IAPSR A Brief Introduction to Heraldic History

IAPSR STUDENT PAPERS

An Brief Introduction to Heraldic History

Steven D. Wilson

When someone mentions the term heraldry, most people think of a time when knights occupied the field of battle, when trumpets announced the coming of lords and ladies and when swashbuckling adventures were to be found in the Middle Ages. While all of this is very true, what some people don’t realize is heraldry can be a very complicated subject. It has been, and still is, governed by a very exacting set of laws. In fact, Scotland has an entire court system dedicated to issues surrounding heraldry. Another facet of this fascinating subject is that while people can readily learn and accept heraldry is present in Europe in modern times, most don’t realize heraldry is alive and well in the United States. This paper will explore heraldry, its’ history and some modern heraldry both in the United States and abroad. But first, we must look at what heraldry actually is and where it comes from.

According to http://members.easyspace.com/Brig/mca/clips.html “In 12th-century Europe, knights began painting their shields to identify themselves while wearing full armour. These early coats of arms, while generally very simple, clearly showed the person's identity. The idea caught on and, as coats of arms grew in popularity, more symbols were needed and coats of arms became more complex.” This is the basic building block of heraldry. It began with symbols and colors used to identify individuals. Eventually, these patterns and symbols were passed down through families and the popularity of heraldry began to grow. The actual term ‘heraldry’ comes from a German word “heer”, meaning an army or host and “held”, a champion. According to The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, “The term ‘blason,’ by which the science of heraldry is denoted in French, English, Italian, and German, is probably derived from the German word ‘blazen’ -- to blow the horn. Whenever a new Knight appeared at a Tournament, the herald sounded the trumpet, and as the competitors attended with closed visors, it was his duty to explain the bearing of the shield or coat-armour belonging to each. This knowledge of the various devices and symbols was called Heraldry, and as the announcement was accompanied with the sound of a trumpet, it was termed ‘blazoning the arms.’” The third chapter of Scots Heraldry by Sir Thomas Innes also held some pretty valuable insight as to how heraldry came about in the first place. Basically, in a period of time when most of the world was illiterate, a herald was important in that he carried news and messages. He was also a representative of his lord when the lord wasn’t there. This, coupled with insignias, seals and designs on shields and armor, heraldry became a form of identification. Thee text points out that although devices were on shields and arms, the “…hereditary armorial symbols was conceived by kings and nobles, without any necessary connection with fighting, and the convenience experienced from the use of seals on deeds, charters, and leases had more to do with recognition of the advantages of armory, than the use to be made of it in war” (Innes, 19). So, heraldry became associated with nobility and it allowed illiterate people to identify leaders, nobles and documents endorsed by them. But, it would be remiss to overlook the usefulness heraldry could have on a battlefield. Imagine if you are a knight in charge of a brigade of heavy cavalry. You’re on an open battlefield in an era way before there are such things as radios, field telephones, email and the like. Coats of arms, flags, pennants, blazons and the like would almost certainly have to aid you in distinguishing friend from foe and aid you in identifying subordinate leaders. Our text agrees with this by pointing out that heraldic armor became subject to very strict regulations “…namely to prevent disputes in civil life and confusion in the field of battle…” (Innes, 21). So, heraldry was important for identification purposes and then eventually worked its way onto the battlefield. While we now have a brief overview of heraldry and how it came about, a more detailed of the very exacting science of heraldry is in order.

At http://www.fleurdelis.com, a good explanation of the science surrounding heraldry can be found. It states, “…a ‘coat of arms’ consists of several parts: the shield, the mantling, the helm, the wreath, charges, and the crest (note that not all arms have crests). The official, written description of the coat of arms is called the ‘blazon of arms.’ The designs in our database are made precisely in accordance with the registered description (‘the blazon of arms’). The blazon may seem like a foreign language, but it is simply a system of code words to denote colors, placement, and styling by using an economy of words.” Essentially, anyone schooled in heraldry can imagine what a coat of arms would look like without actually seeing it. For example, a description could read as: Arms-- Argent, a saltire azure, cantoned with four markings of ermine sable. This translates to mean a silver or white shield with a blue X and in four-equidistant places the marking of the ermine fur in black. Certain colors concerning heraldry also have certain meanings and definitions. For example, gold means generosity and elevation of the mind while silver and/or white stands for peace and serenity. Red has to do with valor and military prowess and blue stands for truth and loyalty (http://www.fleurdelis.com/samplebusinesscrests.htm). Now that we have a description of the scientific language surrounding heraldry, it is prudent to examine the person who makes this all come together. Therefore, the paper will now turn to the herald.

