A Collection of Period German Heraldry (1400-1600) for SCA Heralds

Compiled by Kristina Pereya

NOTE: This article is currently under review for accuracy by the Academy; please do not rely on its assertions.

Generalizations

• Field only heraldry is common, especially in gules, argent, sable, and or.
• Dexter and sinister are not rigorously noted or emblazoned.
• In a quartered marshalling, a charge may be reversed for better symmetry.
• Sable and Gules are not always treated as colors, and may be used as metals.
• Overall ordinaries occur late in period, usally over a beast.
• Roses and Cinquefoils are used interchangeably.
• Seeblatts and Hearts, though often emblazoned identically, are blazoned separately.
• Tincture of crowns and tongues of beasts and birds are usually noted in the blazon.
• Mullets of six, but no other number, appear in this collection.
• Split fields are more common than in Anglo-French Heraldry.
• Some armory looks as if it was "marshalled" fesswise, however, the blazon does not imply this.
• Beasts may be tinctured in pieces (usu. barry), the number of division is noted in the blazon.
• Vert appears usually as a tincture for plants and trimounts.

Armory

1. Argent a rooster passant to sinister sable (1517)
2. Argent, a bull's head cabossed sable (1538)
3. Argent, a cross formy and forked on its lower arm sable (1530)
4. Argent, a fess and 3 martlets to sinister in chief sable (1545)
5. Argent, a fess gules (1554)
6. Argent, a fox rampant sable (1529)
7. Argent, a horse's head gules bridled sable (1530)
8. Argent, a lion azure, debruised by two barrulets gules (1498)
9. Argent, a long-horned goat clymant sable on a trimount vert (1503)
10. Argent, a millrind gules (1543) [a curly millrind]
11. Argent, a pile inverted ploye gules (1543)
12. Argent, a rose gules seeded or (1498)
13. Argent, a three-tailed stage curtain gules (1541)
14. Argent, a wing gules, its Kleestenge or (1477)
15. Argent, an inescutcheon azure, overall a fleury escarbuncle or (1527)
16. Argent, an inescutcheon gules and in canton an annulet (1554)
17. Argent, in pale a seven-pointed stag's antler gules (1530)
18. Argent, on a bend sable, three chessrooks argent (1496)
19. Argent, on a chief gules three crowns or (1579)
20. Argent, on a pile ploye gules, a pitchfork's head argent (1518)
21. Argent, on a trimount or a cross formy gules issuant a linden tree vert (1558)
22. Argent, on a trimount vert an elk proper (1580)
23. Argent, two C-shaped branches intertwined gules bearing three bunches of grapes vert (1529)
24. Argent, two dances of two points gules (1517)
25. Argent, two raguly staves sable enflamed at the tips proper (1488)
26. Argent, two wings palewise, the dexter gules charged with a bend sinister or; the sinister gules charged with a bend or (1523)
27. Azure, in bend a banner quarterly argent and gules, the pole argent (1530)
28. Azure, a bucket gules (1530)
29. Azure, a chevron paly-chevronelly of two gules and argent (1554)
30. Azure, a fess or between a lion passant or and three pinecones in fess or (1479)
31. Azure, a fess between three lozenges argent (1558)
32. Azure, a harpy crowned or (1538)
33. Azure, a heraldic panther or incensed gules (1531)
