Registered in September 2000 with the blazon Lozengy Or and gules, in pale three cannons reversed, on a chief sable three bezants, that blazon did not describe the mounting of the cannons. Cannons on ship's carriages (i.e., wheeled carriages for use on warships) are permitted, but must be specified in the blazon.
The non-SCA heraldic title, Rivers Herald, is released on this letter.
This was registered in March 1988 with the blazon Gules, on a heart Or between three crosses in fess, couped and fitched at the foot, argent, and a goutte d'eau, a heart gules. However, these crosses are not fitched at the foot, which would have a spike issuant from the center of the bottom limb; they are simply fitched or fitchy, the lower limb replaced with a spike. The treatment of the crosses' other three limbs had also been omitted. Since the crosses had to be reblazoned in any case, we took the opportunity to simplify the blazon somewhat.
This was registered in July 2000 with the blazon Per bend azure and purpure, on a bend between two roses argent an arrow proper. The Glossary of Terms gives the tinctures of an arrow proper as "brown shaft, black head, tincture of fletching specified"; but the fletching (or flighting) was omitted from the 2000 blazon.
The submitter indicated that he wanted a name meaning "Daniel Green." While this is, certainly, a valid English translation of his name, there are some shades of meaning he might want to know about. The de in de Verde marks this as a locative byname, so the name means "Daniel of/from [the place called] Green." There are other names with the same basic meaning. Daniello della Verde means roughly "Daniel from the Green"; the Medici Archives (http://documents.medici.org) list a Flammino della Verde in 1613) Another possibility is Daniello Verdi, which is simply "Daniel (of the family named) Green"; the Medici Archives list an Antonio Verdi in 1542. Finally, there is Daniello Lo Verde, which also means "Daniel (from) the Green"; Giacomo Lo Verdi is a painter who flourished in the first half of the 17th C ("Regione Siciliana Beni Culturali ed Ambientali" [http://www.regione.sicilia.it/beniculturali/dirbenicult/info/news/eventi/magazziniAbatellis.html]).
There was some question about the interpretation of Lo Verdi as a locative byname. Fucilla, Our Italian Surnames, p 31 notes:
Names preceded by da plus article seem to come from Northern Italy---Dalla Carceri, Dalla Vedova, Dall'Orgaro, Dall'Agate, Dalla Cola, Dalla Giacoma.
In some parts of Southern Italy the preposition is dropped but the article is preserved as in La Calendola, La Francia, La Grega...Lo Sasso, Lo Sacco, Lo Verde. In Sicily this type as well as a small group of names prefixed by li...indicate that the source of the surname is a place name.
Titus is the submitter's legal surname.
This name mixes Early Modern Irish (1200-1700) and Middle Irish (900-1200). This is one step from period practice.
Please advise the submitters to draw the bordure thinner. In addition, the fitched limb should look like a smoothly tapering wedge, not a freshly sharpened No.2 pencil.
This name mixes Gaelic and English; this is one step from period practice.
This name mixes Spanish and English; this is one step from period practice.
The submitter has permission to conflict with the device for Udalrich Schermer, Azure, a unicorn rampant barry wavy gules and Or. Please advise the submitter to draw a few more ermine spots.
Nice armory.
Submitted as Iuliana Constanta, the name combines a Russian given name with a Romanian placename. Names combining Russian and Romanian are a step from period practice. No documentation was submitted and none found to suggest that Romanian names used just the placename in the nominative case as a locative byname. Aryanhwy merch Catmael, "Names from the Royal Lines of Moldavia and Wallachia" (http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/other/romanian.html) notes three styles of locative bynames: "(1) <de la> [place], (2) [place] + <-escu>, and (3) [place] + <-eanu>". In this case, we believe Constanteanu is a likely form for this name, although Constantescu is also possible. We have changed the name to Iuliana Constanteanu to correct the grammar.
The patronym is a spelling found as a Scottish form in Sharon Krossa, "Historical Name Generator:Sixteenth Century Irish and Scottish Gaelic Names" (http://www.medievalscotland.org/scotnames/hng16gaelic/).
