Court of Chivalry

See also order of chivalry Chivalry1 refers to the medieval institution of knighthood and, most especially, the ideals that were/have become associated with it throughout literature. It was also often associated with ideals of knightly virtues, honor and of courtly love. Chivalry was in essence a warrior code which was later appropriated and propagated by the Church which added the Christian aspects. The Church intended to make the mounted soldiers of the Middle Ages into Christian knights who would protect t ...

Including:

• Chivalry - Other meanings
• Chivalry - Notes

Read more here: » Chivalry: Encyclopedia - Chivalry

In addition to the shield, most coats-of-arms include a crest, placed above the shield, and a motto (see below), usually placed below it. Other items may be added to the coat, such as a helmet (decorated with mantling) in a variety of meaningful postures and designs; supporters on either side of the shield and the compartment on which they usually stand; and a variety of medals, ribbons, mural crowns and other decorations. These items are oft ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - National styles, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - Besides the shield

Main article: Ordinary Ordinaries (sometimes called "honourable ordinaries") are almost like partitions, but are handled like objects. Though there is much debate as to exactly which geometrical charges constitute ordinaries, certain ones are agreed on by everyone. A pale is a vertical charge starting from the top of the shield, ending at the bottom, and wide as a third of the shield's width. A fess is the same thing as a pale, only horizontal. There are also bends, saltires, flaunches and crosses, as well as chiefs, piles and chevrons. The pall is a Y-shaped charge th ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - Ordinaries

The Supreme Court of Judicature of England and Wales is the most important superior court of England and Wales. It consists of the Court of Appeal High Court of Justice Crown Court When all the provisions of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 comes into force the courts comprised in the present Supreme Court of England and Wales will become known as the Senior Courts of England and Wales. This change is being made consequent to the establishment of the Supreme Court of the United ...

See also:

Courts of England and Wales, Courts of England and Wales - House of Lords, Courts of England and Wales - Supreme Court of Judicature of England and Wales, Courts of England and Wales - Court of Appeal, Courts of England and Wales - High Court, Courts of England and Wales - Crown Court, Courts of England and Wales - Subordinate courts, Courts of England and Wales - Special courts and tribunals, Courts of England and Wales - Administrative Court, Courts of England and Wales - Coroner's courts, Courts of England and Wales - Ecclesiastical courts, Courts of England and Wales - Other courts, Courts of England and Wales - Criminal cases, Courts of England and Wales - Appeals, Courts of England and Wales - Civil cases, Courts of England and Wales - Relationship with the European Court of Justice, Courts of England and Wales - History

Read more here: » Courts of England and Wales: Encyclopedia II - Courts of England and Wales - Supreme Court of Judicature of England and Wales

A court of honor (or, court of honour) is a semi-official or unofficial tribunal constituted to determine various questions of social protocol, breaches of etiquette, and other allegations of breaches of honor, or entitlement to various honors. Court of Honor - The courts of chivalry. The Court of Chivalry was at one time also known as a "court of honour". In British law, the court of chivalry was a court held before the Earl Marshal and the Lord High Constable; since the abolition of the office of t ...

Including:

• Court of Honor - The courts of chivalry
• Court of Honor - Duelling
• Court of Honor - In Scouting
• Court of Honor - Reference

Read more here: » Court of Honor: Encyclopedia - Court of Honor

The College of Arms, in London, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings. As its name suggests, it is a corporate body (founded 1484) consisting of the professional heralds who are delegated heraldic authority by the Queen for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. (Note that Scotland is not included; that country has its own heraldic authority: Lord Lyon King of Arms and his office.) The college also grants arms to citizens of other Commonwealth countries that do not have their own heraldic authorities. (Canada and South Africa have their own heraldic authorities, the Canadian Heraldi ...

Including:

• College of Arms - The officers
• College of Arms - Grants and descent of arms
• College of Arms - Name changes
• College of Arms - External link

Read more here: » College of Arms: Encyclopedia - College of Arms

It is often possible to guess the country of origin of a coat of arms. Four broad styles are readily distinguished, which we may conveniently call German, Gallo-British, Mediterranean and Eastern. Chevrons and five-pointed stars are popular in France and Britain, rare elsewhere. Saltires are most popular in Spain and Scotland. A plain field with a charged chief is a typically Scottish composition. A shield horizontally divided into two unrelated coats is probably Italian. A shield with a check ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - National styles, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - National styles

The United Kingdom does not have a single unified judicial system - England and Wales have one system, Scotland another, and Northern Ireland a third. There are exceptions to this rule, for example in immigration law, the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal's jurisdiction covers the whole of the United Kingdom, while in employment law there is a single system of Employment Tribunals for England, Wales, and Scotland (but not Northern Ireland). Courts of England and Wales - House of Lords. The House of Lords is the high ...

