Herald's Gallery

Herald's Gallery was created by jzen

Share your adventures into heraldry here! Post pictures of your coats of arms. In progress or completed... it doesn't matter. Feel free to share what your doing!

---

Squire to Wescli Wardest
IDP Journal

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Replied by Acanthos on topic Herald's Gallery

What I'm currently considering using, in some arrangement yet to be decided...

Grandfathers wartime military symbols;

and

Father's service symbol, wartime;

and peacetime symbol;

So there is some interesting things there, arrows, lightning, sword, staff... and colours. I'm sure I'll be able to come up with something!!!!!

---

極代 ~ per ardua ad astra

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Replied by Wescli Wardest on topic Herald's Gallery

I have been looking at my families crests, for my mom's and dad's side, and referencing an online site that explains some of the symbols... Heraldry Glossary

Mother's

Father's

This is mostly for research. I have always identified more with my Mother's Irish warrior, tribal ancestry more than my Father's German ancestry. That said, I have also always had a strong connection with my Native American ancestry. So... I may use articles form of those and maybe even give it a bit of a "tribal" touch.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Replied by jzen on topic Herald's Gallery

Senan wrote: My families are mainly Irish and Scottish so there is already a precedent set for heraldry on both sides, but I think I am going to go my own direction while incorporating some pieces of the past.

That's what I'm going to do. I have the Scots Irish on my dad's side and the French/German on my mom's that I'm going to incorporate. When I do my divisions, I'll have a portion of their arms for 2 quadrants Also, I have more lessons coming, lol...

---

Squire to Wescli Wardest
IDP Journal

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Replied by Senan on topic Herald's Gallery

Heraldry

1) Lesson One - History

After reading the history of Heraldry and having a better understanding of the various pieces included in a crest, I have decided to begin creating my own crest for use here at the Monastic Order of Knights. I am beginning by creating the escutcheon (shield) based on the existing designs of my two family coat of arms representing my surname “Hay” and my mother’s maiden name “Flynn”.

The rest of the crest contains the knight’s helmet, mantling, the MOoK emblem where the order goes, and the motto banner containing a personal motto of mine, “per fraternitate consurgamus” meaning “in brotherhood, we rise”.

2) Lesson Two - Shape

For my shield, I utilized the escutcheon in the traditional “heater” shape.

3) Lesson Three - Colors

Because my shield is divided into two sections, the top is a field of argent as was the field on the Hay Crest. Argent signifies truth, sincerity, peace, innocence and purity. The lower field is azure as it was on the Flynn Crest. Azure signifies loyalty, chastity, truth, strength and faith.

4) Lesson Four - Divisions

The field is divided into the two parts using a party per fess to divide the field horizontally. The division, however, is not at the exact midpoint, but rather using a division line to create a horizontal band across the upper portion of the shield known as a Chief Ordinary.

5) Lesson Five – Ordinaries and Subordinaries

As mentioned above, I am employing the Chief Ordinary to create a field along the top third of the escutcheon that displays the Hay coat of arms. The lower field is the Flynn coat of arms. The two fields are separated by a simple line division.

The Chief Ordinary contains three shield subordinaries taken from the Hay crest. These red shields represent the father and two sons of the Hay family who rallied the retreating Scottish army and led them to defeat the advancing Danes in 980 A.D. The story goes that the defeated Scottish army was retreating through a narrow pass on the Hay land when the farmer and his two sons came upon them. The Hays let them through and then held the Danes at the pass long enough for the Scottish to regroup and then launch a counterattack led by the Hay elder and his sons. The Danes were defeated and the Hays were rewarded with more land and the coat of arms.

The lower field also contains subordinaries in the form of three gold circles. These circles are taken from the Flynn crest and represent gold coins. These are symbols conveying that the namesake carrying the shield is worthy of trust and can be trusted to guard great treasures.

6) Lesson Six - Diminutives

I will not be employing any diminutives on my crest.

7) Lesson Seven – Charges

My crest contains a charge taken from the Flynn crest in the form of a wolf in the passant pose. This wolf represents the rewards of perseverance. The pose is striding forward to represent the constant march toward progress.

---

First Knight (Nov 26th, 2018)

Battlefield Commission - Knight
Apprentice to Wescli Wardest

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Replied by Wescli Wardest on topic Herald's Gallery

Wow! That looks great!

