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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, Supporter (animal) and Supporter (thing).

Lino Chaparro D'Acosta, «Heráldica de los Apellidos Canarios», foreword by Vicente de Cadenas y Vicent, 2 volumes, Volume I from A to L, 285 surnames, 293 pages, Volume II from M to Z and a heraldic dictionary, 387 surnames, 439 pages, edited by Estudios Tecnicos del Blason, ISBN of the complete work 84-300-2000-4, ISBN of Volume I 84-300-1989-8, ISBN of Volume I II 84-300-418010-8, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 1979.

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Bibliographical reference of century XX.

Classification: Black and white with color plates and Castilian language.

Author: Chaparro D'Acosta, Lino.

The following article cites this bibliographic reference:

• Lazcano, lineage of the Canary Islands

Party per pale: 1 Gules, in base a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, and masoned Sable; 2 Argent, in base a lion rampant Gules, crowned Or; overall a psi letter sable; a diminished bordure Or. Crest: A closed royal crown.

Coat of arms emblazoned by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with a semi-circular external shape and with a texturized finishing.

Coat of arms of Crepsi, designed by my lieutenant colonel and friend Miguel Angel Nuñez Amador and emblazoned by me.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Argent, Or, Azure, Sable, Party per pale, In base, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Lion, Rampant, Crowned, Overall, Letter, Diminished bordure, Closed royal crown and Crown.

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

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

Bearer: Crepsi.

Registered by The International Register of Arms, 1^st of December of 2022, Registration number 0690, Volume 4.

In Spanish heraldry, there are three terms for supporters: «sostenes» for objects or plants, «tenantes» for human figures, and «soportes» for animal forms. The following applies to sostenes, tenantes, and soportes. Unlike other heraldic traditions such as English heraldry, in Spanish heraldry there are no rules for the use of supporters; their use is at the armiger's discretion, without specific restrictions. Supporters are not reserved only for nobility; their use is free for all.

In the words of [Cadenas y Vicent, V. de; 1975; page 173] «there is no rule that determines the use of tenantes, soportes, and sostenes».

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Categories: Armorial roll, Party per fess, Azure, One, Book, Open, Or, Leaved, Argent, Charged, Mullet, Gules, Tree, Erased, Between, Two, Apple, Diminished bordure, Embattled, Crest and mantling, Helm, Fimbriated, Wreath, Mantling, Dexter, Sinister, Crest, Pegasus, Rampant, Nascent, Flame, Supporter (animal), Supporter, Lion, Langued, Quill, Claw, Parchment (scroll), Rolled, Seal, Letter, War cry and Motto.

External link:

• Fernando Marán Bié at The Armorial Register.

Root: The Armorial Register.

Publication of my interpretation of the arms of Francisco Rodríguez Aguado, President of the National Monarchist Brotherhood of Spain, HNME, on the blog Twelve Lineages of Soria in an article entitled: Coat of arms of Mr. Francisco Rodríguez Aguado, work by Dr. Antonio Salmerón Cabañas.

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Categories: Link, Freehand, Gules, Vert, Argent, Ermine, Mantling, Dragon, Langued, Letter and Helm.

Root: Twelve Lineages of Soria.

Argent, the letters «GVA» conjoined Sable, a trimount in base Vert; on a chief Azure, three mullets of eight points Or, 1 and 2.

Escudo de plata, un monte de tres peñas de sinople, moviente de la punta, surmontado de las letras «GVA» unidas de Sable; en un jefe de azur, tres estrellas de ocho puntas de oro, 1 y 2.

Coat of arms painted by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a freehand finish.

R0067, Chief Herald of Malta's register of the coat of arms of Mario Antonio Guallini. This coat of arms has been emblazoned by me.

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Blazon keywords: Argent, Vert, Sable, Azure, Or, One, Three, Eight, Letter, Conjoined, Trimount, In base, Chief, Mullet and Disordered.

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

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

Bearer: Guallini, Mario Antonio.

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

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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 pall couped Argent, its three arms charged with «es» Sable, within a triangle reversed Argent, its three arms charged with «no es» Sable, all debruised by four bezants, three on the vertex of the triangle, in dexter chief, charged with «el Padre», in sinister chief, charged with «el Hijo», in base, charged with «el Espítiru», and one on the fess point, charged with «Dios» Gules; in chief a label of three points Argent.

Escudo de azur, una perla recortada de plata, sus tres brazos cargados con «es» de sable, dentro de un triángulo ranversado de plata, sus tres brazos cargados con «no es» de sable, todo resaltado de cuatro bezantes de oro, tres sobre los vértices del triángulo, en la diestra del jefe, cargado de «el Padre», en la siniestra del jefe, cargado con «el Hijo», en la punta, cargado con «el Espítiru» y uno sobre el corazón, cargado con «Dios» todo de gules; en jefe un lambel de tres pendientes de plata.

Imaginary coat of arms that I have interpreted as follows: its base is semicircular (round); its field is illuminated in Azure; the rest is illuminated in Argent and outlined in Sable, except for the bezants which are Or and also outlined in Sable; its letters in plain tinctures, some Gules and others Sable; and the set with a glazed finish.

Pall

The pall (perla) as defined by [Avilés, J.; 1780a; page 239] is «a figure composed of three moving cotises, or that emerge from the two angles of the Chief and the Base, which meet in the center or heart of the Shield in the form of a Greek Y, as if this figure were formed from a half Saltire, and a half Pale».

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Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Azure, One, Pall, Couped, Argent, Three, Charged, Letter, Sable, Within, Triangle, Reversed, Four, Bezant, In the dexter chief, In the sinister chief, In base, In the fess point, Gules, Cadency and Label of three points.

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

Classification: Religious, Interpreted, Imaginary and Coat of arms.

Imaginary bearer: Jesus Christ.

Argent, a Mexican cedar tree eradicated proper, fructed Or, its trunk charged with the letters «JML» Or, branded with a branding iron.

The coat of arms of Jose Maria Lanzagorta Aras designed by grand nephew Juan Lanzagorta Vallín and emblazoned by me. The image illustrates my process in 3 steps: 1) outlined, 2) plain colors and metals, and 3) lights and shadows. He was a cattle rancher and built the «hacienda» known as «Cedro Viejo» in Veracruz. The Mexican cedar tree (Cedrela salvadorensis) is different from the cedar of the Pinaceae family.

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Blazon keywords: Argent, Or, One, Mexican cedar tree, Eradicated, Proper, Fructed, Trunk, Charged, Branding iron and Letter.

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

Classification: Personal, Interpreted, Schema, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Lanzagorta Aras, José María.

D'or à un arbre arraché de sinople, accosté à dextre de la lettre capitale «D» et à senestre de la lettre capitale «L» du même, et une étoile d'azur posée au canton dextre de la pointe.

Or, a tree eradicated Vert between a capital letter «D» and a capital letter «L» Sable, in the dexter of the base a mullet Azure.

Illuminated with lights and shadows and with a leather finish.

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Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Or, One, Tree, Erased, Vert, Between, Letter, Sable, Canton, Dexter, Base (lower 1/3), Mullet, Five and Azure.

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

Classification: Interpreted, Lineage and Kingdom of France.

Blazon of the lineage Lazcano in the Canary Islands.

Vert, nine Poplar leaves ordered, in chief a «T» letter Or.

Illuminated and leather finishing.

It can be consulted at [Chaparro D'Acosta L.; 1979; página 251].

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Blazon keywords: Without divisions, Vert, Letter, Poplar leaf, Or and Nine.

Style keywords: Leather, Outlined in sable and Illuminated.

Classification: Interpreted.

Dyes

This tartan has more black and yellow because these are the color Sable-black and metal Or-yellow of my coat of arms. Also, it has the other two colors Gules-red and Azure-blue, and one metal Argent-grey of my crest.

Structure

Over the black background, its main visual structure is a thin red line, a thick yellow line, and a thin red line because of the flag of Spain.

It is mostly symmetrical tartan because I am a heraldic artist and I love the symmetry and geometry. But there is a bit of asymmetry, two thin lines grey and blue, to break the uniformity.

Thread count

It is based in the 5 first terms (1, 2, 3, 5, 8) of the Fibonacci sequence (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34...). This sequence is intimately connected with the golden ratio, 1.61803... that I use frequently in my designs. But for the thread count, I multiple the Fibonacci sequence by 6 to obtain more than 5 inches, then I use the numbers 6=(1x6), 12=(2x6), 18=(3x6), 30=(5x6), and 48=(8x6).

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Blazon keywords: Quarterly, Or, Sable, One, Letter, Two, Wolf, Passant, In pale and Number.

Style keywords: Semi-circular, Illuminated, Outlined in the field tincture and Freehand.

Classification: Tartan, Created and Personal.

Bearer: Salmerón Cabañas, Antonio.

Party per fess: 1 Azure, an open book Argent, garnished Or, charged with a mullet Azure; 2 Gules, a tree eradicated between two apples Or; within a bordure embattled Or. Supporters: Two lions rampant guardant Or, langued Gules, the one at dexter grasping in his sinister forepaw a quill Argent, the one at sinister grasping in his dexter forepaw a rolled scroll Argent, bearing a wax seal Gules, inscribed with the letters «MB» Sable. Motto: «Officium otium cum dignitate».

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

The coat of arms of Fernando Marán Bié designed by Ignacio Koblischek and emblazoned by me.

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Blazon keywords: Azure, Gules, Argent, Or, Six, One, Two, Party per fess, Open, Book, Garnished, Charged, Mullet, Tree, Eradicated, Between, Apple, Bordure, Embattled, Supporter, Dexter, Sinister, Lion rampant guardant, Langued, Grasping, Forepaw, Quill, Rolled, Scroll, Inscribed, Letter and Motto.

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

Classification: Personal, Interpreted, Boa, Coat of arms and Seal.

Bearer: Fernando Marán Bié.