The submitter has permission to conflict with the badge for Muin maqq Mínaín, Argent, an acorn enflamed vert.
Submitted under the name Brandr hani.
While we do not generally blazon the type of yale (Beaufort or Bedford), the submitter specifically requested a Beaufort yale so that it would always be depicted with large curving horns. We have thus retained the type of yale in the blazon. There is no heraldic difference between a Beaufort and a Bedford yale.
Nice badge.
Nice badge.
Submitted as Galen McKintoch, the spelling of the byname includes the scribal abbreviation Mc. The September 2007 cover letter spelled out how such scribal abbreviations would be expanded:
...for names found in Scots documents and for Anglicized Irish names, the abbreviations M' and Mc will be expanded to Mac in both first- and second-generation patronymics...
We have changed the name to Galen MacKintoch in order to register it.
Galen had previously been registerable in English and Scots as a literary name. However, this submitter was able to document the name in use in England in our gray area:
There is a Galen Browne who was a late period physician; he practiced medicine in English [sic] 1619-1639
(<http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=17273&strquery=Galen>).
This was registered in January 1973 with the blazon Per bend sable and Or, an increscent bendwise Or and a human eye proper lashed sable, orbed argent, pupiled azure, and outlined gules. We are reblazoning this in accordance with this month's Cover Letter, which declares that there is no defined proper for eyes.
Submitted as Katherine Anne Geldschläger, the byname Geldschläger is an undated header form from Bahlow/Gentry, German Names. Undated header forms are only registerable if their spelling can be shown to be consistent with period forms. In this case, something very close to the header form can be constructed. Bahlow/Gentry, s.n. Geldner has Geldner in 1329 "apparently an unrounded form of göldner", and Geldfuß in 1408 meaning "goldfoot - the rich man". Albion notes Messenschlager in Aryanhwy merch Catmael, "German Names from Nürnberg, 1497" (http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/german/nurnberg1497.html) and Lautenschlager 'lute-player' in "German Names from 1495" (http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/german/german1495.html) by the same author. We believe this is sufficient to give the benefit of the doubt for the spelling Geldschlager; we have changed the name to Katherine Anne Geldschlager in order to register it.
Please instruct the submitter to draw his decrescent with a circular outline, rather than an elliptical outline. Had the crescent been the sole primary charge, such a distortion would have been grounds for return.
Submitted under the name Stephan MCGrath.
The charges were blazoned as argent on the LoI; however, the majority of the commenters noted the correct tincture, gules. Therefore, this need not be pended for further conflict checking.
The LoI blazoned this submission as Per pale gules and sable, an axe surmounted by a saw crossed in saltire Or, both bladed argent, and an orle Or. In correcting the blazon to Per pale gules and sable, a Lochaber axe and a handsaw both argent hafted Or, within an orle Or on the July 2007 LoAR, the fact that the axe and handsaw are in saltire was dropped.
This name combines a Latinized Old English given name with a French byname. This is one step from period practice.
Originally submitted as Alysandir of Elgin, the name was changed at kingdom to Alysandir de Elgin to match the documentation. The source used to document the name, Symon Freser of Lovat, "13th & 14th Century Scottish Names" (http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/symonFreser/scottish14), shows several examples of locative bynames using of. Given this, we have changed the name back to the originally submitted form.
When registered April 2002 with the blazon (Fieldless) An annulet azure surmounted by a drop spindle inverted argent, the fact that the drop spindle is empty was omitted from the blazon.
Submitted as House de Nedham, the household name was based on the pattern [House] + [surname]. However, such patterns are formed using territorial designations or surnames without prepositions. An expected form here would be House of Nedham or, possibly House of de Nedham, which assumes that the preposition remained with the locative when it became an inherited surname. As we have found no examples of de Nedham as an inherited surname, we have changed the name to House of Nedham to match period patterns.
Nice armory.
Her old name, Sláine Fhionn, is released.
