Notes on Heraldry

(America began without a king or the various ranks of a nobility, and we never saw fit to develop a System of Heraldry...such as Europeans have kept over the centuries. Since matters of heraldry, armorial bearings, the art of blazon and such are not a part of our culture, American citizens have developed a lot of misconceptions. Several pages in this web site, and illustrations, taken together, should aid the curious about this subject.)

Primitive peoples are presumed to have carried various kinds of shields into battle, and to have painted upon them certain figures....animals, dragons, faces, for instance. These figures served to identify which side the warrior represented, and/or to frighten a superstitious foe. (In legend, it is claimed that the Catti tribe carried the image of a cat's head.) But it is not known whether such practice went beyond an expression of individual vanity or bravado. With the rise in population and larger battles, however, the markings carried into the fray took on some logical utility. By the time of the early crusades, when armies were made up of warriors from several countries, and serving different generals, the pictorials employed on banners and shields served to distinguish the soldiers under one lord from those of another, to identify leaders, and for orderly marshaling of the troops. Heraldry sprang from these beginnings.

The crusades saw armies of many countries, camping, traveling, and suffering war's tedium, together. Tournaments and jousts (held partly to sharpen battle skills) became popular pass times for the assembled Christian soldiers. Only nobles were allowed to participate in tournaments, and it was the design emblazoned upon their shield and banner which identified the armored individual and announced his rank and family. Wherever they congregated, it became common practice for squires to display articles or armament, the shield and helmet, pridefully beside those of other participants...as in a row...and to provide a mantle for protecting the valued items against the weather. At some point, this practice became a formalized state matter. The kings placed within the office of "Herald" the duty of assuring that certain rules were followed in the bearing and display of arms. Only nobles were allowed a blazon of arms, and it was a serious crime for one to assume the armorial bearing of another. (Some were executed for violations.)

Wars occasionally were punctuated by outbreaks of peace. The military-mindedness of nobles, and the accompanying bravado in display of arms, however, were never put on hold. Tournaments flourished and expanded on home turf, in front of the ladies. Thus the spectacle, the joust, the posturing, the mochesmo, the gathering of "honors", and an ura of romance were rolled into that mix we now think of as Heraldry. But the rules and proper display of armorial bearings remain as heraldry's core.

The Herald, himself a nobleman, kept careful records (sometimes) of arms approved and allowed, and consulted with heralds in other countries to assure against duplication. All this was conducted under the scrutiny of a chief herald (in Scotland, Lord Lyon). The resultant complex of rules, or System of Heraldry, evolved in each European country amazingly like that in the next. Unfortunately, many of the old records were not accompanied by pictorial illustration of assigned arms, but carried, rather, a verbal description. Thus, the shield in Keith-Marischal arms are said to be: "argent, on a chief or three pales guiles". Such wording sounds like greek, but makes perfect sense to anyone knowledgible in this area. The words describe that identifying mark ordained by King Malcom, having dragged his blood-soaked fingers across the shield of Robert, prince of the Catti tribe, early in the eleventh century. Nearly a thousand years later, the same marking in arms herald that this is a Keith descendant. That is heraldry. (See also "Understanding the 'coat of arms'", in this web site.)

As we are concerned primarily with Scottish arms in general, and Keith arms in particular, I have drawn comments, found in these pages, from plentiful literature originating in Scotland. The two-volume "A System of Heraldry, Speculative and Practical..." by Alexander Nisbet, 1722 (reprinted in the 1984) is a particulary fine source for anyone seeking great detail on the subject. It provides extensive discussion of the arms and history of virtually all Scottish families of nobility---including Keith--and comparisons with other European systems of heraldry.

For related topics, see the following pages in this web site:

"Keith, Great Marischals of Scotland" - article and illustration.

"Chief of the Clan, The Earl of Kintore" - article and illustration.

"Succession of the Keiths" illustrates additional Keith arms.

"Understanding the 'Coat of Arms'" - basics of the art of blazon (illustrated).

"More about arms" added discussion of Keith blazons. (illustrated).

Also see "Links to other sites", which includes some on HERALDRY.