The herald was basically a glorified version of what might be called a messenger or town crier. They were responsible for cataloging the arms of the gentry and ensuring meticulous records were kept for each. Therefore, the herald secured for himself an important place in history and thanks to them; historical records of families and happenings in medieval Europe can still be read. The herald eventually grew in importance in medieval life, as we find out at http://renaissance.dm.net/heraldry/heralds.html in an article by John Nietz. It states, “Heralds have been messengers since the early days of their existence. When a lord planned to host a tournament, he would send his herald(s) throughout the kingdom (or even throughout Christendom) to put forth a challenge (i.e. invitation). Princes would have their heralds accompany them in battle to help them identify men of both sides by their arms and banners, as well as to parley with the enemy as seen in Henry V.” In heraldry, arms are personal to their owners so he would not have his servants wear it. But heralds were the exception to this rule. They took on the Henry V’s identity by wearing the royal coat of arms (it was treason to harm a herald in his tabard) and were considered the voice of the crown. Royal proclamations were proclaimed and messages were made by the heralds. So, as time went on, heralds increased in importance and thus began to make a decent living for themselves. Heralds would every so often visit the kingdom, take up shop in a village house or tavern and all bearers of arms were required to prove their lineage. This, of course, was done for a fee. But, if the herald found the person’s claim was invalid, that person would be stripped of his arms and title. John Nietz explains, “Starting in 1530, the provincial kings were authorized and commissioned to make visitations of counties in their provinces. They would typically travel to a county in summer (an "heraldic progress" if you will) and it took many years to cover England and Wales (the "home counties" near London were visited more often than the far north or west). The king of arms (or his deputized herald) would set up in an inn or a gentleman’s home and all those in the area who claimed arms were summoned to present proof of gentle status. The herald would record the pedigree and arms for a fee or, if the claimant was found to be not up to standards he was disclaimed: required to sign a statement that he was ‘no gentleman’ and forbidden to bear arms. This was proclaimed throughout the shire-- a harsh fate in this class conscious era.” Modar Neznanich, a member of a group of people that perform medieval re-enactments, also covers some herald duties with an excellent website at http://www2.kumc.edu. Neznanich explains, “The duties required to be completed by a local herald can vary. Factors that affect these duties include the rules and customs placed by the Society Herald's Office, the Kingdom Herald's Office and needs of the local group.” A general overview of herald duties could be classified as Vocal Heraldry and Book Heraldry. Vocal Heraldry is expanded on in four distinct sub-classes. Those are Event Heraldry, Field Heraldry, Feast Heraldry and Court Heraldry. The website authored by Modar Neznanich explains, “Book Heraldry consists of working with submissions of heraldic devices, badges, and names. Involving the areas of Vocal Heraldry and Book Heraldry are required duties and suggested duties. Required duties ones that a local herald must see are taken care of. Suggested duties are additional activities that can enhance the heraldic experience, both for the local herald and the group's populace.” Besides this, heralds did other things. They were responsible to herald local meetings/events. This involves announcing to the assembled populace any important messages or information they need to know. They could also be expected to herald local tournaments. This was usually reserved for the fighting contests. Basically, the herald was a sort of field announcer. He would announce to both the participants and the audience “…who is to report to the list field now, who should be preparing for the next round, and who is in line after that. The declaration of the winner, is sometimes done the herald, and sometimes by the knight marshall in charge.” John Nietz offers further insight in this area. Nietz on his website points out, “Tournament officiating, as we have seen, was the primary job of heralds in the early period of heraldry but by Elizabeth’s reign jousting was in its twilight. There were few tournaments outside the annual ones celebrating the Queen’s accession day (jousting checks--the scorecards kept by heralds--are very simplified compared to those from the previous century, which supports the thinking that Elizabethan jousters were not as practiced as their pre-gunpowder ancestors since jousting was no longer a practical skill for war). The heralds, however, zealously kept records of the fees and perquisites due to them on these occasions, such as clouage: ("nailing fee") money due from each jouster for putting his arms up on his lodgings, or gifts and money which a first time jouster had to give them upon his entry to the field” (http://renaissance.dm.net/heraldry/heralds.html). So, it seems logical to conclude that heralds were not only message carriers but they were also diversified enough in their profession to handle administrative duties at tournaments. Another way heralds made money had to do with a strange custom involving a fallen knight’s armor. “Among the more interesting customs was that any armor dropped on the field belonged to the heralds present, who usually sold it back to the knight who had dropped it” (http://renaissance.dm.net/heraldry/heralds.html). So, now that we have shown how heralds increased in importance, it is interesting to note that heraldry did, and does to this day, have its’ own unique court system.

