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MANTLE
The term "mantling"
refers to the artistic depiction that fills the space surrounding
"Oak Apples" |
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"The mantling is the ornamental design which, in a representation of an armorial achievement, depends from the helmet, falling away on either side of the escutcheon. Many authorities have considered it to have been no more than a fantastic series of flourishes, devised by artistic minds for the purpose of assisting ornamentation and affording an artistic opportunity of filling up unoccupied spaces in a heraldic design. There is no doubt that its readily apparent advantages in that character have greatly led to the importance now attached to the mantling in heraldic art. "Some Sclavonic families have mantlings of fur only, that of the Hungarian family of Chorinski is a bear skin, and countless other instances can be found of the use by German families of a continuation of the crest for a mantling. This practice affords instances of many curious mantlings, this in one case in the Zurich Wappenrolle being the scaly skin of a salmon. The mane of the lion, the crest of Mertz, and the hair and beard of the crests of Bohn and Landschaden, are similarly continued to do duty for the mantling. This practice has never found great favour in England.
"A careful
study and analysis of early heraldic emblazonment, however, reveals one
point as a dominating characteristic. That is, that where the crest, by
its nature, lent itself to a continuation into the mantling it generally
was so continued. This practice, which was almost universal upon the
Continent, and is particularly to be met with in German heraldry, though
seldom adopted in England, certainly had some weight in English heraldry. |
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Q
HERALDRY
HELM
CREST
SHIELD~CHARGES
ORDINARIES
MANTLE~SUPPORTS
KIBLER
MANTLE and the lambrequin |
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Occasionally one comes across a coat which supplies an "impossible" mantling, or which does not supply one at all. Such a coat would be "per bend sinister ermine and erminois, a lion rampant counterchanged." Here there is no colour at all, so the mantling would be gules and argent. "Argent, three stags trippant proper" would have a mantling gules and argent. A coat of arms with a landscape field would also probably be supplied (in default of a chief, e.g. supplying other colours and tinctures) with a mantling gules and argent. It is quite permissible to "vein" a mantling with gold lines, this being always done in official paintings. (excerpts from Fox-Davies)
The Mantle: is the "estate robe" which is used for noble and royal bearings and as such are lined on the inside with a fur. The history of various trends is extensive.
The Mantling colors traditionally are 1. the primary color of the main charge on the outside surface of the mantling and 2. the color of the shield on the inside. In Germany, purpure was reserved for royal mantles with a fur interior, often ermine. In
particular, German COAs often show the mantling space including plant and/or
tree sprigs that have significance regarding the family, person, or region
of reference. Large lobed leaves of the white oak are particularly present
in the designs. |
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Three
castle towers is ancient to Hamburg, Germany. The oldest coat of arms of
Hamburg has been retained on a city seal of 1241. It probably existed long
before that: a castle with three towers.
The city takes its name from the first permanent building on the site, a
castle ordered built by Emperor Charlemagne in 808 AD. The castle was built on
rocky ground in a marsh between the River Alster and the River Elbe as a
defence against Slavic incursion.
Over the middle tower there was a cross even then, indicating a church in
the city. The towers and the walls with their pinnacles and the closed
gate symbolized the determination of the town to defend itself. The
so-called Stars of Mary (Mariensterne) on top of the two
side-towers recalls the fact that Hamburg used to be an archbishopric.
.gif) .gif) The lesser arms (Kleines Landeswappen) only shows the white three-towered castle with two six-pointed stars on a red escutcheon. This dates back to the oldest seals (1241). The middle arms (Mittleres Landeswappen) decorates the escutcheon with a helmet with crest [which includes three peacock feathers and six banners of the arms] and mantling. This variant dates back to 1594. In the greater arms (Großes Landeswappen) two golden lions are added as supporters [standing on a compartment]. This variant dates back to 1640. (is argent where white) |
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| MARSHALLING | |||||||
 Marshalling is
when Arms from more than one person or family are combined on one shield.
This can be done vertically, splitting the shield in half, or "Impaling",
most of the time indicating a marriage, "Quartering", or "multiple
marshalling" showing "full achievement" of inherited Arms of an
individual. Such can indicate inheritance of Arms or even mutually ruled
lands. Such combinations usually were also indicated in the mantling
colors and crests.
