Heraldic Times — Augmentation RSS

CHARLES II AT BASCOBEL                   Rewarding their followers for service to the Crown and State has been the prerogative of rulers since time immemorial. In addition to the award of orders and decorations from medieval times rulers have used the “augmentation” of Coats of Arms to recognize or reward deeds or service by nobles. Augmentations are additions or changes to existing Coats of Arms and they is some way display the gratitude of the donor, usually a monarch. They are added either by “honor” when the grantee has performed deeds of merit, or by “grace” when the sovereign grants part of his or her Coat of Arms to a relative. Frequently the...

Augmentation, or augmentation of honor, is a term describing the addition to a coat of arms at a later date to the original granting of the arms. This augmentation is usually granted by a sovereign to commemorate worthy or illustrious deeds. These augmentations usually take the form of an escutcheon ( a smaller shield within the arms), a canton ( a square in the top left of the arms), or an additional charge to the arms.While most augmentations are simple as in the example above, there are also examples of over the top additions to arms such as that of the arms of Ross, image above. The original arms, Gules three estoiles in chevron between as many lions rampant argent...