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Coat Of Arms

Coat of arms

A coat of arms or armorial bearings (often just arms for short) is, in European tradition, a set of simple colourful symbols belonging to a particular person and used by him or her in a wide variety of ways. Coats of arms have their origins in the designs used by mediaeval knights to make their armor and shield stand out in battle or tournaments and enable quick recognition by allies or spectators. The term "coat of arms" or "arms" is frequently applied in two ways: sometimes to indicate a full achievement of arms or heraldic achievement, which includes a variety of elements — usually a crest sitting atop a helmet, itself sitting on a shield; other common elements include supporters holding up the shield and a motto beneath. Other times, "coat of arms" or "arms" is used to refer simply to the escutcheon (i.e. the shield itself). (Note that the crest is one specific part of a heraldic achievement and that "crest of arms" is a misnomer.) Ever since the middle ages, the use of arms as a distinguishing mark has necessitated their strict regulation (although today only a few countries continue in this); this has been carried out by heralds and the study of coats of arms is called "heraldry." Please see heraldry for a much fuller account of the history, design, and regulation of coats of arms. The Japanese equivalent, called kamon (often abbreviated "mon"), are family crests which often date back to the seventh century, and are still actively used in Japan today.

See also


- List of national coats of arms Category:Coat of arms images
- Category:Infographics ja:紋章

Europe

:This article is about the continent. For other meanings, see Europe (disambiguation). Europe is geologically and geographically a peninsula or subcontinent, forming the westernmost part of Eurasia. It is conventionally considered a continent, which, in this case, is more of a cultural distinction than a geographic one. It is bounded to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the west by the Atlantic Ocean and to the south by the Mediterranean and Black Seas and the Caucasus. Europe's boundary to the east is vague, but has traditionally been given as the Ural Mountains and Caspian Sea to the southeast: the Urals are considered by most to be a geographical and tectonic landmark separating Asia from Europe. :See also Continent, Bicontinental country, and Table of European territories and regions. Table of European territories and regions Table of European territories and regions Europe is the world's second-smallest continent in terms of area, covering around 10,790,000 km² (4,170,000 sq mi) or 2.1% of the Earth's surface, and is only larger than Australia. In terms of population, it is the third-largest continent (Asia and Africa are larger) with a population of more than 700,000,000, or about 11% of the world's population.

Etymology

Africa.]] In Greek mythology, Europa was a Phoenician princess who was abducted by Zeus in bull form and taken to the island of Crete, where she gave birth to Minos. For Homer, Europé (Greek: Ευρωπη; see also List of traditional Greek place names) was a mythological queen of Crete, not a geographical designation. Later Europa stood for mainland Greece, and by 500 BC its meaning had been extended to lands to the north. The Greek term Europe has been derived from Greek words meaning broad (eurys) and face (ops) -- broad having been an epitheton of Earth herself in the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European religion; see Prithvi (Plataia). A minority, however, suggest this Greek popular etymology is really based on a Semitic word such as the Akkadian erebu meaning "sunset" (see also Erebus). From the Middle Eastern vantagepoint, the sun does set over Europe, the lands to the west. Likewise, Asia is sometimes thought to have derived from the Akkadian word asu, meaning "sunrise", and is the land to the east from a Mesopotamian perspective.

History

Europe has a long history of cultural and economic achievement, starting as far back as the Palaeolithic, although this is true for the rest of the Old World as well. The recent discovery at Monte Poggiolo, Italy, of thousands of hand-shaped stones, tentatively carbon-dated to 800,000 years ago, may prove to be of particular importance. The origins of Western democratic and individualistic culture are often attributed to Ancient Greece, though numerous other distinct influences, in particular Christianity, can also be credited with the spread of concepts like egalitarianism and universality of law. The Roman Empire divided the continent along the Rhine and Danube for several centuries. Following the decline of the Roman Empire, Europe entered a long period of changes arising from what is known as the Age of Migrations. That period has been known as the "Dark Ages" to Renaissance thinkers. During this time, isolated monastic communities in Ireland and elsewhere carefully safeguarded and compiled written knowledge accumulated previously. The Renaissance and the New Monarchs marked the start of a period of discovery, exploration, and increase in scientific knowledge. In the 15th century Portugal opened the age of discoveries, soon followed by Spain. They were later joined by France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom in building large colonial empires with vast holdings in Africa, the Americas, and Asia. After the age of discovery, the ideas of democracy took hold in Europe. Struggles for independence arose, most notably in France during the period known as the French Revolution. This led to vast upheaval in Europe as these revolutionary ideas propagated across the continent. The rise of democracy led to increased tensions within Europe on top of the tensions already existing due to competition within the New World. The most famous of these conflicts was when Napoleon Bonaparte rose to power and set out on a conquest, forming a new French empire that soon collapsed. After these conquests Europe stabilised, but the old foundations were already beginning to crumble. The Industrial Revolution started in the United Kingdom in the late 18th century, leading to a move away from agriculture, much greater general prosperity and a corresponding increase in population. Many of the states in Europe took their present form in the aftermath of World War I. From the end of World War II through the end of the Cold War, Europe was divided into two major political and economic blocks: Communist nations in Eastern Europe and capitalist countries in Western Europe. Around 1990, with the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Eastern bloc disintegrated.

Geography and extent

Eastern bloc Geographically Europe is a part of the larger landmass known as Eurasia. The continent begins at the Ural Mountains in Russia, which define Europe's eastern boundary with Asia. The southeast boundary with Asia isn't universally defined. Most commonly the Ural or, alternatively, the Emba river can serve as possible boundaries. The boundary continues with the Caspian Sea, and then the Araxes river in the Caucasus, and on to the Black Sea; the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Dardanelles conclude the Asian boundary. The Mediterranean Sea to the south separates Europe from Africa. The western boundary is the Atlantic Ocean, but Iceland, much farther away than the nearest points of Africa and Asia, is also often included in Europe. There is ongoing debate on where the geographical centre of Europe is. At times "Europe" is defined with greater regard to political, economic, and other cultural considerations. This has led to there being several different Europes that are not always identical in size, including or excluding countries according to the definition of Europe used. Almost all European countries are members of the Council of Europe, the exceptions being Belarus, and the Holy See (Vatican City). The idea of the European continent is not held across all cultures. Some non-European geographical texts refer to the continent of Eurasia, or to the European peninsula, given that Europe is not surrounded by sea. In the past concepts such as Christendom were deemed more important. In another usage, Europe is increasingly being used as a short-form for the European Union (EU) and its members, currently consisting of 25 member states. A number of other European countries are negotiating for membership, and several more are expected to begin negotiations in the future (see Enlargement of the European Union).

Physical features

In terms of shape, Europe is a collection of connected peninsulas. The two largest of these are "mainland" Europe and Scandinavia to the north, divided from each other by the Baltic Sea. Three smaller peninsulas (Iberia, Italy and the Balkans) emerge from the southern margin of the mainland into the Mediterranean Sea, which separates Europe from Africa. Eastward, mainland Europe widens much like the mouth of a funnel, until the boundary with Asia is reached at the Ural Mountains. Land relief in Europe shows great variation within relatively small areas. The southern regions, however, are more mountainous, while moving north the terrain descends from the high Alps, Pyrenees and Carpathians, through hilly uplands, into broad, low northern plains, which are vast in the east. This extended lowland is known as the Great European Plain, and at its heart lies the North German Plain. An arc of uplands also exists along the northwestern seaboard, beginning in the western British Isles and continuing along the mountainous, fjord-cut spine of Norway. This description is simplified. Sub-regions such as Iberia and Italy contain their own complex features, as does mainland Europe itself, where the relief contains many plateaus, river valleys and basins that complicate the general trend. Iceland and the British Isles are special cases. The former is a land unto itself in the northern ocean which is counted as part of Europe, while the latter are upland areas that were once joined to the mainland until rising sea levels cut them off. Due to the few generalisations that can be made about the relief of Europe, it is less than surprising that its many separate regions provided homes for many separate nations throughout history.

