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Tower

Tower (Period)

Spired tower (Period); domed tower (Period)

A tower is a fortified edifice, roughly cylindrical with an embattled top; the door faces the viewer by default. The tower is frequently depicted with a cruciform arrow-slit facing the viewer; this is frequently left unblazoned. When blazoned “proper”, the tower is grey (i.e., argent), the color of stone. The tower is often drawn masoned, even when not explicitly blazoned so.

The top of the tower is subject to variation. A “tower triple-towered” has three tiny towers issuant from its top, as in the arms of Amcotte or Amcots, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 291:94]. A tower may be “spired”, with a conical roof, as in the arms of Harta or Harsdorf, mid-16^th C. [BSB Cod.Icon 308:372]. Or it may be “domed”, hemispherically by default, as in the arms of Burnsen, 1562 [BSB Cod.Icon 265:122]; the Society has examples of “onion-domed” towers as well.

Tower conjoined to wall extending to sinister (Period)

Siege tower (Accepted)

A tower may be conjoined to a wall extending to sinister, as in the arms of Tour de Vinay, c.1370 [Gelre 50]. It may be “ruined” or “ruinous”, with the foundation intact but the top crumbled away. A “tower enflamed” has flames issuant from the top, and often the windows as well.

Finally, there are the tower variants unique to the Society: The “pagoda” is an Buddhist temple building with characteristic eaves. The “minaret”, associated with mosques, is a spire with a balcony near the top, where the muezzin may call the Faithful to prayer. The “siege tower”, or “belfroi”, is a wheeled siege engine which permits attackers to climb into a castle while safe from the defenders; it faces dexter by default, and its “proper” coloration is wooden brown.

Minaret (probable SFPP)

Pagoda (questionable)

Period heralds drew no distinction between the tower and the castle, treating them interchangeably; the exact blazon was often chosen solely for a cant, as with the arms of Towers, c.1310 (bearing what we would deem “castles” though the cant makes them towers) [ANA2 169]. Society heraldry distinguishes the castle from the tower for the sake of the artist, but grants no heraldic difference. For related charges, see lighthouse. See also bridge, wall.

The Baron of the Lonely Tower bears: Quarterly sable and gules, in pale a tower and a laurel wreath argent.

The Shire of the Isles bears: Barry wavy argent and azure, a tower within a laurel wreath gules.

Ann of the White Tower bears: Sable, a tower argent.

William of Hoghton bears: Per bend sinister sable and Or, in bend two towers counterchanged.

Adrian Buchanon bears: Per pale wavy azure and gules, a pale wavy between a tower argent, portalled to sinister, and a wooden siege tower proper.

Margherita di San Gimignano bears: Per bend argent and azure, a conical tower erminois.

Alysandra the Whyte Moor bears: Per bend sinister vert and argent, an onion-domed tower Or and a dragon’s head couped at the shoulder gules.

Joella of Blue Lion’s Keep bears: Per fess argent and azure, a lion passant and a tower conjoined to sinister with a wall, all within a bordure counterchanged.

Ito Nori bears: Per fess Or and sable, three flames and a pagoda counterchanged.

Yolanda del Campo de Cerdana bears as a badge: Counter-ermine, in fess a minaret and a dome conjoined at their bases argent illumined Or.

Torch; Firebrand

Torch (Period)

Firebrand bendwise (Period)

A torch (also called a “flambeau”) is a source of light, consisting of a twist of hemp soaked in oil, and set in a holder; the holder was originally of wood, but by the end of period we find torches with long cylindrical metal holders used in processionals. The torch is a period charge, found in the canting arms (German Fackel) of Fackelstein, c.1340 [Zurich 447], upon which the illustration is based. The torch is always “enflamed”, or lit, even when not explicitly blazoned so.

A similar charge is the “firebrand”, which is simply a bit of burning wood. It’s depicted as a ragged staff with the top end enflamed; sometimes the ragged bits on the sides are enflamed as well. If blazoned “proper”, the brand is brown, the color of wood, with the flames gules and Or. The firebrand is found in the canting arms of von Brandis as early as c.1370 [Gelre 97]; the illustration shows a firebrand bendwise.

