Heraldry

1. Heraldry

2. What is Heraldry? • Heraldry is a special system of identification that developed during the Middle Ages in order to help distinguish fully armored knights on the battle and tournament field. • The origins of medieval heraldry probably lie in knights painting personal designs on their shields and on their clothing to help their allies recognize them. • These distinguishing devices were meant to be seen at a distance, so large designs and bright contrasting colors were used. • By the middle of the Thirteenth Century heraldry, with its rules was firmly in place along with a method of describing heraldic designs, was called "blazoning."

3. Examples • Heraldry refers to a coat of arms, full of symbols and colors that symbolize the beliefs of a person, family, community or group. Throughout time, people have created these symbols as a form of recognition or vanity.

5. What is a Herald? • Since rules invariably require someone to enforce them, a job was created to be filled by a specialist. That specialist is whom we today call a "herald." The herald oversaw tournaments, served as master-of-ceremony, acted as messenger and ambassador and cataloged the granting or adoption of arms.

6. Commonly, heralds would answer questions about the contestants for the watching ladies, knowing both the identity of the knights and even their famous deeds and victories. • One contemporary document, The History of William the Marshal, says that heralds in this function could make or break a man's reputation.

7. The Everyday Life of Heralds • While not at tournaments the knights and lords by whom heralds were employed would find other uses for them in their households often to make announcements and proclamations and serve as masters-of-ceremonies. One account tells us about heralds who were used as human alarm clocks to rouse their households in the morning to call them to church on time.

8. Not every herald was lucky enough to have the job security of continued employment in some lord or king’s household. Up until the middle of the fourteenth century, heralds were often confused with minstrels—they lived the same wandering kind of lifestyle and many of their duties were interchangeable. • In England, the first textual mentions of heralds are found in wardrobe accounts where heralds are often grouped together with minstrels, trumpeters, harpers and other performers. After all, heralds were known to sing and laud the praises of courageous knights at tournaments.