Biodiversity

Having lived side-by-side with agricultural peoples for millennia, Europe's animals and plants have been profoundly affected by the presence and activities of man. With the exception of Scandinavia and northern Russia, few areas of untouched wilderness are today to be found in Europe, except for different natural parks. The main natural vegetation cover in Europe is forest. The conditions for growth are very favourable. In the north, the Gulf Stream and North Atlantic Drift warm the continent. Southern Europe could be described as having a warm, but mild climate. There are frequent summer droughts in this region. Mountain ridges also affect the conditions. Some of these (Alps, Pyrenees) are oriented east-west and allow the wind to carry large masses of water from the ocean in the interior. Others are oriented south-north (Scandinavian Mountains, Dinarides, Carpathians, Apennines) and because the rain falls primarily on the side of mountains that is oriented towards sea, forests grow well on this side, while on the other side, the conditions are much less favourable. Few corners of mainland Europe have not been grazed by livestock at some point in time, and the cutting down of the pre-agricultural forest habitat caused disruption to the original plant and animal ecosystems. Eighty to ninety per cent of Europe was once covered by forest. It stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to the Arctic Ocean. Though over half of Europe's original forests disappeared through the centuries of colonisation, Europe still has over one quarter of the world's forests - spruce forests of Scandinavia, vast pine forests in Russia, chestnut rainforests of the Caucasus and the cork oak forests in the Mediterranean. During recent times, deforestation has been stopped and many trees were planted. However, in many cases conifers have been preferred over original deciduous trees, because these grow quicker. The plantations and monocultures now cover vast areas of land and this offers very poor habitats for European forest dwelling species. The amount of original forests in Western Europe is just two to three per cent (in the European part of Russia five to ten per cent). The country with the smallest forest-covered area is Ireland (eight per cent), while the most forested country is Finland (72 per cent). In "mainland" Europe, deciduous forest prevails. The most important species are beech, birch and oak. In the north, where taiga grows, a very common tree species is the birch tree. In the Mediterranean, many olive trees have been planted, which are very well adapted to its arid climate. Another common species in Southern Europe is the cypress. Coniferous forests prevail at higher altitudes up to the forest boundary and as one moves north within Russia and Scandinavia, giving way to tundra as the Arctic is approached. The semi-arid Mediterranean region hosts much scrub forest. A narrow east-west tongue of Eurasian grassland—the steppe—extends eastwards from Ukraine and southern Russia and ends in Hungary and traverses into taiga to the north. Glaciation during the most recent ice age and the presence of man affected the distribution of European fauna. As for the animals, in many parts of Europe most large animals and top predator species have been hunted to extinction. The woolly mammoth and aurochs were extinct before the end of the Neolithic period. Today wolves (carnivores) and bears (omnivores) are endangered. Once they were found in most parts of Europe. However, deforestation caused these animals to withdraw further and further. By the Middle Ages the bears' habitats were limited to more or less inaccessible mountains with sufficient forest cover. Today, the brown bear lives primarily in the Balkan peninsula, in the North and in Russia; a small number also persist in other countries across Europe (Austria, Pyrenees etc.), but in these areas brown bear populations are fragmented and marginalised because of the destruction of their habitat. In the far North of Europe, polar bears can also be found. The wolf, the second largest predator in Europe after the brown bear, can be found primarily in Eastern Europe and in the Balkans. Other important European carnivores are Eurasian lynx, European wild cat, foxes (especially the red fox), jackal and different species of martens, hedgehogs, different species of snakes (vipers, grass snake...), different birds (owls, hawks and other birds of prey) Important European herbivores are snails, amphibians, fish, different birds, and mammals, like rodents, deers and roe deers, boars, and living in the mountains, marmots, steinbocks, chamoises among others. Sea creatures are also an important part of European flora and fauna. The sea flora is mainly phytoplankton. Important animals that live in European seas are zooplankton, molluscs, echinoderms, different crayfish, squids and octopuses, fish, dolphins, and whales. Some animals live in caves, for example proteus and bats.

Demographics

Almost all of Europe was possibly settled before or during the last ice age ca. 10,000 years ago. Neanderthal man and modern man coexisted during at least some of this time. Roman road building helped with the interbreeding of the native Europeans' genetics. In contemporary times Europe has one of the lowest inbreeding rates in the world because of an extensive transport network paired with open borders. Europe passed well over 600 million people before the turn of the 20th century, but now is entering a period of population decline, for a variety of social factors.

Territories and divisions

Political divisions

Independent states

interbreeding on this map.]] :See also: Table of European territories and regions The following independent states have territory in Europe: 2 Azerbaijan and Georgia lie partly in Europe according to the usual definition which consider the crest of the Caucasus as the boundary with Asia.
3 Kazakhstan's European territory consists of a portion west of the Ural and Emba Rivers.
4 The name of this state is a matter of international dispute. See Republic of Macedonia for details.
5 Those territories of Russia lying west of the Ural Mountains are considered as part of Europe.
6 State union of Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro.
7 European Turkey comprises territory to the west and north of the Bosporus and the Dardanelles straits.
2, 3, 5, 7 See Countries in both Europe and Asia for details.

Dependent territories

The European territories listed below are recognised as being culturally and geographically defined. Most have a degree of autonomy. In the list below, each territory is followed by its legal status.
- Faroe Islands (autonomous region of Denmark)
- Gibraltar (UK overseas territory)
- Guernsey (British crown dependency)
- Jersey (British crown dependency)
- Man, Isle of (British crown dependency)
- Svalbard (autonomous region of Norway) Note that this is not a list of all dependencies of all European countries. Dependencies located on other continents are not listed.

Unilaterally seceded territories

Following are breakaway regions of independent states. These regions have declared and de facto achieved independence, but this is not recognised de jure by their home state or by the other independent states.
- Abkhazia (from Georgia)
- Nagorno-Karabakh (disputed by Armenia and Azerbaijan)
- South Ossetia (from Georgia)
- Transnistria (from Moldova)

Territories under United Nations administration


- Kosovo and Metohia (province of Serbia)

Table of European territories and regions

Notes:
1 Continental regions as per UN categorisations/map. Depending on definitions, various territories cited below (notes 2-6, 8, 9) may be in one or both of Europe and Asia.
2 Armenia is sometimes considered a transcontinental country in Eastern Europe and Western Asia (as per UN categorisations/map).
3 Azerbaijan is often considered a transcontinental country in Western Asia (UN region) and Eastern Europe; population and area figures are for European portion only.
4Cyprus is often considered a transcontinental country in Western Asia (UN region) and Southern Europe; population and area figures are for de jure Greek-administered portion only.
5Georgia is often considered a transcontinental country in Western Asia (UN region) and Eastern Europe; population and area figures are for European portion only.
6Kazakhstan is sometimes considered a transcontinental country in Central Asia (UN region) and Eastern Europe.
7Netherlands population for July 2004; Amsterdam is the de facto capital, while The Hague is the country's administrative seat.
8Russia is generally considered a transcontinental country in Eastern Europe (UN region) and Asia; population and area figures are for European portion only.
9Turkey is generally considered a transcontinental country in Western Asia (UN region) and Southern Europe; population and area figures are for European portion only, including all of Istanbul.

Linguistic and cultural regions

The sub-division in several linguistic and cultural regions is much less subjective than the geographical sub-division, since they correspond to people's cultural connections. There are three main groups:

Germanic Europe

Germanic Europe, where Germanic languages are spoken. This area corresponds more or less to north-western Europe and some parts of central Europe. The main religion of the region is Protestantism, even if there are also some countries with Catholic majority (particularly Austria). This region consists of: United Kingdom, Ireland, Iceland, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, the Faroe Islands, German-speaking Switzerland, the Flemish part of Belgium, the Swedish-speaking municipalities of Finland, and the South Tyrol part of Italy.