34. Azure, a lion rampant to sinister argent (1490)
35. Azure, a meerkatze argent sejant on a trimount or, maintaining a fruit or (1487) [a catlike human demon]
36. Azure, a triangle in pall argent conjoined to three mullets of six argent (1496)
37. Azure, billetty or, a lion or (1558)
38. Azure, semy of billets argent, a lion rampant or (1490)
39. Azure, three fasseisen or (1554) [curly omegas]
40. Azure, three fishes (heads to top) or (1521)
41. Azure, three mullets of six argent (1529)
42. Barry gules and or, a lion rampant to sinister sable ((1543)
43. Barry or and sable, a bend bottony on its upper edge vert (1500)
44. Checky azure and or, a canton gules charged with a robin sable (1527)
45. Gules, a bear rampant argent (1538) [a "low" rampant - the head in the dexter corner, not centered]
46. Gules, a bishop's staff erect or (1446)
47. Gules, a cat rampant argent (1486)
48. Gules, a demi-lion argent (1497)
49. Gules, a dog's head couped at the neck argent collared sable (1551)
50. Gules, a hare salient argent (1530)
51. Gules, a horse salient argent (1485)
52. Gules, a horse's head or, bridled sable (1529)
53. Gules, a lamb passant argent (1503)
54. Gules, a sea-lion erect, its tail embowed over its head (1491) [the position is extreme and "D" shaped]
55. Gules, a sword argent hilted sable (1484)
56. Gules, a triangle in pall conjoined to three fleur de lys argent (1499)
57. Gules, a triply arched bridge embattled issuant a tower also embattled argent (1530)
58. Gules, billetty or, an eagle's jambe issuant from dexter (1558)
59. Gules, on a bend azure three fleur de lys or (1499)
60. Gules, on a pile bendwise argent another sable (1502)
61. Gules, on a trimount or a tower issuant three towers argent roofed or (1502)
62. Gules, three swan's heads couped at the shoulders azure (1530)
63. Or a fox rampant to sinister sable maintaining in its mouth by the neck a goose argent (1529)
64. Or a fox salient gules (1517)
65. Or a mullet of six points sable (1517)
66. Or, a demi-boar sable issuant from a trimount vert (1562)
67. Or, a fess sable between three lion's heads erased affronty gules crowned or (1499)
68. Or, a fox salient to sinister sable marked gules (1500)
69. Or, a hat (Spitzhut) gules, its brim argent (1530)
70. Or, a Holzschuh sable marked gules (1551) [a type of clog]
71. Or, a lion rampant sable within a bordure compony gules and argent (1517)
72. Or, a two-headed eagle sable displayed, haloed argent and in chief and imperial crown proper (1538)
73. Or, an eagle azure within a bordure nebuly azure and argent (1496)
74. Or, an eagle sable debruised by a sword in bend proper (1538)
75. Or, issuant from a trimount vert three roses slipped and leaved azure (1590)
76. Or, issuant from clouds proper a dragon's head sable maintaining a horseshoe argent (1551)
77. Or, on a bend sinister sable three bees or (1554)
78. Or, on a bend sinister sable three fleur de lys or (1554)
79. Or, on a fess azure a bird to sinister argent between 3 pomegranates argent slipped vert (1517)
80. Or, on a pile inverted ploye azure, an orb crowned with across crosslet or (1580)
81. Or, three leopards passant to sinister sable