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Replied by Wescli Wardest on topic Herald's Gallery

Lesson - 1

Lesson 1 - History
I knew some about heraldry but having it here for us to take part in lead me to not only read the lessons here but go into much more research. Let me tell you now, there is a LOT out there! I know and have many of my family’s crests. And going on this adventure gave me a lot of insight into the crests I have known and looked at for years.

My daughter has even gotten into it. LOL

All this in mind, I have an idea of the things I should put into my own crest for MOoK. I want to blend aspects of my family into it but I want to make sure it says something about me. As I believe it should since it will be my crest.

My family has some nobility in it, mercenaries; have gone on crusades, held castles and there are some who have no heraldry as we would understand by these lessons like my Native American heritage. Yes, I am a mutt. LOL
Speaking of the Native American in my lineage, I have decided to use a Bear charge. Then I want to place in aspects that reflect not only the monastic aspects of my life but also my military exploits.

Lesson - 2

Lesson 2 - Shape
My Escutcheon is going to be a heater shield. I debated about using the kite shield to symbolize the earliest records of my family and their exploits in the crusades; but, even those that were there at that time used the heater shield. So if it was good enough for them, than I see no reason to deviate.

Lesson - 3

Lesson 3 - Colors
Even though my crest is predominately green (vert) and gold (or) there are four major colors. Green, Black and Gold are the predominate colors in almost all my family crests. And each has significance. But I also wanted to add gold because of my life and adventures in Jediism and now here at The Monastic Order of Knights where my primary mission is elevation of spirit and mind and service to others including generosity.

Let me list the colors and their common meaning, what they stand for in heraldry.

Silver/White (Argent) Peace and sincerity

Gold (Or) Generosity and elevation of mind

Green (Vert) Hope, joy, and loyalty to love

Black (Sable) Constancy or grief

Silver for what I strive for, the affect I hope the path I choose will bring to others and myself. Gold is there to represent my own journey towards enlightenment and service. Green is for the love in my heart, the joy I hope to spread and to remind me of the loyalty I not only owe others but myself as well. It is also the major color in most of my family crests. And last but definitely not least; because it plays such a role in my history, black. Black is there to show the constancy my family has but to also tell about the griefs we have suffered. Especially the Native American side of my family and their history.

Lesson - 4

Lesson four - Divisions
Believe it or not, I went through several field divisions until one finally spoke to me. Most my family crests are either a solid color or have a fess but only one has a division. And that division just didn’t feel right. I chose to use the party sinister bend.

There are two fields created by this bend and they represent my ties to the old world and the new.
This division, in heraldry, is also representative of a knight, commander; and/or signifies defense or protection.

Lesson - 5

Lesson five – Ordinaries and Subordinaries
The escutcheon is divided into two fields by a party sinister bend. And those are separated by a sinister bend fess. This separating fess is supposed to represent the grief that has been between the two fields, being the old world and the new. It is also to remind us of the grief that was, and still exists, in the old world, new world, past and present that we have to combat. That we have to constantly combat and that I have tried to do my whole life. It also represents the transition period between when I was a child and when I became who I am now.

Lesson - 6

Lesson six - diminutives
In the field representing my ties to the old world I chose to use a Chequy diminutive. This particular one stands for constancy. In the grand scheme of things, year 1147 really isn’t that long ago. But that is just when my family shows up in written history we have now and can confirm. But compared to how long the country I live in has been the country it is now, that’s a pretty good long time. So I wanted to add something that shows the constancy and longevity of my European heritage.

Lesson - 7

Lesson seven – charges
The Bear! The bear is not a common animal charge used in European heraldry. That said, it is used from time to time. Traditionally the bear represents Strength, cunning, ferocity in the protection of one's kindred. I chose this to represent an aspect of my heritage that does use the bear in their symbolism quite often, the Native Americans. And because my heritage is also a lot Irish, Scotch-Irish I chose to use the couped head that is more common when they do use the bear. But… this is a modern heraldic crest so I took some liberty and gave the bear head a more modern look. That is to represent me, in my era, in America.

