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Coat of Arms Shield

January 31st, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

The term of the coat of arms should only really be applied to the ‘coat of arms shield’, however the term now means all the components that make it up namely:

• The shield
• Crest
• Supporters

I will go into each element of the coat of arms within this series of reports. Within the first report we will cover the coat of arms shield.

The shield is the essential element of the coat of arms and together with the banner is the main symbol that people associate with medievel times.

In the 11th & beginning of the 12th Century, the ‘coat of arms shield’ were long, narror and kite shaped and covered most of the body, They had rounded tops and were made of wood and provided protection to most of the body. These were used at Hastings and during the first crusade.

During the 12th century the tops of the coat of arms shield became flatter and the decoration displayed were much more personal.

In the 13th Century, the shields became shorted and were similar to the shape of a base of an iron, called a heater shield. This style remained throughout most of the 14th Century. These however started to be phased out as a direct result of cross bows and arrows being developed. Plate armour then began to become introduced as a means of protection.

In the 15th Century, the coat of arms shields had been virtually abandoned by mounted knights and were retained for heraldic purposes - notably at tournaments.

In the 16th Century, the coat of arms shields were used predominently for heraldic display and its use as a protection armour was virtually abondoned.

From the 17th Century, the coat of arms shield began to become very ornate. This disply of colour could have never been used on the battlefield.

The design of the shields continued into the 18th century & 19th century and had adopted the ’spade’ shape. These are the designs that remain to this day.

Using Genealogy Sites To Create A Family Tree

January 30th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Using Genealogy Sites To Create A Family Tree

There are so m any sites out there that promise the best there is in searching genealogy to create your own family tree. The only way to find the best is by sorting through the sites to find out about just who our ancestors were and where they lived. Tracing a family tree use to take physical research, today families can use genealogy sites to help focus their searches.

Where To Find Genealogy Sites

Genealogy sites are located by putting in a simple request on the search engine used on the internet. There are plenty of genealogy sites to choose from, and it may take some time to sort through which sites contain what type of information.

Genealogy sites also will contain valuable information on how to set up a family tree. They can provide the consumer with hints on how to get started and what type of documentation is needed to add to the family tree. Many sites will also offer consumers links to other genealogy sites that can assist them in further research.

Many genealogy sites will give a consumer some information for free. Some of this information may include census information, death certificates or even birth certificates. Often though, this information may be limited in the scope that it covers. This means that a consumer may need to join the site for a fee, in order to continue their research into their family tree. Sites all have a variety of fees that they charge. Some of these fees are a one time payment, or can be a monthly fee that the consumer pays to use the web site to do their research.

It can be important to compare benefits of each genealogy sites, and if this particular site contains information that will continue to be useful during the research of a family tree. Some sites will only offer specific records that can be viewed. These may include a specific time period in history and may not be valuable to a consumer.

These genealogy sites often help consumers learn to navigate the ropes of a family tree research project. By pointing out other sites, and adding to the resources that can be used, genealogy sites can really help in keeping the ancestor trail going.

Using genealogy sites to create an accurate family tree can be a great way to get important documents that will help fill in the tree. Make sure to be aware of what each genealogy site has to offer and take some time to evaluate if this is the right site for you.

The one site that I have found to be one of the best there is in offering help and guidance along the way is that of ‘One Great Family‘. It is well worth checking them out and see what they offer and to see whether it fits in with what you want. They have some really neat displays that you can use to trace your family tree and record what you have found

FREE Coat of Arms | Family Crest Book for you…

January 14th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

I will shortly be posting a FREE book all about the meanings of each coat of arms, family crests. This is a complete publication that I have got my hands on that should retail out for the equivalent of $79 - But you won’t be parting with any cash!

Bookmark this site now and come back very soon - you definately will not be dissapointed with this excellent professional publication all about Coats of Arms & Family Crests

Angie

Coat of Arms Meaning

January 14th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

The Art And Order Of Putting Symbols On Shields - the actual coat of arms picture

Making marks or symbols for military purposes can probably be found going back to the earliest man. The Greeks put marks on their shields long before Christianity. Even African warriors painted their wooden shields with symbols of heritage.

However, the art and order that we know as HERALDRY today didn’t start until the 1100’s, around the time of the Crusades. Men from several countries were thrown together during the Crusades. So, the need for a quick, visual way to identify each other became a matter of survival. Especially when wearing suits of armour and closed helmets.

English Knights started putting their marks on their armour and soon the practice spread quickly throughout Europe. Later, cloth, or surcoats were worn over the suits of armor mainly to prevent them from becoming solar ovens for the wearer. The Knight’s marks and symbols, now known as arms, were embroidered on the surcoats making them known as coats of arms.

It wasn’t long before the need to distinguish between these symbols gave rise to a new occupation known as Heralds. A Herald would memorize the knights’ arms and would announce to the public who they were. They became the masters of ceremonies at public competitions. And later, became court appointed positions.

…to be continued

Genealogy: Study Of Family Ancestry

January 13th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Many people have a great need and desire to know more about their family ancestry and thus turn to its study which is known as genealogy, which means needing to collect names of all their relatives, who are not only living but also those who have since passed away, and forming a relationship among each of them on the basis of their most important, secondary and even based on any evidence related to circumstantial bonding in order to build a complete family tree. Thus, it is easy to see why genealogy is considered to be the same as a family history, though family trees are based on relationships, while family history is based on sorting out the lives as well as personal histories of those whom you may know immediately.

Collects Oral Versions And Stories Related To The Family

A person that studies genealogy is known as a genealogist and who is a person or persons that will collect histories including oral versions and even stories related to the family so that it is possible to learn about the ancestry as also about those relatives that are still living. In addition, a person that studies genealogy will also find it relevant to know more than just the where as well as when of relatives, but also their lifestyles, motivations and also biographies which may need having some special knowledge including those related to antiquated laws, trends of immigration, political boundaries from yore, and also social conditions throughout history.

That is why genealogy has of late (since the seventies) become very popular as witnessed by the immensely popular TV series Roots that was an adaptation of a family line based on the book written by Alex Haley who traced his own family lineage therein. Now that the Internet has become a way of life, there are many more resources available to us in finding out all about the past, though genealogists still understand the need to tread these paths with caution so as to not end up with inaccuracies in the family trees.

Genealogy can also lead to research being conducted on things such as relationships between people including those such as kinship to particular groups as is best exemplified in a Scottish clan, or it may requires studying certain surnames, or even studying tiny communities such as village or parishes, or it could even involve a single personality such as Abraham Lincoln or even Muhammad Ali.

Even DNA can help reveal information about the ancestry of a person and in fact, today DNA analysis is a major factor when it comes to studying genealogy in depth. And, there is also some genealogy software that has become available that is helping in this very interesting subject, and with Internet availability, it can prove to be even more effective.

Family Crests | Coat of Arms | Genealogy

December 4th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Hi Folks,

Welcome to the ultimate Family Crests | coat of arms | Genealogy site. My name’s Angie and I manage the Family Crests site. Yes you’ve guessed it, everything to do with Family Crests | coat of arms | Genealogy for al, the family.
You can hop over to my website at www.101-family-crests.com to check out what’s new, but in the meantime, why not take a look around this blog….hang out….clock on a few links…bookmark it…and check back regularily for all your true honest ‘family crest’ information.
And don’t forget to leave a comment and contribute to some lively genealogy news chat!
Angie