AJ's Research Hole: Coat of Arms
What Are Coat of Arms?
Symbols have been used for millennia to represent people. In Europe, these symbols eventually transformed into what we today recognise as coat of arms and is a part of the wider discipline of heraldry. Arthur Charles Fox-Davies describes heraldry as “the shorthand of history”.[1] As part of heraldic tradition, coat of arms is the visual component that communicates familial ties, personal achievements and/or social or military ranks. During the time that heraldic traditions were starting to form, there was a wide distinction between upper and lower classes of Europe. It is this distinction that formed the root of armory.
Coat of arms comes from Old French cote a armer and refers to the surcoat worn by combatants. With the introduction of the closed helmet, the face and therefore the identity of individuals were concealed. So, surcoats were decorated with symbols that eventually became coat of arms as a shorthand to recognise who was fighting or who someone was fighting on behalf of. This change was occurring during the late twelfth century and into the early thirteenth century, particularly with the Crusades. The Crusades were a pan Euro-Christian effort, and the closeness of the different groups led a lot of terms and rules of heraldry becoming identical in most European countries.[2] A second reason why surcoats became more widely used during the crusades was that the surcoat covered the metal armour, protecting the armour from the rays of the sun and helped prevent rust.
The term coat of arms refers mostly to the shield, or escutcheon, but can refer to the whole achievement. National coats of arms are often protected under law for design purposes and the use of the arms restricted to government departments, official stationery, legal documents, and passport designs. For that reason, I’m going to avoid using images because I don’t want to get into legal trouble. Instead, I’ll just link to the Wikipedia file.
The Basics of Design
Every coat of arms is described by a blazon. A blazon is a high specific way of describing the coat of arms. The idea is that by having a standard way of describing, anyone should be able to visualise and/or draw the coat of arms being described without ever seeing the design. The language used to write blazons is anglicised Norman French as that was the language that clerks used. Norman French is very different modern from modern French.
The blazon helps describe all the design features of a set of arms. This includes colours, metals and patterns known as furs, the division of the shield, the standards, crests, helmets, among many other things. In terms of colours, there is a set of five standard colours: Azure (blue), Sable (black), Gules (Red), Vert (green), and Purpure (purple). The Metals are Or (gold) and Argent (silver). The furs are Ermine (a white and black pattern meant to represent a winter coat of a stoat) and Vair (a blue and white pattern meant to represent a squirrel).
The Four Styles (Broadly Speaking)
As the usage of coat of arms spread across the European continent, four broad styles of coat of arms formed. Each style is slightly different from the others and come around in different geographic regions. Everywhere I looked while doing research about coat of arms referenced Christopher von Warnstedt’s The Heraldic Provinces of Europe that described the four broad styles but I couldn’t find anywhere that I could access this journal article, but several sources mentioned it so while I can’t fully confirm what von Warnstedt said, I can take some confidence that several sources mention this article.
Gallo-British
The Gallo-British style covers the heraldry traditions of England, Scotland, both Irelands, France and Belgium as well as colonies of those countries such as the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
A distinctive feature of Irish heraldry is the acceptance of clan arms. A member of a particular clan has the right to display the arms of that clan but does not belong to people with the same surname who belong to a different clan. The Irish Genealogical Office makes a distinction between the right to display and the right to bear arms. This is something that English heraldry proponents see as controversial and against English tradition (the English are colonisers and dislike it when the places they colonise do something different).
Once again spurning the English, Irish arms are blazoned, just not in the same Norman French language used. Instead, the achievement of arms are blazoned in Irish. The cláirseach (Gaelic harp) has long been the heraldic emblem of Ireland, dating back to the 13th Century. The current Coat of Arms of Ireland is blazoned as azure a harp Or, stringed argent.
A less common charge is different parts of the human body. In Ireland, a red hand can be a common charge. Specifically, the Red Hand of Ulster. The Red Hand alludes to a myth in which the King of Ulster died with no heir. So, it was decided that a competition would determine the next King. Whoever touched the land of Ulster first would become King. Near the end of the competition, one man saw that he was potentially about to become second. With Ulster a throwing distance away, he cut off his hand and threw it to shore. The man’s hand was the first to touch Ulster and he was made King. The Red Hand of Ulster is gules to represent the bloody hand.
Since April 1, 1943, the College of Arms has the responsibility for the heraldry of Northern Ireland under the Norroy and Ulster King of Arms. In the Republic of Ireland, heraldry is regulated by the Office of the Chief Herald of Ireland. Prior to the split, heraldry on the entire island of Ireland was a function of the Ulster King of Arms, an office dating back to 1552.
