View source for Coat of arms

{{Short description|Heraldic design on a shield, surcoat or tabard}}

{{Heraldic achievement}}
A '''coat of arms''' is a [[heraldry|heraldic]] [[communication design|visual design]]<ref>{{Cite book|last1=McQuarrie|first1=Edward F.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mhalDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA131|title=Visual Branding: A Rhetorical and Historical Analysis|last2=Phillips|first2=Barbara J.|date=2016-12-30|publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing|isbn=978-1-78536-542-3|language=en}}</ref> on an [[escutcheon (heraldry)|escutcheon]] (i.e., [[shield]]), [[surcoat]], or [[tabard]] (the last two being outer garments), originating in [[Europe]]. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full [[achievement (heraldry)|heraldic achievement]], which in its whole consists of a shield, [[supporter]]s, a [[crest (heraldry)|crest]], and a [[motto]]. A coat of arms is traditionally unique to the [[armiger]] (e.g. an [[individual person]], [[family]], state, [[organization]], [[school]] or [[corporation]]). The term "coat of arms" itself, describing in modern times just the heraldic design, originates from the description of the entire medieval chainmail "surcoat" garment used in combat or preparation for the latter.

[[Roll of arms|Rolls of arms]] are collections of many coats of arms, and since the [[early Modern Age]] centuries, they have been a source of information for public showing and tracing the membership of a [[nobility|noble family]], and therefore its [[genealogy]] across [[time]].

==History==
{{main|History of heraldry}}
{{see also|List of oldest heraldry|Origin of the coat of arms}}
[[File:DeringRoll.jpg|thumb|Coats of Arms in the [[Dering Roll]], an English [[Roll of arms|armorial]] from the 13th century]]
Heraldic designs came into general use among European nobility in the 12th century. 
Systematic, heritable heraldry had developed by the beginning of the 13th century.
Exactly who had a right to use arms, by law or [[social convention]], varied to some degree between countries. 
Early heraldic designs were personal, used by individual noblemen (who might also alter their chosen design over time).
Arms became hereditary by the end of the 12th century, in England by the time of King [[Richard I of England|Richard I]] during the [[Third Crusade]] (1189–1192).<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.redzet.eu/en/code/V-008-17/view/Coat_of_arms |date=May 24, 2017 |author1=Aivars Gulbis |access-date=2020-05-22|title=Baron fon Bury's Grave in Ugāle hillfort|website = redzet.eu|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=McDonald|first=James |title=International Heraldry|url=http://www.internationalheraldry.com/|journal=Castles and Manor Houses |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231004092813/https://www.internationalheraldry.com/ |archive-date= Oct 4, 2023 }}</ref>

[[Burgher arms]] were used in Northern Italy in the second half of the 14th century, and in the [[Holy Roman Empire]]
by the mid 14th century.
In the late medieval period, use of arms spread to the clergy, to towns as civic identifiers, and to royally chartered organizations such as universities and trading companies. 
The arts of [[vexillology]] and heraldry are closely related.

The term ''coat of arms'' itself in origin refers to the [[surcoat]] with heraldic designs worn by combatants, especially in the [[knightly tournament]], in Old French ''{{Lang|ang|cote a armer}}''. The sense is transferred to the heraldic design itself in Middle English, in the mid-14th century.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.etymonline.com/word/coat%20of%20arms|title=coat of arms {{!}} Etymology of phrase coat of arms |website=etymonline |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230801190128/https://www.etymonline.com/word/coat%20of%20arms |archive-date= Aug 1, 2023 }}</ref>

