History of Medieval Shields and Coat
of Arms
People have used
shields since they figured out that something was needed to block or deflect
blows from an enemy or animal. The shield was also a handy device to land
blows on someone, or something, that was attacking in order to stun the
attacker long enough to get some distance from them. The earliest shields
were probably only strong enough to protect against a blowpipe, a slingshot
or a rudimentary bow as they were made only from animal hides and wicker or
reeds. It is doubtful these early shields would have held up for very long
against a raging bear or a manic intruder with a heavy stone in their hand!
But people have always been very creative and improvements appeared as time
passed, with all tools and weapons. Eventually, they used wood and rawhide
which were much stronger. By the Middle Ages, the shield had progressed to
all shapes and sizes with metal rims and supports and were mostly wooden or
bronze. By the later Medieval Age, steel shields, having proved to be
stronger and giving more protection, became the standard.
By the time man began to organize himself into
factions, these shields began to serve another purpose and that was one of
identification. Because there was little uniformity in what a man used for
armor, in a battle, it would have been very easy to mistake one of your own
for the enemy. Different clans began to add their own symbols to the shields
to differentiate themselves from their enemies. The use of Standards or
flags were reserved for royalty but would reflect the same symbol that
appeared on the shields of the common soldiers. Simple designs such as the
outline of an animal or lines painted in different colors were enough in the
beginning but became more complex as time passed.
Some military standards were developed and used by
more organized forces, such as the Romans but would reflect only the fact
that they were Roman soldiers, unrelated to the Emperor. These symbols began
to be used in the 12th century by the rulers and knights of Europe and were
as varied as the country or tribes who used them. The Normans were the first
recognized to have symbols that related to an individual, most notably
Richard the Lionheart. His famous lion which began as his Great Seal ( the
seal of the ruler) with one or two lions became part of the National Coat of
arms in variation all over the British Isles in the 17th century.
Over the next one hundred years, these battle
shield symbols began to graduate into society, to distinguish the various
noblemen and families of the higher social orders in Europe as, on the
battlefield, they were recognized as a particular family’s emblem. The
designs became more ornate and began to take on the personalities of the
families, their occupations and their achievements. Who was allowed to have
these was dictated by social custom, sometimes by law, in the different
countries. In Germany, noble houses, merchants and other free citizens were
allowed to have a coat of arms, where in most of the rest of Europe, it was
restricted to the Noble Houses.
In the British Isles, coat of arms usage was
strictly upheld and given only to individuals. These were awarded by the
King and lesser rulers under the King’s auspices, usually for service or
recognition of status under a particular King’s authority. These coats of
arms were inherited but had to be changed each time to reflect the status of
the new owner and how he related to the original individual. The designs
used have been kept very traditional through the centuries and tell a story
that can be read by anyone who has a grasp of the language of Heraldry.
Coats of Arms were awarded and were a great honor
to receive especially when they were first used in the early centuries of
their existence. It told a story of a person’s journey of earning his title,
his lands and his deeds. Every element on those shields has meaning, even
down to what the viewer’s eye sees only as a dot; even the colors used tell
a story. Families would take those shields and pass them down, remembering
the original owner and their mighty deeds, able to tell that person’s story
from what was portrayed on it and would adapt it as their own by adding or
deleting a detail. This language of heraldry was able, with a single symbol,
to tell who had bestowed the honor upon the person and if it was the simple
hallmark of a minor lord who acted as a landlord for the local Baron or a
reward from the King Himself for exemplary service to the King. A knight’s
shield could tell the story of an important battle in which he had
distinguished himself and earned the King’s gratitude.
Since pictures were more easily decoded than the
written word for generations, most knew when they stood in the presence of a
Duke or a Baron’s guardsman by simply looking at the crest on the shield.
They could easily read the awards, the rank and where that person had been
in battle and won his recognition by studying the designs of an individual
knight or lord. And many, who may have been illiterate in written word,
would know immediately who stood in front of them simply by studying the
coat of arms displayed on uniform and shield.
Today, many families still desire to find a coat
of arms in their family’s history and may no longer have one being passed
down through their family as generations separate them from the time of the
King’s recognition or their ancestor of more ancient times and their
recognized accomplishments. The fact that these shields changed with each
generation has also made it hard for people to know which shield belonged to
their particular ancestor especially if several countries are involved.
Genealogy research is very popular now with the ease of the internet and it
is easy to latch on to a particular coat of arms with no real basis of
knowing if that is the one of your own ancestors. Our sense of wanting to
belong to our history is very much alive and needed in our transient world.
Some families and individuals continue today to
create their own coat of arms. Those who participate in re-enactments often
design their own shields and as a company that supports this, we often see
patterns that fascinate us as the imagination and artistry that first
created these emblems continues its own tradition in the hearts and minds of
the modern generation. Families take the elements from older shields and
design their more contemporary interpretations of past generations. Although
less traditional and not awarded, these creations are no less important to
those who own them, as it is a symbol of who they are now, as a family and
as an individual. It appears that the tradition and the need to record
individual deeds and family solidarity remains the same even after a
thousand years of use and is just as fascinating as its earlier
counterparts.
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SCA Armor
Our collection of medieval
shields, custom family and court crests is the largest available
anywhere. We stock over 35 different styles of shields and can custom
design anything for you. No family crest design is too complex. Battle
ready shields are also available for combat re-enactments and clubs.
We welcome SCA members ideas and input to further develop our product
line.
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