Medieval Heraldry And the story of Shakespeare’s Coat of Arms Learn the tools to become a herald and create your own Coat of Arms! Medieval Heraldry Heraldry was very important during the Middle Ages. Heraldry helped knights identify each other during battle. Noble Families designed patterns and symbols to paint on their shields that would represent their family. These shields were called coats of arms and were proudly displayed on doors, furniture and plates, as well as shields. A herald went to school at a very young age and learned to read and write. They had to memorize all the coats of arms that were in existence and heralds were used in battles to help determine the positions of the enemy on the battlefields. Heralds had their own language for describing the shields, called Blazon. Let’s begin by looking at the Colours, which were also called tinctures. The Medieval Heralds used seven tinctures divided into two groups – metals and colours. The rule of tincture is important and has to be followed. The rule is metal on colour, or colour on metal, but not metal on metal or colour on colour. Colours Name Colour Meaning Gules Bright Red Warrior, military strength Azure Blue Truth and loyalty Vert Green Hope, Joy Purpure Purple Royalty, Justice Sable Black Constancy, Grief Metals Name Colour Meaning Or Gold (yellow) Generosity, intelligence Argent Silver (white) Peace, Sincerity BACKGROUNDS or ORDINARIES Ordinaries are the simple shapes used on heraldic shields. Remember the rule of tincture applies –colour on metal or metal on colour. The background can also be divided into sections. Here are some different types of sections. Backgrounds can also have different kinds of lines on them, as shown below. There is a lot to learn if you want to be a herald! CHARGES, or EMBLEMS After the background the charges were emblems added to the shield on to the ‘ordinary.’ Each of these have meanings also. Here are some examples, however, there are many more! For your coat, you can choose anything that is meaningful to you, in any way! o Arm or hand : leadership o Fish : virtuous, true, generous o Arrow : readiness for battle o Goat : diplomacy o Bear : strength o Harp : well composed, tempered o Bee : industrious o Heart : charity, sincerity o Book : wise, counsel o Horseshoe : good luck, safeguard o Bow and arrow : war, power against evil o Candle (lamp) : light, life and o Lamb : gentleness, patience spirituality o Lion : courage o Castle/tower : safety o Tree : strength o Crow : strategist in battle, o Owl : vigilant watchful o Pine cone : life o Church : religious, faith o Pitcher : service o Column : fortitude and o Plant : hope and joy consistency o Rabbit : peacefulness, quietness o Cross : faith, Christianity, o Rainbow : good times after bad service in crusades o Rose : joy, love o Crown : royal o Snake : wisdom o Dove : peace, good tidings o Sun : glory, splendour o Dragon : valiant defender, o Tiger : fierceness, dangerous if protection aroused o Eagle : noble, strength, bravery o Unicorn : virtue and strength and alertness o Vine : strong and lasting o Feathers : obedience friendship o Fire : zealousness If using an animal charge, their posture would also be noted. o Rearing up (rampant) - like the lion and the hare in the pictures o Standing (statant) - like the dog o For birds, with wings outstretched (displayed) - like the eagle o Walking along (passant) - like the other lion Let’s Practice! Here are a few examples of how a herald would describe a coat of arms. Description: Per chevron inverted vert and azure, A serpant or, and a tower or. Meanings: Joy and Loyalty, consistency and wisdom Description: Quarterly, agent and azure A dove on azure quarters or, and a Cross on argent quarters, gules. Meanings: Sincere Loyalty, peace and faith. Now, you try! Description: Meanings: Description: Meanings: List some of the charges that would have meaning for you, and what those meanings would be: The History of Shakespeare’s Coat of Arms As England moved into the Elizabethan era, coats of arms became less of something worn in battle, and more of a symbol of social mobility. Shakespeare’s father, John Shakespeare, a glover and leather worker, had applied for a coat of arms sometime in the late 1560s or early 1570s. However, this initial application was never pursued to completion. The reasons why have been speculated throughout history, that John Shakespeare’s business began faltering, and that he had also been dabbling in the illegal wool trade. In October of 1596, after William Shakespeare had gained success as an actor and playwright, the application was renewed for John Shakespeare. It is speculated that William Shakespeare paid for this application in order to have the class status as a gentleman transfer to him as well. Actors at this time were never considered gentry, and when it was approved, there was an error on the family motto (“Non sans droict” means “not without right”), however, there was an error in the grammar, and initially it read, “Non, sans droict”, implying, “No. Without right,” as if the Shakespeare family had not earned the coat legitimately. It was changed, but there continued to be controversy surrounding it. Ben Johnson, a fellow contemporary of Will Shakespeare’s, wrote a play in 1599 containing a character written as a clown who applies ridiculously for a coat of arms, in which he seems to mock Shakespeare’s motto. In the play, this character wants a coat of arms with a decapitated boar’s head with the motto, “Not Without Mustard!” Shakespeare may have even had to have acted in this play with the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, and endured this kind of jeering. However, the coat of arms was granted, and Excerpt from Ben Johnson’s Every Man Out of His Humour, 1599 William was able to furthermore sign his name with “Gent.” after it. Recent documents have been found that show the actual document that the herald would have recorded at the time that it was approved in the 17th century. You can see Shakespeare’s crest on the third row, fourth column. If you look veeeery closely at the document, on the third row, first column, you will see the family name of Washington. It turns out that Laurence Washington, great-great-great grandfather of George, also had his crest on this document! Shakespeare is right here!! Now, for YOUR own Coat of Arms! Think back to some of those charges that had meaning to you. Which colors and ordinaries did you like the best? If you had a family motto, what would it be? Use this page to sketch some ideas for your coat of arms. When you think you have it, use the last page for your final art. Send a photograph to [email protected] to be entered into a holiday art contest! The winner will be announced after the New Year, and will get a special prize! Tell us about it! Family Name: ___________________________________________________ Motto: __________________________________________________________ Heraldic Description of my shield: _________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Meaning behind shield: ___________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Congratulations! You have now passed heraldry school and can march to battle helping your fellow knights recognize you on the battlefield! Further Readings for more study… https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/guide-to-heraldry .