By the time of the late 14th and early 15th century the Herald had become a permanent fixture in the households of royalty and major nobility. Their primary functions was to act as emissaries, arrange tournaments and advise their master on matters relating to chivalry. While lesser nobles might have only one herald, the households of ruling dukes, princes and kings were more likely to have a number of Heralds with their own hierarchy according to experience and years of service. The Heraldic staff was headed by a King of Arms which was the highest ranking officer of Arms. The followers, known as “ Pursuivants” were apprentice Heralds. All Heralds wore the Coats of Arms of their master, together with...
Early references to Heralds in French medieval literature seem to suggest that they share a common ancestry with the minstrels, storytellers and messengers in the households of the nobility. Other 12th and 13th century writers refer to freelance individuals who followed the newly popular sport of Tournament Jousting or “ Tourneying” across Europe, employed to cry out the names of knights and recount their lineage and acts of prowess. The term “herald” seems to have its origins in the Old German word beerwald, meaning a caller or proclaimer to the army. Heralds became interested in matters armorial as at tournaments and in battle they needed to recognize and memorize the Coats of Arms of the participants. For the purpose of...
Although true Heraldry “ the systematic use of hereditary devices centered on the shield” officially originated only in the second quarter of the 12th century, by the end of the middle ages there were approximately 800,000 coats of arms recorded, many more than even the most knowledgeable of herald could memorize. Heraldic devices served not only to identify a knight in battle but were also legal marks on seals, boundary markers on property etc. This vital material was recorded Heraldic armorials or rolls. In addition to the Rolls mentioned in the two previous posts there are another 17 of importance from this early period, all from Great Britain.The Rolls are Heralds Roll ( 1279), Dering Roll ( 1280), Camden Roll...
The Heraldic Rolls of the early middle ages were not confined to England only. Early examples of Heraldic Rolls from elsewhere in Europe include The Wijnbergen Roll ( a Flemish roll dating from about 1280), The Codex Manesse ( A Roll from the early 1300’s), and the Zurich Wappenrolle ( mid 1300’s).The Wijnbergen Roll is the oldest known French heraldic manuscript. It was completed in 23 parts, the first, showing arms of the vassals of the Ile de France under Saint Louis, can be dated 1265-1270; the second, an armorial of the north of France, the Low Countries and Germany under Philippe III, is more difficult to date, but is a complement to the first, 1270-1285. The roll is entirely...
In England during the reign of Edward I ( 1239 - 1307 ), the language spoken in his court was French. Words such as Argent ( Silver), and Azure ( blue) were part of common speech. What came to be known as the blazon, the language of Heraldry, is derived for the most part from the specialized language of artists. To describe a shield exactly required a scientific approach to the language used, and the artisans tasked with creating the coat of arms for the knight or nobleman developed the heraldic language as we know it today. This language was one which was very new in Edward I’s day and was full of inconsistencies. In the Rolls of Edward 1,...