Despite no common, enforceable widespread regulation,{{citation needed|date=November 2015}} heraldry has remained consistent across Europe, where tradition alone has governed the design and use of arms.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/newdictionaryofh0000unse_s3s3 |title=A New dictionary of heraldry |date=1987 |publisher=Alphabooks |editor-last1=Friar |editor-first1=Stephen |isbn=0906670446 |location=Sherborne |oclc=16094741 |url-access=registration}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=November 2015}} Some nations, such as [[England]] and [[Scotland]], still maintain the same [[heraldic authority|heraldic authorities]] which have traditionally granted and regulated arms for centuries and continue to do so in the present day. In England, for example, the granting of arms is and has been controlled by the [[College of Arms]]. Unlike [[seal (emblem)|seals]] and other general [[emblem]]s, heraldic "achievements" have a formal description called a [[blazon]], which uses vocabulary that allows for consistency in heraldic depictions. In the present day, coats of arms are still in use by a variety of institutions and individuals: for example, many European cities and universities have guidelines on how their coats of arms may be used, and protect their use as [[trademarks]] as any other unique identifier might be.<ref name="emerald">{{cite journal |date=October 2005 |title=The role of corporate identity in the higher education sector |first1=T.C. |last1=Melewar |first2=Sibel |last2=Akel |journal=Corporate Communications|volume=10 |issue=1 |pages=41–57 |url=http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?Filename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/1680100103.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901165941/http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/ViewContentServlet?Filename=Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Articles/1680100103.html |archive-date=Sep 1, 2009 |access-date=26 August 2015 |publisher=Emerald Insight |doi=10.1108/13563280510578196 |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mcgill.ca/files/secretariat/WordmarkandInsigniaofMcGillUniversity-Policyontheuseof.pdf |title=Policy on use of the Workmark and Insignia of McGill University |date=2000 |publisher=McGill  |access-date=26 August 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150226073350/http://www.mcgill.ca/files/secretariat/WordmarkandInsigniaofMcGillUniversity-Policyontheuseof.pdf |archive-date=26 February 2015 }}</ref> Many{{citation needed|date=November 2015}} societies exist that also aid in the design and registration of personal arms.

[[File:Pompa funebris Albert Ardux - duc Brabantiae.jpg|thumb|Brabant Lion held by Floris de Merode during the funeral of [[Albert VII, Archduke of Austria]], print after design by [[Jacob Franquart]]]]
[[File:Hyghalmen Roll Late 1400s.jpg|thumb|upright|The German ''[[Hyghalmen Roll]]'', {{Circa|late 15th century}}, illustrates the German practice of thematic repetition from the arms in the crest]]

Heraldry has been compared to modern corporate [[logo]]s.<ref>''Employee Identification with the Corporate Identity'' International Studies of Management and Organization, Volume 32, Number 3, 2002
{{cite web|url=http://www.phil-hum-ren.uni-muenchen.de/GermLat/Acta/Bernstein.htm|title=Group Identity Formation in the German Renaissance|date=20 August 2002|access-date=26 August 2015|archive-date=20 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130120045506/http://www.phil-hum-ren.uni-muenchen.de/GermLat/Acta/Bernstein.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Regional traditions==
=== French heraldry ===
{{Main|French heraldry}}

The French system of heraldry greatly influenced the British and [[Western Europe]]an systems. Much of the terminology and classifications are taken from it. However, with the fall of the French monarchy (and later Empire) there is not currently a ''Fons Honorum'' (power to dispense and control honors) to strictly enforce heraldic law. The French Republics that followed have either merely affirmed pre-existing titles and honors or vigorously opposed noble privilege. Coats of arms are considered an intellectual property of a family or municipal body. Assumed arms (arms invented and used by the holder rather than granted by an authority) are considered valid unless they can be proved in court to copy that of an earlier holder.

===British heraldry===
{{main|English heraldry|Scottish heraldry|Welsh heraldry}}
[[File:Arms of Duke of Richmond 02817.jpg|thumb|upright=0.55|Arms of the [[Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset|Duke of Richmond]] {{Circa|1780}}]]
In the heraldic traditions of [[England]] and [[Scotland]], an individual, rather than a family, had a coat of arms. In those traditions coats of arms are legal property transmitted from father to son; [[Women in heraldry|wives and daughters]] could also bear arms modified to indicate their relation to the current holder of the arms. [[Undifferenced arms]] are used only by one person at any given time. Other descendants of the original bearer could bear the ancestral arms only with some [[cadency|difference]]: usually a colour change or the addition of a distinguishing [[charge (heraldry)|charge]]. One such charge is the [[label (heraldry)|label]], which in British usage (outside the [[British Royal Family|Royal Family]]) is now always the mark of an [[heir apparent]] or (in Scotland) an [[heir presumptive]]. Because of their importance in identification, particularly in seals on legal documents, the use of arms was strictly regulated; few countries continue in this today. This has been carried out by [[herald]]s and the study of coats of arms is therefore called "heraldry". In time, the use of arms spread from military entities to educational institutes, and other establishments.<ref name=emerald />

