College of Arms

The College of Arms is an English institution originally incorporated in 1484 which includes all the Kings of Arms, Heralds and Pursuivants in England and Wales. The Kings of Arms are responsible for granting coats of arms in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and to that end are granted the authority of the Queen in general terms upon their appointment. Scottish heraldry is independently regulated by Lord Lyon King of Arms.

The officers

The Earl Marshal, a hereditary office held by the Duke of Norfolk, oversees and controls the College, though he is not a member of that body. A coat of arms may not be granted without the consent of the Earl Marshal. Furthermore, the Earl Marshal may, in theory, hear cases and controversies relating to the use of arms in the Court of Chivalry, although the court has not met since 1954. In practice, however, the Earl Marshal usually leaves affairs to the professional heralds of the College.

Related Topics:
Earl Marshal - Duke of Norfolk - Court of Chivalry - Herald

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The heralds fall into three ranks: Kings of Arms, Heralds, and Pursuivants. Each member of the College holds a traditional post, the titles of which are either geographic and derived from peerages currently or formerly held by the Royal Family or derived from devices on the various Royal Badges. None has more than symbolic meaning:

Related Topics:
Kings of Arms - Herald - Pursuivant - Royal Family - Royal Badges

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• Kings of Arms
• Garter Principal King of Arms, the senior King of Arms
• Clarenceux King of Arms, whose "province" is the part of England south of the River Trent
• Norroy and Ulster King of Arms, whose "province" is the part of England north of the River Trent (Norroy) and Northern Ireland (Ulster)
• Heralds
• Chester Herald
• Lancaster Herald
• Richmond Herald
• Somerset Herald
• Windsor Herald
• York Herald
• Pursuivants
• Bluemantle Pursuivant
• Portcullis Pursuivant
• Rouge Croix Pursuivant
• Rouge Dragon Pursuivant

The various heralds conduct their own private practice in heraldry and genealogy, receiving only nominal salaries as officers of the College (£49.07 per annum for Garter Principal King of Arms, £20.25 per annum for the other Kings of Arms, ₤17.80 per annum for the Heralds, and £13.95 per annum for the Pursuivants.) They serve in rota as the 'officer of the day' to handle walk-in business.

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Beyond these 'Heralds in Ordinary' who make up the college, there have been from time to time certain 'Heralds Extraordinary' who are appointed for special occasions or who assist the Earl Marshal personally. They include

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• Arundel Herald Extraordinary
• Beaumont Herald Extraordinary
• Maltravers Herald Extraordinary
• New Zealand Herald Extraordinary
• Norfolk Herald Extraordinary
• Wales Herald Extraordinary
• Fitzalan Pursuivant Extraordinary

Heralds, both in ordinary and extraordinary, also serve ceremonial roles in state functions, such as investitures and the reading of proclamations, wearing tabards bearing the coat of arms of the Queen. On these occasions, they are sometimes proceeded by state trumpeters, with whom, however, they should not be confused.

Related Topics:
Investiture - Proclamations - Tabard - State trumpeters

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