King of Arms

A coat of arms king is the supreme herald its sphere of influence. He is elected by the other heralds and appointed by his secular lords.

Tasks

The coat of arms is king, like all heralds charged with the knowledge and guidance of the coat of arms role, ie he has to identify nobles by their coat of arms as well as carry out the design of the coat of arms of his Lord and his family according to the heraldic rules.

In the hierarchy of Herold system follows below the coat of arms King occasionally even a marshal and a different number of simple heralds and Persevanten ( Pursuivants ).

In medieval tournaments, it was for the arms of the king to send challenges to other tournament participants. To this end, he wore the tabard of his master, the challenger, and brought the challenge. If you accept this, the King of Arms pinned a piece of parchment on the shoulder, the two opponents together with their respective coat of arms showed a stylized representation as well as the coat of arms of competent judges. He acted thus as a kind of changing a poster for information about that encounter each tournament bosses.

Coat Kings were in the Middle Ages in high esteem; in addition to their ceremonial duties they acted as ambassadors and even judges. Originally charged with the knowledge and documentation of the coat of arms, the Office became over time an institution, which has the exclusive authority in many places the assignment and certification of coats of arms.

Presence

Even today there are still Coat of kings, so, for example, in the United Kingdom, where they play an important role in the coronation ceremony; their ceremonial importance is highlighted by the fact that the three kings wearing the only coat of arms except the monarch crowns. The coat of arms kings partly offices in the order of knighthood, such as the Order of the Garter, perform the supervision of the ceremonies in religious ceremonies.

In the United Kingdom (except Scotland) are the arms of kings senior members of the College of Arms. They continue to be awarded coats of arms and have tasks in name changes. Scotland has with the Lord Lyon King of Arms its own coat of arms King, who also has judicial functions in the field of heraldry.

England and Northern Ireland

Scotland

Gallery

Sir Francis Grant, Lord Lyon King of Arms (left ), 1933

Hubert Chesshyre, Clarenceux King of Arms, 2006

Thomas Woodcock, Norroy and Ulster King of Arms, 2006

Clarenceux King of Arms Thomas Hawley

Roll of arms Thomas Woodcock (officer of arms) Patric Laurence Dickinson
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