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As a boy growing up in England, heraldic symbols were all around me, though I rarely took
any notice of them. Stately homes, town signs, and colleges often displayed a Coat of Arms.
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It is now pretty much accepted that the first markings on shields or clothing arose when
body armour became such that the wearer could not be identified by his followers. In battle, a knight dressed in armor
from head to foot would be barely recognized by friend or enemy, so a method of identification became necessary. This
resulted in special markings being painted on the knight's shield and on the coat he wore over his armor, becoming known as
the 'Coat of Arms'. The shield was generally made of a wooden frame across which a leather hide was stretched. The rim
and center were studded and metal bands were painted or decorated, with each knight using his specific metal or color.
A son would inherit the markings of his father, carrying them into battle with pride. After a battle, the knight returned
to his castle or manor and hung his shield and helmet on the wall. The colorful tournaments or jousting competitions of the
middle ages helped greatly in the development of Heraldry.
However, when jousting was no longer in fashion, the individual markings used by knights
began to appear on the seals, in stone, on stained glass and on objects of value, all of which identified the owner. This
was particularly important in an age when very few people could read or write.
Yet arms are not exclusive to the fighting man. Most universities and colleges
have their individual Coat of Arms or symbolic arrangement which heralds the school and its principles. Clubs, corporations,
churches and fraternities 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 packages, 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 more than 800 years ago, despite change and mechanization. For today,
as in the days of William the Conqueror, the ancient Gaelic and all the formidable rulers of the Middle Ages, we find the
armorial bearing offering a unique service in identifying, and binding together, individuals into groups or families.
However, only in Great Britain were the rules and recording of heraldic symbols formalised
into a rigid system, and the care and recording of these Coats of Arms, authorised by act of Parliament. This
task was assigned to a person known as a Herald, and still is today.
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The earliest such symbols
were nothing like we know today, but were often simpler geometric designs in shapes and colours chosen by the lord using them.
Take a look at teh GUNTER COA's page, the German Gunter COA is an example of this.
The first truly heraldic
shields appeared in Northern France
at the beginning of the 12th century, around the time of the Crusades. At first only the greatest nobles and barons had coats
of arms, but they did not follow any rules or standards and were sometimes changed by the lord using them for no reason other
than personal whim. As years went on, powerful men throughout Europe who aspired to the honour
of knighthood began to adopt their own coats of arms. These arms were passed down from father to son, often over centuries,
and so they became symbols of family heritage and pride.
Heraldry has its own special language which comes from Norman French, although there are
also words of Turkish origin, first introduced by the Crusaders. While the Norman French are rightly credited with introduction
of Heraldry to Britain and Ireland, the charges found on the arms of native Irish families are very often pre-Christian or of Druidic
origin. It should also be noted that Heraldry traditions developed in countries
throughout Europe during
this time and descriptions of Coat of Arms, known as Blazons, were often written in the native language of the individual
country.
The Coat of Arms is itself described as the "Blazon", and in most descriptions the first
word mentioned is the color of the shield. Above the Blazon is found the knight's helmet on which is placed the Crest, a decorative
feature. The markings on the shield are referred to as "charges" or "ordinaries", while the right side is referred to as the
"Dexter" and the left side as the "Sinister". So we see that Heraldry, which began as the mark of the warrior, continues in
this spirit in modem day Armed Forces, each regiment displaying specials markings, which have their origins in the world of
Heraldry.
Hereditary Titles
Hereditary titles are those that pass from one generation
to the next, usually in direct succession. Dukes, Marquesses, Earls, Viscounts, Barons, and Baronets are usually hereditary
in nature. The way they pass from one member of the family to the next is all dependent upon how the titles were originally
granted.
Every hereditary title is granted with a 'remainder' or
instructions as to whom the title passes when the original holder dies. Remainders can be rather general, such as "To heirs
whatsoever" - which would allow the title to pass to either male or female descendants; or very specific, such as "To
heirs male of the first son, failing that, to heirs male of the third son." A remainder like this was given to the Duchess
of Cleveland by Charles II because there was a question regarding who was the father of her second child.
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