Supposing the marshalling in the example to the left represented a marriage, the "husband" is on the sinister side and "wife" is dexter. However, the first charge of the chief is the male's and the woman's is on the sinister side of the chief, unless, of course, the woman has the senior arms. The mantling reflects the impalement with the male's colors, Azure and Or, on the sinister side and the woman's livery of Gules and Argent are dexter.
To the right are three marshalled shields. The first is quartered quarters with a mid-column. The second one shows quartering, and the third is impaled.
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Bathing during the Middle Ages Medieval society may have liked to bathe more than one might expect, however, this was not always an easy process. Medieval castle residents used wooden tubs with water heated from the fire in the great hall. In good weather, the tub might be placed out in the garden. Lords often employed a person whose sole responsibility was preparing baths for the family. This person would often travel with the family. Hot baths were very popular and most towns, as late as the mid-1200s had public bathhouses. Wood fires heated the water, but this posed two problems. First, out of control fires could consume several blocks of buildings. And as the forests were depleted, firewood became expensive and the rising costs of heating the water forced most of the bathhouses to close. Some tried burning coal to heat water, but the fumes proved to be unhealthy. By the mid-1300s, only the very wealthy could afford firewood for hot water in the winter. The rest of the population was forced to be dirty most of the time. Barrels were often used as baths, with entire families sharing the same water. Medieval Clothing From the 11th through the 13th centuries, medieval clothing varied according to the social standing of the people. The clothing worn by nobility and upper classes was clearly different than that of the lower class. The clothing of peasants during the Middle Ages was very simple, while the clothing of nobility was fitted with a distinct emphasis on the sleeves of the garments. Knights adorned themselves with sleeveless "surcoats" covered with a coat of arms. Barbarian nomads wore clothing made of fur, wool, and leather. They wore long trousers, some of which had attached feet. Fine leather shoes were also worn. Imports such as turbans and silks from the East were common for the more fortunate of society. As with today, clothing styles of medieval men changed periodically. At the end of the 13th century, the once loose and flowing tunics became tighter fitting. Besides tunics, the men also wore undershirts and briefs covered by a sleeveless jacket and an additional tunic. Stockings completed the ensemble. Men's medieval clothing also consisted of cloaks with a round opening that was slipped over the man's head. Such cloaks were worn over other clothing as a type of "jacket". Early medieval women's clothing consisted of "kirtles", which were tunics worn to their ankles. These tunics were often worn over a shirt. When the women were in public, they often topped the tunics with an even shorter "kirtle." Of course the more affluent women wore more luxurious clothing than those of the less affluent lifestyle. Women, especially those who were married, wore tight-fitting caps and nets over their hair, which was wound in a "bun" on their heads. Other women wore veils over their hair, which was left either hanging loosely, or braided tightly. Medieval Games and Recreation Medieval society indulged in a number of games and recreation, when the often harsh daily life permitted a break. Chess was widely popular and often a source of gambling entertainment; both in the traditional format and in a simpler version played with dice. Dice were easy to carry and were played in all ranks of society, even among the clergy. Some games played during the Middle Ages, including bowling, prisoner's base, blind man's bluff (also called hoodman's blind), and simple "horseplay" are still played today. Checkers were a popular pastime, as was backgammon. Children wrestled, swam, fished and played a game that was a cross between tennis and handball. Medieval knights would incorporate training in recreation, performing gymnastics and running foot races. Spectators in the Middle Ages were often drawn to cockfights and bullbaiting. The preferred recreation for most adults was drinking in the local tavern. At harvest time, villagers would bob for apples and go on hunts in the surrounding forests, if the castle lord permitted. Hawks were trained to hunt game birds and every medieval castle had a falconer, assigned to train young birds for this sport. Medieval Christmas games included "King of the Bean," where a small bean would be baked inside bread or cake, and the one who found it in their portion would be crowned king of the holiday feast. Medieval Food Medieval foods and diets depended much on the class of the individual. For those living in the manor house, there was a wide range of foods available. Fowl such as capons, geese, larks, and chickens were usually available to the lord and his family. They would also dine on other meats; beef, bacon, lamb, and those living close to water may have regularly dined on salmon, herring, eels ands other fresh water fish. Fish would either be sold fresh or smoked and salted. Wealthy society could afford large quantities of milled flour and other meals made from grain. Dairy products such as cheese and