Governance heraldry

Publication of my heraldic artwork on the blog Twelve Lineages of Soria under the following headline: Coat of arms for the residential town of Abundanttia, State of Tlaxcala, Mexico, work by Dr. Antonio Salmerón Cabañas.

Categories: Link, Civic, United Mexican States, Freehand, Or, Gules, Vert, Mural crown, Crown, Beetle, Trimount and Motto (identification).

Root: Twelve Lineages of Soria.

Or, four pallets Gules.

Escudo de oro, cuatro palos de gules.

Recreated coat of arms of Aragón in the following manner: the escutcheon shape is pointed and rounded; the field is rendered in flat Or; the pallets are illuminated; and the whole has a parchment-like finish.

This rendition of the coat of arms is based on [Portolés, J.; Molino, M. del; 1590].

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Or, Four, Pale and Gules.

Style keywords: Ogee, Illuminated and Parchment.

Classification: Interpreted, Civic, Coat of arms and Kingdom of Aragon.

Bearer: Aragon.

Or, a eagle displayed Sable.

Arms painted by me, in plain tinctures, contoured in Sable, with a semi-circular external shape and with a texturized finish.

Coat of arms of the Arrano Beltza, the black eagle, emblazoned by me. Historically, it is associated with the Kingdom of Navarre and its king, Sancho VII the Strong, 1154-1234, although there is no definitive documentary evidence that it was used as an official coat of arms.

Blazon keywords: Or, Sable, One, Eagle and Displayed.

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

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Arrano Beltza.

Gules, a cross vair.

Escudo de gules, una cruz de veros.

Coat of arms interpreted with: a semicircular (round) base; the field in flat tincture of Gules; the vair illuminated and outlined in Sable; and the whole with a roughened finish.

The commune of Bailleul is located in the district of Dunkirk, in the Nord department, in the Nord–Pas-de-Calais region of France.

The coat of arms of Bailleul, called «Belle» in Flemish, is similar to that of the heraldist Gonzalo Argote de Molina, differing in that the commune’s arms bear vair, while the heraldist’s arms bear rounded vair in the ancient style.

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Gules, Argent, Azure, Cross and Vair.

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

Classification: Interpreted, Civic, Coat of arms and Kingdom of France.

Bearer: Bailleul, commune of.

Quarterly per saltire: 1 and 4 Or, four pallets Gules; 2 and 3 chequey Or and Sable.

Escudo cuartelado en sotuer: 1^o y 4^o de oro, cuatro palos de gules; 2^o y 3^o ajedrezado de oro y sable.

Arms interpreted with: a lozenge-shaped shield; all tinctures in flat Or, Gules, and Sable; and a heavily beaten metal finish.

Balaguer is the capital of the comarca of La Noguera in the province of Lleida. It was the capital of the county of Urgell under Ponce I of Urgell.

The quartering per saltire, which could also be called quartered in cross, is defined in English as «per saltire», [The Heraldry Society; 2013; page 8].

This coat of arms can be found at [Costa i Cases, P.; Century XVIII; page 15].

Blazon keywords: Quarterly per saltire, Pale, Chequey, Or, Gules and Sable.

Style keywords: Tiled, Plain tincture and Hard metal.

Classification: Interpreted, Civic, Coat of arms and Kingdom of Aragon.

Bearer: Balaguer, municipality of.

Argent, a bend Azure charged with a jaguar rampant Argent, spotted Azure. Motto: «Barrio Bajo» Sable with initial letters Gules over a scroll Argent.

Escudo de plata, una banda de azur cargada de un jaguar rampante de plata, manchado de azur. Divisa: «Barrio Bajo» de sable, con iniciales de gules, sobre una filacteria de plata.

Arms designed by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a chasuble external shape and with a watercolor finish.

The coat of arms of the Barrio Bajo of Mon'Tarena, Queretaro, Mexico, designed by Joaquin Haces Perdomo and me and emblazoned by me. In this case, the tinctures Azure and Argent have been adjusted to match the official colour palette of Mon'Tarena.

Blazon keywords: Argent, Azure, Sable, Gules, One, Bend, Charged, Jaguar, Rampant, Spotted, Motto and Scroll.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Chasuble and Watercolor.

Classification: Civic, Created, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Barrio Bajo of Mon'Tarena.

Party per pale Azure and Argent, a hummingbird volant bendwise counterchanged.

Escudo partido de azur y plata, un colibrí volante puesto en banda del uno al otro.

Coat of arms designed by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a chasuble outer contour and with a watercolor finish.

The coat of arms of the Barrio del Artista of Mon'Tarena, Queretaro, Mexico, designed by Joaquin Haces Perdomo and me and emblazoned by me.

Blazon keywords: Argent, Azure, One, Party per pale, Hummingbird, Volant, Bendwise and Counterchanged.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Chasuble and Watercolor.

Classification: Civic, Created, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Barrio del Artista of Mon'Tarena.

Party per pale Or and Gules.

Arms painted by me, in plain tinctures, outlined in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a texturized finish.

