During this time, the surcoat and the lambrequin became common. The edges of the lambrequin often appeared slashed or scalloped. Some believe this happened because the cloth wore down in the field. Others thought it helped to deaden a sword blow or entangle an attacker's weapon.

As heraldry grew, a new profession emerged: the herald. Originally, heralds were messengers for noblemen. Eventually, they became experts in rank, pedigree, and heraldic devices. They learned the rules of blazoning, which is the formal description of arms. By the late thirteenth century, some heralds held the title "King of Heralds," later called "King of Arms."

Heralds were necessary because people began to argue over who owned which design. In 1390, a famous English dispute called Scrope v Grosvenor occurred. Two men both claimed the right to use the same design. To prevent such fights, authorities were established to regulate the use of arms.

In England, the Kings of Arms eventually conducted "visitations." Starting in the reign of Henry VIII, they traveled the country to record arms used with proper authority. They checked to ensure people were not using designs they had not earned. If someone used arms without authority, the heralds could require them to stop. They could even have the improper arms taken down and defaced. This helped maintain the order and the rules of the heraldic system.

Today, heraldry remains a way for people and groups to show their identity. It is not just for knights or ancient families anymore. Individuals, cities, towns, and regions use heraldry to symbolize their heritage. Even large corporations and private organizations use these conventions. They use these symbols to represent their achievements and their aspirations. Heraldry is closely linked to other studies, such as vexillology, which is the study of flags, and genealogy, the study of family histories.