Today I am going to talk about the heraldry I designed for the de Velmont family. As many of you should be aware, I re-enact as Bishop Thomas de Velmont in the medieval period.
When I first considered the arms for the de Velmonts, I hit upon a cant ( a heraldic pun). In this case, it was a dreadful mix of 'olde' English and French: 'Devel Monte', meaning 'The devil climbs'. I also settled on the motto Carpe Premium ( Seize the Prize) and this led, inexorably, to the first blazon:
Per bend sable and argent a demon rampant gardant gules its feet on the bend holding a pearl proper.
The bend represented a hill and the pearl, the prize. This achievement was used in the Far Isles and I now call it 'de Velmont ancien'.
When I joined the Paladins of Chivalry, however, they were not keen on this being my main achievement, so I presented them with the arms I used in the Far Isles as Sir Igor Ross, which they approved. This is now the blazon I use for de Velmont .
Per fess gules and argent a demi lion rampant defamed and the base of a dragon volant tail enflamed conjoined and countercharged
As my character is a bishop this is impaled with the arms I devised for the See of L'Aquila.
Azure an eagle's head erased or between two crosses pate argent and a chalice of the second
The arms of an office is always charged on the dexter.
Not wishing to lose the cant, I adopted the demon, pearl and hill as one of the Bishop's badges and used it on his standard
You will note that the Papal States is in the hoist, as the bishop is an ecclesiastical knight by papal authority (even though he is himself English). This is the flag his soldiers would follow and rally to (their Colour) and it would be 'trooped' in front of them so that they would easily recognise it.
The bishop's soldiers would wear a livery of black and white with a red mitre badge on the left (white) side. His Vintners would have a large red mitre badge and his Centner would have the demon, pearl and hill badge.(A Vintner commands twenty men; a Centner, one hundred)
The badges and livery also led to the Bishop's crest
A demi demon gules rampant gardant holding a pearl proper issuant from a mitre in profile argent gusseted sable
I made a crest and mantling for my great helm.
I think I've managed to achieve a good look to the heraldry and a consistency to associated badges, crest and livery.. It continues to serve me well when I present the bishop to the public.
Until next time
Adieu
No comments:
Post a Comment