IDTG

In today’s post, we’ll explore what is perhaps one of the fundamental rules of heraldry: the rule of tinctures.

As it is well known, there are five colors: Azure (blue), Gules (red), Purpure (purple), Sable (black) and Vert (green); and two metals: Or (gold/yellow) and Argent (silver/white). The rule of tinctures simply states that a color should not be placed on another color and that a metal should not be placed on a metal.

However, what does this mean?

It simply means that an element, whether it is an ordinary, a charge or anything else, cannot be of a color if what is immediately beneath it (field, other charge, etc) is also of a color. The same is true for metals.

It’s easily understood why it’s a bad idea to have, say, a lion Gules on a field Gules because what you’ll end up with is something red on a red background and the lion will barely be visible.

But, why the other restrictions? Why not have a bull Azure on a field Gules? What’s the big deal?

The answer can readily become apparent to us if we examine the use of heraldry at its onset in the Middle Ages.

As it has been discussed before, heraldry is (and always has been) a form of identification of an individual and his/her family. When heraldry was adopted it was so that knights and other warriors can identify themselves in the battlefield as they were all in identical suits of armor and their faces were hidden. It became an especially interesting problem where trying to identify knights from afar, perhaps even the length of a football or soccer field.

From such a distance, high contrast is needed to be able to easily identify the arms of friends and foes. Perhaps details are not visible (mullet of 5 vs. mullet of 6) but one can make out the divisions, ordinaries and get an idea of the charges. A great real life way of seeing this in action is to actually try it out at a park or even the beach.

Naturally, there are always exceptions to the rule and the most famous exception are the arms of the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem.

However, there are many more such examples throughout Europe and throughout the centuries. So much so, that the Cardinal Bruno Heim wrote a book about it called simply “Or & Argent”.

San Millán de la Cogolla, La Rioja

Alozaina, Málaga

Continuing in the series of “Controversial arms”, in this entry we’ll look at the various arms created over the years depicting Moors or disembodied Moor heads.

Once again, let’s look at the history of the subject first. The name “Moor” was used to identify those of north African descent and also covered Arabs. It used to apply to primarily Muslims of Berber, Arab and also Iberian descent. However, over the years it has become a synonym to black Africans and that is how the term “Moor” is blazoned. It may be due to the relation of the Spanish word for Moor being “Moro” and the Spanish word for a black person being “moreno”; both words having as it’s root the Greek word for black “μαύρο”.

The Moors, as it is well known, occupied the Iberian peninsula from the 8th through the 15th centuries and left behind innumerable works of spectacular art. Perhaps their most famous legacy in Spain are the Alhambra palace in Granada and the Great Mosque of Cordoba.

However, their legacy also has left a number of wars with their Christian neighbors in Europe and in particular the Spanish. Perhaps the most known series of wars between Christians and Moors was what is called the “Reconquista”, where the Christian Spaniards reclaimed the peninsula from the Muslims. During these centuries of warfare, it was common for the Christian nobles to flaunt their victories on their coats of arms. This is why we see so many shields with the heads of nameless Moors in Europe.

On a more pacifist side, depictions of Moors many times have deeply religious meanings and their blazoning is used to represent that. Perhaps the most famous coat of arms today depicting a Moor’s head is that of His Holiness the Pope Benedict XVI. His arms as Pope use some of the same charges as those arms he used when he was Archibishop of Munich & Freising and the Moor on this sheild is the “Freising Moor”. Though it is not certain who exactly it’s supposed to be, it is believed it is one of the following: Balthazar, St. Maurice, St. Zeno, St. Sigismund or St. Crobinian; all of which were (or thought to have been) Moors.

Boreyko coat of arms

Arms of Leonard Chamberlayne

We all know that heraldry started sometime during the Middle Ages, possibly around the 12th century and thus it predates all of the modern sensitivities. Sensitivities developed because of events that occurred over the centuries or because our society has changed and what was normal and accepted before, today is considered wrong, deplorable and even criminal.

Much of the heraldry of the world was created before any of these norms developed and therefore many would be considered controversial today and very few, if any, prospective armigers of today would adopt such arms.

Perhaps one of the most controversial images in the world today is that of the swastika, the hated symbol of the Nazi regime. A symbol used by the Nazi 3rd Reich responsible for the destruction of Europe during World War 2, the death of millions, countless atrocities and the Holocaust. A truly dark and disgraceful period of human history that should never again be repeated.