Cresset (Period)

Rushlight in its stand (Accepted)

There is also the “cresset” or “fire-basket”, a metal framework containing flame, as shown at the top of a beacon; it was a badge of John Holland, Duke of Exeter, d.1446 [HB 100], and of Henry V [Bedingfeld 129]. Finally, of Society-unique charges, we have the “rushlight”, a reed whose pith is soaked in oil, and whose upper end is lit. (The illustration shows a lit rushlight mounted in a stand.)

For related charges, see brazier, candle, lamp, lantern.

Alan Stevenson bears: Per pale argent and azure, three torches counterchanged.

Nikolaus Hildebrand bears: Argent, a firebrand bendwise proper enflamed and an orle of fleurs-de-lys gules.

Richard Fenwick bears: Argent, a rushlight bendwise proper, the dexter chief tip enflamed Or, supported by a three-legged iron stand sable.

Odette de Saint Remy bears as a badge: A cresset gules enflamed Or and argent.

Tooth

Molar, or fanged tooth (Period)

A tooth is a bone-like structure set in the jaws of most vertebrates, used for biting and crushing food, displaying threats, and smiling. In mundane heraldry, the tooth is normally depicted as a human molar, with the roots extending to base; it is also blazoned (somewhat confusingly) as a “fanged tooth” [Franklyn 130]. It’s found in the canting arms (Dutch kies, “molar”) of Kies or Kees, as seen in a stained glass window dated c.1594, in the Sint-Janskirk (Church of St. John Baptist) in Gouda, Netherlands.

Fang (Disallowed)

Elephant’s tusk (Disallowed)

A tooth that comes to a point may also be called a “fang”; such fangs have their points to base by Society default. The fang is visually equivalent to a drinking horn; it has been disallowed for Society heraldry, due to its lack of ready identifiability.

A similar charge, which seems to be unique to the Society, is the “tusk”: an elephant’s tooth, couped and with point to chief by default. The tusk is no longer permitted to be registered.

Wolves’ teeth issuant from sinister (Period)

“Wolves’ teeth” are a highly stylized German charge, consisting of three or four curved points issuant from the edge of the shield. They usually issue from the flanks, as in the arms of Keudel, 1605; we’ve an example of them issuant from base, in the arms of Schinsky, 1605 [Siebmacher 135, 28]. Having wolves’ teeth issue from other points, such as from chief, is treated as a step from period practice, as is inverting them. The point at which the teeth enter the shield, as well as the number of teeth, are always blazoned; the teeth should be drawn touching, or nearly so, at their bases. The illustration shows three wolves’ teeth issuant from sinister.

Margery Kent of York bears: Purpure, three teeth argent. [Drawn as molars]

Octa Bluetooth bears: Gyronny gules and argent, a bear’s tooth azure.

Cahan Kyle bears: Azure, two tusks, tips crossed in saltire Or.

Duncan Bruce of Logan bears: Or, three wolves’ teeth issuant from sinister sable.

Tierce

Tierce (Accepted)

The tierce is an heraldic ordinary, a vertical band issuant from the dexter side of the shield. As the name implies, it is usually drawn one-third the width of the shield; this proportion may vary, depending on the presence of other charges, or on complex lines of division. The tierce may also be called a “side”; it has no diminutives in Society heraldry.

The tierce may also issue from the sinister, which case is always specified. (Indeed, the dexter tierce is often explicitly blazoned, as well.) The tierce is subject to the normal treatments – embattled, wavy, &c – but like the chief and other single-sided ordinaries, the tierce may not be cotised, voided, dancetty or fimbriated.

Because charging a plain tierce can result in the appearance of impaled armory, plain tierces may not be charged in Society heraldry. Tierces with complex lines may be charged, though the usage is deemed a step from period practice. Tierces, both plain and complex, may be used with other charges on the field with no penalty.

