Heraldry: What Is a Coat of Arms and What Was It Used for?

ALL of the following were mentioned in the video as reasons why a knight wore a coat of arms EXCEPT for which reason?

• the knight needed to be able to identify his own group

• the knight wanted his deeds on the battlefield to be recognized and praised

• the knight wanted to celebrate his heritage

• the knight wanted to make sure that friend and foe alike knew who the knight was

Which of the following was a place where a knight's personal heraldry (coat of arms) was displayed or represented?

• on the knight's shield

• on the knight's body or surcoat

• on the knight's horse

• all of the above

What aspects of a knight's heraldry might people in a knight's household share with a knight?

• specific heraldry and surcoat

• a heraldic badge (or sub-symbol) and colors

• heraldic artwork and surcoats

True or False?  It is possible that a medieval knight's armor wasn't a polished silver, but rather a painted metal.

• True

• False

An important rule of heraldry is...

• You don't have the right to bear a coat of arms just because you share the same last name.

• It is an individual right that can be passed down to your off-spring (children).

• One can have a modern coat of arms assigned through the court of heralds in London.

• All of the above are true

What factor made coats of arms difficult to understand on the battlefield?

• The coats of arms were too colorful, and difficult to see from far away.

• Upon marriage two coats of arms would be blended together (quartering them over and over again), making too many symbols that were difficult to understand.

• Too many knights would be fighting for the same coat of arms.

Why was a written description of what was on your shield required in the "Formal Rules of Heraldry?" 

• While an artist's drawing can be interpreted differently over time, a written can't be changed over time, as writing is a permanent document. Hence a written explanation can't ever change the herald or shield's meaning.

• A written description of the meaning behind your heraldry or shield allowed foreigners who spoke different languages, the ability to read and understand your shield's meaning.

Heraldry is all around us in our modern world today. Which of the following are examples of modern-day heraldry or coats of arms? Read all answers before choosing.

• The English football (soccer) team, Manchester United.

  

• A college or prep school's coat of arms, such as Notre Dame college.

  

• Corporations or businesses, such as Porsche.

• All of the above