Heraldry in the SCA: Balancing History and Creativity

ByJehanne Bening

Heraldry has always been more than just a pretty design—it’s the mirror of the soul, showcasing both the virtues of the past and the hopes for the future.

-Bartolus de Saxoferrato in the 14th century.

If you’re a reenactor, are you fascinated by historically accurate heraldic devices?

Or maybe you just enjoy the art of heraldry itself?

In the SCA, you’ve probably seen beautiful armory displayed on banners, shields, cloaks, and even chests. But here’s the catch: a lot of the heraldry you see at SCA events wouldn’t have existed in the period it’s supposed to represent.

Many of the intricate designs found in SCA heraldry today actually owe their existence to some rather bizarre practices of late Tudor heralds. That means Sir Slav’s elaborate armory would have only been sported by someone dressed in 16th-century fashion. Definitely not appropriate for personas from earlier periods. In fact, if your persona lived before the 1100s, you’d have to adapt it. But according to your persona you’d likely have no heraldic device at all. Heraldry, as we know it, hadn’t been invented yet!

Heraldry originally emerged in the 11th century as a way to identify fighters on the battlefield. It had to be incredibly elemental so that a person without noble lineage knowledge could look at a shield and describe it easily. “Red shield with three gold lions” clearly identified the King of England, just like “white shield with a red cross” signaled a Templar crusader. Back then, shields seldom displayed more than one item (charge) because complexity could mean the difference between life and death on the battlefield. Back then, fighters weren’t “resurrected.”

Codex Manesse

In the Middle Ages, were people as connected to their arms as we are in the SCA?

By the 13th century, nobles and knights were proudly bearing their family colors and symbols—lions, eagles, crosses, and geometric shapes. The more families started using these designs, the more creative heraldry became. Bartolus de Saxoferrato, a 14th-century legal scholar, wrote a treatise on heraldry called De Insigniis et Armis. He was one of the first to explain the deep symbolic connection between a family’s coat of arms and its virtues.

In the Middle Ages, heraldry (known then as “armoury”) was unique because it was personal and hereditary, distinct from older symbols worn by warriors.

Heralds were responsible for keeping track of all the different coats of arms, often recording them in ‘rolls of arms.’ These heralds became invaluable sources of information in battles, knowing exactly who was fighting whom just by recognizing the arms on shields. Their role grew so significant that, by the 14th century, they were organizing major events like royal weddings and funerals.

16th Century English Herald of Arms

By the 15th century, heralds and their apprentices, known as pursuivants, were employed in colleges of arms. These institutions settled disputes over conflicting arms and made sure only the rightful could bear them.

With the passing of time, the rules and traditions of heraldry became specific and formalized. And, the power to grant or revoke arms was eventually handed from monarchs to these colleges.

Are you curious to see the real deal?

Do you want to see some examples of period heraldry?

Have a click on the links below for images from the horses mouth.

The oldest known English roll of arms, dating to around 1244 CE, is held in the British Library. It features 75 coats of arms, starting with the king’s.


The Dering Roll (c. 1270-1280), the oldest surviving English roll of arms, depicts 324 coats of arms and offers a fascinating glimpse into medieval English knighthood.


And, of course, there’s the Manesse Codex (c. 1340), famous for its gorgeous full-page miniatures of medieval German poetry, which just happens to be what first drew me into the world of SCA illumination.


The Zurich Roll (c. 1340) provides one of the earliest collections of coats of arms from the Holy Roman Empire’s lower nobility.

Zurich Roll


Notice how simple the heraldry is in these examples? The designs, found in various rolls of arms throughout history, are a far cry from the complex, intricate armory often seen today.

As you explore the world of heraldry, whether through the lens of a reenactor, SCA participant, or simply as a history enthusiast, it’s fascinating to see how these symbols have evolved. From simple battlefield identifiers to intricate works of art, heraldry has always reflected the values, stories, and ambitions of those who bore it.

The heraldry in the SCA may not always be historically accurate. But it is a vibrant expression of our community’s creativity and passion.

Barony of the Lonely Tower’s Roll of Arms

So next time you’re at an event, take a closer look at the armory around you. It carries the spirit of identity and pride that heraldry has embodied for centuries.

Remember, heraldry isn’t just about the past—it’s a living art that continues to grow with every generation that embraces it. Maybe it will inspire you to research or design a little more historically accurate device for your own persona!

Resources

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