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The Complete Book of Heraldry: An International History Of Heraldry And Its Contemporary Uses
Praised by the Society of Heraldic Artists, this detailed volume covers heraldry and its language.
256 pages
First published December 25, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 13, 2022
A number of errors in the historical sections. Given the author’s background in heraldry, I assume these sections are accurate, but can’t personally speak to it one way or another.
March 11, 2026
"Hark the Herald Angels sing,
Glory to the newborn King!"
If you have heard those words sung have you thought about just who or what this herald is? If you are familiar with Shakespeare's 'King Henry V' the character Montjoy might come to mind. If you saw the movie starring Christopher Ravenscroft as Montjoy, you would have seen him mounted on a horse, wearing the flowing light blue cape with the yellow fleur de lis and a hat with a large feather it. His outfit was most colorful, and it was meant to be, so as to be recognized on sight. You see, at times a herald served as a diplomat and was rendered diplomatic immunity.
But he served other purposes as well. A herald was expected to recognize the colorful banners, shields, and surcoats of medieval knights on sight. This knowledge was useful to his lord at tournaments as well as on the battlefield. THE COMPLETE BOOK OF HERALDRY explains all this pretty well.
Before going any further, I need to make a comment in general about this book. The author explained that the terms used in describing heraldry are based on medieval French, and that sometimes right is left and left is right. The reason being that in heraldry, it is from the man holding the shield's point of view, but somebody else facing the surface of the shield would have a different perspective. The author states that even though there is a whole glossary of terms, in a language I don't understand, a herald could replicate a design based on all these terms. Heraldry was a science. He then states that it is really user friendly. When he said that I cringed just as I do when somebody says that about a new computer update!
Being as heralds were so important to nobility, they were honored and free to roam where they will. They not only competed against each other but with the minstrels and poets as well who were insanely jealous of them.
So what was it they studied? The designs they looked for were known as arms. In this case it didn't mean weapons but rather the colorful designs mentioned above. Most arms started out as shield designs. The shield was straight across at the top and curved to a point at the bottom. It might have one simple design on it or something very colorful as succeeding generations married other nobility and all this was recorded on parts of the shield. Now a man had his arms on a shield whereas a woman's arms were on a lozenge, which was basically a diamond shape. When they married, often for political alliance, their arms were combined on a new shield. In time other ornamentation was added which was basically their genealogy. All these designs and decorations were referred to as the Achievement of Arms.
There was a lot of information in this book, a real encyclopedia on the topic! Plenty of colorful examples were included, as well as a much needed glossary. Those interested in history, or genealogy, might enjoy this, but I won't be reading this again any time soon. So many times my eyes would glaze over as while reading all these strange words and then I would turn the page and see Nazi Heraldry and I was all eyes and ears! My, how can a book be both boring and interesting at the same time?
Heraldry continues today. The British crown still takes it seriously, and some arms are awarded for some deserving act. One judge who presided over cases of prostitution had an arms awarded posthumously that consisted of prison bars and female legs in stockings and garters. I wonder what the arms for Prince Harry and Meghan would look like?
This book is invaluable if you are hobnobbing with British royalty. You can learn what the ranks are, such as duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and lowly baron, and how to address them. All the robes, scepters, and bling is usually only worn at the coronation of a new monarch.
I did learn that 'von' in German names, and 'de' in French mean 'of.' The German prefix 'Graf' means count. The Polish name ending in 'ski' or 'sky' means 'of' as well.
By using this book one can learn how to obtain one's own Achievement of Arms. In medieval times they believed that by having arms the angels, and the Lord, would know how special you were when you approached the Pearly Gates.
To quote Baroness Ryder of Warsaw, known for her charity work as Sue Ryder,
"Those funny fellows the heralds asked me if I wanted a coat of arms. I saw how much they were asking for it and thought of how many food parcels I could send with the money. I cannot think what type of person would go for such an absurd anachronism."
Ah, but they do.
Glory to the newborn King!"
If you have heard those words sung have you thought about just who or what this herald is? If you are familiar with Shakespeare's 'King Henry V' the character Montjoy might come to mind. If you saw the movie starring Christopher Ravenscroft as Montjoy, you would have seen him mounted on a horse, wearing the flowing light blue cape with the yellow fleur de lis and a hat with a large feather it. His outfit was most colorful, and it was meant to be, so as to be recognized on sight. You see, at times a herald served as a diplomat and was rendered diplomatic immunity.
But he served other purposes as well. A herald was expected to recognize the colorful banners, shields, and surcoats of medieval knights on sight. This knowledge was useful to his lord at tournaments as well as on the battlefield. THE COMPLETE BOOK OF HERALDRY explains all this pretty well.
Before going any further, I need to make a comment in general about this book. The author explained that the terms used in describing heraldry are based on medieval French, and that sometimes right is left and left is right. The reason being that in heraldry, it is from the man holding the shield's point of view, but somebody else facing the surface of the shield would have a different perspective. The author states that even though there is a whole glossary of terms, in a language I don't understand, a herald could replicate a design based on all these terms. Heraldry was a science. He then states that it is really user friendly. When he said that I cringed just as I do when somebody says that about a new computer update!
