• A Brief History Of Heraldry
• Basic Description
• Describing Coats of Arms
• Classes Of Arms
• You And Heraldry
• Example Coats of Arms
• Royal Arms
• Heraldry Links

A Guide To Heraldry

Classes of Arms:

Arms of Dominion, those borne by Sovereigns and annexed to the territories they govern.

Arms of Pretension,used by Sovereigns who are not in possession of the dominions to which such arms belong, but who claim, or pretend a right to them.

Arms of Community, those of bishopries, universities, cities, and other corporate bodies.

Arms of Assumption, adopted without the grant of the Sovereign or of th King-of Arms, and used as a proper right.

Arms of Alliance, are adopted by families or private persons, and are joined with their own heraldic bearings to denote the alliance which they have contracted by marriage.

Arms of Adoption, are borne by a stranger in blood, and are specially granted by the Sovereign to empower the person applying for them to obtain certian moneys or estates bequeathed on the condition of his assuming the name and arms of the testator.

Arms Paternal & Hereditary, are those transmitted from the first possessor to his heirs; the son being a gentleman of second coat armour; the grandson a gentleman of blood; and the greatgrandson a gentleman of ancestry.