Heraldry  its origins and meanings

Heraldry is the science that studies armorial bearings

the coloured emblems pertaining to an individual or

family, their composition is governed by the rules of blazon.

The first arms that appeared on battlefields and at

tournaments were made to be seen at a distance.

Bright and contrasting colours and very stylised devices

helped to identify the bearer. More often, perhaps than in

wars, it was in tournaments that the 12th century knights

tended to use the unchanging codified heraldic marks as a

means of identification. From the mid 16th century

scholars realised how useful heraldry was for the study

of genealogical, dynastic and political history.

The term 'heraldry' derives from the word 'herald'

which itself stems from old german 'heriwald' and old french

'herault' meaning messenger. Heralds were first mentioned

in about 1170.