Heraldry 101: Elements of a Coat of Arms

Part One: Introduction

Traditionally, there are many elements to an illustrated coat of arms, as indicted in the diagram below, which uses the coat of arms of the United Kingdom:

The most important, and strictly speaking the only necessary, element of a coat of arms is the shield, or escutcheon. The escutcheon is the area where the blazon is illustrated. The background of the escutcheon is called the field. An object placed on the field is called a charge. A field may also be divided.

An escutcheon may be any shape, though usually some form of shield is used. The two major historical exceptions are the coat of arms of a woman, which employs an escutcheon shaped like a lozenge, or elongated diamond, and the coat of arms of a member of the clergy, which uses an escutcheon shaped like a cartouche, or oval. The rationale behind these exceptions is that women and clergy didn't fight, and therefore didn't use shields. Modernly, these exceptions are rarely followed.

An escutcheon also contains a number of points, which are basically areas of the shield used in a blazon to describe the placement of charges. The most important points are chief, which refers to the top of the escutcheon; base, which refers to the bottom of the escutcheon; dexter, which refers to the right of the escutcheon from the point of view of the bearer (meaning the viewer's left); and sinister, which refers to the left of the escutcheon from the point of view of the bearer (meaning the viewer's right.)

The use of a helm is also derived from the need to recognize friends and foes on the medieval battlefield. As such, women and clergy tended not to use helms as part of their coats of arms. In many countries, the shape of the helm, its orientation, and the type of metal depicted indicated the rank of the bearer of the coat of arms.

A crest is a small charge or charges appearing above the helm. It is usually separated by a torse, or cloth wreath. Originally, the crest was probably simply a repetition of the coat of arms itself, but over time, this practice declined, though it is usually related in some way to the original coat of arms. Sometimes, a crest is used to differentiate related coats of arms.

Mantling is the representation of drapery tied to the helm and is derived from the protective cloth tied to the helmets of knights. Despite its origin, it often takes on plant-like shapes. Sometimes, tassels are also incorporated.

Supporters are figures placed to the sides of the shield and positioned as if supporting it. Supporters may be animals or humans, though sometimes inanimate objects are used. In many countries, using supporters is a privilege reserved for the aristocracy.

If a motto is incorporated, it is usually placed on a scroll below the shield.

Heraldry 101: Introduction

Ever since the first armed conflict, men in battle have needed a manner of discerning friend from foe. Ancient warriors marked their shields with mythological symbols. Roman army units also used distinctive markings on their shields. At its very basic, modern heraldry developed as a continuation of these practices. However, over time, it evolved into an art in its own right, and as medieval warfare made personal armor obsolete, heraldry lived on as a means of personal identification for important individuals and families. Most countries and many sub-national entities and cities have coats of arms today, and the influence of heraldry can even be seen in the logos of corporations.

Modernly, heraldry is the profession, study, or art of devising, granting, and blazoning arms, tracing genealogies, and determining and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Blazoning is the term used for formally describing a coat of arms, and it employs a unique jargon. For example, the Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland, shown here, is blazoned, Or a lion rampant Gules armed and langued Azure within a double tressure flory-counter-flory Gules. From this description alone, an experienced practitioner of heraldry could draw the Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland, even if he or she had never seen it before.

Heraldry began to emerge in Europe in the twelfth century. Several seals survive from the Continent and the British Isles depicting unmistakable heraldic devices. At this time also, the practice emerged of children of armigers, persons entitled to use a coat of arms, inheriting the coats of arms of their parents or combining the coats of arms of their parents into new personal coats of arms.

By the fourteenth century, the rules of heraldry were firmly established, and authorities began compiling a body of heraldic jurisprudence. In many countries, the use of coats of arms is still regulated by the government. In the United Kingdom and in Ireland, it is unlawful to use a coat of arms without an official grant from the government. There are even special courts to handle disputes over the use of a coat of arms. In England, for example, the Court of Chivalry hears such disputes.

Who can use a particular coat of arms can be a confusing topic, however. The laws are not the same in every country. The United States, in contrast with the United Kingdom, does not regulate the personal use of coats of arms. In addition, there is also the question of whether there is such a thing as a “family” coat of arms. Many people will say that there is not. A coat of arms belongs to an individual. While this statement is true technically in countries such as England, which grant the use of coats of arms to individuals, coats of arms can be inherited, and thus become like “family” coats of arms. Furthermore, in other places, such as Scotland and Eastern Europe, coats of arms have historically been shared by all members of a family or clan.

Heraldry is a rich and complex subject, and in upcoming posts, we’ll be exploring in more detail the rules and practices of heraldry.