AN AUVERGNIAN'S STUDY ON HERALDRY; Pt. 1

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An Auvergnian's

STUDY ON HERALDRY

The art of colors and power

 

 

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“ Lo! Attend these words, for We beseech thee to hearken with utmost care! “

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The coat of arms of Baron Louis-Caspian Dieuxmont de Rosius

 

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In the name of The Right Honourable Louis IV Caspian Dieuxmont de Rosius, Baron of Rosius and Royal Chancellor of Aaun, We hereby pronounce to thee the following study from the heart of Louisanne…

 

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i. INTRODUCTION

The Discipline of Heraldry, or simply Heraldry, is an art form and a necessary formality of both past and present. It is a field that certain individuals dedicate their lives to studying, refining its practice to make it more accessible for future generations. Heraldry pertains to the design and display of armorial bearings, whether for an individual or a group. 

 

Throughout history we have had a chance to witness the great number of examples of this craft, which is by itself a testament to how serious this discipline is being taken by the people of both lesser and higher standing. Through this study, it is the wish of the author to emphasize the greatness and importance of this discipline, to familiarize the readers with numerous terms and uses in heraldry and to correct possible mistakes which have been made throughout the past when it comes to understanding heraldry.

 

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ii. DEFINITIONS

 

(a) “coat of arms” refers to a design on a shield or escutcheon;

(b) “roll of arms” refers to a collection of coats of arms of a certain individual or a group, accompanied by the names of their bearers;

(c) ”escutcheon” refers to the shield on which a coat of arms is displayed;

(c) “achievement” or “heraldic achievement” refers to a full display of all the elements of a coat of arms, which is not accompanied only by the shield or escutcheon;

(d) “charge” refers to any figure or symbol placed on the field of a shield or escutcheon;

(e) “herald” refers to a person who is tasked with bearing and maintaining the coat of arms of a certain individual or a group;

(f) “blazon” refers to the art of formally describing and representing the heraldic or armorial bearing;

(g) “tincture” refers to the colors, metals and furs used in heraldic designs;

 

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iii. HISTORY

It is avouched that one of the first uses of ‘coat of arms’ has begun within the tribal communes of Aegis, those being the places in the hilly regions of Oren, then Renatus which was then followed by Hanseti and Salvus, all in order to be recognisable to their allies, friends, or foes from afar as the tensions have already been brewing since the fall of Oren. It comes to no surprise though, as some of these communes at the time didn’t develop the need for writing and were illiterate, plus back in the day people didn’t look at heraldry as we look at it today, so a simple yet recognisable design suited their needs. Not long after the shift of various societies and realms of the past, heraldic craft has expanded its horizons to almost every corner of the continent, primarily being used by the folks of certain stations of importance, such as emperors, kings and the other lesser nobility. These bearings defined and still define its holder, being equipped with ‘charges’ of all kinds and ‘tinctures’, which to some sounds like adding unnecessary elements, yet it had completed its real definition and meaning, to represent its holder’s prestige in full capacity.

 

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E.g The dynastic achievement of the House of Alstreim

 

The connection between a man and his coat of arms was important in the past, as is evident when one looks at history. Great powers of the past were equipped with meticulously crafted ‘achievements’ during the height of their reign, where armorial bearings clearly represented their influence on the political climate of the realm, territorial power, or manpower. Certain figures, in addition to constructing monuments and buildings that testified to their diligence and prowess, also hired ‘heralds’, masters of arms, to design and present a unique coat of arms for their liege lord, standing alongside all the grand monuments. When the first uses of special armorial bearings among the nobility began, the term ‘blazon’ was introduced to indicate that the heraldry was something to be taken on a serious note. With time, it has gotten its real definition, it being the proper language among the armorial heralds and a way to lock in the rich history of heraldry for the future to come.

 

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E.g The Coat of arms from the lines of Horen, circa 1526-1595 & 1613-1638

 

As time passed and the continents shifted, the trends in heraldic bearings also changed. What began as simple, long shields with two divided colors evolved into more elaborate designs, featuring shields with richer textures, more vibrant colors, and additional charges on the coat of arms. Many of the present coats of arms, if not all of them, are usually accompanied by not one or two, but three and more elements which vary in its shapes and tinctures, be it an animal, building or a weapon. The profession of a herald became more of a familial business and position, where those who held the title of the king’s arms bearer passed down their knowledge and craft to their offspring. To this day, it is essential to acknowledge those who dedicated their precious time and effort to this discipline, among whom Fr. Leopold Barclay stands out as one of the most proficient heralds of our time. Additionally, the heralds from imperial times are recognized as some of the most renowned in history, with their work now documented in historical books and displayed in museums. It should be noted that by 'imperial times,' the entire period of imperial rule is meant, from the reign of Horen to that of Novellen.

