A Brief Explanation of Heraldry An Achievement of Arms I am using the arms of The O'Conor Don to illustrate the various parts of an achievment of arms.  My choice is based on the fact that all components of the achievement are present.  Not all arms contain each of the various components. A Definition of Heraldry One defenition of heraldry is the art of blazoning, assigning, and marshalling a coat of arms.  Marshalling a coat of arms is the proper arrangement of armorial bearings to denote rank and condition, connection by marriage, or representation of families.  Heraldry is also defined as the hereditary systematic use of charges and devices on a shield.  In the broadest sense, however, the word heraldry includes the many duties performed by heralds, who were officers in the households of fuedal kings and powerful lords and who marshaled the lord's forces in time of war.  They acted as emissaries in both peace and war.  They would “cry defiance or demand surrender in time of siege.”  The herald's responsibilities included the identification those who had fallen in battle.  Also among the herald's duties were those associated with managing tournaments and other chivalrous ceremonies.  A new knight appearing at a tournament, would be introduced by the herald sounding his trumpet.  The competitor would appear with his helmet on and his visor closed, his face could not be seen.  The herald would, therefore, introduce the knight and explain the various armorial bearings on the shield or surcoat that each knight wore.  These duties required knowledge of the emblems borne by each knight on his shield, banner and coat -armor.  It is from the function of recording these emblems, that we get both the definition of heraldry above as well as the definition of blazoning below. The word, heraldry, is derived from the German words heer, meaning an army, and held, meaning a champion.  The term blazon, meaning the manner in which arms are described and recorded is probably derived from the German word blazen, meaning to blow the horn.  The language of blazoning used in in the British Isles is derived from the Norman French. The term, ‘coat of arms’ generally is used to refer to the shield (escutcheon) and the various devices and charges on it.  These various designs were, however, repeated on the surcoat worn over the armor and the term 'coat of arms' is derived from this practice.  Sometimes the term‘coat of arms’ is used to describe the shield together with the crested helmet, mantling and other accessories.  This full display is, however, more correctly called the achievement.  One common error is to refer to the achievement, or the shield itself, as the crest. The crest is actually the emblem that appears above the helm, in the achievement of arms.  Not every grant of arms contains a blazon for a crest and in some heraldic traditions, most notably the French, crests are not generally used.  The belief is that the crest was adopted as a way to identify the higher ranking knights on the field of battle.  The arms of the O’Conor Don are an uprooted oak tree but the crest is an arm in armor, the hand holding a sword which is sometimes entwined with a serpent.  The sword arm-and-serpent motif is a very common crest device among the old Gaelic families Most of the earliest coats of arms were very simple.  The shield might display a chevron or fess; a lion rampant or a cross; or perhaps, an arrangement of fleurs-de-lis.  Gradually, however, over the years, the designs became more comples and other more complicated arrangements were adopted.  When amigerous individuals (those with a grant of arms) intermarried, the practice of quartering (incorporating the arms of other families) developed.  As time progressed these quarterings could get highly complex. A Brief Explanation of the Blazon of Arms As shown above, an achievement of arms is made up of several parts: the escutcheon or shield; the mantling; the helm; the torse or wreath; charges, and the crest (note: not all arms have crests).  Peers, some chiefs and certain knights are entitled to supporters.  This entitlement would be contained in the original grant of arms or might be awarded at a later date.  These human or animal figures holding up the shield are always emblems of a personal nature and are not to be used by the other members of the family.  The supporters displayed might be human, avian, animal or heraldic beast.  Usually they were displyed on either side of the shield, but there are examples of only one supporter being used.  They could be similar but often they are not.  The illustration above shows supporters in the form of red (Gules) lions rampant with gold (Or) harps of Ireland on their shoulders.    Simply put, blazoning is the written description of armorial bearings.  The description of the coat of arms, therefore, is called the blazon of arms.  The blazon is, in reality, simply a system of code words to denote colors (tinctures), placement, and styling by using as few words as possible.  Writing materials were expensive in medieval times and often the arms needed to be described quickly; drawing them would have been expensive and impractical.  In many ways, the manner in which arms are illustrated is more a matter of the artist's preference or the herald’s style, than the result of the written blazon which simply indicates the basic description of the devices and their tinctures. The mantling and the banners for names and mottoes, for example, are not an official element of the blazon of arms.  Mottoes were freely adopted and could change at the bearers will.  The helm, likewise, is not a part of the official blazon, nor is the compartment, if any.  There are rules governing the type of helm according to rank, generally today, however, these rules are followed only in very formal circumstances. The blazon for the above achievement of arms (The O'Conor Don) is as follows: Arms:  Argent an oak tree eradicated and acorned proper Crest:  an arm in armor embowed holding a sword entwined with a serpent all proper Supporters:  two lions rampant gules each gorged with an antique crown and charged on the shoulder with a harp of Ireland or Elements of an Achievement of Arms ESCUTCHEON or SHIELD:  The tinctures and charges (lions, designs, etc. that appear on the shield) are a part of the official blazon.  The shape of the shield is not and it may vary according to the country of origin or the time period involved. CREST:  Generally a part of the official blazon, when one is specified in the grant of arms.  The crest is the device that appears above the helm.  (Note that there is not always a crest for every coat of arms and when the crest is unspecified in a grant of arms, the amigerous individual may adopt a crest.)   HELM or HELMET:  Not a part of the official blazon, the helmet varies with the bearer's rank, the century represented, or the herald's or artist's preference.   TORSE or WREATH:  Not a part of the official blazon, the wreath usually consists of the primary color and metal.  The torse has been described as being used to fasten the crest to the helm or to cover the joint between the two. MANTLE or MANTLING:  Not a part of the official blazon (although sometimes the colors are specified), the design varies with the herald's or artist's preference.  This is said to represent the cloth that hung from the wreath and protected the back of the head and neck, even though it be drawn more like the leaves of a plant. Heraldry II