Latin Europe

Latin Europe, where the Romance languages are spoken. This area corresponds more or less to south-western Europe, with the exception of Romania and Moldova which are situated in Eastern Europe. The major religion is Catholicism, except in Romania and Moldova. This area consists of: Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Romania, Moldova, French-speaking Belgium and French speaking Switzerland, and Italian and Romansh speaking Switzerland as well.

Slavic Europe

Slavic Europe, where Slavic languages are spoken. This area corresponds, more or less, to Central and Eastern Europe. The main religions are Orthodox Christianity and Catholicism, with large Muslim populations in some parts formerly ruled by the Ottoman Empire. This area consists of: Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Macedonia, Poland, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine.

Others

Outside of these three main groups we can find:
- The Celtic nations: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Cornwall (within the United Kingdom); the Isle of Man (a British Crown dependency); the Republic of Ireland; Brittany (within France). These are all nations where a Celtic language is spoken, or was spoken into modern times, and there is a degree of shared culture (see Pan Celticism). Also considered Celtic nations, by some, are both Galicia (Spain) and Asturias, (within Spain), whose own Celtic language died out several hundred years ago.
- Greece, the only country of "Hellenic Europe".In Hellenic Europe we can consider also the Greek Cypriot community It is sometimes associated with the Latin countries, due to the geographical and cultural ties to the Mediterranean Sea, and sometimes to the Slavic-Orthodox part of Europe due to the importance or Orthodoxy in Greece.
- Armenia has a language that constitutes a separate branch of Indo-European family of languages. The Armenian language is spoken in Armenia and other European countries with Armenian communities (such as France, Greece, Belgium, Russia, Germany etc.).
- Ibero-Caucasian, a group that includes ethnic groups throughout the Caucasus region (both North and South). Ibero-Caucasian languages are not linked to the Indo-European languages. This group includes Georgians, Abkhaz, Chechens, Balkars, and a number of other smaller ethnic groups that reside in the Caucasus.
- Turkey, having an Altaic language not of Indo-European origin, and mainly a Muslim country, unlike the main regions' different versions of Christianity.
- Hungary, having a language related to Finnish and Estonian. Due to its location Hungary is normally grouped with Central or Eastern European countries.
- Finland and Estonia, whose languages are related to Hungarian. Despite this connection (not a close one), Finland and Estonia are normally associated with northern European countries (of an even farther connection).

See also


- Eurasia
- Culture of Europe
- Economy of Europe
- Geography of Europe
- History of Europe
- Politics of Europe
- Transport in Europe
- Eurozone
- European Union
- Euroregion
- Europium

Lists and tables


- General
  - Table of European territories and regions
- Demographics
  - Area and population of European countries
  - European Union Statistics
  - The most populous metropolitan areas in Europe
  - The most populous urban areas of the European Union
- Economy
  - Economy of the European Union
  - Financial and social rankings of European countries
  - GDP of European Countries
- Political
  - Alternative names of European cities
  - Date of independence of European countries
  - International Organisations in Europe (table of membership)
- Other
  - List of Europe-related topics

External links


-
- [http://www.democracyineurope.com Democracy in Europe]
- [http://www.holidayhomeseuro.com European holiday homes]
- [http://phoenicia.org/europa.html Europa, the Phoenician Princess] - overwhelmed Zeus with love
- [http://www.europestartpage.com EUROPEstartpage.com, travel and city guide to Europe]
- [http://www.limitlesseurope.com LimitlessEurope.com : information guide to Europe]
- [http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=13266 Europe at Night] at NASA Earth Observatory
- [http://www.geog.tamu.edu/~prout/GVmidtermTwo.html Regions of Europe]
- [http://p086.ezboard.com/balbanau Evropa / Europa / Europe]
- [http://www.eufpc.org EUFPC European Foreign Policy Council]
- [http://www.itmaps.com/?modul=map Map of Europe]
- [http://www.freeworldmaps.net/europe/index.html Physical Map of Europe]
- [http://www.parks.it/europa/Eindex.html Parks in Europe] - National parks, nature parks, reserves and other protected areas. Category:Continents als:Europa roa-rup:Evropa zh-min-nan:Europa ko:유럽 ms:Eropah ja:ヨーロッパ simple:Europe th:ทวีปยุโรป

Knights

.]] :For the chess piece, see knight (chess). The term knight from the High Middle Ages referred to armed equestrians of royalty and high nobility, in particular heavy cavalry. From the 13th century, the rank of some knights became hereditary. Concurrently, Militant monastic orders were established during the time of the crusades, and from the 14th century imitated by numerous chivalric orders. The British honours system originates with the chivalric Order of the Garter, and has diversified into various other orders since the 17th century.

History

The word knight derives from Old English cniht, meaning page boy, or servant (as is still the case in the cognate Dutch and German knecht), or simply boy. Knighthood, as Old English cnihthad, had the meaning of adolescence, i.e. the period between childhood and manhood. The sense of (adult) lieutenant of a king or other superior dates to ca. 1100. From the time of Henry III, a knight bachelor was a member of the lower nobility, preceded by the knight banneret, a commander of ten or more lances who could lead his men under his own banner, but who didn't have the rank of baron or earl. The knights bachelor did not wear any insignia until 1296. The verb "to knight", i.e. to bestow knighthood, dates to that time (the late 13th century). 1296 (Codex Manesse).]] During the 14th century, the concept became tied to cavalry, mounted and armoured soldiers, and thus to the earlier class of noble Roman warriors known as equites (see esquire). Because of the cost of equipping oneself in the cavalry, the term became associated with wealth and social status, and eventually knighthood became a formal title. The concept, together with the notion of chivalry came to full bloom during the Hundred Years' War. During the same period, however, the importance of heavy cavalry was rendered obsolete by improved pikemen and Longbow tactics (a bitter lesson for the nobility, learned throughout the 14th century at battles like those of Crécy, Bannockburn and Laupen), so that during the 14th century, the notion of chivalry became a nostalgic reconstruction almost as soon as it came into fashion. The "knights in shining armour" of the 15th and 16th centuries, by that time in full plate armour, were mostly confined to the jousting grounds, and the romantic Pas d'Armes. The chess piece was named in this period, around 1440. Via the transitional Cuirassiers of the 16th century, cavalry resurfaced once again in light, unarmoured form, in the 17th century, but by now useless for attacking entrenched infantry, and not any longer associated with knighthood. Knighthood as a purely formal title bestowed by the British monarch unrelated to military service was established in the 16th century.

Early heavy cavalry

Cuirassier, Iran (4th century)]] The origin of heavily armoured cavalry (Cataphractes) lies in Sassanid Persia, and medieval chivalry absorbed many Persian traditions in the course of the Perso-Byzantine wars. For example, Ammianus Marcellinus, a Roman general and historian, who served in the army of Constantius II in Gaul and Persia, fought against the Persians under Julian the Apostate and took part in the retreat of his successor, Jovian. He describes the Persian knight as: ::"All their companies clad in iron, and all parts of their bodies were covered with thick plates, so fitted that the stiff joints conformed with those of their limbs; and forms of the human faces were so skillfully fitted to their heads, that since their entire bodies were covered with metal, arrows that fell upon them could lodge only where they could see a little through tiny openings opposite the pupil of the eye, or where through the tips of their noses they were able to get a little breath." ::"The Persians opposed us serried bands of mail-clad horsemen in such close order that the gleam of moving bodies covered with closely fitting plates of iron dazzled the eyes of those who looked upon them, while the whole throng of horses was protected by coverings of leather. " An Equestrian (Latin eques, plural equites) was a member of one of the two upper social classes in the Roman Republic and early Roman Empire. This class is often translated as Knight or Chevalier. The social position of knights and equestrians, however, was extremely similar, equestrians being the nearest Roman equivalent to Medieval nobility, the tax farming system closely approaching feudalism without actually being identical due to inherent differences in the social structure. Up to the 5th century, Sarmatian cavalry units were stationed in Britain as part of the Roman army (see Roman departure from Britain), allowing for a direct influence of Roman Cataphractes on Migration Age Europe. According to a theory of Littleton and Thomas (1978), the legend of King Arthur, the prototypical knight of High Medieval literature, was directly inspired by these Sarmatian troops (however, it is most likely that the only reason we view Arthur and his retainers as knights was simply because the Arthurian Cycle became popular in a time in which knighthood was predominant).