butter could be seen on the manor table. Medieval peasants, on the other hand, had a much simpler diet available to them. Most of the wheat they harvested went exclusively to the market, and peasant breads were made from barley and rye, baked into dark heavy loaves. Ales made from barley would quaff the thirst, as would water drawn from the well, sweetened with honey. Peasant society got what little proteins they could from peas and beans that would be added to bread and pottage. Pottage was often favored over bread, because it did not require the grains that the miller guarded closely. Onions, cabbage, garlic, nuts, berries, leeks, spinach, parsley were some of the foods that would combined to make thick soup. Raw vegetables were considered unhealthy and rarely eaten, but anything that could grown, with the exception of known poisonous plants, were added to the mix. Lucky families may have added salt pork or fatty bacon for flavor and protein. Poorer society depended on these simple foods for survival. It was ironic that after the Black Death ravaged societies, even the poor could find wheat available. Medieval diets lacked vitamins A, C and D and were not high in calories, making the regular drinking of ale a necessity for most. The only positive part of these diets, were that they were somewhat "heart-smart;" low in fat and high in fiber. But the medieval world was usually a very hungry one. Famines during the Middle Ages Medieval societies always feared having a lack of food. Crop surpluses were rarely enough to create viable storage systems and even the greatest lord could not keep enough grain to outlast a famine. By the beginning of the 1300s the population had grown to such an extent that adequate amounts of food could only be grown under the best of conditions. There was no margin of failure for crops. The problem this century saw was a changing climate, with cooler and wetter summers and earlier autumn storms. Malnutrition had always been present, but few actually died. But the cold and wet springs and summers of 1315-17 decimated crops and all classes of society suffered. People resorted to killing their draft animals and eating seed grain for food. Dogs and cats disappeared. Oddly enough, it was the Black Death that alleviated some concerns over famine, as the survivors found they had more food available. Rumors of a famine usually preceded the actual crisis. Hoarding would begin and black markets for food would find plenty of customers. Bakers may try and fill bread loaves with fillers other than grain to match required weights and shapes. The elderly often voluntarily stopped eating so younger members of the family could survive, and there were numerous reports of cannibalism. Medieval stories like Hansel and Gretel, like most of Grimm's Fairy Tales, has a basis in reality and illustrated the harsh possibilities of famine. Village Life Medieval villages consisted of a population comprised of mostly of farmers. Houses, barns sheds, and animal pens clustered around the center of the village, which was surrounded by plowed fields and pastures. Medieval society depended on the village for protection and a majority of people during these centuries called a village home. Most were born, toiled, married, had children and later died within the village, rarely venturing beyond its boundaries. Common enterprise was the key to a village's survival. Some villages were temporary, and the society would move on if the land proved infertile or weather made life too difficult. Other villages continued to exist for centuries. Every village had a lord, even if he didn't make it his permanent residence, and after the 1100's castles often dominated the village landscape. Medieval Europeans may have been unclear of their country's boundaries, but they knew every stone, tree, road and stream of their village. Neighboring villages would parley to set boundaries that would be set out in village charters. Medieval peasants were either classified as free men or as "villeins," those who owed heavy labor service to a lord, were bound to the land, and subject to feudal dues. Village life was busy for both classes, and for women as well as men. Much of this harsh life was lived outdoors, wearing simple dress and subsisting on a meager diet. Village life would change from outside influences with market pressures and new landlords. As the centuries passed, more and more found themselves drawn to larger cities. Yet modern Europe owes much to these early medieval villages. City Life during the Middle Ages Medieval roots can be found in all of today's major European cities. When Julius Caesar set to conquer Western Europe, there were few places that could have been called cities. Lutetia, which would become Paris, was probably the largest of the early cities. By the 13th century, however, cities were flourishing from the Mediterranean to northwest Europe. Viking invasions were a major factor in the development of cities during the early Middle Ages. These invaders often plundered more than they could carry, sold surplus goods to surrounding villages and created base camps to be used for trading. Dublin, Ireland's roots began as a Viking base camp. To protect themselves, villages began erecting walls and fortifying their positions. This lead to the great medieval walled cities that can still be seen in modern Europe. These walled cities became known as "bourgs," "burghs," and later, bouroughs. Inhabitants were known as bourgeois. By the mid-900s, these fortified towns dotted the European landscape from the Mediterranean as far north as Hamburg, Germany. |