Submitted as Sebastiano Giovanni Casparo, there was some question about the provenance and registerability of Casparo as part of an Italian name. The name Casparo is not Italian; it is an inflected Latin rendering of the Italian name Gasparo. The name Casparo was documented from a bibliography on an English language Dutch website "Ortelius Bibliography" (http://www.orteliusmaps.com/ortbib/Ortbibsourcesb.htm) which notes "Balbi, Casparo (16th century) from Venice, Italy wrote an itinerary entitled "Viaggio del Indie orientali dell anno 1579 fino al 1588" (Ort164)." The bibliography is for notes appearing on the website concerning specific maps from Ortelius, Theatrum Orbis Terrarum; they are not names that appear in this work. The name appears in a variety of spellings in this work, including Casparo Balbi and Gaspar Balbus. Given this, the bibliography is not a reliable site for given name documentation. After some searching, we located the original titles and forepages for some works by Senor Balbi (or Balby) in the WorldCat library search catalog (http://firstcat.oclc.org), which shows several editions of the same work, all in Latin and all published in Frankfurt at the beginning of the 17th C. An example is Indiæ Orientalis pars septima, nauigationes duas, primam, trium annorum, à Georgio Spilbergio ... ex Selandia in Indiam Orientalem susceptam; alteram, nouem annorum à Casparo Balby ... ex Alepo Babylonian versus, & inde porro ad regnum Pegv vsque continuatam, continens ... Auctore Gotardo Arthvs. Omnia elegantissimis in æs incisis iconibus illustrata & in lucem emissa, à Ioanne Theodor & Ioanne Israële de Bry.. Given this, Casparo is not supported as a byname form. We have changed the name to the fully Italian Sebastiano Giovanni Gasparo in order to register it.
When registered in July 2002 with the blazon Vert, on a spider argent a drop spindle inverted sable, the fact that the drop spindle is empty was omitted from the blazon.
This was registered in February 1983 with the blazon Azure, on a bend raguly between a pegasus rampant bendwise and three roses argent, barbed and seeded proper, a sheaf of three arrows proper. The Glossary of Terms gives the tinctures of an arrow proper as "brown shaft, black head, tincture of fletching specified"; but the fletching (or flighting) was omitted from the 1983 blazon. (And yes, these arrows have argent feathers on an argent bend, an anomaly which would be unregisterable if submitted today.) Since we had to amend the blazon anyway, we've regularized the posture of the pegasus: it's within the parameters of a standard "rampant" posture, drawn to fill the space above the bend.
Registered in October 1981 with the blazon Sable, two needles inverted in saltire between a full spindle and three compass stars, all within a bordure Or, the charge in chief is neither a drop spindle nor a spinning-wheel's spindle: it has two round disks with a bulging load of thread squeezed between them. The current term for the artifact is spool of thread, and we've substituted it here. Additionally, the needles have their points to base, which is the Society default; they are not inverted. We've amended the blazon accordingly.
This was registered in August 1979 with the blazon Argent, in pale a dexter arm armed, grasping a scimitar, and a tower couped bendsinsterwise at the top sable. The term grasping is ambiguous; the sword is a sustained charge as has been indicated in the new blazon. We note that the sword is not a heraldic scimitar; we have blazoned it a shamshir to ensure its reproducibility.
When registered in April 1997 with the blazon Per bend vert and Or, a drop spindle proper threaded argent and a brown dog sejant guardant proper, the fact that the drop spindle is wooden was omitted from the blazon. Drop spindles, with no other qualifiers, have no proper tincture.
There was some question whether this name introduced a violation of the rules not present in his old name. The name Anton was documented as a Scots name dated to 1613 in the original submission. The Welsh placename spelling Raghelan is dated to 1297. Mixing Welsh and Scots is a step from period practice, and this submission appears to add a second step for temporal disparity -- a step not present in the original submission. However, we can find earlier Scots citations for Anton. Androw Wyntoun, The Orygynale Cronykil of Scotland, written in 1420, notes an Anton the Bek arguing whether John Balliol or Robert the Bruce should inherit the throne of Scotland. Since John Balliol was king of Scotland from 1292 to 1296, this would be a 15th C recording of a late 13th C name. In either case, it removes the temporal disparity step.
This name mixes Scots and Welsh; this is a step from period practice.
His old name, Anton Cwith, is retained as an alternate name.