Becoming a Knight

notDuring the High Middle Ages, it was technically possible for every free man to become a knight, but the process of becoming (and the equipping of) a knight was very expensive; thus it was more likely that a knight would come from a noble (or wealthy) family. The process of being knighted began before adolescence, inside the prospective knight’s own home, where he was taught courtesy and appropriate manners. Around the age of 7 years, he would be sent away to train and serve at a grander household as a page. Here, he would serve as a kind of waiter and personal servant, entertaining and serving food to his elders. He would learn basic hunting and falconry, and also various battle skills such as taking care of, preparing, and riding horses, as well as use of weapons and armour. At about fourteen years of age, the page was assigned to a knight to serve as his personal companion and aide, as a squire. This allowed the squire to observe his master while he was in battle, in order to learn from his techniques. He also acted as a servant to the knight, taking care of his master’s equipment and horse. This was to uphold the knight’s code that promoted generosity, courtesy, compassion, and most importantly, loyalty. Once the squire had established sufficient mastery of the required skills, he was dubbed a knight. There was no set age for this, but it usually occurred between the ages of seventeen and twenty-one. In the early period, the procedure began with the squire praying into the night. He was then bathed, and in the morning he was dressed in a white shirt, gold tunic, purple cloak, and was knighted by his king or lord. As the Middle Ages progressed, the process changed. The squire was made to vow that he would obey the regulations of chivalry, and never flee from battle. Then women would buckle on his armour. A squire could also be knighted on the battlefield, in which a lord simply struck him on the shoulder and said, “Be thou a knight”. Later, as military technology and society evolved, knighthood became irrelevant to warfare (the Golden Spurs battle of 1302 was seen as a landmark: the largest knightly army in christendom, fielded by the French king, was destroyed by infantry; soon firearms would revolutionize war even more), while its theoretically irrelevant link with nobility (generally only nobles were knighted, and in noble families most males were expected to be) encouraged it to survive with an essentially civilian ethos of social stratification. In various traditions, knighthood was reserved for people with a minimum of noble quarters (as in many orders of chivalry), or knight became essentially a low degree of nobility, sometimes even conferred as a hereditary title below the peerage. Meanwhile monarchy strived, as an expression of Absolutism, to monopolize the right to confer knighthood, even as an individual honour. Not only was this often successful, once established, this prerogative of the Head of State was even transferred to the successors of dynasties in republican regimes, such as the British Lord Protector of the Commonwealth (his very title means Regent in stead of the abolished -Stuart- King) Cromwell.

Knighthood and the Feudal system

Knighthood was closely connected with the feudal system. Originating largely in what later became known as France, this was a social organisation in which warfare and the protection of the common people became the specialised skill of a select group. Instead of having them paid in cash — of which everyone, even the monarch, was short — they were paid in land. These rather extensive pieces of land were the fiefs. Though a fief did not have to be land — it could be any payment — it is generally thought of as the land that the knights were given as payment for service to the king. The knights were economically supported by peasants who worked to produce food and ideologically supported by the contemporary church. Sometimes these knights were the noble themselves and sometimes men they hired, because noblemen were disinclined or unable to fight. In times of war or national disorder the monarch would typically call all the knights together to do their annual service of fighting. This could be against internal threats to the nation or in defensive and offensive wars against other nations. As time went by, monarchs began to prefer standing (permanent) armies because they could be used for longer periods of time, were more professional and were generally more loyal; partly because those noblemen who were themselves knights, or who sent knights to fight, were prone to use the monarch's dependency on their resources to manipulate him. This move from knights to standing armies had two important outcomes: the regular payment of "scutage" to monarchs by noblemen (a money payment instead of actually going to fight as a knight) which would strengthen the concept and practice of taxation, and a general decrease in military discipline in knights, who became more interested in their country estates and chivalric pursuits, including killing Originally, knighthood could be bestowed on any man by a knight commander, but it was generally considered more prestigious to be dubbed a knight by the hand of a monarch or royalty; the monarch eventually acquired the exclusive right to confer knighthoods known as Fount of honour. By about the late 13th century, partly in conjunction with the focus on courtly behavior, a code of conduct and uniformity of dress for knights began to evolve. Knights were eligible to wear a white belt and golden spurs as signs of their status. Moreover, knights were also required to swear allegiance — either to a liege lord or to a military order. Knights had servants: pages and squires. squire In theory, knights were the Christian warrior class defending the people of Medieval Europe and followed a code of chivalry, which was a set of customs governed the knights behavior. Knights served mightier lords, usually as vassals, or were hired by them, some had their own castle, others joined a military order or a crusade. In reality, rules were often bended or blatently broken by knights as well as their masters, for power, goods or honor, some knights even turned to organised crime. They went through a long process to become a knight involving three stages: start as a page, moving on to be a personal squire, and after they have passed their training they could be knighted. The first stage in the process of becoming a knight is being a page. Training of a knight began at a very young age, the age of seven, serving as a "Page" until he was 14 years old (Hull). A Page was usually the son of a vassal, who sent him to his or another lord’s castle to become a page. For seven years a page was cared for by the women of the house, who instructed him in comportment, courtesy, cleanliness, and religion (Ross). The page served the lord, by working, serving, and doing chores. He also learned how to use a sword and ride a horse. A page became a squire when he turned 14 years of age. When he became a squire, the boy was assigned or picked by a knight to become his personal aid. The squire looked after the knight’s armor, horse and other belongings as well as served him at his meals and helped him with other tasks. The knight acted as a tutor and taught the squire all he needed to know to become a knight. As the squire grew older, he was expected to follow his master into battle, and protect his master if the knight fell in battle. Some squires became knights for performing an outstanding deed on the battlefield, but most were knighted at home by their lord or father when their training was judged to be complete (Gilberts). A squire became a knight when he was about 18 to 21 years old. The night before his knighting ceremony, the squire would take a cleansing bath, fast, make confession, and pray to God all night in the chapel, readying himself for his life as a knight. Then he would go through the knighting ceremony the following day. Knights followed the code of chivalry, which promoted honor, honesty, respect to God, and other knightly virtues. Knights served their lords and were paid in land, because money was scarce. Knights chose their squires, and trained and didnt teach them

Chivalric code

Military-monastic orders


- Knights Hospitaller, founded during the First Crusade
- Order of Saint Lazarus established ca. 1100, abolished 1830
- Knights Templar, founded 1118, disbanded 1307
- Teutonic knights, founded ca. 1190, ruling Prussia until 1525 Other orders were established in the Iberian peninsula in imitation of the orders in the Holy Land, in Avis in 1143, in Alcantara in 1156, in Calatrava in 1158, in Santiago in 1164.