The coat of arms of the city of Bergamo, Lombardy, emblazoned by me.

Blazon keywords: Or, Gules and Party per pale.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Plain tincture and Ogee.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Bergamo.

Argent, a bear rampant Sable, langued and armed Gules.

Escudo de plata, un oso rampante de sable, lampasado y armado de Gules.

Arms interpreted by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with a rounded trapezoidal outer contour and with a freehand finishing.

The coat of arms of the city of Berlin emblazoned by me.

Blazon keywords: Argent, Sable, Gules, One, Bear, Rampant, Langued and Armed.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Rounded trapezoid and Freehand.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Berlin.

From 1992 to 1998

Azure, a bendlet Argent between six fleurs de lis Or.

Illuminated with lights and shadows and with a metallic and iridescent finish.

Coat of arms of Stephen Tvrtko I (circa 1338-1391) of the House of Kotromanic and 1^st King of Bosnia and it was also the coat of arms of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1992 to 1998.

The bendlet is a diminutive of the bend. It is a diminished bend, narrower, and typically reduced to 1/2 (as in this case) or to 1/3 of the width of a normal bend. This piece is called «cotiza» in Castilian, «cotice» in French, and «cotissa» in Italian. Remember that the width of the bend is usually 1/3 of the width of the coat of arms, therefore the width of the bendlet is between 1/3 * 1/2 = 1/6 and 1/3 * 1/3 = 1/9 of the width of the coat of arm.

Stephen Tvrtko I of Bosnia, from the House of Kotromanic, was a vassal of Louis I of Hungary. Louis I or Louis of Anjou, known as «the Great», from the Royal House of Anjou-Sicily, of the Capetian Dynasty, hence his coat of arms's 2^nd quarter is seeded with fleur de lis, a feature also present in his father Charles I's arms, known as Charles Robert or Caroberto of Anjou. The Kotromanic family had in their coat of arms fleur de lis Or on a Azure field as a symbol of subordination to the Hungarian royal family.

Blazon keywords: Azure, One, Bendlet, Argent, Six, Fleur de lis and Or.

Style keywords: Metal beaten, Iridescent, Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Pointed.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Quarterly: 1 and 4 Gules, three lions passant, guardant, in pale Or, armed and langued Azure; 2 Or, a lion rampant Gules, armed and langued Azure, within a double tressure flory counterflory Gules; 3 Azure, a harp Or, stringed Argent.

Escudo cuartelado: 1^o y 4^o de gules, tres leopardos en palo de oro, lampasados y armados de azur; 2^o de oro, un león de gules, armado y lampasado de azur, encerrado en un trechor doble flordelisado y contraflordelisado de gules; 3^o de azur, un arpa de oro cordada de plata.

Arms depicted by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a leather finish.

These are arms of the British Monarchy emblazoned by me.

Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Azure, One, Three, Quarterly, Leopard, Pale, Armed, Langued, Lion, Rampant, Double tressure, Flory, Counterflory, Harp and Stringed.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Leather.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: British Monarchy.

Gules, a Royal drum of Bunyoro-Kitara proper.

Escudo de gules, un tambor real de Bunyoro-Kitara al natural.

Coat of arms emblazoned by me with a visica piscis shape, illuminated, and with a leather finishing.

Bunyoro Kitara is a Bantu kingdom located in Western Uganda. Its history begun in the 13th century. This kindowm is ruled by the King called Omukama of Bunyoro-Kitara. Now it is a subnational monarchy.

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Gules, One, Drum, Royal and Proper.

Style keywords: Vesica piscis, Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Leather.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Bunyoro-Kitara.

Quarterly: 1 and 4 Gules, a castle triple towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable; 2 and 3 Argent, a lion rampant Purpure, armed and langued Gules, crowned Or.

Escudo cuartelado: 1^o y 4^o de gules, un castillo de oro, aclarado de azur, mazonado de sable; 2^o y 3^o de plata, un león rampante de púrpura, armado y lampasado de gules, coronado de oro.

This coat of arms can be seen in [Bergshammars; 1440; page 2], in [Lutzelbourg, N. de; 1530; page 35] and in [Tewkesbury; 17^th century; folio 25v].

Blazon keywords: Quarterly, Gules, Or, Azure, Sable, One, Castle, Port and windows, Masoned, Argent, Purpure, Lion, Rampant, Armed, Langued and Crowned.

Style keywords: Semi-circular and Plain tincture.

Classification: Interpreted, Civic, Coat of arms, Kingdom of Castile and Leon and Canting.

Bearer: Castile and León.

City of Ceuta, Spain, Africa

Argent, five escutcheons in cross Azure, each charged with five plates in saltire; a bordure Gules, charged with seven castles triple-towered Or, 2, 2, 2, and 1.

Escudo de plata, cinco escudetes en cruz de azur, cada uno cargado de cinco bezantes en sotuer de plata; una bordura de gules, cargada de siete castillos de oro, dos en jefe, una en cada flanco y tres en punta

Illuminated and a leather finishing.

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Argent, Five, Escutcheon, In cross, Azure, Charged, Bezant and plate, Plate, In saltire, Bordure, Gules, Seven, Castle, Or, Two, In chief, One, In each flank, Three and In base.

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

Classification: Civic, Interpreted and Kingdom of Spain.

Bearer: Ceuta.

Party per pale: 1 Gules, a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable; 2 Argent. Crest: A closed royal crown Or.

Coat of arms emblazoned by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a freehand finishing.

Design rationale

The coat of arms of Castilla-La Mancha was adopted in 1983, it is a recent design. This coat of arms is equal to the flag of Castilla-La Mancha officially approved in 1980 and designed by Ramón José Maldonado y Cocat. The 1^st quarter represents Castilla and the 2^nd quarter the great plane of La Mancha.

Blazon keywords: Gules, Argent, Or, Azure, Sable, One, Party per pale, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Crest, Closed royal crown and Crown.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Freehand.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Design rationale, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Castilla-La Mancha.

Argent, a cross Gules; a bordure compony of fifteen sections: 1, 6, and 11 Argent, a pomegranate seeded, slipped and leaved proper; 2, 7, and 12 Or, an eagle displayed Sable; 3, 8, and 13 Gules, a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Gules, masoned Sable; 4, 9, and 14 Argent, a lion rampant Gules, crowned Or; 5, 10, and 15 Or, four pallets Gules. Crest: A closed royal crown.

Arms emblazoned by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a semi-circular outer contour and with a metal beaten finishing.

Coat of arms of the city of Almeria, Andalusia, emblazoned by me. The island of Alboran is geographically part of Africa, but politically it belongs to the city of Almeria. As a result, Almeria is one of the few cities in the world that spans two continents: Europe and Africa.

Blazon keywords: Argent, Gules, Or, Sable, Vert, One, Four, Fifteen, Cross, Bordure, Compony, Pomegranate, Slipped, Leaved, Proper, Eagle, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Lion, Rampant, Crowned, Pallet, Closed royal crown and Crown.

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

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Almeria, city of.

Azure, a plough share points downward Argent between, on a base enarched Vert, two bell towers Argent, port and window Sable.

Escudo de azur, una reja de arado bajada de plata acompañada de dos campanarios de plata, aclarados de sable, terrazados de sinople.

Coat of arms emblazoned by me with a shape endend with an ogee arch, illuminated, and with a freehand finishing.

Csernely is a village in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county in Hungary.

The official description, not the blazon, is: «...in the blue field of a shield standing on its snout two silver-coloured church towers with onion-shaped cupolas and crosses on their peaks are rising on a green hill. Between them a silver ploughshare is floating with its point upside down...».

The official description use the word «hagymakupolás» in Hungarian. The official text is «Csernely címere: Csücsköstalpú pajzs kék mezejében zöld halmon két ezüst színu, hagymakupolás templomtorony emelkedik, ...», but the cupolas painted by them do not seem the classic «onion-shaped cupolas».

Notice the mount color Vert over a field color Azure, not uncommon in this heraldic tradition.

Blazon keywords: Azure, One, Plough share, Point downwards, Argent, Between, Two, Bell tower, Port and windows, Sable, Terrace in base and Vert.

Style keywords: Ogee, Outlined in sable, Freehand and Illuminated.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Csernely.

Or, the symbol of the Royal House of Kupang Sable. Crest: A crown of the Sovereign and Most Noble Order of the Pomegranate. The shield is surrounded by the Grand Collar of the Sovereign and Most Noble Order of the Pomegranate.

This is her coat of arms of emblazoned by me for the Roll of Arms of the Sovereign and Most Noble Order of the Pomegranate.

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Or, One, Symbol, Sable, Crest and mantling, Crown, Pomegranate, Surrounded and Grand collar.

Style keywords: Pointed, Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Leather.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Coat of arms, Armorial roll and Castilian language.

Bearer: Kupang, Royal House of.

Gules, three lions passant, guardant, in pale Or, armed and langued Azure.

Escudo de gules, tres leopardos en palo de oro, armados y lampasados de azur.

Coat of arms interpreted by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a leather finishing.

These are arms of the Kingdom of England emblazoned by me.

Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Azure, Three, Leopard, Pale, Armed and Langued.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Leather.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: England, Kingdom of.

Gules, a Saint George nimbed Or, riding a Horse trampling upon a crawling Dragon, Argent.

Interpreted coat of arms: with a rounded and pointed shape; illuminated with metals or and argent and color gules; outlined with sable; and a Watercolor finish.

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Gules, Saint George, Nimbed, Or, Horse, Dragon and Argent.

Style keywords: Ogee, Illuminated, Outlined in sable and Watercolor.

Classification: Coat of arms, Interpreted, Civic and State of Georgia.

Bearer: Georgia.

Or, a eagle displayed Sable, beaked, langued, armed and membered Gules.

Escudo de oro, un águila de sable, picada, lampasada, armada y membrada de gules.

Coat of arms painted by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, and with a freehand finish.

Coat of arms for the Federal Republic of Germany emblazoned by me.

Blazon keywords: Or, Sable, Gules, One, Eagle, Displayed, Beaked, Langued, Armed and Membered.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Freehand.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Germany, Federal Republic of.

Within governance heraldry, I classify the arms of states, as political structures, and those of their powers, their governing and administrative institutions, and their organizational substructures, such as regions, provinces, municipalities, etc.

The arms of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of Bunyoro-Kitara, and of Ceuta are examples of political heraldry.

This class partially coincides with what [Cadenas y Vicent, V. de; 1975; page 87] refers to as «institutional heraldry».

Categories: Criterion and Civic.

Argent, upon a base barry wavy of six Argent and Sable, a trimount Sable.

Coat of arms emblazoned by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, and with a watercolor finish.

The coat of arms of Gozo, Republic of Malta, emblazoned by me.

Blazon keywords: Argent, Sable, One, Six, Upon, Base, Barry, Wavy and Trimount.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Bull's hide and Watercolor.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Gozo.

Argent, a fess dancetty of four points Gules.

Escudo de plata, una faja encajada de cuatro piezas de gules.

Coat of arms depicted by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with a pointed outer contour and with a freehand finish.

G0138, Chief Herald of Arms of Malta's grant of the coat of arms of the municipality of Gudja, Malta. This coat of arms has been emblazoned by me and has been published in the Malta Government Gazette, number 21486, page 10730, with the blazon «Argent a fess dancetty of four points counterdancetty of three points all Gules».

Blazon keywords: Argent, Gules, Four, Fess and Dancetty.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Pointed and Freehand.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Gudja, municipality of.

Azure, a cinquefoil Argent, seeded Gules.

Illuminated, with a watercolor finishing and with a pointed shape.

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Azure, One, Cinquefoil, Argent, Seeded and Gules.

Style keywords: Watercolor, Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Pointed.

Classification: Interpreted, Civic, Kingdom of France and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Haguenau.

Gules, a cross Argent.

Escudo de gules, una cruz de plata.

Existing coat of arms interpreted by me of the following form: the shape of the shield is semi-circular; the tincture of the field is gules; the tincture of the cross is metal argente; and all the coat of arms has a watercolor finish.

In French its blazon is «de gueules à la croix d'argent».

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Gules, Argent and Cross.

Style keywords: Semi-circular, Illuminated and Watercolor.

Classification: Interpreted, Civic, Coat of arms and House of Savoy.

Bearer: Savoy, Duchy of.

Quarterly: 1 and 4 Gules, a lion rampant, double queued Argent, armed, langued, and crowned Or; 2 Azure, a letter «G» Or; 3 Azure, a coronet trefoiled Or

Escudo cuartelado: 1^o y 4^o de gules, un león rampante, de cola horquillada de plata, armado, lampasado y coronado de oro; 2^o de azur, una letra «G» de oro; 3^o de azur, una corona trebolada de oro

This coat of arms is illuminated with lights and shadows and has a finish like glass.

The Hradec Králové Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic. It is located in the historical region of Bohemia. Its capital is Hradec Králové, whose Latin name is «Gradicium», hence its old name «Gradec». The letter «G» seen in both the coat of arms of the Hradec Králové Region and the coat of arms of its capital originates from this historical name. The lion rampant Anrgent, double queued and crowned in the 1^st and 4^th quarters is the symbol of Bohemia, and it also appears in the 1^st and 4^th quarters of the coat of arms of the Czech Republic. «Králové» means «of the queen» in Czech and there is a trefoiled crown in the 3^rd quarter

Blazon keywords: Quarterly, Gules, One, Lion, Rampant, Tail, Double queued, Argent, Armed, Langued, Crowned, Or, Azure, Letter, Coronet trefoiled, Ancient coronet, Crown and Trefoiled.

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

Classification: Civic and Interpreted.

Bearer: Hradec Králové Region.

Azure, a harp Or, stringed Argent

Escudo de azur, un arpa de oro, cordada de plata

Illuminated and a leather finishing.

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Azure, One, Harp, Or, Stringed and Argent.

Style keywords: Leather, Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Ogee.

Classification: Civic, Republic of Ireland, Interpreted and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Ireland.

Israel~ישראל.

Azure, a Menorah between two olive branches Argent; in base the legend
«ישראל» Argent.

Interpreted coat of arms: with a rounded and pointed shape; illuminated with metal argent and color azur; outlined with sable; and a Watercolor finish.

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Azure, One, Menorah, Argent, Accosted, Two, Branch, Olive tree, Tree and Motto (identification).

Style keywords: Ogee, Illuminated, Outlined in sable and Freehand.

Classification: Coat of arms, Interpreted, Civic and State of Israel.

Bearer: Israel.

Coat of arms of the municipality of Jamilena, province of Jaén.

Or, a cross of Calatrava.

Escudo de oro, una cruz de Calatrava.

Coat of arms interpreted as follows: the shield's shape is a semicircular arch; the field is illuminated in metal Or; the cross of Calatrava is outlined in Sable and illuminated in Gules; and the entire piece has a rough line finish.

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Or, Cross of Calatrava, Cross couped and Cross.

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

Classification: Interpreted, Civic and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Jamilena.

Metal Or over metal Argent.

Argent, a cross potent cantoned of four crosslets potent Or.

Escudo de plata, una cruz potenzada cantonada de cuatro cruces potenzadas todas de oro.

Illuminated with lights and shadows and with a freehand finish.

Perhaps the most classic example of non-compliance with the heraldic rule of tinctures having metal Or over metal Argent. In [Galdiano L.; Century XVII; folio 6], you can see a version of the arms of Jerusalem with the field in Gules, which would indeed follow the rule of tinctures as it is metal on color.

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Argent, One, Cross potent, Cross couped, Cantoned, Four and Or.

Style keywords: Freehand, Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Semi-circular and Metal on metal.

Classification: Interpreted and Civic.

Bearer: Kingdom of Jerusalem.

Quarterly: 1 Gules, a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable; 2 Argent, a lion rampant Purpure, armed and langued Gules, crowned Or; 3 Or, four pallets Gules; 4 Gules, a chain orlewise, crosswise, and saltirewise Or, charged in the fess point with an emerald Vert; enté en point Argent, a pomegranate proper, seeded Gules, slipped and leaved Vert; an inescutcheon Azure, three fleurs de lis Or, 2 and 1, a bordure Gules. Crest: A closed royal crown. Supporters: two columns Argent, capital and base Or, between in base waves Azure, in chief an imperial crown the dexter and a closed royal crown the sinister. Moto environing the columns and behind the shield: «Plus Ultra» Or over a scroll Gules.

Arms of the Kingdom of Spain. This image combines three photographs of this coat of arms on the façade of the Ministry of Defence building on the Paseo de la Castellana in Madrid, just a few metres from my office, together with my own artistic interpretation of the same arms. In the version on the façade of the Ministry of Defence, the crowns above the columns do not touch the columns, which I believe is the correct way to depict them, although the central crown does appear to rest upon the shield of Spain. There are more interpretations that place the crowns resting on the columns than those that do not, and I photographed this particular version from the Ministry of Defence because it is especially relevant due to its size and institutional significance. On the arrangement of the crowns: a) Royal Decree 1511/1977, of 21 January, enacted during the so-called Transition and approving the Regulations on Flags and Standards, Guidons, Insignia and Distinctive Signs, states: «Rule No. 2. Coat of Arms of Spain… Accompanied by two columns Argent, with base and capital Or, set upon waves Azure or blue and Argent», «superado» «by an imperial crown on the dexter one and by a royal crown on the sinister one…». b) The subsequent Law 33/1981, of 5 October, regulating the current coat of arms of Spain, likewise states: «…Accompanied by two columns Argent, with base and capital Or, set upon waves Azure or blue and Argent», «superado» «by an imperial crown on the dexter one and by a royal crown on the sinister one». c) The term «superado» in the heraldic dictionaries in which it appears refers, as a synonym, to «surmontado». d) The definitions of «surmontado» include: «a charge which, at its upper part, has another above it but without touching it», «also said of superado», and «a figure that bears another above it, but without touching it». In light of a), b), c) and d), the two crowns should therefore be painted not touching the columns. However, in the illustrative drawing contained in Royal Decree 1511/1977 the crowns do touch the columns, contradicting its own wording, although in heraldry, when in doubt, the written blazon always prevails; and in most official representations the crowns do indeed touch the columns. Nevertheless, this personal interpretation of both the coat of arms of Spain and of the proper way to write its blazon, where the lateral crowns do not touch the columns, and then I decide that, following the same criterion, the central crown should not touch the shield either, so the result differs from the official version.

Blazon keywords: Gules, Azure, Purpure, Vert, Or, Argent, One, Two, Three, Four, Quarterly, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Lion, Rampant, Crowned, Pallet, Chain, Orlewise, Crosswise, Saltirewise, Charged, In the fess point, Emerald, Enté en point, Pomegranate, Proper, Slipped, Leaved, Inescutcheon, Fleur de lis, Ordered, Bordure, Closed royal crown, Crown, Supporter (thing), Supporter, Column, Shafted, Between, In base, Wave, In chief, Imperial crown, Dexter, Sinister, Motto, Environed, Behind the shield and Scroll.

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

Classification: Civic, Kingdom of Spain, Interpreted, Boa, Photographic and Collage.

Bearer: Spain, Kingdom of.

Gules, two castles triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable, in chief, seven mullets Argent, 4 and 3.

Escudo de gules, dos castillos de oro, aclarados de azur, mazonados de sable surmontados de siete estrellas de plata de cinco puntas, 4 y 3.

Arms painted by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with a semi-circular external shape and with a freehand finish.

Coat of arms of the Comunidad de Madrid emblazoned by me. In English blazonry, the arrangement of multiple charges is usually described by rows, whereas in Castilian blazonry it is more commonly expressed by columns. However, in this case, as the 7 mullets are placed in chief, it is understood that a horizontal arrangement in 2 rows is the most reasonable solution. For this reason, in both English and Castilian I blazoned the mullets as 4 and 3, that is, 7 mullets arranged in 2 rows, the upper row of 4 mullets and the lower row of 3. It is then the artistic judgement of the heraldic artist to place each of the 3 mullets of the lower row beneath the space between 2 mullets of the upper row, resulting in an overall quincunx arrangement.

Design rationale

The castles came from Castile and the 7 mullet from the bordure of the city of Madrid, they are the stars of the Plough, the 7 brightest stars of the Ursa Major. This coat of arms was adopted by the Comunidad de Madrid the 23th of December 23 of 1983.

Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Azure, Argent, Two, Seven, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, In chief and Mullet.

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

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Madrid, Comunidad de.

Or, a fess chequey Gules and Argent.

Escudo de oro, una faja ajedrezada de gules y plata.

Arms emblazoned by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a semi-circular external shape and with a watercolor finish.

Coat of arms of the County of Mark, Germany. I have emblazoned it with a fess chequy of 3 rows, symmetric and with 9 columns of squares, provided that its height is 1/3 of the width of the coat of arms.

Blazon keywords: Or, Gules, Argent, One, Three, Nine, Fess and Chequey.

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

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Mark, County of.

Chequey of fifteen Or and Azure; a bordure compony of sixteen sections, eight gules, a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable, eight Argent, a lion rampant Purpure, crowned Or, armed and langued Gules.

Escudo ajedrezado de quince piezas de oro y azur; una bordura componada de dieciséis compones, ocho de gules, un castillo de oro, aclarado de azur, mazonado de sable, ocho de plata, un león rampante de púrpura, coronado de oro, armado y lampasado de gules.

Coat of arms emblazoned by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a semi-circular outer contour and with a watercolor finish.

Coat of arm of the municipality of Moguer, Andalusia, emblazoned by me.

Blazon keywords: Or, Azure, Gules, Argent, One, Fifteen, Sixteen, Eight, Chequey, Bordure, Compony, Section, Charged, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Lion, Rampant, Crowned, Armed and Langued.

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

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Moguer, municipality of.

Quarterly: 1 and 4 Gules, a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, and masoned Sable; 2 and 3 vair ancient.

Escudo cuartelado: 1^o y 4^o de gules, un castillo de oro, aclarado de azur, mazonado de sable; 2^o y 3^o de veros antiguos.

Arms depicted by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with an ogee outer contour and with a freehand finish.

Coat of arms of the municipality of Monroy, Caceres, emblazoned by me with vair ancient. I have painted it using vair ancient, as I wish to illustrate with this coat of arms a reflection on the Virgin of the Sagrario of Plasencia, Caceres, dating from the mid-13th century, and on the forty-four coats of arms made of gilded silver sheet that adorn it, featuring lions, castles, and rounded vair ~ vair ancient, these may be associated with the lords of Monroy, a lineage of considerable importance in the town of Plasencia during the Late Middle Ages, can be seen in The Virgin of the Sagrario of Plasencia and the Monroy vair.

Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Azure, Sable, One, Quarterly, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned and Vair ancient.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Freehand.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Monroy, municipality of.

Party per fess, the base per pale: 1 Or, a hurt; 2 Gules and 3 Argent, over both a cross of Malta counterchanged.

Coat of arms interpreted by me, in flat tinctures, outlined in Sable, and with a texturized finish.

Coat of arms of the municipality of Candasnos, Huesca, designed by Valeriano Labara Ballestar, approved by the Government of Aragon. [Labara Ballestar, V. C.; 2019; pages 358] «The territory and human community of Candasnos are synthesized in the roel, azure, on a field of gold, which symbolizes the famous 'good pond', a clear representation, now and always, of what the 'water culture' means for Candasnos». It has been an honor for me to emblazon this version for Valeriano Labara.

Blazon keywords: Or, Azure, Gules, Argent, One, Party per fess, the base per pale, Hurt, Eight-pointed cross, Cross couped and Counterchanged.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable and Plain tincture.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Candasnos, municipality of.

Escudo de gules, un carbunclo cerrado, pomelado de oro; cargado en el centro de una esmeralda en forma de losange de sinople.

Coat of arms interpreted with: a semicircular (round) base; the field in flat Gules; the pommetty carbuncle and the emerald illuminated in Or and Vert, shaded and outlined in Sable; and the whole finished in lightly-hammered metal.

In addition to historical documents such as the armorials [Urfé; 15^th century] which blazons it and [Bosque, J. del; 1540] which illustrates it, there is, in the last half century, an abundant bibliography on the arms of Navarre, for example: [Menéndez Pidal de Navascués, F.; 1963], [Menéndez Pidal de Navascués, F.; 1974], [Martinena Ruiz, J. J.; 1982], [Menéndez Pidal de Navascués, F.; 1999], [Menéndez Pidal de Navascués, F.; Martínez de Aguirre, J.; 2000], [Martinena Ruiz, J. J.; Menéndez Pidal de Navascués, F.; 2001] and [Martínez de Aguirre, J.; 2007].

This pommetty shield can also be seen, for example, on the outer façade of the convent of Santo Domingo in Estella, on capitals preserved in the Cathedral of Tudela and on capitals of the church of Santa María la Real of Laguardia, the latter dating from the 14^th century.

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Gules, One, Carbuncle, Pommelled, Or, Charged, In the fess point, Emerald, Vert and Lozenge.

Style keywords: Soft metal, Illuminated, Outlined in sable and Shaded.

Classification: Interpreted, Civic and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Navarre.

Quarterly: 1 and 4 Argent, five escutcheons in cross Azure, each charged with five plates in saltire; a bordure Gules, charged with seven castles triple-towered Or, 3, 2, and 2 [for Portugal]; the whole debruised by a baston Sable; 2 and 3 party per chevron Argent and Gules, in chief two lions combatant Purpure, armed and langued Gules [for Leon], in base a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, masoned Sable [for Castile]; a bordure compony of eighteen sections Or and vair [for Álvarez de las Asturias].

Escudo cuartelado: 1^o y 4^o de plata, cinco escudetes en cruz de azur, cada uno cargado de cinco bezantes en sotuer de plata; una bordura de gules, cargada de siete castillos de oro, 3, 1 y 3; [de Portugal] brisado de un bastón de sable; 2^o y 3^o de plata, mantelado en punta de gules, en jefe, dos leones afrontados de púrpura, armados y lampasados de gules [de León], en punta un castillo de oro, aclarado de azur, mazonado de sable [de Castilla]; una bordura componada de dieciocho compones de oro y veros [de Álvarez de las Asturias].

Arms depicted by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a metal beaten finish.

Coat of arms of the House of Noronha in Portugal, a lineage of dual royal origin. The House of Noronha originated with Alfonso Enríquez of Castile, Count of Noreña and Gijón, the natural son of King Henry II of Castile, founder of the Trastámara dynasty, and of Elvira Íñiguez. The lineage became linked to the Portuguese Royal House through the marriage of Alfonso Enríquez to Isabel of Portugal, the natural daughter of King Ferdinand I of Portugal, an alliance arranged in the context of the Treaty of Santarém of 1373, which brought an end to the Fernandine Wars, during which Ferdinand I of Portugal confronted the kings of the House of Trastámara over the throne of Castile following the murder of Peter I at the hands of his half-brother Henry. The House of Noronha became established in Portugal, and its arms quarter those of the Kingdom of Portugal, differenced by a brisure consisting of a baston Sable, and those of the House of Trastámara. This coat of arms has been emblazoned for Fernando Durán Cabral de Mello d’Alpoim by me as a preparatory work for his armorial bearings, his coat of arms has a inescutcheon with the arms of the House of Noronha.

Blazon keywords: Argent, Azure, Gules, Or, Sable, Purpure, One, Two, Five, Seven, Eighteen, Quarterly, Escutcheon, In cross, Charged, Plate, In saltire, Bordure, Castle, Triple-towered, Cadency, Baston, Party per chevron, In chief, Lion, Combatant, Armed, Langued, In base, Port and windows, Masoned, Compony and Vair.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Metal beaten.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Noronha, House of.

Azure, on four bars wavy Argent a barbel bendwise Or and a three arch bridge Or, masoned Sable, throughout, supporting a elm couped Argent leaved Or, between, in dexter a tower Or, port and windows Azure, mazoned Sable, and in sinister three escutcheon Or, 2 and 1.

The coat of arms of Pesquera de Ebro, Burgos, Castile and Leon, designed and outlined by me.

Blazon keywords: Argent, Or, Azure, Sable, One, Three, On, Bar, Wavy, Barbel, Bendwise, Bridge, Masoned, Throughout, Upon, Elm, Couped (tree), Leaved, Tower, Port and windows, Escutcheon and Ordered.

Style keywords: Outlined and Semi-circular.

Classification: Civic, Created, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Pesquera de Ebro.

Argent, five escutcheons in cross Azure, each charged with five plates in saltire; a bordure Gules, charged with seven castles triple-towered Or, 3, 2, and 2 [for Portugal]; the whole debruised by a baston Sable.

Coat of arms emblazoned by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a freehand finishing.

Coat of arms of the Kingdom of Portugal differenced by a baston Sable, as it appears in the arms of the House of Noronha. In the Arquivo Heráldico Genealógico of the Viscount Sanches de Baena this brisure is blazoned as «é por diferença um filete de negro sobreposto em banda», while in the Armaría Portuguesa it is described as «um filete negro em contrabanda». This latter term may be confusing, as «contrabanda» corresponds to the bend sinister, that is, the opposite diagonal. For the purpose of blazoning this coat of arms I use the heraldic term «baston» in English ~ «bastón» in Spanish ~ «bande batonnée» in French ~ «bastone» in Italian, denoting a bend reduced to 1/4 of its normal width. It should be recalled that the diminished bend properly speaking is the «bendlet», whose width ranges between 1/2 and 1/3 of that of the bend; the baston, being thinner, is therefore more suitable and proportionate for this shield. This coat of arms has been emblazoned for Fernando Durán Cabral de Mello d’Alpoim by me as a preparatory work for his armorial bearings. In that coat of arms, the inescutcheon of the House of Noronha bears this differenced Portugal arms in the 1^st and 4^th quarters.

Blazon keywords: Argent, Azure, Gules, Or, Sable, One, Five, Seven, Escutcheon, In cross, Charged, Plate, In saltire, Bordure, Castle, Triple-towered, Cadency and Baston.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Freehand.

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Portugal.

Blazon keywords: Argent, Purpure, Gules, Or, Azure, Party per pale, Castle, Lion, Port and windows, Masoned, Rampant, Armed, Langued, Crowned, Crest and mantling, Crown, Open royal crown, Behind the shield, Cross, Cross of Alcantara and Cross couped.

Style keywords: Semi-circular, Illuminated and Watercolor.

Classification: Interpreted, Civic, Coat of arms and Structured and parallel blazons.

Bearer: Cáceres, Province of.

Or, a lion rampant Gules, armed and langued Azure; a double tressure flory counterflory Gules.

Escudo de oro, un león de gules, armado y lampasado de azur; un trechor doble flordelisado y contraflordelisado de gules.

Illuminated and a leather finishing.

The blazon of this coat of arms is usually written with the heraldic term «within». I think it is not necessary because the lion can only be inside the double trechor. Using «within» the blazon is: «Or, a lion rampant Gules, armed and langued Azure, within a double tressure flory counterflory Gules».

Blazon keywords: Or, One, Lion, Gules, Armed, Langued, Azure, Double tressure, Flory, Counterflory and Whitin.

Style keywords: Freehand, Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Pointed.

Classification: Civic, Kingdom of Scotland, Interpreted and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Scotland.

Gules, on a trimount issuant from the base Argent a bighorn sheep salient Or, horned Argent. Motto: «Barrio Alto» Sable with initial letters Gules over a scroll Argent.

Heraldic device designed by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a chasuble outer contour and with a texturized finishing.

The coat of arms of the Barrio Alto of Mon'Tarena, Queretaro, Mexico, designed by Joaquin Haces Perdomo and me, and emblazoned, dated, signed and sealed by me.

Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Argent, Sable, One, On, Trimount, Issuant from base, Bighorn sheep, Salient, Horned, Motto and Scroll.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Chasuble.

Classification: Civic, Created, Boa, Sealed arms and Heraldic document.

Bearer: Barrio Alto of Mon'Tarena.

Argent, a wolf passant Gules, a chief dancetty Azure. Motto: «Barrio de los Quereres» Sable with initial letters Gules over a scroll Argent.

Heraldic device designed by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a chasuble outer contour and with a texturized finish.

The coat of arms of the Barrio de los Quereres of Mon'Tarena, Queretaro, Mexico, designed by Joaquin Haces Perdomo and me, and emblazoned, dated, signed and sealed by me.

Blazon keywords: Argent, Azure, Gules, Sable, One, Wolf, Passant, Chief, Dancetty, Motto and Scroll.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Chasuble.

Classification: Civic, Created, Boa, Sealed arms and Heraldic document.

Bearer: Barrio de los Quereres of Mon'Tarena.

Trident~Tryzub.

Azure, a Tryzub Or.

Interpreted coat of arms: with a rounded and pointed shape; illuminated with metals or and color azure; outlined with sable; and a Watercolor finish.

Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Azure, Trident and Or.

Style keywords: Ogee, Illuminated, Outlined in sable and Freehand.

Classification: Coat of arms, Interpreted, Civic and State of Ukraine.

Bearer: Ukraine.

Chequey Or and Sable.

Escudo ajedrezado de oro y sable.

Arms interpreted with: a round-topped shield shape; the chequey pattern in flat metal Or and colour Sable; and a heavily beaten metal finish.

[Avilés, J.; 1780a; page 33] writes about the application of the chequey pattern to shields, ordinaries and charges: «chequey is said of the shield, the principal ordinaries, and even some animals, such as eagles, lions, and other charges, when they are composed of alternating square pieces in the fashion of a chessboard.» On the minimum number of panes he generally specifies that «for a shield to be called chequey, it must have at least twenty chessboard panes; because if it has only nine, it is called equipoll; and if it has fifteen, it is said to be of fifteen panes of chequey» and for its application to ordinaries that «other ordinaries, such as bends, fesses, etc., must have at least two rows of chequey to be considered chequey, otherwise they would be called compony.»

Blazon keywords: Chequey, Or and Sable.

Style keywords: Semi-circular, Plain tincture and Hard metal.

Classification: Interpreted, Civic, Coat of arms and Kingdom of Aragon.

Bearer: Urgell, County of.

Chequey Or and Azure.

Escudo ajedrezado de oro y azur.

Arms interpreted by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a semi-circular outer contour and with a freehand finishing.

Coat of arms of the County of Vermandois, France, emblazoned by me.

Blazon keywords: Or, Azure and Chequey.

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

Classification: Civic, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Vermandois, County of.