Download Coat of Arms

•What is most important to you in your
life?
•People, places, ideas, things, etc.
•List 5
•Imagine you are a knight, courageously
defending your lord’s territory from
outside attacks… How do you recognize an
outsider? How do you know who to
attack?
Coat of Arms
in Medieval Europe
Purpose
• During the Middle Ages, knights used a coat of arms to
identify themselves.
• One man in armor looked a lot like another, so the
coat of arms was used to identify a knight in battle.
• In a society where few people could read and write,
pictures were very important.
• A coat of arms was more like a label for instant
identification than it was like a painting. You wanted
to know instantly who was coming toward you, so you
could know which side he was on.
• Coats of arms later took on further significance and
meanings.
• They also became a way of showing membership in
the aristocracy, after they lost their significance in
warfare.
Tradition
• Only the oldest son would inherit his family’s coat
of arms unchanged; his younger brothers would
usually add a symbol to show who they were.
• The symbol a younger son added was often a smaller
picture placed in the middle of the shield.
• When a woman married, especially if she had no
brothers, the coat of arms of her family was often
added to her husband’s arms.
Features
• Contrasting colors made shields bright and easy to see
• Animals as symbols
• Lion
Bear
Boar
Eagle
Horse
Dragon
Griffin
• The dragon and griffin are mythological animals.
Characteristics believed to be found in more than one
animal could be combined. The griffin was part eagle,
part lion. Since the animals were symbols of qualities,
such combination animals were meant to indicate a
combination of those qualities.
Features
• Postures of combat
• rampant - standing on hind legs
rampant guardant - standing on hind legs, face turned toward viewer
passant - walking
couchant - lying down
sejant - sitting
Features
•Family Name
•The coat of arms for "Wheatley" has sheaves of
wheat on the shield.
•Some other shields showed allegiance to one side
in a dispute by putting its symbol on their shields.
•The cross on a coat of arms often meant that the
original bearer had been to the Crusades. A cross
used on a shield was always taken very seriously.
Features
•Symbolic
•Meanings, colors, size of symbols
•Instantly recognizable
•Meant to be seen from across a battlefield
Let us be judged by
our acts
He lives well who lives peacefully.
Assignment—Blazon your Coat of Arms!
• Make your own coat of arms
• It should represent you, your family, and your life
• Front of coat of arms: You must have at least 5
symbols on the coat of arms. It must be colored. (2
points)
• Back of coat of arms: You must have key that explains
each of your 5 symbols. (5 points)
• Ex: The music notes represent how I love to listen to
music.
Total points: 7