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| ROYAL ARMS OF FRANCE | |||||||
The Royal Arms of France
The arms of
France modern still appear today in the full achievement of arms of
Canada - twice. |
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Medieval History of France France derives its name from a medieval tribe called the Franks. In 481, a 15-year old named Clovis (a form of "Louis," which would become the favorite name of French royal dynasties) became leader of his small Frankish tribe. He soon began killing off the other family members of his family to reduce the number of people competing with him for authority. Afterwards, he consolidated other tribes and within five years, he had united the Franks under his personal rule. The Franks were not sophisticated or highly organized, like the Ostrogoths or Visigoths; they were hunters, trappers and supplied recruits for Roman armies. Clovis died in 511, and the Frankish kingdom was divided among his four sons. Royal descendants of Clovis became known as the Merovingian dynasty, named after Clovis' grandfather, Merovech. Viking invaders of the early Middle Ages left their influences on France as well, especially in their manner of warfare. William the Conqueror used these tactics to his advantage when, in 1066 he invaded England. The Bayeux Tapestry, a masterpiece of medieval art, serves as a record of the events and tactics used during this invasion. Norman castles that dotted the French landscape would soon be incorporated across the British Isles. Power shifted back and forth between these two countries. In 1152, much of France was under the control of the English when Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry of Anjou. One of the most important rulers of medieval history was Charlemagne whose empire, known as the Carolingian dynasty, included the greater section of central Europe, and northern and central Italy. His system of government divided the realm into regions ruled by local "counts." Faith played an important role in France's development druing the Middle Ages. Pope Urban II in preached the First Crusade in Clermont, France in 1095, and this country played a leading role in subsequent crusades. Major cathedrals were erected across France between the 12th and 14th centuries. The famous Notre-Dame de Paris was begun in the 1100s. France's medieval heroines include Jeanne D'Arc (Joan of Arc), who, in 1429, followed direction she received in visions to expel the English and install Charles VII as the rightful king. She was victorious in the Battle of Orleans, but failed to capture Paris, and in 1430 she was captured by Burgundians and sold to the English. Two years later she was burned at the stake in Rouen. |
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| SUPPORTERS ~ compartment ~ motto | |||||||
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SUPPORTERS:
A somewhat
fictitious importance has become attached to supporters, owing to their
almost exclusive reservation to the highest rank. In Scotland the arms, and the arms only, constitute the mark of a given family, and whilst due difference is made in the respective shields, no attempt is made as regards crest or supporters to impose any distinction between the figures granted to different families even where no blood relationship exists. The result is that whilst the same crests and supporters are duplicated over and over again, they at any rate remain in Scotland simple, graceful, and truly heraldic, even when judged by the most rigid medieval standard.
Of all figures
employed as supporters probably human beings are of most frequent
occurrence, even when those single and double figures referred to on an
earlier page, which are not a real part of the heraldic achievement, are
excluded from consideration. The endless variety of different figures
perhaps gives some clue to the reason of their frequent occurrence. |
A compartment is the base upon which the supporters stand and is said to often be a bit of ground or a mound representing lands owned. Below is an image of the Armorial bearings of an individual showing the complete achievements of 8 generations, granted in 1698, showing also the supporters granted standing on a banner compartment. I've read that it was unusual for supporters to be granted without a compartment.
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It is given that the Scots were the first to use mottos in their COAs and as such seem to have a bit of humor in their use, often puns on their surnames and/or sayings in reference to a particular invented story usually related to family history. Some have suggested that mottos originated as battle cries but I haven't found any heraldry authorities that give credence in that suggestion. That there were such things as "battle cries" is presumed to be so, but the mottos, in British Heraldry, are regarded as additions that came in the 1700s as a garnish and are not part of armorial grants. If an individual wished, the heraldic artist could include a motto, but there were no rights assigned nor inherited. In Scotland, mottos are within the terms of the patent and part of the grant, including specification as to placement, usually "in an escroll above" and sometimes in the compartment. In Ireland it can be either part of the grant or artistically added by choice. A motto may be changed, and many were. If it is part of the patent, then one must apply to have the change made.