An interesting subject concerning heraldry is that of the Lord Lyon. The Lord Lyon even has several websites dedicated to him. A good one is www.heraldry-scotland.co.uk/Lyoncourt.htm and another is www.lyon-court.com. In a nutshell, this person is responsible for issuing and maintaining coats of arms and presiding over matters involving coats of arms and other heraldic matters. At lyon-court.com, his duties are summed up as, “The Lord Lyon is not only a Minister of the Crown but also a judge of the Realm; nowadays it is perhaps in this capacity that he comes most in contact with the public, for almost all Scottish heraldic business is conducted on Judicial lines, through the machinery of the Court of the Lord Lyon which exercises both a civil and a penal jurisdiction under the old Common Law of Scotland as well as sundry Acts of Parliament. Scotland and Spain are probably the only countries where a court of heraldry and genealogy still exists in daily operation, before which lawyers plead in wig and gown, though, thanks to the courtesy and interest shown by the Lord Lyon and his officers, most of the business of the ordinary applicant is settled without even the need for legal assistance” (www.lyon-court.com). This web page adds some color and pictures which show a lot of ceremony, pomp and circumstance. The other website mentioned shows that a new Lord Lyon will take office on 24 January when he will be sworn in by The Queen of England. Another interesting aspect of study is the seriousness the Scottish take in regards to heraldic symbols, coats of arms and the like. If someone displays or utilizes a coat of arms that does not belong to them, our text refers to that as a “real injury”. Page 15 of Scots Heraldry states, “This is regarded as a matter of signal importance, for where persons or corporations have paid fees to the crown in return for the exclusive right to armorial bearings, and a Scots coat of arms can belong to only one person at a time, it is only proper these rights should be protected. Without such protection arms are indeed useless to anybody or for anything” (Innes, 15). The text, as well as the web pages, tells that someone who is an ‘armorial’ offender is looked down upon much the same way as a criminal convicted of tax evasion would. So, if one were in Scotland, and decided to display a coat of arms outside their home or business, they would be breaking the law. Evidently, the statutes are still enforced as a footnote on page 17 of our text points out. In 1954 two people were fined for unlawfully possessing arms. By statute 1592, cap. 125, ‘the usurpation of arms by any of His Majesty’s lieges, without the authority of Lyon King of Arms’, is expressly forbidden. Statutory power is given for Lyon and his heralds to ‘visit the whole arms used in Scotland, and to matriculate the same in their Registers, to fine in L 100 all who have unjustly usurped arms, to escheat all such goods and geir as shall have the unwarrantable arms engraven on them” (Innes, 77). Here, one can note the authority behind the Lord Lyon’s office. He grants arms and strips away those people who are using them without being granted the right to do so. According to the author, he can and has done exactly that. Innes explains that after this statute was enacted, the Lyon’s heralds “…scoured Scotland, rectifying heraldic errors and ‘casting down’ unwarrantable arms” (Innes, 79). So, if someone were in Scotland and opened a business and decided to put up a coat of arms they found on the Internet or just drew a design they liked, they would be breaking the law. This is taken very seriously in Scotland as the text calls it “…the vulgar offense of displaying bogus heraldry” (Innes, 80). So, if someone who descended from Scotland wanted their own arms—either a new set or one that is new, how do they go about it? The paper will look at this process next.

The process concerning the granting of arms is very simple. The home page of the Lord Lyon on the internet as well as Innes’ book discusses the format, the address to send the petition to and everything else one would need. The petitioner must be a “virtuous and well deserving Scot”. The biggest difference between Innes’ book and the modern up to date information is the fees involved. According to Innes, the cost for a new patent of arms is 49 Pounds Sterling. According to The Lord Lyon website, the costs are pretty steep. “The following fees, fixed by Parliament, apply from April 2003: New Grant of Armorial Bearings, including shield alone, with or without motto - £850, New Grant of Armorial Bearings, including shield and crest, with or without motto - £1,303, New Grant of Armorial Bearings, including shield, crest, motto and supporters - £1,836, Matriculation of previously recorded Armorial Bearings, including shield and crest - £431, Matriculation of previously recorded Armorial Bearings, including shield and crest and supporters - £690, Matriculation of previously recorded Armorial Bearings, including shield and crest together with Grant of new supporters - £953” (http://www.lyon-court.com). So, for a foreigner, their best option is to probably establish Scottish ancestry. Then, send to the Lord Lyon my request that he grant my ancestor and his descendants a coat of arms. The other option is, of course, just move to Scotland. Now that the paper has covered some historical heraldry the legalities surrounding it will now explore how heraldry fits into modern day to day life.