Being as heralds were so important to nobility, they were honored and free to roam where they will. They not only competed against each other but with the minstrels and poets as well who were insanely jealous of them.
So what was it they studied? The designs they looked for were known as arms. In this case it didn't mean weapons but rather the colorful designs mentioned above. Most arms started out as shield designs. The shield was straight across at the top and curved to a point at the bottom. It might have one simple design on it or something very colorful as succeeding generations married other nobility and all this was recorded on parts of the shield. Now a man had his arms on a shield whereas a woman's arms were on a lozenge, which was basically a diamond shape. When they married, often for political alliance, their arms were combined on a new shield. In time other ornamentation was added which was basically their genealogy. All these designs and decorations were referred to as the Achievement of Arms.
There was a lot of information in this book, a real encyclopedia on the topic! Plenty of colorful examples were included, as well as a much needed glossary. Those interested in history, or genealogy, might enjoy this, but I won't be reading this again any time soon. So many times my eyes would glaze over as while reading all these strange words and then I would turn the page and see Nazi Heraldry and I was all eyes and ears! My, how can a book be both boring and interesting at the same time?
Heraldry continues today. The British crown still takes it seriously, and some arms are awarded for some deserving act. One judge who presided over cases of prostitution had an arms awarded posthumously that consisted of prison bars and female legs in stockings and garters. I wonder what the arms for Prince Harry and Meghan would look like?
This book is invaluable if you are hobnobbing with British royalty. You can learn what the ranks are, such as duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and lowly baron, and how to address them. All the robes, scepters, and bling is usually only worn at the coronation of a new monarch.
I did learn that 'von' in German names, and 'de' in French mean 'of.' The German prefix 'Graf' means count. The Polish name ending in 'ski' or 'sky' means 'of' as well.
By using this book one can learn how to obtain one's own Achievement of Arms. In medieval times they believed that by having arms the angels, and the Lord, would know how special you were when you approached the Pearly Gates.
To quote Baroness Ryder of Warsaw, known for her charity work as Sue Ryder,
"Those funny fellows the heralds asked me if I wanted a coat of arms. I saw how much they were asking for it and thought of how many food parcels I could send with the money. I cannot think what type of person would go for such an absurd anachronism."
Ah, but they do.
June 11, 2015
Coat of arms, shields, crests, helmets… This may sound like a day at a medieval tournament. Yet, heraldry is a precise language, art, and even a science. It is one which can denote the entire history, alliances, and structure of families or organizations. Stephen Slater, a leading expert in heraldry, opens up this field to readers in, “The Complete Book of Heraldry: An International History of Heraldry and its Contemporary Uses”.
“The Complete Book Heraldry” is a meshing of a glossy paged, colorful, coffee table book with that of an academic text book. Even though the pages are filled with hundreds of illustrations; the text is not comprised or dummied down. Slater partitions “The Complete Book of Heraldry” by first observing the history of heraldry, the language, and every little element of a coat of arms (field, charges, quartering, labels, etc); while the second section focuses on shields and its uses in various countries in more recent times.
Initially, “The Complete Book of Heraldry” has a somewhat slow start and it can be said that Slater is quite dry in his writing style. However, this picks up as he dives into detailing every little topic and aspect of heraldry. The reader will be fascinated by the extensive coverage and how much is involved in the world of heraldry that is generally not thought upon. Admittedly, this can be overwhelming at times because the amount of information present is engorged. One will feel the need to take breaks to absorb it all while being tempted to take notes.
Slater helps the reader understand the material by providing an abundance of examples both within the text and visually. The graphics and charts are easy to understand in a text book fashion and help break down the headiness. Also helpful is that each topic ends on the bottom of the page. This may seem like a minor detail but it is very helpful to not have to flip back-and-forth. Slater also describes terminology within the text (although a glossary is also provided) so that the reader isn’t expected to already know it all previous to reading “The Complete Book of Heraldry”.
The text in “The Complete Book of Heraldry” suffers from some inconsistencies in writing style and pace. Some pages are written more casually and flow smoothly while the next is slower and dry. This may simply reflect the personal interests of Slater but the up-and-down pace negatively affects the reader.
Much of the book’s content concentrates on England which makes sense due to the author’s career and residential background being England. However, this weakens the aim of “The Complete Book of Heraldry” which claims to be an overall international look.
In the second half of “The Complete Book of Heraldry”; Slater takes a sort of social history approach to the topic by exploring the applications of heraldry by royalty, civic and state organizations, and global ventures. This section is noticeably less illuminating than the former and tends to stray from heraldry focusing on other symbolic means used by the aforementioned groups. This results in slightly tedious reading.
Slater concludes “The Complete Book of Heraldry” with a brief preposition of the field’s future and an explanation of the process involved in obtaining arms. Followed by a glossary; this is a steady wrap up of the subject and helps “The Complete Book of Heraldry” not end abruptly which is the chief error of many books of a similar nature.