The submitter has permission to conflict with the device of Isabeau of Forgotten Sea, Per chevron azure and vert, a chevron cotised between a pair of eyes argent irised azure and a bell argent.
This submission raised the question of whether an ordinary could be counterchanged over a multiply divided field such as paly, barry, etc. Precedent suggests it may not:
[Bendy sinister vert and Or, a hawk striking contourny argent a bordure counterchanged] The commentary from the College of Arms overwhelmingly indicated that the combination of bendy sinister and bordure is excessive counterchanging. In general, we would like to see documentation for any charge counterchanged over a multiply divided field, such as barry or gyronny. [Tvorimir Danilov, 08/01, R-An Tir]
Saker has found such documentation: the arms of Calvert, Lord Baltimore (as quartered on the modern flag of Maryland), are Paly sable and Or, a bend counterchanged. According to Saker, the arms had been in use for some years before they were certified in 1617; Papworth (p.193) gives the date of creation for Baron Baltimore as 1624. This puts the coat in our pre-1650 "grey area" of documentation, which is usually sufficient for our needs.
We note that identifiability must still be maintained in these cases. Calvert's arms, and the submission here, have no complex lines of division (e.g., wavy), either for the field or the charge; and the counterchanged ordinary is both centrally placed and oblique to the lines of the field. (The latter conditions weren't met by the bordure on the bendy field, cited in the precedent.) We also note that the multiply divided fields are simple stripes in both cases; a more complex field (e.g., lozengy, paly bendy, etc.) would exceed the bounds set by the period example. Within those bounds, however, an ordinary may be counterchanged over a multiply divided field.
Please advise the submitters not to use such heavy outlining on the tree stump.
The submitter requested an authentic 11th/12th C name. While each part of this name is dated to the 12th C, the name itself is not and cannot be made authentic. This is because it combines names from two separate cultures and orthographies -- in this case Gaelic and Middle English. If the submitter is truly interested in an authentic 11th/12th C name, he should either use a Gaelic byname or a Middle English given name. If the submitter is interested in a similar (although not identical) sounding authentic 11th/12th C Gaelic name, we suggest Cellach an Tuir. Mari Elsbeth nic Bryan, "Index to Names in Irish Annals" (http://www.medievalscotland.org/kmo/AnnalsIndex) dates the descriptive byname an Tuir (meaning "of the tower") to 1009.
This device is clear of the device for Sorcha Caerlaverock, Azure, on a bend sinister cotissed between two lozenges bendwise sinister argent, three lozenges azure. There is a CD for changes to the secondary charges. Cotises are considered to be the same charge type as the ordinary they follow. Thus there are only two types of charge on the field here, and the conditions of RfS X.4.j(ii) are met; we can grant a CD for the substantial change of type of the tertiary charges.
This name mixes High German and Low German; this is a step from period practice.
If the submitter is interested in a fully Low German form of this name, we suggest Hinrich Theis. Hinrich appears several times in Aryanwhy merch Catmael, "15th Century Low German Men's Names from Mecklenburg" (http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/german/mecklenburg.html).
This submitter has permission to conflict with the device for Anton Raghelan, Per chevron azure and vert, a chevron cotised between a pair of eyes argent irised azure and a serpent nowed argent.
Submitted under the name Isabeau Beauyeux.
Submitted as islah bint Yahannah, the transliteration system used by the submitter is one modified by the author of the article used to document the name to provide an ASCII representation of a non-ASCII character. In the case where the submitter is using a non-standard transliteration method, it is the practice of the College of Arms to render the name in a Da'ud style notation. As the i is intended to represent an I with a dot over it, the appropriate Da'ud style notation in this case would be {I.}. We have made this change.
When registered in February 1990 with the blazon Azure, a pale indented ermine between two drop spindles Or, the fact that the drop spindles are empty was omitted from the blazon.
Permission to conflict is granted for any armory that is at least one countable step (CD) different from her badge.
Permission to conflict is granted for any armory that is at least one countable step (CD) different from her device.
Nice armory.
Her old name, Giovanna del Penna, is retained as an alternate name.
