Heraldry

[Pug]

> > Hmm you begin to make a certain amount of sense, but the problem is that the
> > heralds are holding heraldry hostage. They are declaring that heraldry can
> > only be used in the way they want, that they get to deterine the limits of
> > it's form and content.
> Not so, any more than costumers are holding what styles of costumes
> are medieval, or illuminators what styles of charters are medieval,
> etc.

The difference here, as I see it, is that heraldry truly needs to go
through the College of Heralds in order to be useable. Costumes and
scrolls can be by anyone who chooses to do it. If the College of
Heralds decide to not like something, even if it's period style, it can
be rejected. Where a costume especially, a scroll to some extent, can
be used no matter what the larger group says.

Yes, I can make any arms I want and use them, but that doesn't mean I'm
not going to be misrecognized as the King of Sweden.

> > The problem with that is that MOST people in the society
> > use heraldry, and they use it for a different reason than the heralds seem
> > inclined to let it be used.
> I disagree.  First, while a lot of people register coats of arms, very
> few ever _do_ anything with them.

>From my limited point of view, I disagree. A large number of encampment
at the last 2 events I was at had banners or shields promonately
displayed. These could be unique events.

> Few fighters ever actually put
> their arms on their shield.

This I find ridiculous. Why bother doing the work if you aren't going to
use it for what it's intended. *sigh*

> Only a handful of people ever make a
> banner of their arms, let alone any of the dozens of other forms of
> armorial display.  If everyone at a given event who had designed a
> coat of arms (let alone registered them) flew at least one banner
> displaying them, the site would be awash in banners.  When was the
> last time you saw 100+ banners at an event (other than Pennsic or
> Estrella)?

The last 2 events I was at, Lyonesse and Black/White, may have not had
100+ banners, but the number of encampments with banners/shield seemed
to outnumber the number without. Atleast IMHO.

> [As a historical aside, a great number of medieval tourneys didn't
> permit "blank shields" entry into the list - you had to have a coat of
> arms displayed on your shield in order to compete.]

Maybe the Society should start this for anyone owning their own armor.
*grin*

Ciao,

-- 
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