It repeated the bearer’s arms as they appeared on his banner or pennon and on his shield, and it was particularly useful to the heralds as they toured the battlefield identifying the dead. The origin of the term coat of arms is in the surcoat, the cloth tunic worn over armour to shield it from the sun’s rays. Arms evolved to denote family descent, adoption, alliance, property ownership, and, eventually, profession.

See an illustrated manuscript of 16th-century coats of arms, including commentary on whether Shakespeare is worthy of one See all videos for this articleĬoat of arms, the principal part of a system of hereditary symbols dating back to early medieval Europe, used primarily to establish identity in battle. SpaceNext50 Britannica presents SpaceNext50, From the race to the Moon to space stewardship, we explore a wide range of subjects that feed our curiosity about space!.Learn about the major environmental problems facing our planet and what can be done about them! Saving Earth Britannica Presents Earth’s To-Do List for the 21st Century.

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What is combat arms classic