82. Or, three Wolfsangeln in pale sable (1477) [a crescent-shaped blade with a ring attached to the lesser curve]
83. Per bend azure and gules, a bear argent passant in bend (1548)
84. Per bend gules and azure, three sexfoils seeded or in bend counterchanged (1538)
85. Per bend sinister gules and or, a swan proper passant in bend siniste (1561)
86. Per bend sinister or and sable, a hunting horn strung sable and another inverted or (1590)
87. Per fess argent and azure, a demi wheel gules and a fleur de lys argent (1495)
88. Per fess argent and sable, a bird vert perched upon a fleur de lys argent (1492)
89. Per fess argent and sable, a key ring with three keys in pall counterchanged (1488)
90. Per fess azure and argent, a sun or and three mullets of six azure (1580)
91. Per fess bendy sable and argent and or, a moor's head in base (1587)
92. Per fess gules and argent three mullets of six points counterchanged (1529)
93. Per fess gules and argent, 3 mullets of six counterchanged (1482)
94. Per fess gules and azure, a swan argent perched on a trimount or issuing from line of division (1517)
95. Per fess or and azure, a fox counterchanged
96. Per fess or and gules, a fess counterchanged (1553)
97. Per fess or and gules, a swan sable perched upon a pitcher argent upon a trimount or (1517)
98. Per fess or and per pale argent and gules, a demi-goat sable (1529)
99. Per fess or and sable, a bird proper and a fleur de lys argent (1565)
100. Per fess sable and or a melusine argent, crowned or, vested gules (1501)
101. Per fess sable and or, on a trimount vert a deer proper (1563)
102. Per pale and tierced per bend sable and argent (1523)
103. Per pale argent and gules, a double fleur de lys counterchanged (1491)
104. Per pale argent and sable, two wings palewise counterchanged (1530)
105. Per pale azure and barry or-azure-argent-azure, a demi unicorn argent (1557)
106. Per pale gules and argent, a Zirkelnuss vert (1521) [a type of nut]
107. Per pale gules and argent, three chairs counterchanged (1529)
108. Per pale indented of three azure and or (1579)
109. Per pale or and azure, two fish erect counterchanged (1551)
110. Per pale or and argent, a cross strange gules (1521) [equal-armed potent cross each end issuing an omega]
111. Pily fesswise or and azure (1482)
112. Sable, a chevron argent between ten billets or (1453)
113. Sable, a covered cup argent (1471)
114. Sable, a cross checky gules and argent (1521)
115. Sable, a demi-man vested in or and ermine, maintaining in his left hand a fleur de lys gules (1563)
116. Sable, a doppelhaken argent in bend (1518) [a two-armed, pointed gammadion]
117. Sable, a lozenge-shaped buckle argent semy of billets azure and gules (1521)
118. Sable, a ram's head cabossed sable (1529)
119. Sable, an eagle's wing or (1523)
120. Sable, four annulets gules (1545)
121. Sable, issuant from a trimount a rake or (1484)
122. Sable, semy of billets argent, a lion rampant to sinister argent (1558)
123. Sable, semy of crosses or, a key in bend sinister, wards to sinister argent (1530)
124. Sable, three roses argent (1536)
125. Tierced per bend or, gules and sable (1519)
126. Vairy or and gules, an inescutcheon azure surmounted by a saltire argent (1474)