New Zealand[5]
New Zealand was originally granted a coat of arms by King George V in 1991 following New Zealand’s evolution of self-government and the granting of dominion status in 1907. Prior to this, New Zealand used the same coat of arms as the UK as it was a British colony. When it was decided to get a new coat of arms more representative of the country, a competition was held to design it. With minor adjustments made to the wining design, the arms were granted.
A month before New Zealand parliament adopted the Statute of Westminster, a committee was formed to redraw and standardise the coat of arms. It was remarked that the female support looked like a “Soviet heroine” and that she should be slimmed down as she was “a ‘heavy shapeless lump in an ungraceful pre-Raphaelite gown’”.[6] Gotta love 1940’s New Zealand sexism. When the committee changed hands due to the change in government, Jack Marshall the Attorney-General instructed that she be modelled on Grace Kelly.[7] Besides modifying the design of the female supporter, it was decided to replace the lion holding the Union Jack as the crest. Committee member Frank Corner implored that the crest be changed to the St Edward’s Crown. George Bellew, the Garter King of Arms agreed that the use was appropriate and added that Australia would “squeal” and that the Australian Prime Minister, Robert Menzies, “would be wild” because New Zealand got to it first.[8] Australia’s coat of arms does not use the St Edward’s Crown. In order to use St Edward’s Crown, Queen Elizabeth II had to agree to the usage of the crown.
Blazon: Quarterly Azure and Gules, on a Pale Argent three Lymphads Sable between in the first Quarter four mullets of the third each surmounted by a Mullet of the second; in the second Quarter a Fleece; in the third a Garb; and in the fourth two Mining Hammers in Saltire all Or. The shield is ensigned by a representation of the Royal Crown proper. On the dexter side a female figure proper, vested Argent, supporting in the dexter hand a flag-staff proper hoisted thereon the Ensign of the Dominion, and on the sinister side a Maori Rangatira vested proper holding in his dexter hand a Taiaha all proper.
Today, New Zealand heraldry is regulated by the College of Arms in England.
The United States of America[9]
The US is an interesting case in heraldry. The US was a colony of the English for several years but rebelled creating a republic. A republic with no nobility. But many of the Founding Fathers had coat of arms. And so, despite the republic nature of this state, The Great Seal of America was created. Originally, the committee given the authority to design a seal for the US consisted of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, but it took a total of six years, two more committees and another 11 men for the design to be settled on.[10] The Continental Congress adopted the Great Seal in 1782. The Great Seal is considered a coat of arms. The original design can be see in the National Archives.
The College of Arms in England can give grans of honorary arms to US citizens. In order to do so, a US citizen must meet the same eligibility requirements as subjects of the Crown but also must record in the College of Arms’ official registers a pedigree showing their descent from a subject of the British Crown.[11] This could be as recent as a parent or grandparent or a more distant ancestor such as an inhabitant of the north American colonies before the recognition of American independence in 1783.
In 1788, during Constitutional processions, it was noted that many guilds or crafts in the processions were using heraldic arms. Some were entirely original, some were derived from the corresponding company back in England, and some were practically identical.[12] This shows that there was an effort made to continue some heraldic traditions into a new country. However, craft society memberships were overtaken by memberships in other groups such as the Freemasons, temperance groups and ethnic and civic societies. As a result, the heraldic devices used by craft society slowly disappeared. Some, like the Carpenter’s Company of Philadelphia remain in use, but overall the tradition has declined.[13]
Since 1919, there has been an overall military symbolism program to coordinate the usage of heraldic and other military symbols by the military. The U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry consists of twenty civilian military staff and sits under the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army, Resources and Programs Agency. The mission of the institute is to furnish heraldic services to the Armed Forces and other US government organisations.
Eighteen states have officially adopted coat of arms (Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Texas). The former independent Republic or Texas and Kingdom of Hawaii had their own separate national coat of arms which are no longer in use as the Republic and the Kingdom no longer exist. Puerto Rico had a coat of arms granted by the Spanish Crown in 1512 which in turn influenced Puerto Rico’s territorial seal.
Privately, there are several organisations that are working to advance heraldic tradition in the US such as the American College of Heraldry and Arms which keep registers and give advice on design choices. For a fee, the College of Arms, Court of the Lord Lyon, and Chief Herald of Ireland have granted arms for Americans of English, Welsh, Scottish, or Irish descent. If an American is the recipient of foreign orders of knighthood which require arms to be borne, these Americans are granted by the relevant authorities.