However, what may surprise many westerners, is that the symbol of the swastika has a more benign manifestation as well. In the historical record, we find it in areas such as Greece, Iran and the Indus valley. It appears to have been a very common pattern, due to its simplicity. Moreover, the symbol used to be called by it’s Greek name of gammadion or tetragammadion (named thus due to the similarity to the Greek letter “gamma” Γ) until the 19th century.

In eastern religions, the swastika is a symbol of the creator god Brahma (in Hinduism) and of Dharma or universal harmony (in Buddhism). Most surprising to today’s society is the use of the swastika pattern in Judaism! It has appeared in Kabbalistic work by Rabbi Eliezer Fischl and even on the floor of the synagogue at Ein Gedi in present day Israel, built 3rd century AD.

Even in the Americas, the symbol was widely used among the native tribes and displayed it with pride on their clothing and elsewhere.

Coming back to Europe, we find the swastika shape in various ornaments in Germany (pre-Nazism), Slavic countries, Finland and the Basque country of the Iberian peninsula. Other names given to the swastika or similar patterns in Europe is the “fylfot”, “kolovrat”, “swarzyca” and “labauro”.

Knowing this history of the symbol, tarnished by Nazism, we can then understand how it ended up on the coats of arms of various families, towns and regions. However, when blazoning a coat of arms, the term for this symbol is usually “fylfot” or even “cross cramponned” or “cramponnée” or “cramponny”; in other words, a cross potent with one arm of each “T” ending being broken off.

Finland has a special history with this symbol as it is evidenced by its continued use by official organizations of the government and military.

Standard of the Finnish Air Force Academy

Presidential standard of Finland

Boutell’s Heraldry is perhaps the most quoted and referred to text on heraldry ever written. Though it has an admittedly English bias, it is nevertheless required reading for anyone interested in the art and science of heraldry.

Originally published by Charles Boutell in 1863 as “Boutell’s Manual of Heraldry” , it has gone through a number of revisions with the latest being of 1983 by J.P. Brooke-Little, Clarenceux King of Arms. For almost 150 years, it has been the standard reference book for heraldry worldwide in general and English heraldry in particular. The detailed descriptions of of the rules surrounding heraldry from tinctures to supporters to crest coronets to badges to pennons are of immense value to the student of heraldry.

After having read it, more than a couple of times, I can honestly say that this is an excellent book for anyone that wants to seriously enter the world of heraldry. However, I would not recommend this book to the novice with just a curiosity on the subject for two main reasons: 1) the cost of the book is rather high and 2) it is a thick and dry book. For the absolute beginner, I would recommend Discoveries: Heraldry by Michel Pastoureau. Boutell’s Heraldry would be a great follow up book one would need to have after making the decision to continue on this path.

As mentioned in a previous entry on chivalric orders, members can display their decorations in their heraldic achievements.

Each order has it’s own rules on the display of the decorations but, they all have the same general guidelines. The lower level members typically have a decoration that is much like a military medal worn on the breast. These members can display the decoration suspended from the bottom of the shield, i.e. beneath the shield.

Higher level members may have what is termed a “breast star” that resembles (as the name implies) a large metal star with the insignia of the order. These breast stars are worn on the breast of the member and are much larger than the smaller medals worn by low level members. These individuals usually can display their decoration as well beneath their shield. (Below left: badge of the Most Venerable Order of St. John; Below right: Arms of Dr. Charles Drake, member of the Order)

The highest level members usually wear a decoration around the neck, much like an elaborate necklace or collar. These members can have that collar encircle their shield. (Below left: Collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece; Below right: Arms of HM the King of Spain)

As mentioned, these are the general rules of thumb but each order has it’s own specific rules. Sometimes, an order may explicitly state that another order (in general or specific) cannot be displayed with it. An example of such an order is the Légion d’honneur of France.

Also, there are orders that though they may have medals, ribbons and collars their members typically display their arms with something else. An example is the Order of the Garter whose members encircle their shield with the garter of the order. Though it is not unheard of to have both the garter and the collar, such as with the arms of John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough.

Then again, there are orders that, depending on the level of the member (usually senior levels), have a symbol of the order (typically a cross) behind the shield. These are not to be confused with supporters which have a meaning unto themselves. Examples of these orders are the Order of Malta and the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.

If the member has more than one decoration, they can display them all under or around the shield, depending on the type. There isn’t any known restriction on the number of decorations to display, other than matters of taste.