In Scotland, the [[Lord Lyon King of Arms]] has [[criminal jurisdiction]] to control the use of arms. In England, [[Northern Ireland]] and [[Wales]] the use of arms is a matter of [[Civil law (common law)|civil law]] and regulated by the [[College of Arms]] and the [[High Court of Chivalry]].

In reference to a dispute over the exercise of authority over the Officers of Arms in England, [[Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey]], [[Lord Privy Seal]], declared on 16 June 1673 that the powers of the [[Earl Marshal]] were "to order, judge, and determine all matters touching arms, ensigns of nobility, honour, and chivalry; to make laws, ordinances, and statutes for the good government of the Officers of Arms; to nominate Officers to fill vacancies in the College of Arms; to punish and correct Officers of Arms for misbehaviour in the execution of their places".  It was further declared that no patents of arms or any ensigns of nobility should be granted and no augmentation, alteration, or addition should be made to arms without the consent of the Earl Marshal.

=== Irish heraldry ===
{{Main|Irish heraldry}}
[[File:Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York (Variant).svg|thumb|Coat of arms of [[Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York]], father of [[Edward IV of England|King Edward IV]]|left]]In [[Ireland]] the usage and granting of coats of arms was strictly regulated by the [[Ulster King of Arms]] from the office's creation in 1552. After Irish independence in 1922 the office was still functioning and working out of [[Dublin Castle]]. The last Ulster King of Arms was [[Nevile Wilkinson|Sir Nevile Rodwell Wilkinson]] [Ulster King of Arms 1908–1940], who held it until his death in 1940. At the Irish government's request, no new King of Arms was appointed. [[Thomas Sadleir|Thomas Ulick Sadleir]], the Deputy Ulster King of Arms, then became the Acting Ulster King of Arms. He served until the office was merged with that of [[Norroy King of Arms]] in 1943 and stayed on until 1944 to clear up the backlog.[[File:Coat of arms of Sir Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby, KG.png|thumb|upright=0.55|Coat of arms of Sir Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby, KG]]An earlier [[Ireland King of Arms]] was created by [[King Richard II]] in 1392 and discontinued by [[Henry VII of England|King Henry VII]] in 1487. It did not grant many coats of arms – the few it did grant were annulled by the other Kings of Arms because they encroached upon their jurisdictions. Its purpose was supposedly to marshal an expedition to fully conquer Ireland that never materialized. Since 1 April 1943 the authority has been split between the [[Republic of Ireland]] and [[Northern Ireland]]. Heraldry in the Republic of Ireland is regulated by the [[Government of Ireland]], by the [[Genealogical Office]] through the Office of the [[Chief Herald of Ireland]]. Heraldry in Northern Ireland is regulated by the [[British Government]] by the [[College of Arms]] through the [[Norroy and Ulster King of Arms]].

=== German heraldry ===
[[File:Arms of the House of de Burgh.svg|thumb|Arms of the Anglo-Irish [[House of Burgh]]]][[File:Arms Utrecht Province.png|thumb|upright=0.9|right|Coat of arms of the [[province of Utrecht]], [[Netherlands]]]]
{{Main|German heraldry|Norwegian heraldry|Swedish heraldry|Danish heraldry|Finnish heraldry|Icelandic heraldry}}

The heraldic tradition and [[Heraldry#National styles|style]] of modern and historic Germany and the [[Holy Roman Empire]] – including national and civic arms, noble and [[burgher arms]], ecclesiastical heraldry, heraldic displays, and heraldic descriptions – stand in contrast to Gallo-British, Latin and Eastern heraldry, and strongly influenced the styles and customs of heraldry in the [[Nordic countries]], which developed comparatively late.<ref name="Volborth">{{cite book|author= Volborth, Carl-Alexander von|year= 1981|title= Heraldry: Customs, Rules and Styles|publisher= Blandford Press|location= Poole, England|isbn= 0-7137-0940-5}} {{ISBN|0-7137-0940-5}} p. 129.</ref>

