The Handbook to English Heraldry - Softcover

Boutell, Charles

Softcover

ISBN 13: 9798182726849

Verlag: Danyel, 2026

Inhaltsangabe

SUPPORTERS

"S

tanding by the Shield In silence." -IDYLLS OF THE KING.

A SUPPORTER is a figure, sometimes of an angel, frequently of a human

being, but more generally of some animal, bird, or imaginary creature, so

placed in connection with a Shield of Arms as to appear to be protecting and

supporting it. In English Heraldry a single Supporter is of comparatively

rare occurrence, but a number of examples are to be found in the Heraldry of

Scotland. In early examples, when two Supporters appear, they are in most

cases alike: but, more recently (except in the Heraldry of France), the two

figures are generally quite distinct the one from the other, the earlier usage of

having the two Supporters alike being less frequent. The modern prevailing

practice in England is happily exemplified in the well-known instance of the

present Royal Supporters, the Lion and the Unicorn.

Supporters are considered to have been introduced into theHeraldry of Eng-

land during the reign of EDWARD III.; but they may with greater accuracy

be assigned to the middle of the fifteenth century, than to the second half

of the fourteenth. As armorial insignia of a very high rank, Supporters are

3 CHARLES BOUTELL

granted in England only by the express command of the Sovereign, except to

Peers and Knights Grand Cross and Knights Grand Commanders. In Scot-

land, where they occur more frequently than in the Heraldry of the South

of the Tweed, the "Lord Lyon" has power to grant Supporters. Originally

by the Scottish Heralds these accessories of Shields were entitled "Bearers."

Supporters are now granted, on payment of fees, to all Peers of the Realm to

descend to the holders of a specified Peerage, and to Knights of the Garter,

Thistle, and St. Patrick, and to Knights Grand Cross and Knights Grand

Commanders of all other orders of knighthood to be borne for life. Most

Nova Scotia Baronets and Chiefs of Scottish Clans have supporters regis-

tered with their arms.

Supporters probably owe their origin rather to several concurrent circum-

stances, than to any one particular circumstance. The mere fact of a Knight

carrying his own armorial Shield, or his Esquire bearing it beside him, might

suggest the general idea of some supporting figure in connection with a rep-

resentation of that Shield. The act of carrying a Banner of Arms, in like man-

ner, might suggest a representation of a "Supporter" for a Shield of Arms.

To early Seals, however, Heraldry is in an especial degree indebted for the

development of the idea of Supporters, and for bringing it into a definite

form. Again, the prevalent use of Badges in the fourteenth century, and

in the fifteenth also, would necessarily exercise a powerful influence in the

same direction; and would lead Heralds to associate with Shields of Arms

certain other figures which, while in themselves distinct and independent,

were closely allied with certain Shields of Arms. The prototypes of true Sup-

porters, indeed, as they appear on Seals, are Badges. In fact, it is often diffi-

cult to determine whether specified figures on the Seals of a certain period

are heraldic supporters or merely representations of Badges.

An Effigy represented upon a Seal, as in No. 405, the Seal of DEVORGUILLA

CRAWFORD, about A.D. 1290, from LAING'S Volume: or in Nos. 316,

317, would be even more than a suggestion of a Supporter. The same may

be said, when some figure, almost certainly a Badge, was

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Danyel
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2026
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 13: 9798182726849
• Einband: Paperback
• Anzahl der Seiten: 104
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Nicht verfügbar