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SOME LATIN & FRENCH MEDIEVAL MOTTOS A coeur valliant, rien impossible - To a valiant heart, nothing is impossible Absque labore nihil - Nothing without labour Ad finem fidelis - Faithful to the end Agendo gnaviter - By acting prudently Alis aspicit astra - Flying, he keeps his eye on the stars Amicis semper fidelis - Always faithful to my friends Amicitia Reddit Honores - Friendship Gives Honor Amor et honor - Love and honour An uactar - The chief Aut inveniam viam aut faciam - I shall either find or make a path Be trwgh and delygent - By truth and diligence Bidd llu hebb llydd - In the path of an army, no man can stand Bis vincit qui se vincit - He conquers twice who conquers himself Bis vivit qui bene vivit - He lives twice who lives well Boutez en avant - Put forward Cada uno es hijo desus obras - Every man is the son of his works Candor dat viribus alas - Truth gives wings to strength Carpe diem - Seize the present opportunity Cassis tutissima virtis - Virtue is the strongest helmet Ceart na suad - The right of the learned Celer et audax - Swift and bold Celeritar - With speed Cresio et spero - I increase and hope Cuimnig ar do geallamnaca - Remember your promises Cura quietem - Peace quietness Dant vires gloriam - Strength gives glory Dant vulnera vitam - The wounds of life Dat gloria vires - A good name gives strength Debonnair - Kind or gracious Del fuego lo avolo - I escaped from the fire Donec impleat orbem - Until it fill its orb Drogo nomen et virtus arm dedid - Drogo is my name, and valour gave me arms Dulce periculum - Danger is sweet Dulcius ex asperis - Sweeter after difficulties Dum spiro spero - While I breath I hope En la rose je fleurie - I flourish in the rose En suivant la verite - By following the truth Endure fort - Suffer bravely Ero quod spero - I will again hope Esperance - Hope Esse quam videri - To be, rather than to seem Ex merito - With merit Exaltabit honore - It will exalt with honour Facta non verba - Deeds not words Faire sans dire - To do without speaking Famam extendimus factis - We extend our reputation by deeds Faug a bollag - Clear the way Faveat fortuna - Let fortune favour Felis demulcta mitis - The stroked cat is meek Fortis atque fidelis - Brave and faithful Fortis est veritas - Strong is the truth Fortis et constans - Bold and constant Fuimus - We have been (We have made our mark) Fulcrum dignitotis virus - Virtue is the support of dignity Fulget virtus - Virtue shines forth Fulminis instar - Like lightning Gardez bien - Guard well Gaudet tenamine virtus - Virtue exults in the trial Gearaig agus dog buad - Cut and burn to victory Generousitas et victoria - Generous in victory Glandium musqrum nutrix - The sword is the muse of muses Gluaiseact ar agaid - Forward motion Gradua diversi via una - There is but one way to all difficulties Grato animo - With greatful mind His secutitas - Safety from these Hoc majorum virtus - This is the valour of my ancestors Honeste audax - Honourably bold Honestum praefero utili - I prefer what is honourable to what is useful Honestum praetulit utili - He has preferred honesty to advantage Honor et virtus - Honour and virtue Honor virtutes praemium - Honor is the reward of valour Honos virtutes satilles - Honour the attendant of virtue In hoc signo spec mea - In this sign is my hope In hoc signo vinces - Under this sign you shall conquer In lumine lucem - I may shine in the light In periculis audax - Bold in dangers In scientia veritas in arte honestas - In science truth, in art honour In utrumque paratus - Prepared for both In veritate victoria - Victory in truth Invictus arduis - Unconquered in difficulties Jour de ma vi - Day of my life Justitia et fortitudo invincibilia sunt - Justice and fortitude are invincible Justum et tanecem proposite - Just and firm of purpose L'homme vrai aime son pays - The true man loves his country Labor omnia vincit - Work wins everything Làm làidir in uactar - The strong hand uppermost Lasair romuin go buad - The torch before us triumphantly Le dsais - By all means Leges juraque servat - He observes the laws and statutes Lucent in tenebris - They shine in darkness Lumen coeleste sequamur - May we follow heavenly inspiration Magnum in parvo - Much in little Maireann a sgriobsar - History cannot be denied Malo mori quam foedari - Death rather than dishonour Manu forti - With a strong hand Me stante virebunt - While I stand they will flourish Medio tutissimus ibis - You will go safest in the middle Memor esto - Be mindful of thy ancestors Memoria pii aeterna - The memory of the pious is eternal |