Latin
The Latin style covers the traditions of Spain, Portuguese, Monaco, the Vatican, former colonies like Brazil and Mexico as well as Ecclesiastical heraldry. Common features are the quartering of the field because of the ability to inherit from both male and female lines, the use of trees as charges, unique shield shapes, and the avoidance of crests (except for Portuguese heraldry). Italian heraldry falls into the Latin style and is dominated by religious iconography.
The Vatican[14]
Vatican heraldry includes the coat of arms of Vatican City and the papal coats of arms and rules the arms of heraldic insignia of Roman Catholic priests, dioceses and abbeys around the world. It is no surprise that the Vatican has its own heraldic form as it was common practice for sons of nobility to enter into religious service. For men who did not have a family coat of arms, upon becoming a bishop they would be granted one.
Common symbolism includes the papal tiara and the gold and silver keys of Peter. The current pope, Pope Francis’ coat of arms is blazoned as azure on a sun in splendour or the HIS Christogram ensigned with a cross paty fitchy piercing the H gules all above three nails fanwise to centre sable, and in dexter base a mullet of eight points and in sinister base a spikenard flower or.
Much like the coat of arms of individual popes, the coat of arms of Vatican City displays the keys of Peter. The coat of arms was first adopted in June 1929 by the Fundamental Law and is blazoned as gules, two keys in saltire or and argent, interlaced in the rings or, beneath a tiara argent, crowned or. The two crossed keys have been the official insignia of the Holy See since the 14th century. The golden key represents the power of the heavens while the silver represents the spiritual authority of the papacy on earth.[15]
Spain[16]
Much like other European countries, coat of arms came about in Spain because of the need to quickly distinguish knights and nobles. Spanish heraldry is started roughly in the eleventh century. Until the end of the Middle Ages only paternal arms were displayed but over time it moved to include the paternal and maternal grandfathers to the use of quarterings showing the arms for all grandparents.
The Spanish nobility is based almost entirely on military service. It was unlikely that your family would be of eminence if you were in the law, commerce or the church. A commoner could join the ranks of nobility by being loyal and successful during their military service. You can inherit arms through the maternal line which differs from other European styles where inherited arms are passed father to son. In the time when the legitimacy of a child mattered, the descent of arms and titles were not prevented by illegitimacy as it was believed that a family’s pedigree could be damaged more by a misalliance.
The style and practice of heraldry in Spain follows the Iberian branch of Latin heraldic tradition. Crests are uncommon in Spain and the helmets on Spanish coat of arms are more likely to be topped with feathers. Orles and borders are characteristic of Spanish coat of arms as are the use of words and letters on the shield.
The Spanish Cronista de Armas (the heraldic office) dates back to the sixteenth century. Prior to the office, heralds were usually named after provinces and non-capital cities while reyes de armas were named after the Spanish kingdoms.
The national coat of arms is blazoned as such:
Quarterly, first quarter Gules a triple-towered castle Or masoned Sable and ajoure Azure; second quarter Argent a lion rampant Purpure crowned Or, langued and armed Gules; third quarter Or, four pallets Gules, fourth quarter Gules a cross, saltire and orle of chains linked together Or, a centre point Vert; enté en point Argent a pomegranate proper seeded Gules, supported, sculpted and leafed in two leaves Vert; overall an escutcheon Azure bordure Gules, three fleurs-de-lys Or; for a Crest, a circlet Or, jewelled with eight breeches of bear or oyster plant leaves, five shown, with pearls on points Or inserted and above which rise arches decorated with pearls and surmounted by a monde Azure with its equator, its upper half-meridian and a latin cross Or, the crown capped Gules; for Supporters, two columns Argent with capital and base Or, standing on five waves Azure and Argent, surmounted dexter by an imperial crown and sinister the Spanish royal crown, the columns surrounded by a ribbon Gules charged with the Motto 'Plus Ultra' written Or.