Registered April 1990 with the blazon Argent, a wooden drop spindle bendwise sinister proper, threaded vert, within a bordure vert, fretty argent, an examination of the emblazon shows that, while the spindle isn't empty - there is a winding of thread - it's far from threaded, which implies a full load of thread. We've reblazoned the device to better reflect the emblazon here.
This was registered in February 1975 with the blazon Gules, two chains in saltire Or debruised by a human eye proper. We are reblazoning this in accordance with this month's Cover Letter, which declares that there is no defined proper for eyes.
There was discussion during commentary on the registerability of a compony bordure sharing tinctures with both halves of a divided field. In registering armory for Teresa de Çaragoça in May 2005, Laurel ruled:
Finally, the documentation provided, together with the supplementary materials noted in commentary, demonstrates that our precedents banning the use of a bordure compony that shares a tincture with the field, which date to 1987, do not accurately reflect period usage. We therefore explicitly overturn those precedents and permit the registration of bordures compony that share a tincture with the field. We have not, however, as yet seen evidence to suggest that this ruling should be applied to ordinaries other than the bordure.
In that case, the field was a single tincture. We see no reason at this time to disallow the registration of a compony bordure sharing tinctures with both halves of a field divided in evenly in two tinctures.
The dragon was blazoned as in chief on the LoI; however, it is about where it has to be, given that it has to fit in the awkward space left by the gore. We have thus removed in chief from the blazon. As the majority of commenters noted that the dragon was not in chief, we assume that it was also conflict checked that way and thus need not pend the device for further conflict checking.
When registered in February 1991 with the blazon Gules, on a bend rayonny between a drop spindle and a feather Or, two compass stars palewise sable , the fact that the feather was bendwise was omitted from the blazon.
This device uses a primary charge and two secondary charges. While three primary charges arranged two and one may have the charges in chief slightly smaller, the mullets here are sufficiently smaller to be considered secondaries. Moreover, it's easier for the eye to see a single group if all the charges in the group are identical: had this been three mullets of eight points or three seahorses, they would have been presumed to be a single group of three primary charges, almost without regard to size. In this case, the mullets are markedly smaller than the seahorse, they are of a different type, and they're shoved up to chief exactly where we'd expect secondary charges in chief to be. Visually, as well as by the precepts of heraldic design, they are secondary charges.
The mullet is a secondary charge, not a co-primary charge as blazoned on the LoI. As all of the commenters noted that they conflict checked this as a primary crescent and secondary mullet, it need not be pended for further conflict checking.
Submitted as Ceara Ó Bárdáin, the submitter combined a feminine Gaelic given name with a masculine patronymic marker. In Gaelic, if a patronymic markers appears directly after a name, the marker must match the gender of that name. Such markers indicate the gender of the person bearing the name. For a name such as Ó Bárdáin, when a feminine patronymic marker is inserted in front of the patronymic, the second marker is put into the genitive case. In addition, the first letter of the patronym needs to be lenited. We have changed the name to Ceara inghean uí Bhárdáin to correct the grammar.
The submitter indicated that she desired a name meaning "bard" or "from the family of bards". Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames, s.n. Ó Bárdáin, notes that the name etymology of the name gives it the meaning "descendant of the little bard." However, in everyday speech, this patronymic would be taken to mean simply "descendent of the Bardain family". If the submitter is interested in a similar descriptive byname, we suggest an Dana, "of the poetry". Mari Elspeth nic Bryan, "Index to Names in Irish Annals", (http://www.medievalscotland.org/kmo/AnnalsIndex/) dates this descriptive byname to 1583 and 1589.
A panpipe is palewise by default, but there is not a CD (or even a blazonable difference) for whether the long pipe is on the dexter or sinister side. A check of the currently registered panpipes shows the long pipe on either side, with roughly equal frequency.
Submitted as Eawynn of Dunholm, the locative byname is in the nominative case. Old English grammar requires that locative bynames following the preposition of be in the dative case. We have changed the name to Eawynn of Dunholme to correct the grammar.
Nice 11th C Old English name!
