What You Should Know About Coat Of Arms

A Coat of arms maker during the mediaeval periods used to create artistic designs on the armors of the knights. Its main purpose was identification of the competitors during battles or the tournaments. This all began from the Crusades of the 12th century and from then on are visible everywhere on the constructions of that period. You will come across these on the glass stained windows, various art forms and treasures. In those days if you wanted to enter a tournament it was crucial for you to have your own coat of arms to show. It worked as a nobility statement, your family standing during those times.

A symbol of great honor, it passed from one generation to the next as a part of the family heredity laws. As per the societal norms those days, the first son always inherited this along with the vast family estates. Younger sons also inherit the same but with the different signs within the middle of the coat of arms. This denoted his position according to family lineage. Cadency is the term denoting such traditions. In case of single daughters in the family, this went to her husband’s family, denoted by marshalling.

Coat of arms symbols were quite prestigious at that time and even today, many people are interested regarding their particular ancestral symbols. This gives in-depth information regarding the lineage and the particular ancestry. The complete development of such traditions related to genealogy and heraldry came about to express the belief - nobility has everything to do with blood and almost nothing with the services rendered. It consisted of 6 different parts together forming an arms achievement:

• The Shield: based on the time-period and associated geography it used to vary. Whatever it is, the main function of mediaeval shield was to establish the identity of knight and offer protection. It is difficult to describe a specific shield because these could be of numerous varieties. This contains many divisions and fields based on the background associated with it.
• The Crest: it refers to the hereditary secondary device for distinguishing the helm; it works mostly like the shield charge. Associated with the helmet, its presence began in the 12th century just after introduction of face guards.
• The Helm: this was for indicating the rank associated with the arms bearer. It could be either the full faced golden helm related to the royalty or closed visor steel helmet associated with the gentlemen.
• The Mantle: Mantle refers to the cloth pieces that the knights used to place on the neck for protection against heat. It also kept the spotlight on the crest and the arms.
• The Motto: these were optional and present above crest or below shield. It referred to the family’s philosophy or the surname.

If you wish to know more about coat of arms symbols and meanings and identify the ones related to your family, visit Heraldryandcrests.com. The website has all the information that you have been seeking.

About The Author

Heraldry and Crests is a firm that specializes in onomastic and heraldic research, with the most comprehensive research library of it's kind in the world, an existing data base of over 1,000,000 names, and a staff of highly trained specialists, they are able to provide the most accurate information currently available about the meaning and origin of family names, as well as the coat of arms associated with them.

Felicity Queen is an expert on the concept of family crests, coat of arms and heirlooms.