Honorific orders

From roughly 1560, purely honorific orders were established, designed as a way to confer prestige and distinction, unrelated to military service or chivalry in the more narrow sense. Such orders were particularly popular in the 17th and 18th centuries, and knighthood continues to be conferred in various countries:
- The United Kingdom (see British honours system) and some Commonwealth countries;
- Most European countries, such as The Netherlands (see below).
- Malaysia — see Malay titles;
- Thailand;
- The Holy See — see [http://www.chivalricorders.org/vatican/main2.htm]. There are other monarchies and also republics that also follow the practice. Modern knighthoods are typically awarded in recognition for services rendered to society, services which are no longer necessarily martial in nature. The musician Elton John, for example, is entitled to call himself Sir Elton. The female equivalent is a Dame. Accompanying the title is the given name, and optionally the surname. So, Elton John may be called Sir Elton or Sir Elton John, but never Sir John. Similarly, actress Judi Dench D.B.E. may be addressed as Dame Judi or Dame Judi Dench, but never Dame Dench. Wives of knights, however, are entitled to the honorific "Lady" before their husband's surname. Thus Sir Paul McCartney's wife is styled Lady McCartney, not Lady Paul McCartney or Lady Heather McCartney. The style Dame Heather McCartney could be used; however, this style is largely archaic and is only used in the most formal of documents. State Knighthoods in the Netherlands are issued in three orders, the Order of William, the Order of the Dutch Lion, and the Order of Orange Nassau. Additionally there remain a few hereditary knights in The Netherlands.

External links


- [http://www.partow.com/sassan.html "Rock Carvings of the Sassanian Kings"]
-
- [http://www.almanachdechivalry.com/ Almanach de Chivalry]

Literature


- Boulton, D'Arcy Jonathan Dacre, The knights of the crown : the monarchical orders of knighthood in later medieval Europe, 1325-1520, Woodbridge, Suffolk : Boydell Press, 1987. Second revised edition (paperback): Woodbridge, Suffolk and Rochester, NY : Boydell Press, 2000.
- Forey, Alan John, The military orders : from the twelfth to the early fourteenth centuries, Basingstoke : Macmillan Education, 1992. Category:Feudalism Category:Positions of authority Category:Honorary titles Category:Medieval warfare Category:Warriors ja:騎士

Helmet

:For information about the band Helmet, see Helmet (band) Helmet (band) A helmet (a 15th century loan from Middle French, a diminutive of Frankish helm, from Proto-Germanic
- khelmaz, PIE
- kelmo- "a cover") is a form of protective clothing worn on the head and usually made of metal or some other hard substance, typically for protection of the head from falling objects or high-speed collisions. Helmets are common in the military, construction, mining and some sports, including American football, baseball, ice hockey and rock climbing. Motorcycle helmets and bicycle helmets are compulsory headgear in some jurisdictions; in the United Kingdom only Sikhs are allowed to ride motorcycles without wearing motorcycle helmets. Helmets are among the most ancient forms of protection, and are known to have been worn by ancient Greeks and throughout the Middle Ages; at this time they were primarily military equipment, protecting the head from cutting blows with swords and flying arrows. They were initially constructed from leather, but eventually came to be made entirely from iron, with a variety of functional enhancements. Military use of helmets declined as firearms became widespread, where traditional helmets offered little protection. However, with the increasing use of heavy artillery, the steel helmet made a comeback in the 20th Century as protection for the head from shrapnel. Helmets used for different purposes differ greatly in their design. For example, a bicycling helmet would chiefly be required to protect against blunt impact forces, most commonly to the temple and sides of the head. A helmet designed for rock climbing, however, would need to protect against objects (e.g., small rocks and climbing equipment) falling from above, but would have a reduced need for protecting against impacts to the side of the head. Consequently, bicycling and rock climbing helmets have little resemblance to each other. Practical concerns also dictate helmet design. A bicycling helmet would preferably be aerodynamic in shape and probably well ventilated, while a rock climbing helmet would be lightweight and with a minimum of bulk to reduce any detrimental effect on the climber's technique. Goggles and face guards are other forms of protective headgear. These are not typically needed while wearing a helmet that protects the eyes or face as well. Hard hats are typically preferred in modern times for construction workers. Helmets are often used by riot police. There are image of riotsquad-type helmets at:-
- http://secure.specialtydefense.com/images/items/DK%205%20Riot%20Faceshield%201.jpg
- http://www.phototour.minneapolis.mn.us/pics/2749.jpg
- http://policehelmets.homestead.com/files/MET_Riot_Helmet.jpg
- http://www.militariabcn.com/fotos/fcas/ddrriot.JPG

Heraldry

As the coat of arms was originally designed to distinguish combattants on the battlefield or in a tournament, even while covered in armour, it is not suprizing that heraldic elements were often also used for the decoration of knightly helmets, while it was also possible to use different elements then on the shield, but equally standardized. Furthermore, it became common to use a helmet (or some other headgear, e.g. a crown) as part of the coat of arms, above the shield, a practice maintained long after her use in reality was ended by military technology and and demise of jousting. In some systems, the rank of the bearer was reflected in the model of the emblematic helmet, e.g. the metal and the number of bars in the visor, as in France. Anyway, the rank can be reflected by a coronet or wreath placed on the helmet (often in stead of directly above the shield).

See also


- Bascinet
- Brodie helmet
- Corinthian helmet
- Cervelliere
- horned helmet
- Leather helmet
- M1 Helmet
- PASGT "Fritz" helmet
- Pickelhaube
- Sallet
- Stahlhelm
- Toque
- Helmet Light Mount
- Category:Personal armor Category:Sporting goods ja:ヘルメット

Supporters

:This article refers to supporters in heraldry. In British English, fans of sports teams are often referred to as supporters. sport In heraldry, supporters are figures placed on either side of the shield and depicted holding it up. These figures may be real or imaginary animals, human figures, and in rare cases plants or inanimate objects. Often these can have local significance, such as the fisherman and the tin miner granted to Cornwall County Council, or a historical link, such as the lion of England and unicorn of Scotland on the two variations of the Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom. The arms of nutritionist John Boyd-Orr use two garb (wheat sheaf) as supporters. Letters of the alphabet are used as supporters in the arms of Valencia. Supporters are by default as close to rampant as possible if the nature of the supporter allows it (this does not need to be mentioned in the blazon), though there are some blazoned exceptions. Fierce animals are often depicted langue (with their tongue sticking out); this denotes a roar. Supporters are typically an example of special royal favour, granted at the behest of the sovereign. Hereditary supporters are normally limited to hereditary peers, certain members of the Royal Family, chiefs of Scottish Clans, Scottish feudal barons whose baronies predate 1587. Non-hereditary supporters are granted to life peers, Knights of the Garter, Knights of the Thistle, Knights Grand Cross of the Bath and Knights Grand Cross of St Michael and St George, and knights banneret. In Canada, members of the Order of Canada, amongst others, are granted the use of supporters on their personal coats of arms. Category:Heraldry

Motto

A motto is a phrase or a short list of words meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. Many countries, cities, universities, and other institutions have mottos, as do families with coats of arms. Mottos are traditionally written in Latin or Romance languages, as well as in English or German. There are many exceptions, particularly in modern heraldry: for examples, the mottos of the State of Hawai‘i and the University of Hawai‘i are in Hawaiian, and the motto of Nunavut is in Inuktitut, while in England the motto of the County of Somerset is written in Anglo-Saxon. A canting motto is one that contains wordplay. For example, the motto of the Earl of Onslow is Festina lente, punningly interpreting on-slow. In heraldry, a motto is often depicted in a coat of arms, typically on a scroll under the arms, or else above it as in Scots heraldry. In musical usage, a motto is a melodic section larger than a motif and may appear at the beginning and often just before the end of a musical composition. Motto may also refer to a short quotation, joke, or an anecdotal message printed on a piece of paper inside a Christmas cracker. Ships and subs in the Royal Navy each have a crest and motto, as do units of the Royal Air Force.

