heraldry symbols?

[Inhuman One]

I always wondered about some things regarding heraldry.

Why are Lions often depicted why they probably werent seen much in Europe unless brought there for a zoo or such?

What exactly where the ranks of knights and did they have a specific symbol with it?

Have dragons, unicorns and other mythical neasts been used in heraldry or is that a fable created by medieval fantasy settings?

[Aquila SPQR]

Why are Lions often depicted why they probably werent seen much in Europe unless brought there for a zoo or such?

Because lion was a symbol of courage, strength and often royalty. It is a very old symbol, much older that medieval times.

What exactly where the ranks of knights and did they have a specific symbol with it?

I've never heard about "ranks" of knights. In my opinion they were all equal, but of course those wealthier were much more respected and had greater power. Wealthier and more powerful knights could have lesser knights as vassals or something like that. But there was no such thing as "general knight", "corporal knight" and "colonel knight" (if you know what I mean).

Have dragons, unicorns and other mythical neasts been used in heraldry or is that a fable created by medieval fantasy settings?

I think it is rather a modern idea, popular in TV, but I know only Polish coats of arms. Some most popular:

http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herby_s...kiej_(galeria)

As you can see coats of arms are made of simple symbols.

[RomanSoldier9001]

I think Lions lived in North Africa but they were extinct and probaly with contact with arab world that had "contacts with Africa" so animals were show as entertainentmt westerns probaly saw lions.

[Entropy Judge]

I always wondered about some things regarding heraldry.
Why are Lions often depicted why they probably werent seen much in Europe unless brought there for a zoo or such?

The only book on heraldry I have (A Complete Guide to Heraldry by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies) doesn't seem to say very much, at least not on a quick skim-through. In addition to Aquila SPQR's answer, I would like to add that the only other major predators that would be well-known in Europe would be the Wolf and the Bear, which have their own connotations. I would suggest quickly browsing the Lion (heraldry) article at wikipedia for a bit more general information.

What exactly where the ranks of knights and did they have a specific symbol with it?

You would have to clarify your question. "Knights" did not have rank, per se - they were (generally) land-owners who fought for their lord in exchange for that land. They were not necessarily nobility, although knights did often have their own coats-of-arms.

Have dragons, unicorns and other mythical neasts been used in heraldry or is that a fable created by medieval fantasy settings?

Unicorns, dragons, gryphons, wyverns, cockatrices, and other mythical creatures were used in heraldry.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._genealogy.PNG
The Coat of Arms of the Duke of Marlborough, 1650-1722.
The Welsh Dragon was used by Henry Tudor.
The British Royal Arms have a Unicorn as one of the Supports.

Of course, a great many coats of arms used normal beasts rather than monsters, and it wasn't necessary for any animals to be present at all.

[Petar]

There were mountain lions on the Balkans, but they were extinct by the time the middle ages began. Still, their image was presevered in folklore and craftsmanship.

Being the symbol of the Bulgarian Empire, I've heard a theory about it - the eagle is considered "king of all birds" and in order to pick an equally powerful symbol to the Eastern Roman Empire after Simeon became the first Tzar, the Bulgarians chose "the king of all animals" - the lion. Both symbols are probably the most often used in heraldicy. For example the English, Danish and Schwabian coats of arms are almost identical to the Bulgarian..
So basically the Lion is a symbol of royality.

[René Artois]

Alot of the mythical creatures are present I think due to having some sort of relationship with the country/area. The Welsh dragon for example, is believed to be a real dragon trapped in a hill somewhere in Wales after it had a battle with another dragon.

[René Artois]

Alot of the mythical creatures are present I think due to having some sort of relationship with the country/area. The Welsh dragon for example, is believed to be a real dragon trapped in a hill somewhere in Wales after it had a battle with another dragon.

I should add to this that the Red Dragon also represents Wales, i.e., the Welsh Red Dragon vs. the English White Dragon. They supposedly battled and the Welsh Dragon was defeated (and trapped in a hill by druids) and someday it will apparently rise again (i.e. Welsh Independence) according to Welsh folklore.

[Inhuman One]

thanks for the information so far, anything is welcome since I plan to incorporate heraldry in a story I plan to write.

The Dutch symbol is most familiar to me, but this only came after the medieval period. A lion with a sword and a crown. I am mostly interested in heraldry from the Medieval period, and the meaning behind it is good to know too, to know what it stands for.

Regarding Knight ranks, I did hear something about the coat of arms and such showing their rank so I wondered if it had a name or such. To my understanding a knight with his own land was adressed as lord and a knight without land was adressed as sir, but I might be wrong about that.