Additional information on items in my heraldic crest

Things in my heraldic crest not covered in depth in the current lessons.
Like I said before, I did a LOT of research once I started this journey and found a lot of information. A lot. And that was a lot of fun. These are great lessons that can get one interested and set one out on a fun adventure of exploration and learning.

I am going to cover the helmet, torse and mantle and why I chose what I did.

Helmet...
First, the helmet. All my family crests have helmets and I was curious as to their meaning. Especially since not all the helmets were the same in ever crest. We do have high nobility in the family history but it is not common. We do have a lot of knights and esquires, dukes and barons. And I have been knighted, So… I have to have a helmet! I am not high nobility so I can not have a face on helmet. After a lot of research I feel the one that fits best is the closed face, side facing helmet.

Torse/Mantle...
There is a lot of confusion, miss-information and speculation as to the purpose of the torse. I have been trained in medieval combat and combat and I have researched not only heraldry but armor, weapons, customs and clothing of the times when heraldry came to light. From what I can figure, the torse, even though it is separate from the mantle in heraldry, looks to be the part of the mantle that holds it to the helmet. I believe, from everything I have read and what I have learned over the years, which the torse/mantle came into existence during the 12th century at the time of the crusades. (about the time that heraldry really came into its own and began to standardize with people that specialize in heraldry) The mantle is thought to have been worn to keep the elements off the armor and help protect the wearer from injury. Which the latter of that seems a bit farfetched to me. I believe that during the time of the crusades there were lots of peoples from all over Europe coming together and large armies of amalgamated troops were forming. The mantle was most likely used to signify persons of importance on the battlefield. Not unlike the crest of the helm of the Roman Centurions helmet would have been used. When a Knight went on crusade he didn’t go alone. There would be a small contingent of man-at-arms, pages, squires, smiths, cooks, and so on and so on that went with him. For the people directly under his command it would have been paramount that they be able to identify him on the battlefield and be able to aide or fight alongside him. Especially as they were just as dependent on him as he was on them for survival both on and off the field of battle.

And so it would have been added to the first heraldic crests of the time. And then, because people are so similar to… well, you’ve all heard the phrase “monkey see monkey do?” Others wanted it added as well. It probably became nothing more than an transition piece after time. Especially since during the time of the joust tournament knights had elaborate helms that would incorporate a head piece, not unlike a hood ornament on the classic cars of the 50’s and 60’s and many luxury cars like the Bentley still have LOL


There are predominately two types of mantle used although one is the clearly the primary. That is the mantle that has flowing streamers and bits going in every direction and is very pleasing to the eye. And the smooth, plain looking mantle. The first is the way it is because it is supposed to represent the mantle being cut and torn as if it had sustained damage in battle. This eventually became very elaborate and even tassels and the such were added. The latter was commonly used by clergy. IE, not cut up in battle so undamaged. Perhaps it was to show their providence and protection from god as to remain unscathed? But that is an unsupported guessed based on nothing more than speculation.

Because I was a soldier and I have fought, I chose the torn mantle. But because I am now part of the monastic order I thought the uncut would also be appropriate. Since Heraldry is not what we actually wore but symbolic, if you look closely you will notice that the cut and uncut mantels are both displayed in my heraldic crest.

Order…
Duh, I put in the current emblem for the order I am in. The symbol for the Monastic Order of Knights.

Motto...
Sta Hic Sumus. As best as I can figure, that is Latin for “Here we stand” I first came across that when I was watching Game of Thrones and it really struck a chord with me. I said, “These are my people!” LOL I’ve said for years that I really don’t care what someone does so long as there stuff doesn’t interfere with my stuff. But the second it does I will end it with extreme prejudice. It is like the proverbial line drawn in the sand. I will tolerate a lot but there is a limit to that tolerance and I will not cross it or be forced to cross it. There comes a point in everyone’s life when they say “this far and no farther” The “we” shows unity in that stance. Rather I am joining someone else to stand for what can not be crossed, it’s a family matter and we stand together or it is nothing more than my beliefs and my conviction, there is a line that must be held. And I will hold it.

I hope I didn’t ramble too much. And more over, I hope that maybe something I have said will help in urging you to look more into heraldry as you go along the lessons. There is a lot of neat stuff, history and symbolism used. I have a great time designing mine and researching all that went into it.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.