Individual mottos


- Alea jacta est
- All for one, and one for all
- Annuit Cœptis
- Bhinneka Tunggal Ika
- E pluribus unum
- Eleutheria i thanatos
- Ex astris, scientia
- Fiat lux
- Je me souviens
- Liberté, égalité, fraternité
- Nemo me impune lacessit
- Only Unity Saves the Serbs
- Peace, order and good government
- Semper fidelis
- Unite or Die
- Who Dares Wins

Lists of mottos


- List of state mottos
- List of mottos
- List of U.S. state mottos
- List of Canadian provincial and territorial symbols
- Royal mottos of Swedish monarchs
- Unofficial national mottos of Poland

See also


- Tripartite motto
- Slogan
- Inscription
- Epigram Mottos Category:Melodic sections ja:モットー simple:Motto

Herald

:This article is about the profession, for the ships named Herald please see this page. A herald was originally a messenger sent by a king or nobleman to convey a message or proclamation. (The equivalent of the Greek κῆρυξ kērux.) A herald often wore a surcoat, called a tabard, decorated with the arms of his master. Possibly due to their role in managing the tournaments of the Late Middle Ages, heralds came to be associated with the regulation of the knights' coats of arms. This science (today called heraldry) became increasingly important and regulated over the years, and in several countries around the world it is still overseen by heralds. Thus the primary job of a herald today is to be an expert in heraldry. In the United Kingdom at least, however, heralds are also still called upon at times to read proclamations publicly; for which (as for other ceremonial occasions) they still wear tabards emblazoned with the royal arms. There are three grades of herald:
- Pursuivants (junior heralds)
- Heralds
- Kings of Arms (the most senior) There are active official heralds today in the United Kingdom and several countries of the Commonwealth, as well as the Republic of Ireland and Spain. In both England and Scotland most heralds are attached to those countries' heraldic authorities and are called "Heralds of Arms in ordinary". Temporary heralds extraordinary and pursuivants extraordinary may also exist. These are appointed either for a specific major state occasions or as an emeritus title for retiring heralds. (For example, Sir Malcolm Innes of Edingight was appointed Orkney Herald Extraordinary upon his retirement as Lord Lyon King of Arms.) In Scotland some nobles still appoint private pursuivants.

See also


- Canadian Heraldic Authority
- Chief Herald of Ireland
- College of Arms
- Lyon Court Category:Heraldry

Heraldry

Heraldry is the science and art of describing coats-of-arms (also referred to as "armorial bearings" or simply as "arms"). Its origins lie in the need to distinguish participants in battles or jousts and to describe the various devices they carried or painted on their shields. In the late middle ages and renaissance, heraldry became a highly developed discipline, regulated by professional heralds, who used the language of heraldry to "blazon" a coat of arms. (Since arms are formally described by words, the painter, engraver, or stonecarver using a coat of arms in his work has considerable stylistic license.) As its use in jousts became obsolete, arms remained popular for visually identifying a person in other ways — impressed in sealing wax on official documents, engraved on a family tomb, and so forth. The descent of arms was and remains strictly regulated by inheritence; only certain actual descendents of a particular armigerous (arm-bearing) person are entitled to his arms or a differenced version of them — hence popular associations of a coat of arms with all bearers of a surname are based on a misconception. Heraldry is mostly a hobby today; but in some countries it remains regulated by heralds and the assumption of another's arms is illegal. The word "crest" is commonly used to refer to a coat-of-arms. However, in heraldry, a crest is just one component of a full or complete achievement of arms. The crest sits atop a helmet, which itself sits on the main and most recognizable part of the arms, the shield or escutcheon. Other common elements include supporters holding up the shield and a motto beneath. Crests can in fact be used on their own (this is particularly useful when there is insufficient space to display the entire coat-of-arms); but where the shield alone is used it should never be called a "crest."

Shield and lozenge

Traditionally, as women did not go to war, they would not have a shield. Instead, their coats-of-arms would be shown on a lozenge, usually a square standing on one of its corners. As women may now serve in the armed forces in a number of countries, some armigerous women prefer to use a shield anyway. A parallel usage for noncombatant clergymen could be found sometimes on the European continent, with the occasional placement of arms on a cartouche (an oval-shaped vehicle for their display). For more detail on the use of the lozenge (subject to certain rules) by women in the British heraldic tradition, see the separate article on the lozenge. Very rarely and almost invariably in non-European contexts, such as the arms of Nunavut, the former Republic of Bophuthatswana and some Algerian civic heraldry of French colonial origin, specific shapes of shield are specified in the blazon (and the specific type of shield is sometimes followed to the extent, as in [http://www.polity.org.za/html/govdocs/misc/gaucoat.html the arms of Gauteng], that structures in the shield (in that case "shield thongs") function as charges). In rare instances the shield may be blazoned as being displayed on a cartouche, the tincture of which is then specified.
The arms of The Baroness Thatcher of Kesteven and the late Sir Denis Thatcher, Bt
The arms of Lady Thatcher The arms of Sir Denis Thatcher
A lozenge, the traditional shape of a woman's coat of armsA shield, traditionally used only by a man

Tinctures

Main article: Tincture There are seven main tinctures, consisting of two metals (light tinctures) and five colours (dark tinctures), although there are a number of other rare tinctures. The names of the tinctures mainly come to us from French. The first rule of heraldry is the rule of tincture: metal must never be placed upon metal, nor colour upon colour, for the sake of contrast, and because this was technically difficult to do at the time. As any rule, this admits some exceptions, the most notable being the arms chosen by Godfrey of Bouillon when he was made king of Jerusalem, featuring five Or crosses potent on an Argent field (traditionally rendered "Argent, five crosses potent Or"); a blason that might have been modelled after the Arab technique of Damascus steel.
- "Or" is usually spelled with a capital letter (Gules, a fess Or) so as not to confuse it with the conjunction "or." Furs, such as ermine, ermines, or vair, are regular variations of the field that represent various types of actual fur. Any charge may be of a fur.
- Ermine is in design a field argent, semé (see variations of the field) of ermine-spots sable, but is not so regarded; it is regarded as a plain tincture.
- Ermines is the reverse of ermine – a field sable semé of ermine-spots argent.
- There is also vair and its variants. Basic vair is a row of small items shaped like bells with straight edges. The bells on the next row down are placed with their bottoms facing the bottoms of the bells on the row above, and so forth down. There also exists, though rarely, two "stains": tenny/tawny (orange) and brown. Proper: Objects may also be depicted in their natural colours. In this case, they are described as "proper". Blazon: Historically the custom in English blazon was to reduce redundancy by referring to a particular tincture only once in the blazon, using the locution "of the first" and 'of the second" etc. thereafter, but the College of Arms has moved away from this practice in recent years.

Divisions of the field

Main article: Divisions of the field Divisions of the field The field of a shield in heraldry can be divided into more than one tincture, as can the various charges. The divisions are named according to the ordinary that shares their shape. (It should be noticed that French heraldry takes a different approach in many cases than the one described in this article, as do the heraldries of Italy, Spain, and Sweden.) Common partitions of the field are:
- parted (or party) per fess (parted horizontally),
- party per pale (parted vertically),
- party per bend (diagonally from upper left to lower right),
- party per bend sinister (diagonally from upper right to lower left)
- party per saltire (diagonally both ways).
- party per cross or quarterly (divided into four quarters)
- party per chevron (after the manner of a chevron)
- party per pall (diagonal divisions from upper left and upper right meeting vertical division)

Charges

Charges can be animals, objects or geometric constructs (ordinaries). Common animals are lions, leopards, martlets, eagles, gryphons, fish, boars or dolphins. There are dragons and unicorns as well, but they are not nearly as common as most people suppose. Possibly the rarest animal in heraldry is found in the coat of arms of Maidstone, Kent, which bears an iguanodon rampant on the dexter side. An animal shown langue (with its tongue sticking out) denotes fierceness or a roar. The default position of an animal is looking dexter. Animals are found in various different positions — a flying martlet is a martlet volant, a swimming dolphin is a dolphin naiant, and a walking lion is a lion passant. Other words for positions are rampant (on hind legs), salient (leaping), sejant (sitting) and gardant (looking at the viewer). There are humans as well, although they are unusual, like wild men or Saracens. If you show only the head of, say, a lion, cut off at the neck, it is a lion's head couped if the cut is straight, and erased if it looks as if the animal's head has been ripped off. Common objects are escallops (shells), crosses, mullets (a conventional five-pointed star shape, as on the American flag, which in fact represent spurs), crescents, bugle-horns, water-bougets, gauntlets, and different kinds of trees, flowers, leaves, and other plants. Circles are generally called "roundels", but in England instead of being described a roundel vert, they have different names depending on colour: bezants if they are golden, plates if silver, torteaux if red, hurts if blue, pellets or ogresses if black, pommes if green, oranges if orange, and guzes if sanguine. A roundel that is barry wavy argent and azure is called a fountain. This over-specialisation is peculiar to English heraldry; in French heraldry, for example, metal roundels are bezants and all others (colours and furs) are tourteaux.

