IDTG

Learning from the excellent publication of the Grand Priory of Spain of the Order of St. Lazarus I wrote about the other day, I decided to publish a concise list of heraldic privileges of the knights of the Order.

There are specific regulations that are applicable based on the rank as well as the specific office held by the knight.

Before going into the details, there are some rules that are applicable to all:

All knights may display the arms of the Order in either a chief or a canton. The arms of the Order are: Argent a cross Vert.

All knights may lay their shield on the cross of the order (a maltese cross vert).

Specific to the rank of the knight, the rules are:

• Knights: May suspend the insignia of the order from the bottom of their shield
• Commanders: May suspend the insignia from the flanks of their shield
• Grand Crosses: May have their shield encircled with the insignia
• Collared: Those who are either Grand Collars or have a collar of office may encircled their shield with the collar they are entitled too.

Specific to the office the knight may hold, the rules are:

• Grand Masters: May quarter the arms of the Order with their personal arms. They may display two scepters in saltire behind their shield
• Chancellors: May display a sword in pale behind their shield
• Heads of a Grand Chapter: May display a scepter in pale behind their shield
• Judges of Arms: May display a baton of office in pale and surmount their shield with the coronet of a king of arms
• Grand Marshals: May display two batons of office in saltire behind their shields
• Grand Auditors: May display a gold key in pale behind their shields
• Grand Treasurers: May display two gold keys in saltire behind their shields
• Grand Referendaries: May display a sword and a baton of office in saltire behind their shields
• Coadjutors: May display a scepter and baton office in saltire behind their shields

All high dignitaries and members of the Council have the additional right to display their arms in the pavillion of the Order. The pavillion is black, to denote the loss of the holy land to the muslims, and is charged with the cross of the order on the sinister side. The pavillion is surmounted with a closed eastern crown, showing the founding of the Order in the east.

Notes:

• Images by Fernando Martínez Larrañaga and Wikipedia
• I am not affiliated in any way with the Order of St. Lazarus

I had the honor of receiving the other day a preview version of the book “Libro de Armería de la Orden Militar y Hospitalaria de San Lázaro de Jerusalén” or “Armorial of the Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem”, of the Grand Priory of Spain.

This is a book of exquisite quality with a great deal of research having put into it by its authors: José María de Montells y Galán and Alfredo Escudero y Díaz-Madroñero, both heraldists of the highest caliber with a long array of publications each.

Montells y Galán is the Chief Herald of the Order of St. Lazarus for the Grand Priory of Spain. He has published a multitud of books on heraldry, orders of knighthood and historical research making him something of a “household name” of heraldry in the hispanic world.

Escudero y Díaz-Madroñero is the Chancellor of Valencia under the Grand Priory of Spain. He too has a long and enviable list of publications that has landed him at the top of the list of heraldic experts of the Spanish speaking world.

Both together, have come to create a book that looks at the heraldic history of the Order of St. Lazarus, demonstrate the richness of the institution and display an armorial of knights of the Grand Priory. The armorial also includes the arms of the supernumerary Royal knights of the Order, namely HM King Kigeli V of Rwanda, HIH Zera Yacob Amha Selassie, Crown Prince of Ethiopia, HH Abune Paulos Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and HRH the Infante Miguel of Portugal, Duke of Viseu.

Moreover, throughout the text one finds heraldic examples of what the text refers with displays of the arms or achievements of Grand Cross knights or Grand Masters.

Coincidentally, just like there are two authors of the text, there are two artists.

The heraldic emblazons were completed by the very talented heraldic artis Carlos Navarro Gazapo. His work is widely known in Spain and is considered by many to be at the top of his field in his country.

The designs were done by one of the well known Spanish heraldists, Fernando Martínez Larrañaga. He has been written about extensively by experts in Spain and has lent his expertise to many in his country.

For anyone who has a passion for heraldry, this would be a great addition to their library. For those who are members of the Order of St. Lazarus, I would consider this a must.

Many of the emblazons found in this publication can also be seen on the excellent site maintained by Navarro Gazapo.

Unfortunately, the Grand Priory of Spain does not have a web site therefore I cannot share a link to them. However, the two artists mentioned above do:

• Carlos Navarro Gazapo: http://heraldicahispanica.blogspot.com/
• Fernando Martínez Larrañaga: http://heraldistas.blogspot.com/

Note: Image by Fernando Martínez Larrañaga

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated in any way with the Order of St. Lazarus

The Order of the Golden Fleece is one of the premier Orders of chivalry in the world, with a distinct history and awarded only to highest nobility of Europe.

