HERALDRY MINT

The Origin of Heraldry

Many theories have been put forward to account for the evolution and perfection of heraldry. Its birth coincided with charges in the nature of European society itself, which was becoming more sophisticated, with more and more estates passing from one generation to the next.

Throughout Europe, the general trend to migration that had characterized the Dark Ages had come to a halt. Family roots were now firmly bedded in, with the village settlement in place and, at its centre, the first two “estates”: the priest, who prayed for all, and the knight or lord who fought for all. By the 13th century, the notion of gentility was firmly established among the lordly classes, who sought connections with similarly genteel families through marriage. The idea of a stable, ancient and exclusive bloodline was accentuated, and the development of the shield of arms created an ideal symbol to confirm the hereditary nature of that descent.

In England the birth of heraldry is closely associated with the long but troubled reign of Henry I (1068-1135), known for the feuding within the royal family as its members struggled for power. An illustration in a late 12th century manuscript of John of Worcester’s Chronicle illustrates the nature of the age. As Henry lies in troubled sleep, in his nightmare he is surrounded by jostling knights, intent, it would seem, on doing the king mischief. As well as their upraised swords, the knights bear the kite-shaped shields of their age, charged with bends, chevrons and other geometric patterns associated with early heraldry.

By the second half of the 12th century, the male members of the nobility of Europe were starting to place upon their shields certain devices, or “charges”, which had become associated with their families. Symbols such as chevrons and lions appeared on their seals and military accoutrements. Some surviving seals from this period bear pictures of mounted knights carrying shields of arms, while on others the shield itself is the principal device. At the same time, the marrying of shield and symbols was starting to become hereditary. It is the splendid coupling that we recognize as heraldry.

Whatever the reasons for heraldry’s origins – the ancient symbols borne on seals and flags, the feudal system of 12th century Europe, the tournament, advances in armour – by the beginning of the 13th century this use of symbols had been transformed into a science of heredity, and the heralds, who were to give that science its name, had started to keep records of the shields of all that enjoyed its use. These were the splendid documents known as “rolls of arms”, which were often illuminated, and which carefully recorded the retinue of some great lord, identifying the arms of all his vassals.

In medieval society, the rise of the tournament and the refinement of the armourer’s craft, which allowed the well-dressed fighting man to have his face protected behind a great iron helmet, are the two main reasons given for the explosion of armorial devices between 1150 and 1250; these twin developments also gave medieval knights ideal outlets for their peacock-like pride and natural pomposity.

The evolution of the tournament as the principal showcase for knightly prowess apart, that is, from periods of actual warfare – assisted, even if it did not directly influence, the nature of heraldic display. This close relationship can be seen in the fact that the crest worn on top of the helmet, the second most important accoutrement in the heraldic “achievement” was in certain countries afforded only to those of tournament rank – that is, the richest and most influential of the knightly class.

Heraldry is so closely associated with that extraordinary medieval phenomenon, chivalry, that it is instructive to explore the interplay between the tow, one being very much the plaything of the other. Literally, chivalry meant the lore of the house soldiers, or rather the man who could afford the horse, its trappings and the weapons of the mounted warrior, notably the lance: the knight. At its birth, heraldry was the province of the knights, it was through the loyalty of such men that wars could be fought and won.

Heraldry had a great part to play in chivalric ideals. The winning of a good lady through love and brave quests was a popular theme, and books were liberally scattered with allegorical arms. Often medieval chroniclers used the castle as a symbol of a lady’s virtue that was to be stormed and captured by the knight’s love and passion.