=== Nordic heraldry ===
In the [[Nordic countries]], provinces, regions, cities, and municipalities have coats of arms. These are posted at the borders and on buildings containing official offices, as well as used in official documents and on the uniforms of municipal officers. Arms may also be used on souvenirs or other effects, given that an application has been granted by the municipal council.

=== Other national traditions ===
[[File:Liptov coatofarms.jpg|right|thumb|upright=0.9|Coat of arms of [[Liptov]] County in [[Slovakia]]]]
{{Main|Spanish heraldry|Portuguese heraldry|Hungarian heraldry|Dutch heraldry|Belgian heraldry}}

At a national level, "coats of arms" were generally retained by European states with constitutional continuity of more than a few centuries, including constitutional monarchies like [[Coat of arms of Denmark|Denmark]] as well as old republics like [[Coat of arms of San Marino|San Marino]] and [[Coat of arms of Switzerland|Switzerland]].

In [[Italy]] the use of coats of arms was only loosely regulated by the states existing before the [[Italian unification|unification]] of 1861. Since the [[Consulta Araldica]], the [[college of arms]] of the [[Kingdom of Italy]], was abolished in 1948, personal coats of arms and titles of nobility, though not outlawed, are not recognised.

Coats of arms in [[Spain]] were generally left up to the owner themselves, but the design was based on military service and the heritage of their grandparents. In [[France]], the coat of arms is based on the [[Fleur-de-lys]] and the ''Rule of Tinctures'' used in English heraldry as well.

=== North American ===
====Canada====
{{Main|Canadian heraldry}}
The [[Monarchy of Canada|monarch of Canada's]] prerogative to grant armorial bearings has been delegated to the [[Governor General of Canada]]. Canada has its own [[Chief Herald of Canada|Chief Herald]] and [[Herald Chancellor]]. The [[Canadian Heraldic Authority]], the governmental agency which is responsible for creating arms and promoting Canadian heraldry, is situated at [[Rideau Hall]].<ref name="RHSC History">{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldry.ca/top_en/top_historyHer.htm|publisher=Royal Heraldry Society of Canada|title=The History of Heraldry in Canada|date=28 April 2004|access-date=2008-08-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090306201754/http://www.heraldry.ca/top_en/top_historyHer.htm|archive-date=6 March 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="CHA-Creation">{{cite web|url=https://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=93&lan=eng|title=Contact Us |publisher=Canadian Heraldic Authority|date=December 23, 2009 |access-date=2015-08-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150911230350/https://www.gg.ca/document.aspx?id=93&lan=eng |archive-date= Sep 11, 2015 }}</ref>

====United States====
{{Main|United States heraldry}}
[[File:Great Seal of the United States (obverse).svg|thumb|upright=0.9|The [[Great Seal of the United States]], which displays as its central design the heraldic device of the nation.]]
The [[Great Seal of the United States]] uses on the obverse as its central motif a heraldic achievement described as being the arms of the nation.<ref name="usdot27807">{{cite web|url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/27807.pdf|title=The Great Seal of the United States |publisher=Bureau of Global Public Affairs |date=July 2003|access-date=26 August 2015}}</ref> The seal, and the armorial bearings, were adopted by the [[Continental Congress]] on 20 June 1782, and is a shield divided palewise into thirteen pieces, with a blue chief, which is displayed upon the breast of an American bald eagle. The crest is thirteen stars breaking through a glory and clouds, displayed with no helm, torse, or mantling (unlike most European precedents at the time). Many of the American states have adopted [[Armorial of the United States|their own coats of arms]], which usually designed as part of the [[Seals of the U.S. states|respective state's seal]].{{citation needed|date=August 2024}} [[Vermont]] has both a [[Great Seal of Vermont|state seal]] and a [[Coat of arms of Vermont|state coat of arms]] that are independent of one another (though both contain a pine tree, a cow and sheaves of grain); the seal is used to authenticate documents, whilst the heraldic device represents the state itself.