It was approved by law in 1981, replacing the interim coat of arms that replaced the official arms of Spain under Franco. It contains references to the history of Spain with references of the House of Bourbon and the Pillars of Hercules (the ancient name given to the Strait of Gibraltar) and its many kingdoms such as Castile, Leon, Navarre, Aragon, and Granada. La Moncloa, the official website of the president of the Government of Spain and the Council of Ministers, lists the historic periods of the development: The Trastámara Dynasty (1474-1492); The Habsburg Dynasty (1504-1506); The Bourbon-Anjou Dynasty (1700-1759); Bonaparte Dynasty; Provional Government (1868-1870); The Savoy Dynasty (1870-1873); The First Republic (1873-1874); The Second Republica (1936-1939); General Franco’s Dictatorship (1938-1975); and the Transition Period (1977-1981).[17]
Eastern
Eastern style heraldry includes the traditions of Belarus, Croatia, Hungary, Albania, Poland, Russian, and Romania, among other Eastern European countries. This style is characterised by a pronounced clan system as it is frequent to see entire villages or military groups be awarded the same coat of arms. There are typically no marks of cadency and the shields are generally very simple with only one charge.
Poland[18]
Unlike in western Europe, Polish heraldry is pioneered by mercenaries to show who they were working for rather than by knights and heads of state.[19] The use of heraldry starts roughly in the 13th century. The generic Polish term for a coat of arms is herb which is borrowed from the Czech erb which in turn comes from the German erbe which means heritage. There was no heraldic authority in Poland so many old coats of arms were changed from their original design. Until the 20th century, Polish arms were not in any publications. Polish heraldry is clan based. As clans adopted families, they formed heraldic clans or families and all families used the same arms mostly for clan politics reasons and not because they were blood related to each other. One of the oldest coats of arms is used by over 600 unrelated families.
The national coat of arms of Poland comes from the 1569 Union of Lublin when the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania became a single state. A white eagle has long been a symbol of Poland. It comes from a legend about the forefather of Poland, Lech.[20] Lech and his brothers Czech and Rus were hunting. The brothers diverged. Czech to the west. Rus to the east. Lech to the north. During his hunt, Lech came across a white eagle protecting its young. Where the eagle had a nest was where Lech founded a settlement. This settlement eventually evolved into what know today as Poland and the white eagle that Lech chose as his symbol became emblematic of Polish identity.
From there the Eagle has evolved to invoke different meanings. During the 18th century, Poland was partitioned, and the eagle stood for resistance. Germany, Russia, and Austria were the countries that took control of different Polish areas all had black eagles as their national emblems and Poles were quick to this into a metaphorical battle of dark vs light. During the Nazi invasion, the eagle was pride, strength and sacrifice. When the Soviets controlled Poland, the eagle lost the golden crown it had worn for centuries, reflecting the idea that everyone should be equal. Unusually, Poland was one of the few Eastern Bloc countries that did not adopt any communist symbolism for its flag or coat of arms. Once the USSR fell and Poland rejected communism, the crown was returned to the eagle.
The current design was adopted on March 29, 1982, and is blazoned as gules, an eagle crowned, beaked and armed Or. While a blazon typically can be used to render varying designs, the Coat of Arms Act only allows for one design.
Hungary[21]
After the end of communist rule, the current coat of arms was adopted in 1990. It is blazoned as such: barry of eight gules and argent, impaling gules, on a trimount vert a ducal coronet or issuing therefrom a patriarchal cross argent. The four silver strips traditionally represent four rivers – Duna (Danube), Tisza, Drava, and Szava. The three green hills represent the Tátra, Mátra, and Fátra mountains. On top rests the Holy Crown of St Stephen, the first King of Hungary.
The barry of eight gules and argent is referred to as the Árpád stripes which is connected to the Árpád dynasty. The Árpád dynasty ruled the principality of Hungary in the 9th and 10th centuries and ruled the Kingdom of Hungary between 1000 and 1301. The double cross is a symbol of St. Stephen, the first King of Hungary but could also be of Byzantine influence as well.
Hungary is once again a place where clan heraldry is more prevalent than individual arms. Hungary fought many wars against the Turks. In the 16th and 17th centuries, there was a large demand for soldiers and so whole garrisons would be granted noble status and each individual was given the same arms to share. The numerous wars between Hungarians and Turks lead to decapitated heads of Turks being one of the most common devices seen on Hungarian arms.[22]
German-Nordic
German-Nordic heraldry covers Germany and Nordic countries like Denmark, Sweeden, Norway, and Finland. The treatment of the crest makes this style distinctive from the others. The same design is often used in the shield and in the crest. Multiple helmets and crests are also common. The crest is rarely used unlike in British heraldry but sometimes can serve as a difference between different branches of the same family. The display of multiple helmets often leads to the helmets never being separated from the shield.[23] There is also less use of heraldic furs. Mullets (stars) have six points rather than the five seen used in the Gallo-British style. This style was the last of the four broad styles to develop and started in Germany before spreading into Nordic countries.