One can still find examples of heraldry. Heraldry could be considered living; breathing history that is accessible almost everywhere you turn. One of the most obvious places to look is the historical sites to be found in Europe. While some of the original heraldic art can still be found, it is sad that most of the artwork is gone. As Sir Thomas Innes points out, “Military trappings, surcoats, shields, and banners are necessarily perishable, and few examples of these, upon which heraldry was so freely displayed, now survive. These must now be traced principally from inventories of the furniture which formerly existed in castles and abbeys, and upon those monumental effigies originally painted in heraldic colurs, of which a number still survive, usually in a mutilated condition, amongst the ruins of our cathedrals and churches” (Innes, 67). This is indeeed tragic. The thought of recorded history, displayed in an ancient and beautiful art being destroyed, lost, or just fading away should sadden even the most casual history student. But, on the very next page, Innes points out that a few still survive and lists the ceilings of the Castles of Collairnie as an example. If one types Castle of Collarnie in a search engine you can then find a website called darkisle.com. Several pictures of castles were listed there and the site made mention of the castle. The website stated, “As is perhaps evident from the picture, Collarnie is a private holding and located in a working farm. The remaining small tower house was once part of a much larger L-plan castle. A lintel above the main entrance dates the castle to 1581. Collairnie was built by the Barclays and remained in their holding until 1717. In 1789 it passed into the hands of the Balfours of Fernie. Unseen by us, the tower is reputed to have two finely paneled tempera ceilings on the second and third floors. The ceilings were painted with the arms of nearly fifty families with some tie to the Barclays” (www.darkisle.com). This just drives home what Innes was saying about the lost heraldry. His book was written in 1934. Here it is, January of 2004 and even with using the research power of the internet, you cannot find a picture of the ceiling. This definitely causes an appreciation of researchers, heralds, genealogists and others piling through volumes and volumes of old manuscripts and books researching heraldry. Innes points out the earliest texts illustrating Scotland’s heraldry were written in 1369. It’s hard to imagine a subject kept alive this long but the meticulousness of researchers and a people dedicated to preserving a unique aspect of their heritage. Another place to find modern day heraldry often stares U.S. citizens square in the face and they may not even realize it. A powerful example of heraldry is found in the Presidential Seal. The Commander in Chief of the United States armed forces travels under this seal, addresses the nation with the seal on his podium and other such things that are unique to the president. According to, http://www.krohm.com/tewsp/el/el_seal.htm, “A committee was organized to design a presidential seal in 1777. After many ideas and a delay because of the war, it was completed in 1782. The first die, still on display in the National Archives, was cut in 1782 and used until April 24, 1841. Since then, seven dies have been cut, a new one replacing the old when impressions are no longer suitable. Only the front of the Seal is impressed on documents. It appears officially on medals, stationery, publications, flags, monuments, and architectural decoration.” So, this seal was adopted for the nation’s leader in 1782. But, the same website tells us that President Truman changed the original design in 1945. This was because he “…did not like the way the eagle's head faced the arrows of war. He believed that the president, although prepared for war, should always look towards peace. He had the head turned toward the olive branches. He added 48 stars to stand for each state in the union at that time. The stars would show that the president had been elected by all people, not just from one group or area. He also felt that no general could ever have that many stars, which would prove once and for all that the president is commander-in-chief.” So, while the presidential seal is a unique piece of American heraldry, there are many other heraldic seals affiliated with the U.S. Government. One of the more interesting is the Seal of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The website at http://www.fbi.gov/libref/historic/fbiseal/fbiseal.htm, shows the symbols and colors each have a meaning. According to the site, “The dominant blue field of the seal and the scales on the shield represent justice. The endless circle of 13 stars denotes unity of purpose as exemplified by the original 13 states. The laurel leaf has, since early civilization, symbolized academic honors, distinction and fame. There are exactly 46 leaves in the two branches, since there were 46 states in the Union when the FBI was founded in 1908. The significance of the red and white parallel stripes lies in their colors. Red traditionally stands for courage, valor, strength, while white conveys cleanliness, light, truth, and peace. As in the American Flag, the red