What is the origin of Heraldry ?
What is its true significance ?

A synopis by G.P. Curran © 2006

The word Heraldry originates in an old German word for army or host. It also came to mean the person who announced an advancing army, or could identify its fighting components - for example, its knights, their method of fighting, and their record of success in the battlefield; important things for a commander to know before commencing battle. The name Harald, or Harold, shares this same origin.

The early Heralds came almost entirely from travelling troubadours, who went from one place to another with songs and tales. They acted as messengers or ambassadors and were free to come and go as they pleased, even across national borders; their job being to find out what the Nobles and the Nobility were getting up to. On their travels each troubadour wore a Tabard that was emblazoned with their master's Coat Of Arms , and this guaranteed them safe passage. An attack on a Herald was considered to be an attack on his master.

During battle the Herald would brief the Commander-in-Chief on the strength of the opposition, moving between areas of action, identifying enemy battle groups coming or going on the battlefield. They also performed the task of identifying the dead and captured. Many a captured nobleman would attempt to pass himself off as an ordinary soldier to avoid being held for ransom; it was left to the troubadour to positively identify him.

The Heralds often acted as deputy to the Commander-in-Chief, making changes to the battle-plan as the action moved quickly along. Out of this band of learned people sprang three distinct professions, that of the modern Ambassador, the Army Staff Officer, and the Herald or Heraldic Scribe.

The Genealogical Office in Dublin deals with Irish Family Crests, while the College of Arms in London deals with English and Welsh Family Crests, and the Chief Herald in Edinburgh deals with Scottish Family Crests.

The Heralds possessed the skill to both read and write, and they had the ability to memorize large amounts of detail about the various lords and knights they met. They were welcome at most castles they turned up at, bringing both news and entertainment, telling tales about who they met during on their travels.

They would record details of Family Lineage and Family Heritage, about Knights and Lords and their Fortifications, and the Colours of Flags and Heraldic Shields, sharing this information with other wandering Heralds. In this way they build up records of Family Crests, Flag Ensigns, Heraldic Regalia, and Blazons of Arms. Their job also entailed translating Family Mottoes, and explaining the Ancient Celtic Origins of Heraldic Symbols. The early Heralds were entrusted with writing up the Family History, presenting it in the form of a Family History Scroll. They would also record the Family Tree and Genealogy of important families, clans or dynasties. Their job also evolved into the assigning of a Family Crest and Family Motto to a particular person.

The art of Heraldry moved from central Germany and into France, then William the Conqueror took it to England in 1066AD, eventually it was carried into Ireland by the Normans in 1167AD. Norman and English Coats-of-Arms, or Family Crests, originally carried geometric designs on their Blazon of Arms. As the centuries passed images of Lions and Stags and Castles and myriad pieces of Weaponry were added.

The term Coat of Arms comes from the Sur-Coat, or Mantel, or over-coat that was worn by a Knight over his body armour. Metal is a good conductor of heat, so on warm days the armour would get very hot, and on cold days it could literally freeze; hence the need for a large coat to cover it. This garment became known as the Coat Of the Arms, as it was also decorated with the knight’s Heraldic Emblems, or Insignia.

The Crest was worn on the very top of a Knight’s Helmet; maybe a boar’s head, a stag’s head, or an eagle, or a gauntlet grasping a sword. The Family Crest was there to extend his height and visibility on the Battlefield, while clearly identifying him.

The Family Mottoe is an inspirational saying associated with a particular family, and which subsequently found its way onto Family Crests.

The earliest known example of a Family Crest (Arms on a Shield shape) was found carved on a tombstone in the Alsace Loraine region of France, it was dated 1010AD.

Soon after Heraldry reached Ireland, it began to adopt images from Ireland’s Celtic past. Images like the Oak Tree, which the Druids venerated as the Tree of Life, or the Salmon of Wisdom, and the Serpent or Snake, which was considered the protector of health.

Ancient Irish, Greek and Roman civilisations all regarded the Oak Tree as being the Tree of Life, a belief that may have come from the vein-like patterns on the back of every Oak Leaf. Inaugurations of Celtic Chieftains across Europe, including Ireland, were conducted with the new chieftain embracing the Oak Tree, whilst special priests, the Augurs, uttered ancient Druidic blessings. The Gaelic for Oak tree is Darragh, and it has many derivations; many places in Ireland are called after these Inauguration Oak Trees; places like Derry, Derrymore, Adare, Magh Adhair, all commemorating places where an inauguration tree once stood.

To Inaugurate meant to bore, or implant the Chieftain into the very land of the Clan. The priests that performed this ceremony were called Augurs, and the town of Augsburg in Germany points to the strong Celto-German origins of the greater Celtic Family. In common with many Irish Family Coats of Arms, many German Coats of Arms contain Oak trees and Serpents and Wolves.

The Ancient Irish referred to the Salmon as the Salmon of Wisdom. The clans all had sacred pools, where priests would maintain salmon to ensure the clan chief was endowed with wisdom. This tradition was brought to Ireland by a Nordic tribe called the Ui Neil, and today the salmon still features in the Family Crest of the O’Neill Clan.

The Serpent of Good Health has its roots in Ancient Egypt, where every Pharaoh had the image of a spitting cobra on his head; to ward off spirits that might do damage to his health. In Ancient Greece the serpent was similarly regarded. Today, whenever a doctor is newly qualified they must sign the Hippocratic oath, which embodies the image of a sword entwined with a serpent, a sign known as the Caduceus.

In Druidic Ireland the serpent was likewise regarded as the protector of good health, and it figured strongly in the imagery of all the clans.

When St Patrick said he would drive the serpents out of Ireland he was merely stating his intention to supplant the Druidic tradition with the Christian tradition.

Today Currans Heraldry supplies customers across the globe, with Family History Scrolls, Family Crests, Heraldic Plaques, Gold Embroideries, Crested Jewellery, Crested Irish Crystal and much more.

• G P. Curran © 2006

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