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Heraldry
Historically, heraldry began as a mark of identification in social intercourse and found its full flowering as a useful art in the Middle Ages, when it came to be used to distinguish the warriors on the battlefield. Originally, a knight was free to choose his own device, but by the 15th century, the multiplication of arms resulted in the complete systemization of the practice, and heraldry became an exact science. All armorial bearings came to be granted by the King, and all arms, both the recently granted and those established by right of ancient usage, were registered with the College of Arms, if English, or with similar agencies in continental countries. Even the terms used in heraldry became exact and a coat of arms was not described, but was blazoned. Terms for partition lines were developed such as engrailed, nebuly, inverted, dancety, embattled, etc. Charges (figures in the field) were of three kinds: the Ordinaries (chief, pale, bend, fess, chevron, cross, saltire, bar, baton, etc.), the Subordinaries (roundels, fusils, orle, annulets, cinquefoil, etc.) and the Common (hand, fish, lions, bears, birds, mullets, etc.). The colors used were: two metals: gold (or) and silver (argent): and five colors: red (gules), green (vert), blue (azure), black (sable) and purple (purpurs). The need for this means of identification declined with the passing of chivalry, but the custom was anchored in antiquity and had a definite appeal of its own. There have been a great many people, societies, and military establishments who insisted upon having a coat of arms, whether they had a right to them or not, and there were also a number of pretenders calling themselves heraldic artists, who were willing to supply anything for a price. A coat of arms does not necessarily belong to a person just because some one of the same surname bore it. He must prove descent from the owner. Marks and designs were used to mark a warrior’s armor and his surcoat,
which was the garment that he wore over his coat of mail. From this use
comes the expression coat of arms. These marks were not at first hereditary.
They gradually became so, however, and were recognized as evidence of
the wearer’s noble or gentle birth. The right to bear a certain
coat of arms came to be hereditary as early as 1390. In 1488 the Herald’s
College was incorporated by Richard III of England and it was their duty
to trace ancestry, to approve coats of arms, to confirm titles of honor,
and to examine claims to armorial rights. Some inherit their father’s
arms not equally but by law of cadency: that is, each son has added to
his inherited arms a particular sign indicating his order of birth.
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