This device is clear of the device for Eric van Roosebeke, Sable, a crescent and a chief embattled argent. There is a CD for changing the field tincture, and as Laurel has previously ruled (03/2000), a second CD for the difference between embattled and potenty.
Submitted as Uther Ziemer, the byname was an undated header form in Bahlow/Gentry, German Names. No documentation was submitted to demonstrate that the z --> s spelling was found in period (if such a pattern were demonstrated, the spelling Ziemer would be registerable, but without it, we must treat it as a strictly modern form). We have changed the name to Uther Siemer in order to register it. This name combines English and German; this is one step from period practice.
The submitter has a letter of permission to conflict with the name Luther Zeimer, registered August 2002.
The submitter indicated that he was most interested in sound. However, if he is interested in a Z form of the name with a different vowel sound, we suggest Zeimer. Monasterium (www.monasterium.net) has a photograph of a documented from Windberg dated to 1473; the description shows the name Conrad Zeimer. An examination of the document shows, as near as we can tell, an abbreviated form of the name -- Zeim [with a tail]. It is clear, though, that the first letter in the name is a Z.
As Batonvert notes:
As for the alerion or allerion, originally the charges in the arms of Lorraine appear to have been eagles: they were shown with beaks and/or feet until the end of the 13th C. (Pastoureau's Traité d'Héraldique, p.150). However, de Bara's Blason des Armoiries, 1581, p.213, shows the arms of Lorraine with beakless footless birds, and explicitly blazons them Allerions. They get no difference from eagles, but it does look like they'd become blazonable artistic variants by the end of our period.
We would add that the alerion may only be displayed: both because the period evidence supports no other posture, and because the lack of beak and feet make this posture essential for recognizability.
Nice armory!
Nice 13th C Welsh name!
The submitter has permission to conflict with the badge for Ivan Kosinski, (Fieldless) An enfield rampant contourny azure maintaining a padlock argent.
His device was submitted under the name Luan an Fael.
Registered in March 1981 with the blazon Or, a rose sable, slipped and leaved, barbed and seeded proper, its stem entwined by a serpent, head to sinister, gules, the serpent, unlike most entwined charges, is a co-primary charge. We have reblazoned the device to indicate this fact.
This name combines English and German; this is one step from period practice. The name von Dornberg is grandfathered to the submitter; she is the wife of Eberhart von Dornberg whose name was registered in April 2006.
Submitted as Calum of Greycastell, there was some question of the language in which Calum was documented and whether this spelling was registerable. The name is a Scots form of a Gaelic name. We have no documentation for Calum used by itself in period, but we have found evidence of Callum used in a Scots context in the gray area. Scotland Privy Council, The Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, p 258, lists a Callum Forbes in a listing dated 1638. On p 231 there is a Callum Oig in 1636 and on p 321, a Callum McFadrick Voir in 1639. John Spalding Memoriall of the Trubles in Scotland and in England. A.D. 1624--A.D. 1645 published in 1850 has a documentation that also lists Callum Forbes in 1634. The spelling does not appear to be normalized and it appears consistent with mid-17th C Scots spellings. Given this, we have changed the name to Callum of Greycastell to match the documentation for the given name.
Nice 15th C German name!
The submitter is a countess and thus entitled to display a coronet.
Registered in April 1998 with the blazon Per pale argent and gules, a drop spindle proper threaded Or, between two sheep passant to sinister counterchanged, drop spindles of themselves having no proper tincture, the fact that this one was wooden had to be specified.
As noted when this device was pended (on the April 2007 LoAR), we will register a multiply-divided field and a solid tincture peripheral ordinary sharing one of the tinctures with the field so long as identifiability of the peripheral ordinary is maintained, as it is in this case.
It should be noted that wolves (and wolves' heads) ululant are a step from period practice (v. Andela Romier, LoAR of December 2000).
This was registered in August 1979 with the blazon Per saltire vert and gules, a barrel helm affronty argent, within the ocularium a cyclopean eye proper, irised sable. We are reblazoning this in accordance with this month's Cover Letter, which declares that there is no defined proper for eyes. Cyclopean refers to the fact that there is a single round eye in the center of the forehead (or in this case the eyeslit).