The King of Ansteorra bears as his battle flag: Or, a sinister tierce embattled gules, in canton a mullet of five greater and five lesser points sable.

Charles the Grey of Mooneschadowe bears: Or, a tierce gules.

Diarmait mac Domnaill bears: Bendy sinister azure and argent, a tierce azure.

Sword: flamberge

Flamberge (Period)

The “flamberge” is so named for the wavy “flame-like” shape of its blade. It was cited by Bossewell, 1572 [II.132v], who termed it a “sword wavy”.

The Order of the Flamberge, of the Barony of the Flame, bears: A flamberge gules, hilted and the blade enflamed Or.

Max Erich von Baden bears: Per pale gules and sable, two flamberges in saltire Or surmounted by a skull argent.

Sunburst

Sunburst (Period)

A sunburst is a group of sun’s rays, issuing from clouds. It has been a Royal badge of England since Edward III [HB 96]. The sunburst has its rays to chief by default.

At one time, sunbursts Or were disallowed in Society armory, as being unique to the Plantagenets; but as sunbursts Or were later shown to have been used by others as well, they are now as permissible as sunbursts of other tinctures.

Sun

Sun in his splendor (Period)

The sun is a heavenly body, the day star around which the planets revolve. It began to be used as an heraldic charge early, in the arms of de la Hay, c.1255 [ANA2 550]. The sun is most commonly drawn as a disk with multiple rays emanating from the edge; these rays are normally drawn as alternating straight and wavy rays. However, many period depictions (especially in early period) made all the rays straight, and showed no disk; other depictions (especially on the Continent) showed only wavy rays. A sun is thus negligibly different from a mullet or estoile of many points.

A sun “in his splendor” or “in his glory” is depicted with a human face; this artistic nuance seems to have begun in the early 15^th Century and had come into common use by Tudor times. A “sun eclipsed” in mundane blazonry is simply a sun sable; in Society blazonry, a “sun eclipsed” is one whose center disk is another tincture than the rays, or whose center disk is obscured by a roundel. In early Society usage, the eclipsed disk was sable by definition; current practice is to explicitly blazon the tincture of the eclipsing. The eclipsing may be of any tincture, but eclipsing of a divided tincture is deemed a step from period practice.

Ray of the sun issuant from dexter chief (Period)

A “ray of the sun” is a demi-sun issuant from the edge of the shield, with one ray elongated to cross the field. The arms of Aldam, 1632 [Guillim2 120] explicitly state the ray’s direction, and this must be done in Society armory as well; the illustration shows a ray of the sun issuant from dexter chief (and therefore bendwise).

The King of Atenveldt bears: Azure, a sun in his splendour Or within a laurel wreath argent, in chief a crown of three greater and two lesser points Or.

The Prince of Insula Draconis bears: Per fess sable and azure, a demi-sun in splendour issuant from the line of division within a laurel wreath, in chief a crescent Or.

Wendryn Townsend bears: Azure, a sun in glory Or.

Esteban San Buenaventura bears: Or, three suns in splendor sable.

Kourost Bernard of the East Woods bears: Sable, a sun eclipsed Or [i.e., a sun Or eclipsed sable].

Gairovald Eburhard bears: Sable, issuant from dexter chief a demi-sun argent.

Pascal Brendan Merredy bears: Vert, a ray of the sun bendwise Or, in sinister chief a chalice argent.

Stirrup

Stirrup (Period)

Leathered stirrup (Period)

A stirrup is a footrest for horse riders, a flat-bottomed ring of metal hung by a strap from the saddle. The standard heraldic form is the English stirrup; it is sometimes so blazoned. It’s a period charge, dating from 1308 in the arms of Kydemore [ANA2 549].

In medieval heraldry, the stirrup was usually drawn “leathered”, i.e., showing a bit of strap, though there are examples of unleathered stirrups as well (e.g., the badge of Gyfford, c.1520 [Walden 201]); in Society heraldry, the leather is not shown unless blazoned. The Society also has a single example of a “stirrup-cup”, which is identical to an inverted escutcheon in shape; this charge is unattested in period armory. See also spur.

