Heraldry appears to have emerged almost all over Europe at approximately the same time. In the mid-12th Century, the use of heraldic devices became evident in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

How can we account for this crop of devices appearing over a wide area almost in unison ? The answer is that we can’t.

There have been several suggested reasons, the main one being the need for easy recognition in battle. This might well be the case during an introductory charge on horseback, but once you have become involved in hand-to-hand combat, with your shield no longer in pristine condition because of mud, blood, a good battering, etc., you are no longer likely to be easily recognised as a ready rallying point for your supporters, who by this time have no doubt acquired a few problems of their own.

In feudal times, the right to bear Arms in the heraldic sense denoted a certain position in the scheme of things. Land and titles were held by appointees of the monarch and involved a duty to provide military support to the monarch whenever he/she needed it. Thus, the Arms granted to an individual by the monarch implied both social status and service.

To keep the monarch’s "reservist" army in training, so to speak, tournaments were held on a fairly regular basis throughout the land. Taking part in these contests was a privilege only open to those of the rank of "gentleman" or above. The tournament gave the contestants a good opportunity to parade their Arms and regalia before the assembled crowd of dignitaries and also their own local supporters, who were often decked out in the livery of their master.

What kind of device or design would a nobleman choose with which to decorate his shield ? There seems to have been very little that was NOT used. However, rules of heraldry were instituted to regulate how these decorations were to be arranged. The ruling body dealing with these matters in England, Wales and Northern Ireland was, and is yet, the College of Arms in London, while the Court of the Lord Lyon in Edinburgh is the regulator of heraldic affairs in Scotland. These institutions are centuries old and continue to represent the monarch in all matters of armory and heraldry.

(For examples of the above, please see the explanations given for Arms displayed in these pages.)