This submission raised two questions: is a combination of a European legal name with a Mongol element obtrusively modern, and are names combining Russian and Mongol registerable. In this case, the answer to the first question relies on the answer to the second question.
We asked whether there was proof of substantial contact between Mongol and Russian speakers in period. Loyall provided this commentary:
Names and Titles
Halperin [Charles Halperin, Russia and the Golden Horde (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1985)] writes (p. 105):
One of the most immediately apparent indicators that the Russian bookmen knew the Mongols better than they were willing to admit is that they not only call the Tatars names, they call tehm [sic] by name. The records name nearly every Tatar prince, grandee, and official with whom the Russians dealt, and the chronicles are replete with the names of military commanders, envoys, and courtiers. The Galician-Volhynian chronicle, for example, in its account of the 1240 sack of Kiev, records the words of Tovrul, a captured informant. He identifies the captains of the Mongol host besieging the city as Urdu, Baidar, Birui, Bechak, Mengu, Kuyuk, Sebedia (Subudai) bogatyr', Burundai bogatyr', and of course Batu. The sources record the genealogy or at least Chingisid status of every khan and emir. One incomplete list of the khans of the Golden Horde (ordynskie tsari) runs: Batii Sain, Sartak, Berke, Mengu-temer, Nogai, Telebuga, Tokhta, Ozbiak, Zhenebek, Berdebek, Kuplia, Navrus, Khidyr, Timur-Khozia (the last four are ephemeral khans of the civil war period), u Mamae Avdula (emir Mamai's puppet-khan Abdul outside Sarai), Umurat (in Sarai at that time), Azia (another of Mamai's puppets), Mamak Saltan, Takhtamysh, Temir-Aksak, Temir-Kutlui, Shadibek, Bulat-Saltan, and Zedi-Saltan, to which should be added Ulu-Mehmed and Akhmed. The Russian chronicles contain more details about the careers of the transient khans during the "Great Troubles" of the late fourteenth century than the Arabo-Persian sources.
The lists of monarchs are less remarkable than the innumerable references by name to Mongols of lesser rank. It is evident from the matter-of-fact way the names are used that the chroniclers expected their elite Russian audiences to be familiar with these Tatars and their individual attributes.
On p. 40, Halperin notes that Mongol envoys or posoly sometimes appear in Russian chronicles with Russian descriptive bynames meaning 'strong' or 'evil':
The posoly were important officials, very likely Mongol aristocrats, and they traveled on the imperial post (yam), probably bearing some insignia of office (perhaps the paiza, a seal of gold, silver, copper, or other material). The Russian chronicles identify them by name, sometimes adding the adjectives silen (strong) or liut (evil).
Halperin gives examples of the Russian use of the title <tsar> for Mongol rulers on p. 98:
Before the Mongol conquest, the only imperial ruler in Russian experience was the Byzantine emperor, the basileus. After the conquest the Tatar khan dwelt in the steppe, and the Russians referred to this monarch, too, as the <tsar'>. They applied this terminology consistently, referring to the khan's wife as the <tsaritsa>, and to Chingisid heirs as <tsarevichi>. (Familiar with the workings of Mongol succession, the Russians never referred to anyone not of the Golden Kin as more than a <kniaz'>, prince.) The khan was not called <tsar'> out of ignorance. The term khan, in the form <kagan>, was familiar from Kievan times. Narratives of the battle on the Kalka river, sub anno 1223, refer to "Chingiz kan", with <kan> as part of the personal name. Records of princes' journeys to Karakorum refer to that city as "Kanovi," "Kanovich," or "Kanovichi," all Russianized derivatives of <kan>. (The bookmen could not call Karakorum "Tsar'grad", city of the <tsar'>, since that was already the name of Constantinople, city of the other <tsar'>.) Russian derivatives of <kan> also appear in the vita of Mikail of Chernigov and in the Galician-Volhynian chronicle. Nonetheless, the usage of <tsar'> for khan was so thoroughly entrenched by the time the Mongols' yarliki to Russian metropolitans was translated into Russian, probably in the late fourteenth century, that even Chingiz kan was rendered Chingis tsar'.