“The Complete Book of Heraldry” is quite riveting and enthralling in terms of the plethora of information presented, the glorious illustrations, and well-organized pages. Its only weakness which could detour many readers is its dry, text book-like style; thus making it more suitable for readers with a pre-existing interest in the topic. Regardless, it is impossible to not come away with knowledge gained and a deepened respect for heraldry. “The Complete Book of Heraldry” is a strong piece suggested for all readers with an interest on the topic (even if remote).
“The Complete Book Heraldry” is a meshing of a glossy paged, colorful, coffee table book with that of an academic text book. Even though the pages are filled with hundreds of illustrations; the text is not comprised or dummied down. Slater partitions “The Complete Book of Heraldry” by first observing the history of heraldry, the language, and every little element of a coat of arms (field, charges, quartering, labels, etc); while the second section focuses on shields and its uses in various countries in more recent times.
Initially, “The Complete Book of Heraldry” has a somewhat slow start and it can be said that Slater is quite dry in his writing style. However, this picks up as he dives into detailing every little topic and aspect of heraldry. The reader will be fascinated by the extensive coverage and how much is involved in the world of heraldry that is generally not thought upon. Admittedly, this can be overwhelming at times because the amount of information present is engorged. One will feel the need to take breaks to absorb it all while being tempted to take notes.
Slater helps the reader understand the material by providing an abundance of examples both within the text and visually. The graphics and charts are easy to understand in a text book fashion and help break down the headiness. Also helpful is that each topic ends on the bottom of the page. This may seem like a minor detail but it is very helpful to not have to flip back-and-forth. Slater also describes terminology within the text (although a glossary is also provided) so that the reader isn’t expected to already know it all previous to reading “The Complete Book of Heraldry”.
The text in “The Complete Book of Heraldry” suffers from some inconsistencies in writing style and pace. Some pages are written more casually and flow smoothly while the next is slower and dry. This may simply reflect the personal interests of Slater but the up-and-down pace negatively affects the reader.
Much of the book’s content concentrates on England which makes sense due to the author’s career and residential background being England. However, this weakens the aim of “The Complete Book of Heraldry” which claims to be an overall international look.
In the second half of “The Complete Book of Heraldry”; Slater takes a sort of social history approach to the topic by exploring the applications of heraldry by royalty, civic and state organizations, and global ventures. This section is noticeably less illuminating than the former and tends to stray from heraldry focusing on other symbolic means used by the aforementioned groups. This results in slightly tedious reading.
Slater concludes “The Complete Book of Heraldry” with a brief preposition of the field’s future and an explanation of the process involved in obtaining arms. Followed by a glossary; this is a steady wrap up of the subject and helps “The Complete Book of Heraldry” not end abruptly which is the chief error of many books of a similar nature.
“The Complete Book of Heraldry” is quite riveting and enthralling in terms of the plethora of information presented, the glorious illustrations, and well-organized pages. Its only weakness which could detour many readers is its dry, text book-like style; thus making it more suitable for readers with a pre-existing interest in the topic. Regardless, it is impossible to not come away with knowledge gained and a deepened respect for heraldry. “The Complete Book of Heraldry” is a strong piece suggested for all readers with an interest on the topic (even if remote).
Want to read
November 28, 2022So believe it or not I cannot understand the terms used to describe heraldic devices. I cannot picture them in my head at all. I got tired of being so confused so I found this book. I’m not quite sure what age audience it’s geared toward, but it really doesn’t matter as long as I know the basics by the end.
May 16, 2024
I just happened to spot this at an outlet store recently and I'm glad I spent the money on this because it was a fascinating read.
May 29, 2022
I learned a lot and it’s beautifully illustrated but my copy is seamlessly missing 17 pages in the Global Heraldry section.
August 31, 2011
Beautiful illustrations, good information, easy to peruse through. Did I say great pictures? Artists will love the inspiration available from looking at these heraldic designs.
March 26, 2012
A great overall guide to international heraldry with a slight bent towards English traditions, but not surprising considering the author's background. All in all very enjoyable.
August 1, 2009
My favorite heraldry book for its simplicity. Heraldry can be SOOOOO...ugh!
January 3, 2024
A comprehensive guide on the history of heraldry. Images take the reader through an intensive story about icons and designs. A very inspiring book for this reader while I’m creating a story with these elements.
January 29, 2023
Very interesting book on Heraldry.
September 27, 2011
A large hardcover book with lots of colourful pictures, well organised chapters and a tongue in cheek attitude to a subject that it too often treated ponderously. It is however a very good beginners book for someone who wants to quickly and easily acquire a primer for basic heraldry. I read it, enjoyed it and expect to use it as a reference should I ever need information about heraldry.
Read
June 26, 2010The complete book of heraldry: An international history of heraldry and its contemporary uses by Stephen Slater (2003)
February 11, 2013
Very interesting an informative, with fascinating historical insights.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews