Castilian heraldry

Key Characteristics in Castilian Heraldry

Some of the main characteristics of the heraldry of Castile are:

• the rounded shapes, with a semicircle at the base,
• the importance of bordures,
• the inclusion of words and also letters in the coat of arms,
• the 2^nd most common animal, after the lion, is the wolf [Valero de Bernabé, L.; 2010], and, of course,
• our castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable [Valero de Bernabé, L.; 2009a].

The following image shows 4 examples of coats of arms, each of which has some of these characteristics, including one Castilian castle.

Comparing Castilian and English Heraldry

In the United Kingdom, there are several heraldic traditions, one of them being English heraldry.

In the Kingdom of Spain, there are several heraldic traditions, for example, the Castilian tradition.

In my humble opinion, we should compare at the same level, English heraldry with, for example, Castilian heraldry, but not with all Spanish heraldry. We shouldn't do it for the same reason we don't mix Scottish heraldic tradition with English, as they are so different.

In the case of Castilian heraldry, the 8 main differences with English heraldry are:

• The rounded shapes, with a semicircle at the base.
• The importance of bordures and the existence of the diminished bordure, called in Castilian «filiera».
• The inclusion of words and also letters in the coats of arms.
• The wolf is the 2^nd most common animal, after the lion.
• The castle, triple-towered, which is different from the English and French types of castles.
• We can inherit arms from our mother and/or father; for example, the castle in the 1^st quarter of the coat of arms of Castile and the coat of arms of Spain comes from a mother, Queen Berenguela of Castile, mother of King Fernando III, the Saint.
• There are 3 kinds of supporters with their owns heraldic names: «tenantes», human forms; «soportes», animals; and «sostenes», plants and things.
• Our quarterings do not necessarily mean that the arms are marshalled by inheritance. [Williams, N.; 2017; page 135, paragraph 26.02] describing the arms of Éamon de Valera, 1882-1975, President of Ireland, writes «Those arms are Spanish in appearance. The quartering without functions as a means of marshalling, is distinctively Iberian».

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Categories: Criterion, Semi-circular, Bordure, Letter, Lion, Wolf, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Or, Azure, Sable, Diminished bordure, Quarterly, Supporter (human form), Supporter (animal) and Supporter (thing).

Baron of Valdeolivos Emblematic Chair, of the Fernando el Catolico Institution, of the Centre of Scientific Research (C. S. I. C.) and of the Government of Zaragoza, «Emblemata», Volume 23^rd, Emblemata Aragonese Magazine about Emblems (E. R. A. E.), 312 pages, ISSN 1137-1056, Legal deposit Z.3.937 1996, printed by Copy Center Digital, Zaragoza, 2017.

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Bibliographical reference of century XXI.

Classification: Magazine and Castilian language.

The author is Cátedra de Emblemática Barón de Valdeolivos.

External resources:

• Abstract in the Fernando el Catolico Institution.
• Index in the Fernando el Catolico Institution.
• Magazine in the Fernando el Catolico Institution.

Internal resources: Emblemata2017.Volumen23.pdf.

James Parker, «A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry, a New Edition with one Thousand Illustrations», XXVIII and 660 pages with pictures, reprinted by F and W Media International Limited, formerly known as David and Charles Publishers, Exeter, Devon, 1970.

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Bibliographical reference of century XX.

Classification: Dictionary and English language.

Author: Parker, James.

The following articles cite this bibliographic reference:

• Parker, J.; 1894
• Parker, J.; Gough, H.; 1966

Or, six fleurs de lis, three, two, one, five Gules and one in the middle of the chief Azure.

Arms interpreted using a semi-circular shape; tinctures metal or and colors gules and azur; the color sable for delineation; and a freehand finish.

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Credits: Rolando Yñigo-Genio is the designer of the coat of arms and Antonio Salmerón y Cabañas is the author of the heraldic art.

Blazon keywords: Or, Six, Fleur de lis, Ordered, Three, two and one, Five, Gules, One, Azure and In the Middle of the chief.

Style keywords: Semi-circular, Freehand and Outlined in sable.

Classification: Interpreted, Personal and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Yñigo-Genio, Elias.

Or, six fleurs de lis, three, two, one, five Gules and one in the middle of the chief Azure.

Escudo de oro, seis flores de lis ordenadas, tres, dos y una, cinco de gules y una de azur en el centro del jefe.

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Credits:

• Rolando Yñigo-Genio is the designer of the coat of arms.
• Antonio Salmerón y Cabañas is the author of the heraldic art.

Blazon keywords: Or, Six, Fleur de lis, Ordered, Three, two and one, Five, Gules, One, Azure and In the Middle of the chief.

Style keywords: Semi-circular, Soft metal, Outlined in sable and Illuminated.

Classification: Interpreted, Personal and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Yñigo-Genio, Elias.

Or, a double rose Gules and Argent, barbed Vert, and seeded Or within six fleurs de lis in orle, five Gules and one in chief Azure.

Coat of arms interpreted with a semi-circular shape; metals or and argent and colors gules, sinople and azur; the delineation is color sable; and a freehand finish.

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Credits:

• Rolando Yñigo-Genio is the designer of the coat of arms.
• Antonio Salmerón y Cabañas is the author of the heraldic art.

Blazon keywords: Or, Double rose, Gules, Argent, Barbed, Vert, Seeded, Six, Fleur de lis, Orle, Five, One, Azure and In chief.

Style keywords: Semi-circular, Freehand and Outlined in sable.

Classification: Interpreted, Personal and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Yñigo-Genio, Noelia.

Or, a double rose Gules and Argent, barbed Vert, and seeded Or within six fleurs de lis in orle, five Gules and one in chief Azure.

Escudo de oro, una rosa doble de gules y plata, barbada de sinople y botonada de oro, rodeada de seis flores de lis en orla, cinco de gules y una de azur en jefe.

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Credits: Rolando Yñigo-Genio is the designer of the coat of arms and Antonio Salmerón y Cabañas is the author of the heraldic art.

Blazon keywords: Or, Double rose, Gules, Argent, Barbed, Vert, Seeded, Six, Fleur de lis, Orle, Five, One, Azure and In chief.

Style keywords: Semi-circular, Iridescent, Outlined in sable and Illuminated.

Classification: Interpreted, Personal and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Yñigo-Genio, Noelia.

Sigue por: Yñigo-Genio, Rolando.