Germany[24]
German heraldry is one of the oldest forms of heraldry with many tracing its origins to the emperor Charlemange who used the eagle to represent the Holy Roman Empire for the first time. Around the year 1200, a black eagle on a gold field was recognised as the imperial coat of arms. Starting in the 15th century, the eagle was double headed and used to symbolise the emperor and expanded to Austria and adopted as the Reich coat of arms by the National Assembly during the 1848 revolution.[25] Much like with Irish heraldry, German heraldry will blazon with German words rather than the Norman-French used elsewhere.
All states of Germany have coat of arms, most of which are designed as the states joined the German Federation. Many designs draw on historical coat of arms, sigils, or seals from the Medieval period. The city states of Hamburg, Breman, and Berlin also have their own coat of arms. The City of Berlin depicts a black bear on a white shield. Bears have been used to represent Berlin since the 14th century.
The German Federation has a coat of arms blazoned as Or, an eagle displayed sable beaked langued and membered gules. The eagle is known as the Bundesadler or Federal Eagle. It is one of the oldest coats of arms in the world and the oldest national symbol in Europe. In 1935, the Nazis repealed the Weimar Republic decision to use the Bundesadler and instead decreed that the NSDAP eagle would be the national symbol.[26] The current coat of arms is a reintroduction of the coat of arms used by the Weimar Republic and has been used since 1950.
Iceland[27]
As Iceland is an island, Icelandic heraldry has several distinguishing features from other forms of heraldry. There is a prominence of fish and maritime symbols such as lighthouses. Notably absent from Icelandic heraldry is the purple colour seen in other heraldic forms and heraldic furs, keeping with the wider German-Nordic style. Denmark and Norway both play significant parts in Iceland’s history and therefore have influence in Icelandic heraldry. There is no governing body in the modern republic of Iceland so only the national coat of arms is registered. Municipalities carry logos which range from those that have the vague looks of coat of arms to those considered unheraldic.
The current national coat of arms is the only national arms to feature four supporters. These supporters represented the protectors of Iceland as described in Heimskringla. Griðungur the bull and protector of northwestern Iceland, Gammur an eagle or griffin protecting northeastern Iceland, Dreki (dragon) or the southeastern part, and southwestern Iceland protector Bergrisi, a rock-giant. The government of Iceland describes the coat of arms as follows:
Iceland’s coat of arms is a silver cross in a sky-blue field, with a bright red cross inside the silver cross. The Arms of the cross shall extend to the rim of the shield on all four sides. The width of the cross shall be 2/9 of the width of the shield, but the red cross half as wide, at 1/9 of the width of the shield. The upper sections shall be squares and the lower sections the same width as the upper sections, but 1/3 longer.
The shield bearers are the four guardian spirits of Iceland as described in Heimskringla [by Snorri Sturluson, 13th century]: a bull on the right side of the shield; a giant on the left; a vulture on the right above the bull; and a dragon on the left, above the giant.
The shield rests on a plate of columnar basalt.[28]
Unlike Germany, which has seen the Bundsadler used across centuries, Iceland has had various distinct coat of arms. According to P. Warming, a lawyer and heraldic advisor to the state, the oldest Icelandic state coat of arms dates to the same time as Norway’s from the days of King Hakon IV.[29] This idea has been challenged by many.
However, the use of a cod has likely been seen as an emblem of Iceland from around 1360, with a silver seal showing a headless cod dating back to 1593 giving one of the most reliable sources.[30] The coat of arms used to displace a cod tail.[31] Cod was a highly valuable resource to those living in Iceland. And is the reason why Iceland went to war with the UK.[32] In the latter half of the 19th century, a campaign began to replace the cod as the symbol of Iceland on Denmark’s common state coat of arms.
The campaign chose a white falcon on a blue field to champion as the falcon was seen by many as a more impressive symbol than the cod. The campaign won and from October 3, 1903, the King of Denmark stipulated that the coat of arms of Iceland would be the falcon. Unlike the cod, the falcon did not endure. A new emblem representing the Icelandic flag and four guardian sprits replaced the falcon in 1919. This emblem has been the basis for Iceland’s coat of arms ever since.