Founded in 1430 by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, it was considered to be the Catholic counter to the Order of the Garter. After the Habsburgs absorbed the Burgundian lands, the Grand Mastership of the Order passed to that noble House. However, in 1700 a dispute arose between the Habsburgs and the Borbons over the rights to the Spanish throne and the Grand Mastership of the Order. Ever since, there have been two distinct branches of the Order of the Golden Fleece: an Austrian one, under the Habsburgs and a Spanish one, under the Borbons.

Though the Order was originally a strictly Catholic Order, the Spanish branch has become a State Order and has admitted non-Catholics and non-Christians such as King Constantine II formerly of the Hellenes and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. On the other hand, the Habsburg branch has retained its Catholic character as a dynastic order of knighthood.

Considering the long and distinguished history of the order and, especially, its knights, it is no wonder that it has been studied extensively over the centuries. All knights, throughout its history, have been armigerous and numerous armorials have been produced.

Perhaps the most famous of all the armorials of the knights of the Golden Fleece is the “Grand Armorial of the Golden Fleece” or, as it is properly named “Grand Armorial de la Toison d’Or”. This seminal work is considered one of the most beautiful manuscripts created in the late Middle Ages, painted in gouache, and is currently preserved in the Bibliothèque nationale de France (National Library of France).

For any lover of heraldry or even for anyone that love art, this is an exceptional piece of work!

The National Library of France has done an exceptional job in bringing this manuscript to the online world so that everyone can access it. It even has an audio companion to the book that is a great aid to the visitor.

The URL to the work is: http://expositions.bnf.fr/livres/armorial/index.htm

The URL to the Bibliothèque nationale de France is: http://www.bnf.fr

Note: images from Wikipedia and the Bibliothèque nationale de France

One of the things my wife enjoys a great deal (and I suffer through) is the reality show on the Bravo channel called “The Real Housewives of New York City”.

One of the participants on the show called LuAnn de Lesseps (née Nadeau) and uses the title of “Countess”. The title comes from her now ex-husband, the current Count de Lesseps, Alexandre. The title was inherited through his paternal line from Ferdinand de Lesseps, the Frenchman who designed the Suez Canal and who presented the Statue of Liberty to the United States.

Let’s start with the Coat of Arms of the de Lesseps family displayed above. The image comes from Wikipedia and the blazon can be found in Jean-Baptiste Rietstap ”Armorial général” as

D’argent, à un cep de vigne de sinople, fruité de deux grappes de raisin de sable, le pied accosté de deux champignons de sinople, le tout soutenu d’une terrasse du même et acc. d’un soleil rayonnant de gueules, mouv. du canton senestre du chef.

Or, in English:

Argent, a vine Vert fructed of two bunches of grapes Sable, between in base two mushrooms Vert all supported by a terrace of the same, in sinister canton a sun rayonny Gules.

A very interesting Coat of Arms, though I would’ve expected something less “agricultural” from a family known for their diplomats and engineers all the way back to the 16^th century. However, I admit I know nothing of the de Lesseps family ancestral origins.

Since we’re talking about the de Lesseps and we touched upon LuAnn from the show “The Real Housewives of New York City”, this would be a good opportunity to answer the two big questions everyone has about her status as “Countess”:

1. How could she be a Countess since France has abolished the nobility?

The answer to this is very simple: The title is a courtesy title that is used only in social circles but has no legal standing whatsoever. In other words, the Count de Lesseps cannot and does not call himself “Count” in any formal legal documents in his home country of France, or anywhere else for that matter. The rule applies to all who claim a title of nobility from a country that no longer recognizes them legally. It is only in social circumstances such as social events, when making dinner reservations, etc. that the title is used and only in those cases. The only exception to the rule is when another country recognizes the title and this is not the case with the de Lesseps title.

2. How could she still be called Countess if she’s divorced from the actual Count?

Ms. LuAnn de Lesseps is not a Countess in her own right (i.e. the title is not hers) but had received it by virtue of marrying the Count, just like Kate Middleton is not The Duchess of Cambridge in her own right but is so because she’s married to The Duke of Cambridge. One would think that upon divorcing the Count, she would lose the title as well but, it is not the case. The former wife of a title-bearer usually retains the right to continue using the courtesy title of her ex-husband, if the ex-husband or Sovereign allows it. Since there isn’t a King of France anymore and titles are not recognized in the Republic of France, it is up to the actual title holder. Furthermore, the mother of the heir to the title also tends to keep the title.