[clandestino]

Many real and mythical animals were depicted in highly popular litterary genre of mediaeval books called Bestiarum vocabulum or Physiologus which in turn are derived from much earlier similar Greek and Roman books. I believe that heraldry was heavily influenced by these kind of works. One important thing regarding the mythical animals is that they weren't so ''mythical'' in those days, in such works as Bestiary real animals often stood side by side with mythical ones and people tend to believe that they were as real as the real ones.

[konny]

Why are Lions often depicted why they probably werent seen much in Europe unless brought there for a zoo or such?

Interestingly lions were extremly popular in German heraldy. I would guess that some 1/3 of all Medieval German CoAs had lions. The oldest one of what I know would be the blue lion of the Billungers in use since the 10th or ealry 11th Century.

The eagle was the imperial symbol. It was much used in Italian heraldy and to a lesser degree in Germany and eastern Europe. I couldn't name any examples for CoAs with eagles in France or England.

Another symbol associated with the Roman Empire, and that way becoming part of the Carolingian heraldy and at least until the 13th for the German emperors, was the dragon. The griffon was an invention of the late Middle Ages, may be as an adoption of the dragon, what hardly appeared as shield symbols on the Continent.

As good as never used until very late in the Middle Ages were horses and wolfs. This is somewhat surprisingly because they would be the most logical choice for Europeans to symbolize strength and power. Most likely both had been ancient pagan symbols and that way somewhat discredited, until a time came when people had forgotten their pagan meaning.

What exactly where the ranks of knights and did they have a specific symbol with it?

Knights didn't have ranks. Medieval ranking usually was identical with titulation ranking, such as a duke ranking higher than a count, and the knights were the troopers. Each count commanded his own vassal knights, each duke his vassal counts (plus his direct vassal knights), and the king was in overall command. Field formations (often called "legio") usually were created around these vassalages, and that way created around regional belongings of the knights.

Besides this there also were special command offices like constable and marshal. Later the term "banner lord" appeared as commander of a certain number of knights. These indeed would have been the first steps towards military ranking. This was often conflicting with the social hierachy. For example, as late the Battle of Mollwitz in 1740 the general lieutenant von Anhalt refused to obey orders from the fieldmarshal von Schwerin, because "von Anhalt" was an imperial princely house while the "von Schwerin" were common counts.

[Petar]

The griffon was an invention of the late Middle Ages.

Images of gryphons were first observed during the Antiquity (Persia and Greece).

[René Artois]

In the English armies at least, Knights were the same rank as any lord. Check the records of the musters: http://www.icmacentre.ac.uk/soldier/database/search.php

Select it to search by year and type in 1415 (Agincourt) or any other year they had a major campaign. If you do 1415, you will see that Humphrey Duke of Gloucester had the same rank in the Kings army as William Trussell one of his Knights, the rank being man-at-arms.

[konny]

when you check that list you will find that men are either listed as men-at-arms or archers. This is not a ranking but a function. The ranking would be what is listed under "status" (knight, duke, earl, baron etcpp).

[René Artois]

That's what I meant. They would all be doing the same, so no general or colonel knight as was already said.

Also note the Welsh troops are "Archer Foot". Used as infantry too.

[YourOnlineHero]

Have dragons, unicorns and other mythical neasts been used in heraldry or is that a fable created by medieval fantasy settings?

[Hounf of Culan]

I think a major reason that lions, eagles, bears, wolves etc. are all so popular in heraldry is that human societies have always anthropomorhpized animals. This varies between cultures of course but the lion is always seen as the powerful and regal creature, the eagle soars above all other birds, wolves are intelligent predators, foxes are sly, and so forth with all manner of animals. We give positive and negative human attributes to animals like bravery, cunning, nobility to some and conversely we give cowardice, greeed, or stupidity to other animals. So, logically someone in a position to be creating his own coat of arms would choose an animal that has been identified with a certain virtue he holds in high esteem, like the strong and regal lion, or the soaring eagle, the fierce bear. No one wants a field mouse, domestic pig, or some other lesser animal in their heraldry.

[CiviC]

I always liked the coat of arms of Principality of Moldavia, it has a very original symbol, the Auroch (related with wisent), now an extinct species (last reported in 1627).

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Hero Of Troy]

In reply to the lions certain Asiatic lions were known to exist in northern Greece and therefore were partly in Europe. It is mainly used to represent courage and strength.
A good site for heraldry is: http://www.fleurdelis.com/

[Inhuman One]

thanks, thats all really very helpfull.

that fleurdelis site is really helping me greatly with putting together heraldry, displaying all those helmets and such too. I particulary like how it says royalty's helmets are depicted on the front while others are on the side.