Dutch Heraldry[33]
Dutch heraldry does not fall into the four different styles. Under Roman Dutch Law (Seventeenth and Eighteenth centuries), the right to develop and use arms was given to everyone, so long as one’s design didn’t impact another’s. This meant non noble merchant families were quick to adopt these symbols. This type of heraldry is often referred to as Burger or Bourgeoisies Arms and it is thought that Dutch coat of arms the Burger style was adopted by families and individuals between 1581 and 1806 when the Netherlands was a republic. It is believed that Dutch heraldry is the closest of the styles to the medieval origins of heraldry as Dutch coat of arms are typically simple. As with other styles, the Dutch heraldic style influences the style of its colonies like South Africa and Belgium.
The coat of arms for the state of the Netherlands is blazoned as azure, billetty or a lion with coronet or armed and langued gules holding in his dexter paw a sword argent hilted or and in the sinister paw seven arrows argent pointed and bound together or. The shiled is crowned with the royal crown and supported by two lions or armed and langued gules. They stand on a scroll azure with the text “Je Maintiendrai”. The text is French for I shall maintain.[34] It is also identical to the coat of arms used by the monarch; however, the monarch places the coat of arms on a mantle gules lined with ermine. Above the mantle is a pavilion gules which is topped with the royal crown.
The coat of arms is a composite of the arms of the former Dutch Republic (1579-1795) and the House of Nassau a dynasty that eventually led to the Princes of Orange and the monarchs of the Netherlands. The seven arrows in the paw of the lion on the shield represent the seven provinces of the Union of Utrecht. There are also links to the Burgundian Netherlands (1384-1482) era and to the Habsburg rulers such as Philip the Handsome. Members of the royal family receive their own personalised arms based on the royal arms.
Common Symbols or Charges
Charges are any object or figure placed on a heraldic shield or any other object of armorial composition (such as supporters). When displayed in their natural colours, the charge is described in the blazon as ‘proper’. If a charge is not ‘proper’ then it is described in the heraldic language. Common charges include crosses of various designs, lions and eagles. Other common animals include stags, wild boar, and fish. Mythical creatures or monsters are also used in heraldic art. The British effectively colonises Egypt in 1882 and by 1902, Fox-Davies remarks that he suspects that the use of Sphinx as supporter would grow and that it already done so.[35]
Eagles are one of the most common animals seen in heraldic art. In Egypt, the eagle embodies strength, nobility and bravery. Imagery of eagles are associated with the god Horus who was often depicted as a falcon or eagle. For the Romans, eagles were associated with Jupiter and thus incorporated in imagery throughout the empire. In Slavic countries, it embodies strength, freedom and sovereignty. A double headed eagle reflects on dual histories such as in Serbia where it reflects the Byzantine influences on the state as well as the Orthodox Christian heritage. Much like for Egyptians and Romans who saw eagles as signs of their gods, for Hungarians, the eagle represents the divine power of the Turul, a bird of prey believed too have guided the Magyars migration.[36]
Flora are also common charges. Fleur-de-lis is commonly seen throughout heraldic art worldwide but has its start in French heraldry. It is less common in England as roses are typically used. The Tudor Rose is five white petals inside five red petals. The white petals are of the White Rose which represented the House of York while the Red Rose represented the House of Lancaster. The Tudor Rose was first used by King Henry VII who was of the House of Lancaster and married Elizabeth, the daughter of King Edward IV of the House of York but was used sparingly by him preferring either the Red Rose or a dragon representing Wales. His son, King Henry VIII used it more often as he was descended from both houses. Other plants seen in heraldry include the thistle representing Scotland, or ferns for New Zealand.
The Modern Uses of Coat of Arms
Despite its origins in nobility and the continued decline of the European royal families, coat of arms are still granted to many individuals. In England and Wales, the College of Arms controls the granting and has done so for centuries. The College of Arms’ authority also extends into former British colonies such as New Zealand and Australia. In Scotland, the Court of the Lord Lyon serves a similar purpose.
France as a whole no longer issues coat of arms. This is because of the French Revolution which destroyed the noble class. That being said, some cities and people continue to use coat of arms, although in a lot less formal of a setting than in other countries.
