Heraldry :: essays research papers

Heraldry is a system of signs and symbols, which originated in the Middle Ages as means of recognizing warriors on the battlefield. Since armor or coat of mail was worn, it was not difficult to distinguish friend from enemies even at some distance, for each man wore a uniquely designed shield. Medieval Heraldry originated early in the 12th century in Europe. Back in the earlier centuries when they battled, the knights could not distinguish between the opponents or their own kind, because the armors were very similar. So the knights began to decorate their shields with different colors and shapes so they can know who to kill and who is on their side. Also it helped see them from a distance. The design wasn?t the only thing. The knights wore a simple coat to protect them from the sun. By doing this it became known as heraldry. As a result of their success, families of the winners displayed the arms as a sign of accomplishment. Heraldry began as an art and has developed into a complex science with its own rules. The coat of arms consists of the shield, the mantle, the helmet, the wreath, and the crest. Kings and queens first used them. The shield shapes vary according to time period. The colors on the shields meant different things. For example, yellow and gold meant generosity, blue meant loyalty, and white and silver meant peace and sincerity. The shield also has fur, and that suggest a mark of dignity. The mantle represented the cloth that hang from the wreath, and it was also used to protect the head, back, and neck. The helmet varies with the bearer's rank and the century represented. The wreath is usually a primary color and is metal. The crest is whatever appears above the helmet, and there is always a crest on a coat of arms. Blazon is a formal description of, most often, a coat of arms or flag, which enables a person to construct or reconstruct the appropriate image. The officers of arms developed the system of blazoning arms that is used today since the dawn of the art. This includes a description of the shield, the crest, and, mottoes. An understanding of these rules is one of the keys to sound practice of heraldry. The rules do differ from country to country, but there are some aspects that carry over in each jurisdiction.