Heraldry of Great Britain and the Commonwealth 1 Quiz

Answer: The proclamation and conduct of tournaments

Heralds first appeared in the 12th Century as Officers connected with Tournaments. Over time, this function developed into what we now often understand as the duties of the Herald. The incorrect answers above were the additional duties that had developed by around the 14th Century. To enable the Herald to perform his duty effectively, he had to be able to recognise men from the devices displayed on their shields and flags.

In the modern world, Heralds still appear at State Occasions, but their role has now taken on a more genealogical function.

Heralds were recently involved in the designing of the new Arms for Kate Middleton's family prior to her recent marriage to Prince William, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Answer: King Henry I of England

This shield was described by Geoffrey's biographer, John of Marmoutier, as a shield figured with golden lions. An enamelled plate, that was at one time, fixed on Geoffrey's tomb shows his shield as blue in colour bearing these golden lions. These later became the Arms of William Longespee, Earl of Salisbury, who was Geoffrey's grandson and an illegitimate son of King Henry II.

Answer: Ordinaries

These coloured bands became known as 'ordinaries' on account of their usage becoming so common and, in ancient heraldry, they varied in width and depth both by design and by the whim of the artist painting them.

Answer: Argent, a chief gules

In heraldry Silver, or Argent, is usually represented with white. The term 'undifferenced' means that we are looking at the basic shield with no further adornments. The incorrect answer 'Or, a saltire and chief gules', describes the Arms of the Scottish Bruce family, a shield in gold emblazoned with a red saltire cross and a red band at the top.
The incorrect answer 'Gyronny of eight, or and sable' describes the Arms of another Scottish family, the Campbells, a shield of gold cut vertically, horizontally and diagonally into eight sections, each section alternately coloured gold and black.
The incorrect answer 'Checky gules and argent' describes the Arms of the Irish Mooney family, a shield painted like a chessboard with each alternate square coloured red or silver.

Answer: A Label

This label is a charge or 'Mark of Cadency', used by the eldest son on his Arms during the lifetime of his father. On the succession of the eldest son, he will then adopt the Arms and Title of his father. The label will then be passed on to the eldest son of the new holder of the Title. These labels do not apply to Arms concerned with Royal Heraldry however.

Answer: Silver, Blue, Green, Red

Within heraldry the colours silver and gold ('argent' and 'or') are represented by white and yellow respectively. The other seven colours used are blue (azure), red (gules), black (sable), green (vert), orange/tawny (tenne), blood red (sanguine) and purpley red (murrey).

Answer: Emblazoning

Blazoning is the term used when verbally describing the arms on the shield; emblazoning is actually carrying out the process.

Answer: The Chief

The shield is divided into a number of areas known as parts and points, with each part and point having a name. The top edge of the shield is known as the 'Chief' and the point at the bottom is known as the 'Base'. The point centrally and a third of the way up the face of the shield from the base is known as the 'Nombril or Navel Point'.

Answer: Letters Patent

Letters Patent are granted by an Officer of the Crown known as 'Kings of Arms'. It has been impossible to acquire a legal title to bear Arms through any other route than by inheritance according to the Law of Arms, or by a grant or confirmation of Arms from the authorities since 1481. To be granted the right through inheritance, the applicant must be able to prove a legitimate male descent from a person that received a grant of arms.

It would be advisable to avoid companies offering such Arms based on a surname alone as these devices are not legal Coats of Arms!

Answer: A Tressure

An example of a tressure may be seen displayed on the Royal Arms of Scotland: 'Or, a lion rampant gules armed and langued azure, within a double tressure flory counter-flory gules'. The tressure is the framework that encloses the lion within.

Answer: Statant Reguardant

We are now getting into the more complex ways of describing how charges on a shield are depicted. As a general rule, any beast (a Lion in the following examples) described as 'Rampant' will be stood erect, have one hind paw on the ground, the other three raised, the Lion looking forward with its tail also erect.

A Lion 'Statant' will be depicted standing with all four paws on the ground, looking forward and the tail curved over the back. A Lion 'Sejant Erect' will be seen seated, looking forward with the tail passing between the hind legs and its end erect with its forepaws raised.

The term 'Queue Fourche' applies to a beast that possesses a forked tail.

Answer: King Edward III

The insignia of this order consists of a garter of blue velvet and is worn below the left knee, buckled and looped, by the male members of The Order. Ladies of The Order wear the garter above the left elbow. A Collar, similar to a Mayoral Chain of Office, is made from gold and enamel and has a pendant of St. George from it.

A Star of chipped silver, gold and enamel is also present as is a pendant of gold known as 'The Lesser George'. The Star and the Lesser George are never worn with the Collar. Membership of the Order is limited to the Sovereign, the Prince of Wales and no more than 24 Knights known as Companions.

Answer: England, Scotland, Ireland and France

The Arms of Canada are based on the Royal Arms. The shield is quartered with the Coats of England, Scotland, Ireland and France - the four nations from which Canada's population is mainly drawn - with a 'sprig of three maple leaves proper on argent in the base'.

Answer: The lion

The lion has been used as a charge since armorial insignia first appeared and has been used by both Kings of England and Scotland. The lion also appears within the Arms of The Prince of Wales and the Kings of Norway and Denmark. Among the lesser noble families in Britain, the lion has been used within the Arms of the Bohun, FitzAlan and Lacy families.
The deer appears as a charge on the Arms of the Dogherty family, the cat appears in the Arms of the Catton family and the bear appears as the badge for the Earls of Warwick.

Answer: Dieu et mon Droit

The Royal Motto is considered to have evolved from a war-cry. 'Templa quam dilecta' (How dear are the Temples) is the motto of the Temple family, 'Adhuc hic hesterna (The things of yesterday are still here) is the motto of Chichester Rural District Council and is also a play on words as the name 'Chichester' appears as a word within the motto and 'Ne vile velis' (Form no mean wish) is the motto of the Neville family.