== Ecclesiastic heraldry ==
{{Main|Ecclesiastical heraldry}}

[[File:C o a Johannes Paulus I.svg|thumb|upright=0.9|The coat of arms of [[Pope John Paul I]] displays the [[triregnum|papal tiara]] and [[Keys of Heaven|crossed keys]] of the pontifical office.]]

The [[Vatican City State]] and the [[Holy See]] each have their own [[Coat of arms of the State of Vatican City|coat of arms]]. As the papacy is not hereditary, its occupants display their personal arms combined with those of their office. Some [[pope]]s came from [[armiger]]ous (noble) families; others adopted coats of arms during their career in the Church. The latter typically allude to their ideal of life, or to specific pontifical programmes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/elezione/documents/stemma-benedict-xvi.html|title=Coat of arms of His Holiness Benedict XVI|website=The Holy See |access-date=26 August 2015}}</ref> A well-known and widely displayed example in recent times was [[Pope John Paul II]]'s arms. His selection of a large letter M (for the [[Blessed Virgin Mary (Roman Catholic)|Virgin Mary]]) was intended to express the message of his strong [[Mariology|Marian]] [[Catholic devotions|devotion]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/sp_ss_scv/insigne/sp_ss_scv_stemma-bandiera-sigillo_en.html|title= Pontifical Insigna Flag, Coat of Arms and Seal of the Holy See and of the State of Vatican City |website=Vatican press office|date=9 June 2013|access-date=27 August 2015}}</ref> [[Roman Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] [[diocese]]s are also each assigned a coat of arms, as are [[basilica]]s or papal churches, the latter usually displaying these on the building. These may be used in countries which otherwise do not use heraldic devices. In countries like Scotland with a strong statutory heraldic authority, arms will need to be officially granted and recorded.

== Flags and banners ==
{{Main|Heraldic flag}}

[[Flag]]s are used to identify ships (where they are called [[Ensign (flag)|ensign]]s), embassies and such, and they use the same [[Tincture (heraldry)|colors]] and designs found in heraldry, but they are not usually considered to be heraldic. A country may have both a [[national flag]] and a national coat of arms, and the two may not look alike at all. For example, the [[flag of Scotland]] (St Andrew's Cross) has a white [[saltire]] on a blue [[field (heraldry)|field]], but the [[Royal coat of arms of Scotland|royal arms of Scotland]] has a red lion within a double [[wiktionary:tressure|tressure]] on a [[Or (heraldry)|gold (or)]] field.

==Modern national emblems==
{{Main|Armorial of sovereign states}}
{{further|Socialist heraldry|South African heraldry|Nigerian heraldry|Coats of arms and emblems of Africa}}
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| image1            = Coat of arms of Kingdom of Egypt (blue color).svg
| width1            = 135
| alt1              = 
| caption1          = 
| image2            = Coat of arms of the United Arab Republic (1958–1971).svg
| width2            = 135
| alt2              = 
| caption2          = 
| footer            = Egyptian coats of arms from the late monarchical, and early republican periods showing common Near and Middle Eastern motifs, namely the crescent and stars which are symbols of the region's predominant religion, [[Islam]], and the [[Eagle of Saladin]]
}}
Among the states ruled by communist regimes, emblems [[Socialist heraldry|resembling those of the Soviet states]] were adopted in all the [[Warsaw Pact]] states except [[Coat of arms of Czechoslovakia|Czechoslovakia]] and [[Coat of arms of Poland|Poland]]. Since 1986–1989, some of the ex-[[Communist state]]s, such as [[Coat of arms of Russia|Russia]], have reused their original pre-communist heraldry, often with only the symbols of monarchy removed. Other countries such as [[National emblem of Belarus|Belarus]] have retained their communist coats of arms or at least kept some of the old heraldry.

