Letter of Registrations and Returns

Society of the Middle Ages, Inc.

Office of the Muskatour King of Arms

October 2022

Greetings from the Muskatour office.

One of the hazards of reenactment occurs when we strive for authenticity to the point where we find ourselves impinging on actual history. In the College of Arms, this happens because we have rules that produce plausible names and armoury that result in our members displaying good period style. As a result, it’s actually pretty common to find that the perfect name or perfect armourial design impinges on actual historical figures of note. Such is the case in two decisions this month, both resulting in new precedents.

Badges have a peculiar place in heraldry because they do not have a field. As such, it is possible for badges featuring a central charge that is also independently considered a medium for heraldic display to be confused with arms when devoid of any other context. Examples include delfs, escutcheons, roundels, and lozenges – all of which appear throughout our period as a shape upon which arms are rendered. We considered a submission this month of a badge consisting of a charged heart. Two precedents arose out of this consideration. The first was from the realization that while we have advertised this concern as a restricting factor, we had not codified it in the Rules for Submission. Henceforth, the College will return any badge that consists of a single shape bearing a minor charge when that shape is also a standard medium for heraldic display. This practice will be added to the next revision of the Rules for Submission. The second is that despite evidence showing a variation of the heart shape as a medium for heraldic display, the heraldic heart and the heart-shaped variant of the escutcheon used in heraldic display are different enough that a charged heart could not be confused with an independent heraldic display.

The other precedent arose out of a decision on a pended arms submission from last month. The “bloody hand of Ulster” is a red hand apaumee on a white field – evident in the arms of Ulster and used as an augmentation for the Ulster baronets. The question raised was whether the motif of the red hand on the white field was famous enough to protect in designs apart from either augmentations or arms of assumption. Following extensive research by the Muskatour staff, we determined that the motif is common enough in formats other than the “bloody hand” augmentation to allow on a case-by-case basis.

This month we have one return and one pend. See below for the details.

REGISTRATIONS

1. Álendia, Kingdom of – Pended Award
    The Aquilla of Álendia
    Purpure, an eagle reversed enfiled of and perched within an annulet argent

The Aquilla of Álendia is an award, given no more than once per reign, to an individual who the Crowns feel embodies the spirit of chivalry, courtesy, and the virtues of the kingdom.

Originally submitted as Gules, an imperial eagle Or, the arms were not submitted through proper channels. As a kingdom award, the client must be the Kingdom Seneschale. Additionally, the armoury was submitted without the name. This mitigated (ironically) the inevitable return for conflict. The submitted armoury was almost an exact duplicate of one of the arms attributed to Napoleon III, and further conflicted with more than a dozen different sets of arms from royalty/nobility within the Holy Roman Empire throughout our time period. As these errors were identified prior to the decision meeting, the Muskatour staff determined that we would not consider the submission as it stood, but rather pend the submission to allow the kingdom staff to rectify the deficiencies. The current iteration has resolved all issues.

2.    Ástríðr Nilsdóttir – New Arms
       Or, a bend sinister azure, overall a dragon rampant contourny vert

3.   Chiara da Milano – Resub Arms
      Azure, five cinquefoils in pale argent between flaunches argent estencelly azure

The previous submission, Azure, on a cross argent five mullets azure, was returned for conflict with Greece. This was a complete redesign.

4.   Edewart von Dzierzgon – New Badge
      (Fieldless) On a heart azure, an eagle reversed argent

There was some discussion that this technically conflicted with the historical arms of Este (Azure, an eagle argent), since the heart shape is sometimes seen in late period heraldic display as a variant of an escutcheon. However, the Muskatour staff determined that the stylized shield seen in late period was different enough from an heraldic heart so as not to be confused with an independent medium for heraldic display. This was further reinforced with the determination that the heart-shape is never used for augmentations or arms of pretense.

5.   Hrólfr Hengestes sunu – Pended Arms

      Per bend sinister argent and Or, a bend sinister sable between a hand gules and a raven reversed regardant

This was pended to discuss the motif of the red hand on the white field, also known as the Red Hand of Ulster or more colloquially as the Bloody Hand of Ulster. While these arms do not conflict with the arms of Ulster (Argent, a hand apaumee gules) or with the augmentation awarded to the Ulster baronets (On a canton/mullet/escutcheon argent, a hand apaumee gules) following a rather bloody battle, the motif of the red hand on the white background is well known in modern times. Thus, the arms are pended not to discuss conflict or presumption but rather to discuss whether it is too infamous to be registerable. The Muskatour staff was able to locate numerous renditions of the motif in period heraldry independent of the baronial augmentation. Thus, we determined that the popularity of the motif in period belied the infamy of the single bloody battle with which it is otherwise associated.

6.  Renee du Valier – New Badge
     (Fieldless) A pair of breeches argent

This was pended to discuss the motif of the red hand on the white field, also known as the Red Hand of Ulster or more colloquially as the Bloody Hand of Ulster. While these arms do not conflict with the arms of Ulster (Argent, a hand apaumee gules) or with the augmentation awarded to the Ulster baronets (On a canton/mullet/escutcheon argent, a hand apaumee gules) following a rather bloody battle, the motif of the red hand on the white background is well known in modern times. Thus, the arms are pended not to discuss conflict or presumption but rather to discuss whether it is too infamous to be registerable. The Muskatour staff was able to locate numerous renditions of the motif in period heraldry independent of the baronial augmentation. Thus, we determined that the popularity of the motif in period belied the infamy of the single bloody battle with which it is otherwise associated.

8.     Svena Johannsdottir – New Arms
        Gules, a griffin segreant Or, a ford proper

RETURNS

1. Ladgerda stórraða Eðvarðardottir – New Name (see Pended for Arms)

   The name is being returned for violating RfS II.D.3, which states, “Names will not be registered if they contain a claim of unnatural abilities, magic power, or divinity. Documented name phrases appearing to be a claim of divine parentage that were used by human beings in period (e.g., Thorsson) are not necessarily barred under this rule and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.” The given name was cited as the name of a legendary female warrior from the Ragnar sagas and was documented from two independent sources – one identifying the warrior as an Amazon and one identifying her as a Valkyrie. In either case, the legendary figure is endowed with extranormal powers on par with demigods or angels. The Muskatour staff was unable to locate a reference to any human using the name prior to the 20^th Variations of the name do appear in birth records in the Netherlands in the early 16^th century, but with a significantly different spelling and as a male name.

   On resubmission, the client should know that the epithetical middle name and patronymic byname are both properly documented and constructed.

PENDED

1. Ladgerda stórraða Eðvarðardottir – New Arms (see Returns for Name)

Per chevron throughout sable estoilly argent and purpure, a raven sable irradiated Or

Although the arms are acceptable and have no conflict, we must have a registerable name in order to register armoury. Since the name has to be returned, the arms cannot be registered at this time. We have elected to pend the arms to preserve the date/time of submission.