Medieval Heraldry

Osprey Men at Arms #99

by Terence Wise, Richard Hook (Illustrations)

Coats of arms were at first used only by kings and princes, then by their great nobles, but by the mid-13th century arms were being used extensively by the lesser nobility, knights and those who later came to be styled gentlemen. In some countries the use of arms spread even to merchants, townspeople and the peasantry. From the mundane to the fantastic, from simple geometric patterns to elaborate mythological beasts, this fascinating work by Terence Wise explores the origins and appearance of medieval heraldic devices in an engagingly readable style accompanied by numerous illustrations including eight full page colour plates by Richard Hook.

Genres: History, Military History, Nonfiction, Medieval, Medieval History

48 pages, Paperback

First published March 26, 1980

About the author

Terence Wise has been a respected historical writer for more than 25 years. He passed away in August 2010.

Reviews

[Nathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love color plates with full descriptions. Provides a basic understanding of heraldry and discusses its history.

[Remi Hoegeli · Rating 3 out of 5]

courte lecture
intéressant surtout pour des sujets annexes peu traité dans les livres de ma bibliothèque : les badges, les livrées, les cimiers etc...

[Ryan Ricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

For what ever reason, my copy wasn't printed on glossy paper. That's kinda disappointing.

[Michael Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Osprey is well known to students and enthusiasts of military history of all periods, as well as modelers and gamers, for its concisely written and heavily illustrated studies of wars, campaigns, individual battles, military units, arms and armor, and uniforms. This volume is a bit of a departure. Where most books on heraldry concentrate on the theory and practice of the art itself, this one is more interested in the practical uses to which it was put by armored knights and their followers, both in battle and in the lists. This includes such topics as liveries, surcoats, banners, and horse trappers. Also, where heraldry books written in English tend to consider English practice almost to the complete exclusion of the Continent, Wise knows that the institution of knighthood was much broader than a single country, and that the loyalties and interests of its members were more than merely national. The first section lays out the origins and purpose of heraldry, including its spread beyond the nobility and the knights to the merchant class, and even lower. Then comes the shield, both as armor and as a canvas for display, and a short but accurate discussion of its divisions and the charges placed upon it (again, including patterns and symbols that were common in France and Germany but seldom if ever seen in Britain). A section on the livery and maintenance system includes the fashion for badges and the association of certain color combinations with certain families or ruling houses. Crests originally were actual three-dimensional constructions worn atop the helm (at least, when "on parade"), and the introduction of mantling, scarves, and wreaths were an outgrowth of this. Finally, a knight’s mount shared in some of the glory by displaying all or part of its riders arms on its caparison. Overall, this is an excellent introduction to the other side of heraldry.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short but interesting book on heralds and heraldry. Not meant to teach folks about charges and arms and the like. Learned some interesting tidbits about heralds, which is why I bought it in the first place.