Ms LuAnn would be able to continue the use of the title even if Count Alexandre de Lesseps remarries and the new wife will also be called Countess! However, here comes the key difference: LuAnn would be known as “Countess de Lesseps” whereas the new wife of the Count would be known as “The Countess de Lesseps”. The “The” makes all the difference in the world. In the case of royalty (royalty and nobility are not the same), we find occasions where the former wife of a Prince is called “Dowager Princess X”. This would’ve been the case in the event Princess Diana (note I did not use HRH as she lost that in the divorce) had survived to this day where HRH The Prince of Wales is remarried and she would be known as “The Dowager Princess of Wales”.

See also:

• Free online version of Rietstap’s Armoral General: http://www.euraldic.com/blas_aa.html
• Official site of the Real Housewives of New York City: http://www.bravotv.com/the-real-housewives-of-new-york-city
• Official site of LuAnn de Lesseps: http://www.luanndelesseps.com

Note: Image from Wikipedia

Barry University is one of the most respected private, Catholic universities in Florida with a long history of dedication to the education of its pupils.

Founded in 1940 by a Benedictine, the Most Reverend Patrick Barry, Bishop of St. Augustine, Florida together with his sister, the Reverend Mother M. Gerald Barry, prioress General of the Dominican Sisters of Adrian, Michigan, it has been an solid institution of learning in the state.

Not only that but, I drive by its main campus every day when commuting to work!

What is most interesting is the coat of arms of this university, mostly because it is an actual coat of arms and not a logo and because it has a story to tell.

Let’s start with the blazon: Impaled: Dexter, barry of six Gules and Argent on each bar Gules an open book Argent; Sinister, borne dimidiated, gyronny of eight Argent and Sable a cross fleury throughout counterchanged (Order of Preachers).

As the blazon implies, this is a shield marshalling (or combining) two other shields. The dexter (left) shield is based on that of its founder, Bishop Patrick Barry, using books instead of shamrocks. The books symbolize the acquisition of knowledge. The sinister shield is that of the Dominican Order with which the University is closely tied.

I should not here that my blazon differs slightly from that registered with the US Heraldic Registry in that I do not use the qualifier “entire” for the dexter arms.

Above you see the arms alone used by the university that were inspired by Bishop Barry’s.

Above you can see the Barry family arms on their own, as borne by the Bishop’s family.

Again the Barry arms impaled with the arms of the Diocese of St. Augustine, FL of which Patrick Barry was Bishop. The dexter arms are those of the Diocese, of course.

These arms are those of the Dominican Order or, officially, the Order of Preachers. The Gyronny Cross Flory symbolizes the veneration of the Virgin (the cross flory) and the Dominican habit: a long white tunic, contrasting with a black cloak, cappa (shoulder cape) and/or scapular. The black and white representing truth over heresy or good over evil. The cross alone is also known as the “Dominican Cross”.

Do you notice a difference between these arms and those on the sinister side of the University arms? The order of tinctures on the University arms are reversed!

Speaking of the Dominicans, you can find two different shields used by the Order. One (and the more famous) is the one with the cross flory depicted further up. The other, the one depicted just over these lines, is the one you tend to see more often these days and what is found on the official website of the Order. The blazon for this, simpler, shield is: Sable a pile reversed throughout Argent.

There are two things that strike me as odd in the arms of Barry University:

1. The Dominican arms that are dimidiated on the sinister side are wrong (reversed tinctures).
2. The Barry inspired arms are placed in the position of honor while one would expect the Order’s shield to be there. Apparently, this was a conscious decision by the leadership of the University at some point in its history. Originally, the order was reversed.
3. The dexter arms are shown in their entirety whereas the arms of the Order of Preachers is dimidiated. Usually, as can be seen in the Bishop’s arms above, when arms are marshalled via impaling they are both squeezed in their entirety into their respective portions.

Related links:

• Barry University: http://www.barry.edu/
• The Diocese of St. Augustine, FL: http://www.dosafl.com/
• The Order of Preachers: http://curia.op.org/
• Registration of the arms with the US Heraldic Registry: http://www.usheraldicregistry.com/index.php?n=Registrations.20061031A

(note: all images created by me with clipart from Wikipedia)