Heraldry is so named because of the heralds who were charged by Kings or Lords to keep track of family relationships and the rather intricate coats of arms associated with said families.
The origin of the use of coats of arms can be traced back to military applications. Coats of arms first appeared on shields as a way of identifying friend and foe. This was necessary because most of the soldiers were illiterate but could easily identify heraldic symbols. Eventually, the same symbolism used on the shield was transferred to the tunic worn over the knight’s armor, thus, the origin of the term “coat of arms”.
The use of heraldic symbols began in the 11th or 12th century and quickly spread beyond military applications. Much of the population was illiterate and needed a way to identify themselves in transactions of various sorts. Thus, many of them used coats of arms on stamps used on wax seals to let others know the document involved was genuine.
As we will see when we explore the topic in other sections of this chapter, heraldic symbols are precise, intricate and detailed. Eventually, thousands of coats of arms were developed and became associated with the families who developed them. Today people wear them proudly on clothing, on lapel pins, or display them in various ways, as I do the Ayres badge below.