With the independence of the modern nation states of the [[Arab World]] from the First World War onwards, European traditions of heraldry were partially adopted for state emblems. These emblems often involve the [[star and crescent]] symbol taken from the [[Ottoman flag]].
Other commonly seen symbols are birds, chiefly the [[Eagle of Saladin]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/egyptianstudies/2011/05/04/coat-of-arms/ |website=The Egyptian Experience |first1=Zach |last1=Crespi |title=Coat of Arms (Eagle of Saladin)|date=5 April 2011|access-date=19 August 2015|publisher=Macaulay Honors College |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001072935/http://macaulay.cuny.edu/eportfolios/egyptianstudies/2011/05/04/coat-of-arms/ |archive-date= Oct 1, 2015 }}</ref> and the [[Hawk of Quraish]].{{citation needed|date=October 2015}} These symbols can be found on the [[coat of arms of Egypt]], and [[Coat of Arms of Syria|Syria]], amongst others.

[[Coats of arms and emblems of Africa|Sub-Saharan African flags and emblems]] after [[decolonisation]] often chose emblems based on regional traditions or wildlife. Symbols of a ritual significance according to local custom were generally favoured, such as the [[leopard]] in the arms of [[Benin]], [[Malawi]], [[Somalia]], the [[Democratic Republic of the Congo]] and, in the form of the black panther, of [[Gabon]].

In [[Kenya]], the [[Swahili language|Swahili]] word [[Harambee]] ({{lit|Let us come together}}) is used as a motto in the country's coat of arms. In [[Botswana]] and [[Lesotho]], meanwhile, the word [[Botswana Pula|Pula]] ({{lit|Rain}}) is used in like fashion.

In the coat of arms of [[Eswatini]], a [[lion]] and an [[elephant]] serve as supporters. They are each intended to represent the king and the queen mother respectively, the nation's joint heads of state.

== Comparable traditions outside of Europe ==
{{See also|Mon (emblem)|Tamga}}

[[File:Imperial Seal of Japan.svg|upright=0.7|thumb|right|[[Imperial Seal of Japan]]]]

Japanese emblems, called ''[[Mon (crest)|kamon]]'' (often abbreviated "mon"), are family badges which often date back to the 7th century, and are used in Japan today. The Japanese tradition is independent of the European, but many abstract and floral elements are used.

== See also ==
{{portal|Heraldry}}
* [[Arms of assumption]]
* [[Armorial of UK universities]]
* [[Baron and feme#Heraldry|Baron and feme]]
* [[Gallery of country coats of arms]]
* [[List of coats of arms]]
* [[National emblem]]
* [[Officer of arms]]
* [[Seal (emblem)|Seal]]
* {{lang|de|[[Siebmachers Wappenbuch]]}} (coats of arms from German-speaking regions)

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last = Pimbley |first = Arthur Francis |year = 1908 |title = Pimbley's dictionary of heraldry |publisher = Pimbley |url = https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/A_Complete_Guide_to_Heraldry }}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
{{Wikisource|A_Complete_Guide_to_Heraldry|Coat of arms}}
{{Wikidata property |P237}}
* {{Commons category-inline}}
* [http://www.college-of-arms.gov.uk/ College of Arms] – Repository of the coats of arms and pedigrees of English, Welsh, Northern Irish and Commonwealth families and their descendants together with, and in principle under the control of, the legal body the [[Court of Chivalry]], both medieval in origin.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110605020055/http://www.lyon-court.com/lordlyon/CCC_FirstPage.jsp The Court of the Lord Lyon] – the statutory heraldry office for Scotland (archived 5 June 2011)
* Royal Dutch Library page for the [http://www.kb.nl/themas/middeleeuwen/wapenboek-beyeren/ "Wapenboek Beyeren"] – written by Claes Heynenzoon around 1400, containing over 1000 drawings of coats of arms.
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20180322103644/http://gerbovnik.com/ General armorial of noble families in the Russian Empire (Gerbovnik)] (archived 22 March 2018)

{{wiktionary}}
{{Coats of arms of Europe}}
{{Heraldry}}
{{Nationalflags}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Coats of arms| ]]
[[Category:Heraldic badges]]