Including:

• Courts of England and Wales - House of Lords
• Courts of England and Wales - Supreme Court of Judicature of England and Wales
• Courts of England and Wales - Court of Appeal
• Courts of England and Wales - High Court
• Courts of England and Wales - Crown Court
• Courts of England and Wales - Subordinate courts
• Courts of England and Wales - Special courts and tribunals
• Courts of England and Wales - Administrative Court
• Courts of England and Wales - Coroner's courts
• Courts of England and Wales - Ecclesiastical courts
• Courts of England and Wales - Other courts
• Courts of England and Wales - Criminal cases
• Courts of England and Wales - Appeals
• Courts of England and Wales - Civil cases
• Courts of England and Wales - Relationship with the European Court of Justice
• Courts of England and Wales - History

Read more here: » Courts of England and Wales: Encyclopedia - Courts of England and Wales

Main article: Charge Any object found in nature or technology may appear as a charge in armory, and probably has at least once — albeit more or less stylized. Charges can be animals, objects or geometric constructs (ordinaries). Apart from simple stripes — some of which probably originated as bands that reinforced the shield and were painted a contrasting color — the most frequent charges are the cross (with hundreds of ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - National styles, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - Charges

Heraldry continues to flourish today. Institutions, companies, and members of the public may obtain officially recognized coats of arms from governmental heraldic authorities. This typically has the force of a registered trademark. The first recorded corporate coat of arms was granted to the Drapers' Company of the City of London in 1438 (see Coat of Arms of The Drapers Company). However, many users of modern "heraldic" designs do not register with heraldic authorities, and some designers do not ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - National styles, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - Modern heraldry

Traditionally, as women did not go to war, they would not have a shield. Instead, their coats-of-arms would be shown on a lozenge, usually a square standing on one of its corners. As women may now serve in the armed forces in a number of countries, some armigerous women prefer to use a shield anyway. A parallel usage for noncombatant clergymen could be found sometimes on the European continent, with the occasional placement of arms on a cartouche (an oval-shaped vehicle for their display). For more detail on the use of the lozenge (subject to certain rules) by women in the British heraldic trad ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - Shield and lozenge

Main article: Ordinary Ordinaries (sometimes called "honourable ordinaries") resemble partitions, but are customarily treated like charges; for example, when painted they often cast shadows on the field. Unless otherwise specified they extend to the edges of the field. They include: cross; fess: a horizontal stripe; pale: a vertical stripe; bend: a diagonal stripe, beginning at the bearer's upper right, i.e. the viewer's upper left (a stripe the other way is a ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - National styles, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - Ordinaries

Main article: Divisions of the field The field of a shield in heraldry can be divided into more than one tincture, as can the various charges. The divisions are named according to the ordinary that shares their shape. (It should be noticed that French heraldry takes a different approach in many cases than the one described in this article, as do the heraldries of Italy, Spain, and Sweden.) Common partitions of the field are: parted (or party) per fess (parted horizontall ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - Divisions of the field

Main article: Divisions of the field The field of a shield in heraldry can be divided into more than one tincture, as can the various charges. Many coats of arms consist simply of a division of the field into two contrasting tinctures, by a single line or several parallel lines, vertical, horizontal or diagonal, or some combination. The line or lines of partition may be straight, wavy, indented (zigzag), embattled (in the form of battlements), engrailed ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - National styles, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - Divisions of the field

In addition to the shield, most coats-of-arms include a crest, placed above the shield, and a motto (see below), usually placed below it. Other items may be added to the coat, such as a helmet (decorated with mantling) in a variety of meaningful postures and designs; supporters on either side of the shield and the compartment on which they usually stand; and a variety of medals, ribbons, mural crowns and other decorations. These items are oft ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - Besides the shield

Main article: Charge Charges can be animals, objects or geometric constructs (ordinaries). Common animals are lions, leopards, martlets, eagles, gryphons, fish, boars or dolphins. There are dragons and unicorns as well, but they are not nearly as common as most people suppose. Possibly the rarest animal in heraldry is found in the coat of arms of Maidstone, Kent, which bears an iguanodon rampant on the dexter side. An animal shown langue (with its tongue stickin ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - Charges

Main article: Tincture There are seven main tinctures, consisting of two metals (light tinctures) and five colours (dark tinctures), although there are a number of other rare tinctures. The names of the tinctures mainly come to us from French. The first rule of heraldry is the rule of tincture: metal must never be placed upon metal, nor colour upon colour, for the sake of contrast, and because this was technically difficult to do at the time. As any rule, this admits some exceptions, the most notable being the arms chosen by Go ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - Tinctures

Main article: Tincture The first rule of heraldry is the rule of tincture: metal (bright tinctures) must never be placed upon metal, nor colour (dark tinctures) upon colour, for the sake of contrast; except where this cannot be avoided, as in the case of a charge overlying a partition of the field. Like any rule, this admits some exceptions, the most famous being the arms chosen by Godfrey of Bouillon when he was made king of Jerusalem, featuring five gold (or yellow) crosses potent on an silver (or white) field — a design that might have been modelled after ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - National styles, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - Tinctures

Traditionally, as women did not go to war, they would not have a shield. Instead, their coats-of-arms would be shown on a lozenge (a rhombus standing on one of its acute corners). As women may now serve in the armed forces in a number of countries, some armigerous women prefer to use a shield anyway. A parallel usage for noncombatant clergymen could be found sometimes on the European continent, with the occasional placement of arms on a cartouche (an oval-shaped vehicle for their display). For more detail on the use of the lozenge (subject to certain rules) by women in the British heraldic trad ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - National styles, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - Shield and lozenge

Heraldry continues to flourish today. Institutions, companies, and members of the public may obtain officially recognized coats of arms from governmental heraldic authorities. This typically has the force of a registered trademark. The first recorded corporate coat of arms was granted to the Drapers' Company of the City of London in 1438 (see Coat of Arms of The Drapers Company). However, many users of modern "heraldic" designs do not register with heraldic authorities, and some designers do not ...

See also:

Heraldry, Heraldry - Shield and lozenge, Heraldry - Tinctures, Heraldry - Divisions of the field, Heraldry - Charges, Heraldry - Ordinaries, Heraldry - Besides the shield, Heraldry - Coat of Arms Motto, Heraldry - Supporters and other additions, Heraldry - Modern heraldry, Heraldry - Note

Read more here: » Heraldry: Encyclopedia II - Heraldry - Modern heraldry