The History behind Heraldry
The word “Heraldry” is Old-German in origin, meaning army or host. It also came to mean the person who announced an advancing army, or could identify its main components, for example its knights, their method of fighting, and particularly their record of success in the field, all very important things for a commander before taking the risky decision to commence battle.
The earliest Heralds evolved almost entirely from travelling troubadours, who went about Europe regaling the nobles with songs and tales. They acted as messengers, or ambassadors, and they were free to come and go as the pleased, even across national border; their job being to find out what other nobles were getting up to. On their travels they wore a tabard that was emblazoned with their master’s coat of arms, this guaranteed them free passage and protection. An attack on a Herald was considered to be an act of war against his master.
The Troubadours possessed the skill to both read and write, and they had the ability to memorize large amounts of detail about the various lords and knights they met. They were always welcome at any castle they turned up at, because they brought both news and entertainment, reciting tales about who they met on their travels.
They would record personal details about knights and lords and fortifications, and the colours and images displayed on flags and shields, sharing this information with other wandering troubadours. In this way they build up a compressive record of important families and their associated Heraldic regalia.
During battle the troubadours would be required to brief commanders on the identity and fighting qualities of the opposition, moving constantly between areas of action, identifying