Ne cede malis - Yield not to adversity Ne oublies - Do not forget Ne parcas nec spernas - Neither spare nor scorn Ne quid falsi - Nothing false Ne tenta vel perfice - Attempt not or accomplish Ne timeo nec sperno - I neither fear nor despise Ne vile velis - Wishing nothing base Nec cupias, ne metuas - Neither desire nor fear Nil admirari - Not to admire Nil claraius astris - Nothing brighter than the stars Nil conscire sibi - To have a conscience free from guilt Nil desperandum - Never despairing Nil desperandum est - We must never despair Non obscura nec ima - Neither obscure nor very low Non sibi sed toti - Not for one self but for all Nunquam acquiescere - Never Acquiesce Nunquam non paratus - Never unprepared Nunquam obliviscar - I will never forget
Omina vincit
labor - Labor conquers all things |
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SUMMATION |
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The good news is, there's only ONE YOU! Each of us have our lineages, personalities, uniqueness, favorite things, and pursuits and achievements that can be symbolically represented, a combination that belongs only to you. Coming up
with an extravagant mantle or awesome motto and banner, an incredible
helmet, flamboyant crest, a ferocious lion or a stately stag for
supporters, would be fantastic, but all mean relatively nothing regarding
having an original COA design ... the only thing that really counts is
what the blazon says is upon the shield.
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NEXT ... the really, really EXCITING PART !!! Three Kűbler and Kibler Coat of Arms and what they tell us about our family in medieval times, about the surname, who our people were, our ancestor in European lore, and American timelines. |
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 HERALDRY LINKS |
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:: MEDIEVAL MUSIC :: LISTEN TO AND DOWNLOAD MIDI MUSIC FILES HEARD ON THIS SITE AND MORE |
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The
Lambrequin: this image depicts a style of cape worn over the armor,
showing how it sat atop the helmet with ties (helm is shown sideways for
armorial display, also why there is a torse in the drawing). This
type of cape was worn for protection from sun and rain and
stories concerning heroes returning from the wars with shredded lambrequins is said to
have inspired heraldry artistic invention, as is exemplified in the image
on the left of this Gresley grant.
The example on
the left shows quartered marshalling, colors in the mantling are impaled,
and both individuals' charges are represented in the crest. 
The
traditional arms of France. Since the late 12th century the arms of
France were "Azure, a semis of fleurs-de-lis or" - golden fleur-de-lis
scattered on a blue background.
The Capets
(c. 1108--1322) - "Azure semy of fleurs-de-lis or." (Louis VI, Louis VII,
Philippe II, Louis VIII, Philippe III, Philippe IV, Louis X, Philippe V,
and Charles IV)
In
1376 it was changed to "Azure, three fleurs-de-lis or" - just three
fleur-de-lys arranged two and one. These two variations of the French arms
as "France ancient" and "France modern".
Until
1801 the Kings of England claimed the French throne. They quartered the
arms of France and England with France in the first quarter.
Here's a link
to a pop-up window to Fox-Davies book online for easy access:
I've
seen a lot of Armorial Bearings, historic, modern, and of commercial and
personal invention. Have gone through pages and pages of
submissions for registration that have been denied for one reason or
another and seen some ridiculous ideas people have come up
with to try and devise something that hasn't already been done. The most
common reasons for denial that I've noted were due to 1. not following the
basic rules of heraldry, 2. using inappropriate or socially unacceptable
devices, or 3. using well known devices or combinations already taken.