Quartered Armory and Inescutcheons

1. Argent, a bend dancetty sable (1530)
2. Argent, a cross cotised sable (1480)
3. Argent, a cross gules (1467)
4. Argent, a cross sable (1477)
5. Argent, a fess compony or and gules (1519) [weirdness: interlocking compony, bulge on dexter edge of each]
6. Argent, a griffin quarterly azure and gules (1493)
7. Argent, a griffin segreant gules armed or (1493)
8. Argent, a griffin segreant to sinister barry vert and gules (1499)
9. Argent, a griffin segreant to sinister gules (1499)
10. Argent, a mitre gules marked or (1487) [a mitre is a cardinal's hat]
11. Argent, a moor's head clothed gules and crowned or (1480)
12. Argent, a patriarchal cross, its foot forked gules (1516)
13. Argent, an eagle displayed gules (1499)
14. Argent, an eagle sable with kleestengeln or (1485) [Kleestengeln are wingbones]
15. Argent, in saltire a sword inverted and a key wards to dexter gules (1480)
16. Argent, on a mount vert a lion rampant sable (1470)
17. Argent, seven (3,3,1) lozenges conjoined gules
18. Argent, six lozenges conjoined three and three gules (1484)
19. Argent, three demi-piles azure and a base gules (1492)
20. Argent, three seeblatts gules (1467)
21. Azure an escarbuncle fleury or (1467)
22. Azure, a banner in bend sinister quarterly gules and argent, its pole argent (1519)
23. Azure, a griffin segreant gules armed or (1493)
24. Azure, a lion rampant argent (1470)
25. Azure, a lion rampant barry argent and gules (1503)
26. Azure, a lion rampant or surmounted by a bend paly-bendy or two gules and argent (1478)
27. Azure, a lion rampant per fess or and argent (1467)
28. Azure, a lion rampant to sinister barry argent and gules (1467)
29. Azure, a lion rampant to sinister barry gules and or (1524)
30. Azure, a scepter erect tipped with a fleur-de-lys or (1499)
31. Azure, an eagle displayed or (1467)
32. Azure, three eagles displayed argent (1500)
33. Barry azure and argent, a bend sinister wavy counter wavy gules (1522)
34. Barry or and sable, a bend vert bottony on its upper edge (1467)
35. Bendy or and azure, a bordure gules (1534)
36. Gules a column crowned argent (1507)
37. Gules, 3 edelweiss, crossed at the stems and issuing from a log fesswise proper (1556)
38. Gules, 3 seeblatts or (1477)
39. Gules, a 3-tailed stage curtain argent (1530)
40. Gules, a bend argent (1470)
41. Gules, a bend or (1488)
42. Gules, a cross faceted argent (1487)
43. Gules, a dragon erect argent (1490) [dragon is emblazoned as a wyvern]
44. Gules, a fess argent (1534)
45. Gules, a horse salient argent (1477)
46. Gules, a lion or within a bordure compony argent and azure (1470)
47. Gules, a maiden's arm issuant from sinister, the hand maintaining an annulet or (1479)
48. Gules, a sea-griffin or (1493)
49. Gules, a six-spoked wheel argent (1524)
50. Gules, a triangular brooch, point downwards, bottony on its corners, argent (1556)
51. Gules, a two-tailed lion rampant argent (1526)
52. Gules, an eagle displayed argent (1477)
53. Gules, on a chevron argent three roses gules (1556)
54. Gules, semy of crosses and a cross or (1500)
55. Gules, semy of crosses argent, a lady's arm issuant from dexter, maintaining an annulet or (1492)
56. Gules, two fish erect or (1498)
57. Gules, two scepters tipped with fleur de lys in saltire or (1485)
58. Or a dance gules (1551)
59. Or, 3 deer's antlers fesswise sable (1534)
60. Or, 3 leopards passant to sinister sable (1531)
61. Or, a bull's head erased affronty sable, crowned or, in its nose an annulet argent (1479)
62. Or, a chicken passant sable marked gules on a trimount sable (1507)
63. Or, a deer statant sable (1530)
64. Or, a griffin segreant sable (1493)
65. Or, a lion rampant sable (1467)
66. Or, a lion rampant sable within a bordure compony argent and gules (1499)
67. Or, a rose sable seeded or (1539)
68. Or, issuant from a trimount a grapevine vert fructed azure arranged in a spiral (1495)
69. Or, semy of hearts gules, a lion rampant to sinister sable (1467)
70. Or, two birds respectant perched on and pecking a branch palewise proper (1531)
71. Or, two sausages in saltire between three roses gules (1493)
72. Per bend embattled argent and gules, a bear passant in bend sable chained or (1508)
73. Per bend sable and gules, on a bend argent between 2 crescents counterchanged, 3 lozenges sable (1516)
74. Per bend sinister bendy argent and gules and or, three linden leaves in conjoined vert in base (1524)
75. Per chevron indented argent and gules, a demi-lion issuant from line of division sable (1499)
76. Per fess sable and argent, two swords in saltire gules (1468)
77. Per fess argent a gules, a lion rampant counterchanged (1524)
78. Per fess embattled azure and or, in chief a mullet of six or (1470)
79. Per fess gules and checky argent and azure, a demi-griffin argent (1493)
80. Per fess or and azure, a demi lion sable and a stufengiebel gules [a pyramid of bricks] (1493)
81. Per fess sable and argent, two swords in saltire gules (1467)
82. Per fess sable and or, in chief two mullets of six argent (1504)
83. Per pale argent and gules, two lions rampant counterchanged (1485)
84. Sable, semy of delfs or each charged with a cross sable, a key in bend, wards to dexter, or (1487)