The Collin Heraldry Room

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First, I should explain just what a coat of arms is. The proper name is an Armourial Achievement. This is a device granted by a monarch (or a delegated authority) to an individual of good standing or high achievement. They began as simple identifications for knights in battle, and have evovled into more complex forms over the centuries. They still act as pictorial identifications however - the earliest form of logo!

The most important misconception about Heraldry is the concept of "Family Coats of Arms". An acheivement can only belong to one person at a time! In can be inheirited, but just because your name is "Bloggins" does not mean you can use a "Bloggins" achievement. Use of arms that you are not entitled to is immoral at best, and in some countries, can be illegal!

A Heraldic Achievement consists of the following parts:

Shield

Painted with the "Coat of Arms". The coat was once the cloth covering the knight's armour.

Helm

The helmet. There are different styles, depending on the rank of the bearer.

Torse or Wreath

A wreath in the livery colours. This holds the mantle onto the helmet.

Mantle

Originally, cloth that covered the helmet to protect the wearer from the hot sun. In the livery colours, and often shown as if torn in battle.

Crest

Originally placed on the helmet. Additional identification.

Supporter

A figure holding up the shield. Used to indicate high rank or importance.

Compartment

The place that the supporters stand on.

Motto

A special saying.

The arms of a gentlman contain the shield, a plain helm, aimed to the right (the left as you are looking at the picture), a torse, and crest. They could contain a motto as well. This graphic shows the shield. We can describe what you see using a special language called Emblazoning. This is a special language used to describe an achievement. Mine are:

Vert a griffin segreant Or.

This means, on a green shield, a female griffin (a beast with the body of a lion, and the head, forearms, and wings of an eagle), coloured gold, standing, facing right (left as you are looking at the picture), with the forepaws in the air. My crest is A griffin's head collared erased. This means the head of a griffon that is torn off rather than cut, leaving jagged edges, and with a collar around the neck. Very simple!

The Canadian coat of arms is much more complicated. Here, you can see all the parts - including a shield that is divided into areas, each with the coat of arms of the founding nations of Canada (this is known as quartering). You can also see the helmet of royalty, supporters, motto, flags, and all kinds of things showing the status of a country. The arms are emblazoned:

Tierced in fesse the first and second divisions containing the quarterly coat following namely, 1st, Gules three lions passant guardant in pale Or, 2nd, Or, a lion rampant within a double tressure flory-counter-flory Gules, 3rd, Azure, a harp Or stringed Argent, 4th, Azure, three fleurs-de-lis Or, and the third division Argent, three maple leaves conjoined on one stem proper. And upon a royal helmet mantled Argent doubled Gules the Crest, that is to say, On a wreath of the colours Argent and Gules, a lion passant guardant Or, imperially crowned proper and holding in the dexter paw a maple leaf Gules. And for Supporters, On the dexter a lion rampant Or holding a lance Argent, point Or, flying therefrom to the dexter, the Union Flag and on the sinister, A unicorn Argent armed, crined and ungulled Or gorged with a coronet composed of crosses - patee and fleur-de-lis, a chain affixed thereto reflexed of the last, and holding a like lance flying therefrom to the sinister a banner Azure charged with three fleurs-de-les Or; the whole ensigned with the Imperial Crown proper, and below the shield upon a wreath composed of roses, thistles, shamrocks and lillies a scroll Azure inscribed with the motto - A mari usque ad mare.

Phew! Try running that through your spell checker! While it looks very complicated, the language is very precise. A person knowledgeable in heraldry could understand the blazon (or description), and a heraldic artist could draw it.

Here are a few useful links:

The Heraldry Society of Canada, which is devoted to the study of Heraldry in all it's aspects, particularly in Canada. Two of the greatest achievements of this society include: the publishing of Beddoe's Canadian Heraldry, an excellent book about arms in general, the heraldry of Canada, and listings of armigerous individuals, schools, cities, and corporations, et cetera of Canada, and second, the formation in 1992 of the Canadian Heraldic Authority, which is the official agency of the Crown responsible for granting arms within Canada.

The College of Arms, which is the official arms granting agency in England. They also have a page listing fees - a grant of arms to an individual is currently around Cdn$5500.

The Heraldry Home Page, which has many useful links. There are a couple to some of the "if your name is here, we will sell you a picture of your arms" shops. These are known as "bucket shops" to knowledgeable heraldists, and their activities either border on the illegal, or often cross it. Be careful!