bars exceed the white by one. The motto, "Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity," succinctly describes the motivating force behind the men and women of the FBI. The peaked beveled edge which circumscribes the seal symbolizes the severe challenges confronting the FBI and the ruggedness of the organization. The gold color in the seal conveys its over-all value.” So here is a shining example of heraldry representing the most powerful branch of law enforcement in the United States. Another example of heraldry can be seen in the aerial history surrounding World War II. VMF-214, the famous Black Sheep Squadron utilized heraldry in their search for a squadron emblem that would unify the squadron. According author Frank Walton in his book Once They Were Eagles, states, “…we worked out a heraldry shield with its top formed by the cowl and the inverted gull-wings of the Corsair. Diagonally across the shield we put a bar sinister, the heraldry sign for bastard. In the upper left we had a woebegone, lop-eared black sheep; in the lower right we put our squadron number—214—and finished off with a circle of stars in the center” (Walton, 22). Walton goes on to state how the black sheep came together even more as a cohesive fighting force, thanks to the common bond of a heraldic shield that linked the group together. It is easy to see how heraldry played a role in World War II and was an integral part of a fighting force. Another facet of heraldry can be found in the seal of the United States. According to http://www.heraldica.org/topics/usa/usheroff.htm#protection, Eugene Zieber's Heraldry in America, Philadelphia 1895 (reprint 1984), “On the same day as the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress formed a committee with Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson to "prepare a device for the seal of the United States of North America". The committee reported on August 10 with a proposal. The arms of the United States would be, in the words of the committee: The shield has six Quarters, parts one, coupé. The 1st Or, a Rose enamelled gules and argent for England: the 2nd Argent, a Thistle proper for Scotland: the 3d Vert a Harp Or for Ireland: the 4th Azure a Flower de luce Or for France: the 5th Or the Imperial Eagle Sable for Germany: and the 6th Or the Belgic Lion Gules for Holland, pointing out the countries from which these states have been peopled. The shield within a bordure Gules entwined of thirteen Scutcheons Argent linked together by a chain or, each charged with the initial letters Sable, as follows: 1st NH, 2nd MB, 3d RI, 4th C, 5th NY, 6th NJ, 7th P, 8th DC, 9th M, 10th V, 11th NC, 12th SC, 13th G, for each of the thirteen independent States of America. Supporters, Dexter the Goddess of Liberty in a corselet of Armour, alluding to the present times, holding in her right hand the Spear and Cap and with her left supporting the shield of the States; Sinister the Goddess of Justice bearing a sword in her right hand and in her left a Balance. Crest, the Eye of Providence in a radiant Triangle whose Glory extends over the shield and beyond the Figures. Motto: E Pluribus Unum. Legend round the whole achievement, Seal of the United States of America MDCCLXXVI.” This was a proposed idea, but it did meet with some resistance and the seal the United States uses today was adopted instead. Committees worked on it and submitted a proposal on May 10, 1780. The seal was adopted in 1782. Although the United States does not have anything similar to Lord Lyon’s court in Scotland, some seals with heraldic origins are protected by law. Title 18, USC 713 states, “…whosoever displays a likeness of the seal, or of the seals of the President or Vice-President, "for the purpose of conveying, or in a manner reasonably calculated to convey, a false impression of sponsorship or approval by the Government of the United States or by any department, agency or instrumentality thereof, shall be fined by not more than $250 or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.” So, while the United States may not actively practice heraldry, one can easily see our country does have a heraldic tradition. It is very significant that the United States and Presidential Seal are protected by law, the same as they are in other countries. Now, for a brief summary.

The best description of heraldry is ‘living history’. Thanks to heraldry, a historian has access to the past lives of our world. Today, heraldry is still very much alive in Europe, Spain and England and there are even offices and courts that do nothing except deal with issues pertaining to heraldry. In the United States, heraldry is very much a part of American life. The military, such as VMF-214 uses heraldry for insignias and unit identification. Several government entities, such as the FBI all have a heraldic seal. The President of the United States has his own seal as does the United States of America. Although the United States does not have anything akin to the Lord Lyon’s Court in Scotland, the seals and emblems of the president and the government functions are protected under law. It is fitting to conclude that heraldry is a subject that has had a profound impact on history and it can be assumed it will continue to do so.