Outside of individuals or families, some institutions also have their own coat of arms. Many universities and colleges around the world have coat of arms and commonly feature books as a charge. Up until 2020, my alma matta had a coat of arms featuring three crowns, the stars of the southern cross and the crest of the namesake of Wellington.[37] The current logo looks visually similar to a coat of arms.[38]
Business can also have their own arms. On March 10, 1439, the Woshipful Company of Drapers was granted arms by William Bruges, Garter King of Arms. Since then, grants have continuously been made, spreading from civic bodies, charities and hospitals to banking, shipping and insurance companies. For a business to be granted arms by the College of Arms, the body must be situated in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or in another territory or country where the British monarch is Head of State like New Zealand.[39] The exceptions to this rule are Canada and Scotland as both have their own heraldic authorities. Logos for business can be seen as the modern-day equivalent to coat of arms. As corporate logos become more minimalist in design, sometimes coat of arms are redesigned in the same minimalistic style.
Other Heraldic Systems
I must end this research hole with the acknowledgement of my own bias towards European history. As someone in an English-speaking country that is a former British colony, English is my first (and basically only) language and therefore the only language I can read in, particularly at a high academic level. With my own academic background, my interest does land in the European/Western sphere.
However, while heraldry looks to be a purely European thing, other cultures around the world have their own systems that serve similar purposes. In Japan, the Mon is an icon associated with a family. Typically, it is seen on the decoration of weapons and armour but also on decorations of rooms. Depending on one’s relationship to that family, there were different ways for one to wear a mon. Someone of the upper class will wear the Mon in three different places on their kimono, usually below the collar and on either sleeve. A servant will also wear a service Mon which takes up the back of the kimono and on the lapels.[40] Mon start appearing in the mid Heian period and much like coat of arms are still around today just in a slightly different manner. When Mon were first introduced, they were for the aristocracy as they distinguished the user’s rank.[41] These icons fall into five categories – plants, nature, animals, buildings and vehicles, and tools and patterns. Today, virtually every family has one. Stores or shops that engage in traditional crafts and specialities will incorporate Mon into their logos. Geisha will typically wear the Mon associated with their okiya on their working clothing and individual geisha districts have their own Mon as well. Unless it is the Mon of the nation, the office of the Prime Minister, or a logo or trademark, modern Mon are not regulated.
Eurasian Nomads also had their own system – tamga or tamgha. It is believed that tamga influenced the Eastern style of heraldry, particularly in Poland.[42] One of the more prevalent uses of tamga was as a brand for cattle. During the Mongol Empire, tamga were seals on taxed items. In modern times, Ukraine has adopted a Rurikid trident as its coat of arms. The Rurikid trident is a symbol used by the Kievan-Rus and often used to denote the owner of property. Symbols used by the Kievan-Rus and the Rurikid nobles of Rus are tamga-like.
Bibliography
Bundestag, “The federal eagle”, Deutscher Bundestag, accessed June 30, 2024, https://www.bundestag.de/en/parliament/symbols/eagle
Chorzempa, Rosemary, Design you own coat of arms: an introduction to heraldry, (New York: Dover Publication, 1987)
College of Arms, “Granting of Arms,” College of Arms, June 21, 2024, https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/services/granting-arms
Court of the Lord Lyon, “The Court of the Lord Lyon,” The Court of the Lord Lyon, June 21, 2024,
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English Heritage, “Out Guide to Heraldry,” English Heritage, June 21, 2024, https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/guide-to-heraldry
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[1] Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, A Complete Guide to Heraldry, (London, 1909), pp. IX
[2] Fox-Davies, A Complete Guide to Heraldry, pp. 17
[3] Wikipedia contributors, “File:Coat of arms of Ireland.svg,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed June 30, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_Ireland.svg?useskin=vector
[4] Wikipedia contributors, “File:Coat of arms of Northern Ireland.svg,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, access June 30, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_Arms_of_Northern_Ireland.svg?useskin=vector
[5] Wikipedia contributors, “File:Coat of arms of New Zealand.svg,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed June 30, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_New_Zealand.svg?useskin=vector
[6] Harshan Kumarasingham, Onward with Executive Power: Lessons from New Zealand 1947-57, p. 1
[7] Kumarasingham, Onwards with Executive Power, p. 1
