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Subject: [DNA-R1B1C7] THE HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF HERALDRY
Date: Sat, 1 Sep 2007 11:41:46 EDT

The Family coat of Arms was passed down generation after generation with
great continuity. A picture is better than a thousand words I want to call it a
Graphic family proprietary trade mark Maybe it was the first patent .It has
helped me with my Genealogy as much as DNA,and makes the legends more
believable. Gene
THE ORIGINS OF HERALDRY BEGAN SOMETIME IN THE ERA OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE AROUND
THE 1st CENTURY A.D. THE PRACTICE OF BEARING A SYMBOL (THE COUNTRY'S
NATIONAL SYMBOL) UPON THE SHIELDS OF THE SOLDIERS TO DESIGNATE TO WHICH ARMY THEY
BELONGED TO, AND TO HONOR THEIR NATION THAT OF WHICH THEY WERE FIGHTING FOR.
THIS PRACTICE STARTED TO SPREAD OVER THE CENTURIES TO OTHER COUNTRIES AND AGAIN
TO THEIR RESPECTIVE ARMIES. VIRTUALLY, ALL OF EUROPE, SCANDINAVIA, AND THE
COUNTRIES OF ASIA ALL ADOPTED THE COAT OF ARMS' PRACTICES.
DURING THE TIME OF THE MIDDLE AGES (MEDIEVAL ERA), THE PRACTICE OF BEARING
PERSONAL SYMBOLS, COLORS, AND DESIGNS UPON THE SHIELDS CAME INTO PLAY. THIS
WAS A MEANS TO DISTINGUISH INDIVIDUAL SOLDIERS AND TO WHICH ARMY THEY BELONGED
TO; THUS, AVOIDING THE KILLING OF YOUR OWN FELLOW SOLDIERS. BY THE 14th
CENTURY, THE PRACTICE WAS FURTHERED BY EMBROIDERING THE PERSONAL INSIGNIA ON THE
SURCOAT WHICH WAS WORN OVER THE SUIT OF ARMOR & MAIL - THIS IS WHERE THE TERM
"COAT OF ARMS" ORIGINATED.
THE 15th CENTURY BEGAN A NEW SET OF CHANGES RELATING TO PERSONAL, OR FAMILY
COATS OF ARMS. KING HENRY V OF ENGLAND HAD PASSED LAWS PROHIBITING THE
KNIGHTS AND OTHERS FROM FREELY DESIGNING & BEARING OF PERSONAL COATS OF ARMS (OR
"ARMORIAL BEARINGS"). IN 1483, THE HERALDS COLLEGE OF ENGLAND WAS ESTABLISHED
BY KING EDWARD IV OF ENGLAND TO OVERSEE AND REGULATE THE GRANTING OF COATS OF
ARMS TO ALL WHO WISHED THEM. WITH THIS NEW "FORMAL" SYSTEM OF REGULATION,
ALSO CAME LAWS ASSOCIATED WITH IT - SOME OF WHICH WERE DEVELOPED RELATING TO THE
FACT THAT COATS OF ARMS WERE NOT ONLY FOR INDIVIDUAL IDENTIFICATION FOR
BATTLE PURPOSES, BUT NOW INVOLVED INHERITED FAMILY IDENTIFICATION AND SOCIAL
STATUS AS WELL. IN A SHORT SPAN OF TIME, THE OTHER EUROPEAN NATIONS ESTABLISHED
THEIR RESPECTIVE HERALDS COLLEGES, OR COLLEGES OF ARMS.
SOME OF THE LAWS INCLUDE: ONLY A METAL CAN BE CHARGED UPON A COLOR, OR A
COLOR UPON A METAL - NEVER A METAL UPON A METAL, OR A COLOR UPON A COLOR. AND,
AS FAR AS INHERITING GOES, THE FIRST BORN MALE OF A FAMILY MAY INHERIT HIS
FATHER'S COAT OF ARMS UNCHANGED, BUT ANY SUBSEQUENT SONS MUST MAKE SOME FORM OF
CHANGE TO THE THEM OR ADOPT AN ENTIRELY NEW COAT OF ARMS. THE DAUGHTERS, ON
THE OTHER HAND, USUALLY ONLY INCORPORATED THEIR FAMILY'S COAT OF ARMS IN WITH
THEIR HUSBAND'S. THIS INCORPORATING OF COATS OF ARMS IS SEEN IN MANY
PARTITIONED, OR QUARTERED COATS OF ARMS, AND AS SEEN AMONG MOST OF THE EUROPEAN ROYAL
ARMORIALS.
TODAY, THE DESCENDANTS OF A PARTICULAR SURNAME MOST OFTEN ADOPTS THE COAT OF
ARMS OF THEIR ANCESTRAL SURNAMES, PRIMARILY THE OLDEST AND FIRST REGISTERED.
SOME AUTHORITIES SAY THIS PRACTICE IS WRONG, BUT SOME CONCLUDE THAT ASSUMING
THE FAMILY SURNAME AND BEARING OF IT OVER MANY GENERATIONS IS THE SAME
PRINCIPLE AND PRACTICE AS ASSUMING AND BEARING A FAMILY SURNAME COAT OF ARMS, AND
THUS JUSTIFIES IT. ALTHOUGH, AN INDIVIDUAL MAY REGISTER THEIR OWN COAT OF
ARMS WITH A COLLEGE OF ARMS, BUT THIS IS VERY SELDOM DONE RELATING TO THE
ENORMOUS EXPENSE (+/- $5000.00).



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