Ordinaries

sanguine Ordinaries (sometimes called "honourable ordinaries") are almost like partitions, but are handled like objects. Though there is much debate as to exactly which geometrical charges constitute ordinaries, certain ones are agreed on by everyone. A pale is a vertical charge starting from the top of the shield, ending at the bottom, and wide as a third of the shield's width. (The "Canadian pale", identical to the pale but taking up one-half the shield's width, was invented in 1964 by Conrad Swan, retired Garter King of Arms) [http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/Square/3238/Page2Innovat.html]; it can be seen in the arms of Rehder. [http://www.hsc.ca/Roll/Rollx.htm] A fess is the same thing as a pale, only horizontal. There are also bends, saltires, flaunches and crosses, as well as chiefs, piles and chevrons. A chief is a fess situated in the upper third of the shield. It can be associated with the fillet, a quite narrow horizontal band running along the bottom of the chief, [http://www.btinternet.com/~paul.j.grant/guillim/s2/gu_s2c4.htm] although it can be difficult if not impossible sometimes to distinguish between a fillet and a chief fimbriated, as the fimbriation of a chief occurs only along the lower line. (Fimbriation is the narrow bordering of the outline of a charge, with is then said to be fimbrated or fimbriated; a "fimbriation containing six diagonal 'tics' radiating" occurs in the badge of the 25th Flying Training Squadron of the United States Air Force.)[http://afhra.maxwell.af.mil/wwwroot/rso/squadrons_flights_pages/0025fts.html] The term edged is sometimes used in a similar context. There is at least one example of a triple fimbriation.[http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/Sig/86SignalBattalion.htm]) The fillet is sometimes inaccurately described as a diminutive of the chief, but the chief has no diminutive. It is important to note that a chief "enhanced" (which gives it a narrower appearance), as in the arms of Martin F. J. Matthews [http://www.heraldry-scotland.co.uk/scotsarmsgal/gallery.asp?ID=132], is not a diminutive. Probert [http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/U1.HTM], Guillim [http://www.btinternet.com/~paul.j.grant/guillim/s2/gu_s2c4.htm] and others say that if one chief is "surmounted of another" (one chief is charged on another chief) it will have the appearance of a chief divided by a line running along the upper part of the "chief". The rare "chief couped" is a chief that falls short of reaching the dexter and sinister sides of the shield; the representation of Stonehenge in the arms of Sir Cecil Chubb, "the Baronet who owned Stonehenge and gifted it to the nation", show an example.[http://www.baronage.co.uk/nl/nl-02-07.htm] Chiefs are more commonly seen, though not blazoned as, couped when within a tressure.[http://uk.geocities.com/skildsoom/founders/GrahamE.html] A chevron looks like a saw's tooth, arching from the middle of the left side of the shield to the middle of the right. A bordure is just that, a border around the shield. A bordure separated from the outside of the shield, which looks like a shield with another shield cut out of it, is an orle. Confusingly, when a number of charges (by default, eight) are arranged in the position that a bordure (not an orle) would be in, they are said to be "in orle". A quarter is the top left (dexter chief in heraldry) quarter of the shield; this is the default position. The top right quarter is a sinister quarter. The pall is a Y-shaped charge throughout the field, common to Scotland.

Diminutives

There are diminutives of charges as well. The diminutive of the pale is the pallet and the diminutive of the fess is the bar. (The diminutive of the bar is the barrulet; barrulets are never borne singly. Bars are likewise rarely borne singly, though the arms of Scheffeld are amazingly blazoned as having one-and-a-half bars.[http://www02.so-net.ne.jp/~saitou/cgi-bin/more.cgi?input=Bar]) "Barry of " means that the background is divided into that number of horizontal stripes. There are diminutives of most partitions, like "bendy of" or "paly of". It should be noted that in order to be described as "barry" or "paly" there must be an even number of stripes, otherwise it is a field of x tincture and y pallets or bars. Thus the shield of the United States of America, though officially described as "Paly of thirteen argent and gules, a chief azure", is no such thing; it is "Argent, six pallets gules and a chief azure". The diminutive of the bend sinister is the scarpe. The diminutive of the chevron is the chevronel. The diminutive of the quarter is the canton, a square occupying, in theory, the upper left third of the shield. In theory a canton is never an original part of the shield, but some form of later addition, but this is not true in practice. Another charge can be completely hidden by the canton (sometimes, if the charge is not part of a predictable pattern of like charges laid out elsewhere on the shield, making it impossible to correctly blazon the shield); the charge so hidden is then called "absconded". (A highly unusual example of a quarter absconding charges can be seen when Robert Stewart, Lord of Lorn, marshalled his arms with those of Lorn: "Or a fess chequy of four tracts Azure and Argent between two buckles in chief and a garb in base of the Second; a sinister quarter Or bearing a lymphad Sable with sail set absconding one of the buckles and part of the fess; in the dexter base another quarter of the same absconding part of the fess". [http://www.baronage.co.uk/jag-ht/jag013.html]) When a shield contains both a fess and canton they are always shown in their theoretical size, and with no dividing line between them; as they appear to be one continuous thing, blazoning a shield with a fess and canton can be confusing for the novice. The canton can be borne sinister (unless blazoned "a canton sinister" the canton is dexter), but this rarely happens. A charge "in canton" is located in the position in which a canton would be. The diminutive of the canton is the chequer of the chequy field (but this never occurs alone). An escutcheon is a shield; it is usually shown in the shape of the larger shield it is on. An orle is a voided escutcheon. If you put a mullet on a bend, the bend "is charged with" the mullet. Any type of charge, but usually ordinaries and subordinaries, can be "voided"; without further description, this means that the charge has been "emptied" with a hole in the shape of the charge revealing the field behind it, and only a border has been left. It is possible, however, though highly unusual, that the voiding, the hole, is of a different tincture than the field behind the charge, which tincutre must then be specified; for example, "Argent, a mullet gules, voided or". It is also possible that the voiding is of a different shape than the voided charge, as in the arms of Newton Technical High School in South Africa: "Quarterly gules and sable; a lozenge or voided of a quatrefoil; at its centre a cog wheel argent; the whole within a border or". Special charges known as "differences" may distinguish otherwise similar blazons; these often indicate "cadency", or what number son owns the shield, to distinguish him from other sons and the father.

Besides the shield

In addition to the shield, most coats-of-arms include a crest, placed above the shield, and a motto (see below), usually placed below it. Other items may be added to the coat, such as a helmet (decorated with mantling) in a variety of meaningful postures and designs; supporters on either side of the shield and the compartment on which they usually stand; and a variety of medals, ribbons, mural crowns and other decorations. These items are often granted as special honours by the sovereign. Other elements denoting the status of the bearer could be placed behind the shield. Those include anchors in saltire for admirals, batons for marshals etc. In ecclesiastic heraldry crosier are also used.

Coat of Arms Motto

A Coat of Arms motto is a phrase or collection of words intended to describe the motivation or intention of families with coats of arms. In heraldry, a motto is often depicted in a coat of arms, typically on a scroll under the arms, or else above it as in Scots heraldry. These mottos are traditionally in Latin or Romance languages, as well as in English or German.