The Order of the Golden Stirrup, of Æthelmearc, bears: A stirrup Or leathered gules.

Berengaria de Hainault bears: Azure, three stirrups Or, leathered argent.

Meadhbh inghean ui Bhaoighill bears: Per fess azure and Or fretty azure, a stirrup Or.

Staff

Bourdon, or pilgrim’s staff (Period)

Ragged staff (Period)

A staff is a wooden pole, which might be used as a support or a weapon. The unmodified term is rendered in Society armory as a simple, smooth pole, also known as a “rod”; but two other forms of staff are more prevalent in period armory.

The “bourdon” or “walking staff” is drawn with a handhold on its tip. It was frequently drawn with a hook as well, for carrying a bag of belongings, and might then be blazoned a “pilgrim’s staff” or “palmer’s staff”; the terms are essentially synonyms. The bourdon is found in the canting arms of Burdon, c.1285 [ANA2 221].

The “ragged staff” is a thick staff with raguly sides, like a tree trunk with the side-limbs lopped off. This form dates from c.1360, in the arms of von Lipe or Leipa [Gelre 33v], but is most famous as an element in the badge of the Earls of Warwick, 15^th C. [HB 155].

Club (Period); crutch (Period)

Ambassador’s staff (Accepted); belaying pin (Accepted)

Other types of staff in period armory include the “club” (also called a “shillelagh” in the Society), a length of wood with a burl at the top, used as a cudgel; it’s found in the arms of von Keul, 1605 [Siebmacher 72]. There’s the “crutch” or “crutchstaff” (also, poetically, called a “potent”), found in the arms of di Scanci, mid-15^th C. [Triv 331]; it comes in varying forms depending on era, with the illustration being typical.

Of the staves unique to Society armory, there are the “herald’s staff” or “ambassadorial staff”, a short staff with ribbons; the “belaying pin”, used on sailing ships to secure lines and quell mutinies; the “jester’s bauble”, a short stick with a miniature jester’s cap on its end; and the “wand”, a term implying a more naturalistic drawing, perhaps with a leaf or two.

Jester’s bauble (Accepted); wand (Accepted)

All staves are palewise by default. Their “proper” coloration is brown, the color of wood. (The exception is the jester’s bauble: when blazoned “proper”, it’s shown with a Caucasian face and a brown wooden handle; the colors of the cap must be explicitly blazoned.) For related charges, see bend (baton), caduceus, crozier, distaff, juggler’s clubs, mace, scepter, slip (branch), thyrsus, torch (firebrand). See also golf club, pole-arm, spear.

The Ambassador of Atenveldt bears: Per pale azure and argent, in canton a sun in his splendour Or, in sinister base two ambassadorial staves in saltire azure.

Ivan Dragonstone bears: Purpure, on a chief erminois a rod fesswise argent.

Addison the Wanderer bears: Potent, two palmer’s staves in saltire Or.

Bertrade Deslapins bears: Or, two ragged staves in saltire sable.

Georgis Ker bears: Or, a wooden club bendwise proper.

Catriona the Lame bears: Argent, a crutch sable within a bordure azure.

Dianna Wyndalan of Kidwelly bears: Barry wavy sable and gules, in saltire a belaying pin and a sword argent.

Quin of the Eastern Harhar bears: Argent, a jester’s bauble gules and in chief four golpes in arc.

Squirrel

Squirrel maintaining a nut (Period)

The squirrel is a small tree-dwelling beast of the rodent family, whose medieval reputation was of diligence and, oddly, anger. It is a period charge, found in the arms of Hadlaub, c.1340 [Zurich 478].

The squirrel is sejant erect by default. In that posture, it’s often drawn maintaining a nut between its forepaws, even when not specifically blazoned (though it frequently is).

Regana van Kortrijk bears: Azure, a squirrel argent.

Peregrine Fairchylde bears: Vair, a squirrel rampant gules.

Joscelin le esqurel bears: Sable, in pale three squirrels courant Or.

Mistholme

heraldry, illumination, and random jottings