A Complete Guide to Heraldry

Fülszöveg

ACOMPLETE GUIDETO
HERALDRY
by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies
With 779 illustrations and 8 full-color plates
Today knights in shining armor are relegated to fairy tales and romantic fiction. But during the period of the Crusades in Europe there rose an extraordinary group of proud, dedicated men— knights fighting for what they believed were the highest moral principles. War was elevated to a sacred duty, and nations vied with nations, individuals with individuals, in the performance of illustrious feats of honor. Even without understanding or sympathizing with the fanaticism that gripped Europe at the time, the modern reader cannot help but be fascinated with the tales of warring and the accouterments of battle that characterized this very special way of life.
All gentlemen were soldiers, and weapons were the most cherished possessions a family could have, passed from father to son with great reverence. Each soldier, his face hidden by a helmet, was identified by the markings on... Tovább

Fülszöveg

ACOMPLETE GUIDETO
HERALDRY
by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies
With 779 illustrations and 8 full-color plates
Today knights in shining armor are relegated to fairy tales and romantic fiction. But during the period of the Crusades in Europe there rose an extraordinary group of proud, dedicated men— knights fighting for what they believed were the highest moral principles. War was elevated to a sacred duty, and nations vied with nations, individuals with individuals, in the performance of illustrious feats of honor. Even without understanding or sympathizing with the fanaticism that gripped Europe at the time, the modern reader cannot help but be fascinated with the tales of warring and the accouterments of battle that characterized this very special way of life.
All gentlemen were soldiers, and weapons were the most cherished possessions a family could have, passed from father to son with great reverence. Each soldier, his face hidden by a helmet, was identified by the markings on his shield and armor—his coat of arms. Because only the sovereign could authorize and grant a coat of arms, its significance soon expanded beyond mere identification, and each family guarded their rights to and felt deep loyalty to its particular coat of arms. The art and science of heraldry, the study of symbols, was thus born.
(continued from from flap)

In ^ Complete Guide to Heraldry, Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, a well-known authority, has written the story of heraldry—a thorough explanation of the rules governing the establishment and use of coats of arms, and an extraordinarily detailed compendium of the individual elements and designs in the coats of arms of England and Scotland. Because every representation has a specific meaning, based on recognized historical interpretation, Fox-Davies has divided the book into chapters on various symbols: beasts, birds, trees, flowers, crests, crowns, coronets, badges, mottos, and many other categories. The inheritance pattern of each heraldric symbol is explained, including facts on what happens when one noble family intermarries with another and coats of arms must be combined. Students of history and the family will be able to trace family trees, perhaps even their own. And readers will be delighted with the detailed drawings and eight beautifully reproduced color plates.
The recent interest in discovering one's roots has brought with it a new historical awareness and a sense of pride in family origins. Heraldry epitomizes this tradition, and this extraordinary volume will inspire both the dabbler and the serious student.
The jacket front illustration is of the Royal Arms. It appeared in the original edition of this book as Plate I. Vissza