[8] Kumarasignham, Onwards with Executive Power, p. 2
[9] Wikipedia contributors, “File:Great Seal of the United States (obverse).svg,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed June 30, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Great_Seal_of_the_United_States_(obverse).svg?useskin=vector
[10] https://web-archive-2017.ait.org.tw/infousa/zhtw/DOCS/facts_Great_Seal.htm
[11] College of Arms, “Granting of Arms,” College of Arms, June 21, 2024, https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/services/granting-arms
[12] Joseph McMillan, “American Guild Arms in the Constitutional Processions of 1788,” The Coat of Arms, vol. 5, no. 2 (2009), p. 67
[13] McMillan, “American Guild Arms in 1788”, p. 79
[14] Wikipedia contributors, “File:Coat of arms of Vatican City.svg,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed June 30, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_Vatican_City.svg?useskin=vector
[15] The Holy See, “HOLY SEE Coat of Arms STATE OF VATICAN CITY Flag, Coat of Arms and Seal,” The Holy See, accessed June 30, 2024, https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/secretariat_state/documents/insigne/sp_ss_scv_stemma-bandiera-sigillo_en.html#Stemma%20della%20Santa%20Sede
[16] Wikipedia contributors, “File: Escudo de Espana (mazonado).svg,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed June 30, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Escudo_de_Espa%C3%B1a_(mazonado).svg?useskin=vector
[17] La Moncloa, “The State Symbols of Spain,” La Moncloa, accessed June 30, 2024, https://www.lamoncloa.gob.es/lang/en/espana/statesymbols/Paginas/index.aspx
[18] Wikipedia Contributors, “File:Herb Polski.svg,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed June 30, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Herb_Polski.svg?useskin=vector
[19] Expats Poland, “The Polish Eagle and everything it means to Poland”, accessed June 30, 2024, https://www.expatspoland.com/polish-eagle-means-poland/
[20] Expats Poland, “The Polish Eagle,”
[21] Wikipedia contributors, “File:Coat of arms of Hungary.svg,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed June 30, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_Hungary.svg?useskin=vector
[22] Rosemary Chorzempa, Design your own coat of arms: an introduction to heraldry, (New York: Dover Publication, 1987), p. 16
[23] International Heraldry, “International Heraldry & Heralds,” International Heraldry, June 20, 2024,
https://www.internationalheraldry.com/
[24] Wikipedia contributors, “File:Coat of arms of Germany.svg,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed June 30, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_Germany.svg?useskin=vector
[25] Domestic Protocol Office of the Federal Government, “Federal coat of arms,” Domestic Protocol Office of the Federal Government, accessed June 30, 2024, https://www.protokoll-inland.de/Webs/PI/EN/state-symbols/federal-coat-of-arms/federal-coat-of-arms-node.html
[26] Bundestag, “The federal eagle”, Deutscher Bundestag, accessed June 30, 2024, https://www.bundestag.de/en/parliament/symbols/eagle
[27] Wikipedia contributors, “File:Coat of arms of Iceland.svg,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed June 30, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Coat_of_arms_of_Iceland.svg?useskin=vector
[28] Government of Iceland, “Icelandic Coat of Arms,” Government of Iceland, Accessed June 30, 2024, https://www.government.is/topics/governance-and-national-symbols/icelandic-coat-of-arms/
[29] Government of Iceland, “Icelandic Coat of Arms,”
[30] This seal is in the National Museum of Iceland (no. 4390)
[31] Wikipedia contributors, “File:Iceland stockfish coa.svg,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed June 30, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Iceland_stockfish_coa.svg?useskin=vector
[32] Watch Jonny Harris’ video on the Cod Wars here
[33] Wikipedia contributors, “File:Royal coat of arms of the Netherlands.svg,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, accessed June 30, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Royal_coat_of_arms_of_the_Netherlands.svg?useskin=vector
[34] Wikipedia contributors, “File:State coat of arms of the Netherlands.svg,” Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia, accessed July 1, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:State_coat_of_arms_of_the_Netherlands.svg?useskin=vector
[35] Fox-Davies, A Complete Guide to Heraldry, pp. 2
[36] Expats Poland, “Polish Eagle”
[37] This video contains the evolution of Victoria University of Wellington’s logo -
[38] Victoria University of Wellington, “Our Identity” Victoria University of Wellington, accessed June 30, 2024, https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/our-identity
[39] College of Arms, “Granting of Arms,” College of Arms, June 21, 2024 https://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/services/granting-arms
[40] Fox-Davies, A Complete Guide to Heraldry, p. 18
[41] Nippon.com, “‘Kamon’: Japan’s Family Crests,” Nippon.com, accessed July 2, 2024, https://web.archive.org/web/20230420034414/https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h01578/
[42] Helmut Nickel, “Tamgas and Runes, Magic Numbers and Magic Symbols,” Metropolitan Museum Journal, vol. 8. 1973, p. 165