Supporters and other additions

crosier An armiger may be entitled, depending upon their rank to several other items.
- Supporters: peers of the realm, senior members of British orders of knighthood and some corporate bodies have supporters on either side of the shield. Often these can have local significance (such as the Fisherman and the Tin miner granted to Cornwall County Council) or a historical link (such as the lion of England and unicorn of Scotland on the two variations of the Royal Arms in Great Britain).
- A coronet of a design appropriate to a peer's rank would be placed on top of the shield.
- Helm: all coats of arms may be displayed with a helm or helmet, which sits over the shield and carries the crest (see below). The form of the helmet may vary with the rank of the armiger.
- Mantling or lambrequin is drapery tied to the helmet above the shield. It forms a backdrop for the shield.
- The crest rests above coronet (if applicable) and helm, usually on a 'wreath' of twisted cloth in the two principal colours of the coat of arms. Often but not exclusively an animal, crests were used to identify a knight at the joust and were, therefore, at first, a sign of the superior rank expected of participants in medieval tournaments. Since Tudor times, however, crests have been granted with all English coats of arms. The City of Sunderland's crest is a wild boar, a remembrance of the parish of Hetton-le-Hole, which became part of the City in 1974. A woman does not display a crest (just as no woman would have fought in a medieval tournament). The crest rests on the helm, as it would have done in real life, or it may be illustrated directly above the shield without a helm (as in the illustration of the arms of Sir Denis Thatcher). His wife, Lady Thatcher, as a woman, displays no crest but her coronet as a baroness is placed above her arms.
- Clergy, like women, and for the same reason (their non-participation in combat), traditionally do not display a helm or crest. Higher clergy, such as bishops or abbots, may display appropriate headwear (the mitre) above the shield, similar to the display by peers of their coronets. Lower clergy often use clerical hats with tassells appropriate to their seniority: this practice began in the Roman Catholic church but was subsequently adopted by some Anglican clergy. The Chief Herald of Ireland has granted Father William Richardson the crest A dexter hand couped at the wrist Gules holding a crown of thorns Proper., but this is often shown next to the shield, the only item above the shield being the historical tasselled hat of a priest.

Modern heraldry

Heraldry continues to flourish today. Institutions, companies, and members of the public may obtain officially recognized coats of arms from governmental heraldic authorities. This typically has the force of a registered trademark. The first recorded corporate coat of arms was granted to the Drapers' Company of the City of London in 1438 (see Coat of Arms of The Drapers Company). However, many users of modern "heraldic" designs do not register with heraldic authorities, and some designers do not follow the rules of heraldic design at all. Some people who have interests in heraldry as a hobby participate in the Society for Creative Anachronism and other such medieval revivals, or in micronationalism. Many more people see heraldry as a part of their national, and even personal, heritage, as well as a manifestation of civic and national pride.

See also


- Academie Internationale d'Heraldique
- Cadency
- Canadian Heraldic Authority
- Chivalry
- Chief Herald of Ireland
- College of Arms
- Court of Chivalry
- Heraldic badge
- List of coats of arms
- Lord Lyon King of Arms
- Mon (Japanese heraldry)
- Polish Heraldry
- Sashimono
- Serbian Genealogical Society
- Time immemorial
- UK topics
- U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry
- Women in heraldry
- Coat of Arms
- List of academic coats of arms
- Vexillology

External links

Authorities


- [http://www.gg.ca/heraldry/index_e.asp Canadian Heraldic Authority]
- [http://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/ College of Arms] for England, Wales, Northern Ireland
- [http://www.lyon-court.com Court of the Lord Lyon] of Scotland
- [http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/overview/herald-of-arms.html New Zealand Herald of Arms Extraordinary]
- [http://www.nli.ie/fr_offi.htm Office of the Chief Herald] of Ireland
- [http://www.tioh.hqda.pentagon.mil/ U.S. Army Institute of Heraldry]

Societies


- [http://www.theheraldrysociety.com/ The Heraldry Society]
- [http://www.heraldrysociety.us/index.php The American Heraldry Society]
- [http://www.americancollegeofheraldry.org/ The American College of Heraldry (Chartered non-profit, not a state authority)]
- [http://www.heraldry-scotland.co.uk/ The Heraldry Society of Scotland]
- [http://www.heraldry.ca/index_en_nocount.html The Royal Heraldry Society of Canada]
- [http://www.geocities.com/heraldry_society The Heraldry Society (New Zealand Branch) Inc]
- [http://www.sca.org/heraldry/primer/ A Heraldic Primer (Society for Creative Anachronism)]
- [http://www.rodoslovlje.com/ Serbian Genealogical Society]
- [http://www.heraldika.org.mk/ Macedonian Heraldry Society]
- [http://www.brasoes.com/ Brazil Heraldry]

Heraldry-generating software


- [http://petebarrett.members.beeb.net/blazon.htm Blazon (non commercial)]

Other


- [http://www.kuruvinda.com/armorial.php Rietstap's Armorial General - over 130,000 fully searchable names and blazons]
- [http://www.heraldica.org Heraldica]
- [http://www.footballcrests.com/ FootballCrests.com - The history and meaning of football (soccer) club crests from around the world]
- [http://makepeace.ca/nehgs/ Committee on Heraldry of the New England Historic Genealogical Society]
- [http://www.scotcourts.gov.uk/admin/scadmin_2.htm#seven Scotscourts.gov.uk]
- [http://makepeace.ca/vhr/ Page on the Flemish Heraldic Council]
- [http://www.heraldry-scotland.co.uk/Lyoncourt.htm Page on the Lyon Court]
- [http://www.electricscotland.com/webclans/lord_lyon.htm Page on the Lyon Court]
- [http://freepages.history.rootsweb.com/~amateurheralds/page_sa_boh.html Page on the South African Bureau of Heraldry]
- [http://www.maltagenealogy.com/malteseheraldry/maltaheraldry.htm/ Maltese Heraldry]
- [http://www.heraldry.ws/ Information on the customs and practices of Heraldry and contemporary Heraldry]
- [http://www.heraldry.org.uk/ Heraldry; Coats of Arms and Crests]
- [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/britannia/anglo-saxon/flowers/heraldry.html James Grout: Heraldry, part of the Encyclopædia Romana]
- [http://www.btinternet.com/~paul.j.grant/guillim/ A DISPLAY OF HERALDRIE: by John Guillim (c1551 - 1621) being a complete transcription of the first edition (1610) of this work]

Note

# One possible exception might be the arms of the University of Northern British Columbia.[http://www.unbc.ca/communications/identity/coat_of_arms.html]
- Category:Military Heraldry Category:National symbols ja:紋章学

Crest (heraldry)

In heraldry, a crest is a component of a coat of arms. It is a figure (or group of figures), often but not always a beast of some kind, depicted atop the helmet placed above the shield. The crest has been traditionally used by men only, with the exception of queens of England or Britain, who have been treated heraldically as men. Some armigers used their crest as a personal badge, which led to the erroneous use of the word "crest" to describe a shield or full coat of arms. Category:Heraldry

List of national coats of arms

This gallery of sovereign state coats of arms shows the coat of arms of sovereign states in the list of sovereign states. __NOTOC__

A

Image:Abkhasia g.gif|
Coat of Arms of Abkhazia Image:Coaafghanistan.jpg|
Emblem of Afghanistan Image:Albania_state_emblem.png|
Emblem of Albania Image:Algeria_coa.png|
Emblem of Algeria Image:Andorra_coa.png|
Coat of Arms of Andorra Image:Coaofangola.jpg|
Coat of Arms of Angola Image:Antigua_and_barbuda_coa.png|
Coat of Arms of Antigua and Barbuda Image:Argentina_coa.png|
Coat of Arms of Argentina Image:Coa_Armenia.jpg|
Coat of Arms of Armenia Image:Aust_Coat_of_Arms_(large).jpg|
Coat of Arms of Australia Image:Austria Bundesadler.svg|
Coat of Arms of Austria Image:Azerbaijan coa.png|
Coat of Arms of Azerbaijan

B

Image:Bahamas_coa.png