 

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E.g The coat of arms of the Commonwealth of Sutica, designed by Father Leopold Barclay, circa 1835

 

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iv. BASIC TERMINOLOGY

 

To grasp the basic elements of the discipline of heraldry, one should familiarize themselves with its fundamental rules and concepts. Like any other form of art or craft, heraldry has its own rules to follow, tips and tricks to learn, and boundaries that should not be crossed. In this section, the most important terms of heraldry will be presented and briefly explained, as this very section would require not one, but dozens of written material, which doesn’t mean more of it won’t come in the future.

 

(a) Tinctures and Furs

If you get to the topic of colors within a group of educated heralds of arms, it is wiser to use the word ‘tinctures’ and to learn what the name of each color according to blazon is. Keep in mind that is really not necessary for an ordinary field worker or a stableman.

 

 

The first row is occupied by the ‘metals’, which are consisted of only two tinctures: Argent (silver, usually white) and Or (gold);

The second row consists of the most used tinctures: Sable (black), Azure (blue), Gules (red) and Vert (green);

Lastly, the third row is reserved for those tinctures which are rare in terms of getting them in natural ways: Purpure (purple) and Tenne (stain or leather brown);

 

As mentioned earlier in this section, there are specific rules to follow when dealing with any work really. In many other forms of art and craft, there may be multiple rules that are crucial if you want your work to be perfected. In heraldry, however, there is only one primary rule: the rule of tinctures - metal does not go on metal, and color does not go on color. This rule exists because if your coat of arms consists of a layer of metal placed over another layer of metal, even God's own light will not recognize it from afar.

 

On the other hand, ‘furs’ are another type of tincture which are also used in coats of arms. Unlike the ordinary colors and metals, these are patterned and meant to be used to represent the pelts of animals.

 

 

From left to right: Ermine - white field with a pattern of small black tail-tips; Vair - bell/shield-shaped patches of squirrel fur sewn together;

 

(b) Ordinaries

When referring to ‘ordinaries’, we talk about the simplest geometrical shapes. They are numerous obviously, and to further make heraldry seem like a mess, there are also the most common shapes with their special names, which we will get to.

 

 

From left to right: Saltire; Cross; Label; Pile; Chief; Chevron; Pale; Pall; Bordure; Fess; Bend;

These are only some of the possible ordinaries, as there is also a sub-section called sub-ordinaries, which is left for some other time.

 

According to some heralds of arms, an individual is free to experiment with different shapes, adding and removing them to achieve their desired look. Here’s a tip from the professionals: do not overcrowd your coat of arms with unnecessary elements, such as an odd number of bars and on top of that, seven triangles, for example.

 

(c) Charges

The introduction of charges opened the door to those who truly profess their love for heraldry. These charges include all elements not previously mentioned, such as animals, figures, and shapes of all kinds.

 

 

The royal coat of arms originating from the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska is a perfect example of the brilliant attention to detail that defines the art of heraldry. Here, one can observe the combination of multiple charges, numerous ordinaries, and a harmonious blend of tinctures, all of which tell the historical story of the kingdom and its past. Readers should bear in mind that this coat of arms is not used on the battlefield and that every kingdom, including the Kingdom of Hanseti-Ruska, has more than one coat of arms, each serving different purposes.

 

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v. ROSIUS HERALDIC STATION

 

To conclude the first part of this study, the author wishes to emphasize the uprising of the Rosius Heraldic Station.

Not everyone is born with knowledge and no one should die without knowledge, and because of that being said, the Baron of Rosius began with the regular studies of heraldry, thus this advertisement. 

 

All who wish to witness the fine craft in person are free to do so by either arriving at the gates of Louisanne, or by sending a raven to the aforementioned town. For the beginning, the services are free of charge for those who haven’t had a chance to get a grasp of heraldry either from their elders or books.

 

☩ AVEC DIEU ☩