Heraldry and Genealogy
Halperin discusses marriages between Russians and members of the Golden Horde on pp. 111-113, and mentions some Mongol-origin names used by Russian families:
The historical Fedor Rostislavovich did, in fact, marry a Tatar princess in the thirteenth century, as did Yuri Daniilovich in the next. Gleb Vasil'kovich in the thirteenth century not only married into the Horde but spent his entire career among the Mongols in the steppe. However, such dynastic marriages were rare and ceased altogether in the fourteenth century as the obstacles to such unions, already considerable, became insuperable when the Golden Horde adopted Islam. No Muslim khan could have permitted a Tatar princess to convert to Christianity for the sake of a dynastic marriage, nor would the Russian princes have allowed a Christian princess to marry a Muslim. While the khans could have forcibly taken Christian women into their harems like the Ottoman sultans, none did.
Yet beginning in the fifteenth century, marriages between Russians and Mongols began to occur again, though not among the ruling families. The Golden Horde's political fortunes were waning at this time, and a number of Mongol grandees emigrated to Russia, most of them entering the service of the Muscovite grand princes. Since conspicuous Tatars, like the Muslim Kasimov tsarevichi, were excluded from the mestnichestvo system of family rankings and from Russian society in general, these emigrés converted to Christianity, married into the aristocracy, and became assimilated.
How much Tatar blood entered the Russian aristocracy in this way is open to question. Some estimates have been very high, calculating that 156 aristocratic families (twenty percent) were of Mongol or oriental origin. This is probably excessive. The evidence, drawn from names, heraldry, and contemporary genealogies, has not always been conclusive. The onomastic evidence is ambiguous, for families bearing names of obviously Tatar provenance, like Baskakov, Yarlikov, and Yasak, were not necessarily of Tatar descent. For example, a Mongol nickname for a Russian child might result generations later in an apparently Tatar patronym. Similarly, Mongol families might have thoroughly Russian names adopted when they converted to Christianity. Still other names are of unidentifiable linguistic origin. Heraldic evidence is also questionable. It is tempting to interpret every crescent as a reference to conversion from Islam and every bow and arrow as an allusion to steppe origin, but coats-of-arms, even considered with onomastic evidence, can be misleading.
Heraldry and the sixteenth-century genealogical books (rodoslovnye knigi) are both suspect, and for the same reason. The first redaction of these books dates from the 1540s when the mestnichestvo, the system for allocating position and status, and new legends of the foreign origin of the ruling Riurikid clan (from the brother of Augustus Caesar) made family origin a matter of widespread concern among the Russian elite. Some genealogies, and the heraldic devices that accompany them, are fictitious. Since foreign origin became fashionable among the Muscovite elite, as among aristocracies of other times and places, genealogies tracing non-Russian descent are particularly suspect. Few of the genealogies in these books date from earlier than the late fifteenth century, and many of these were based on oral family legends. Most family histories involving any foreign descent were invented, though there were some attempts at verisimilitude. For example, nobles from Riazan' favored Tatar origin, while those from Chernigov and Tver' were more likely to claim Lithuanian backgrounds. Those genealogies that trace descent back to Tatars who entered the service of Alexander Nevskii are intrinsically suspect. In the thirteenth century the flow was of Russians to the Mongols on the steppe rather than the other way around. Further, the terms used for the Horde, Bol'shaia orda (Great Horde) and Zolotaia orda (Golden Horde) are anachronistic and signs of adulteration. For these reasons the most famous genealogy showing Tatar origin, that of the Gudunov clan from Prince Chet, is unreliable. Their own claims to the contrary notwithstanding, the overwhelming majority of the aristocracy were native Russians.
[...]
The real significance of the sixteenth-century genealogies, of course, is the remarkable fact that descent from Russia's bitterest political and religious enemies was considered honorable and even desirable. Though hostility toward Islam and the Tatars was actually on the rise at the time the genealogies were written, it is appearent that Mongol ancestry was as prestigious as German, Latin, or Greek. This in itself constitutes social influence of a sort, even long after the overthrow of Tatar rule, and is perhaps most interesting as a reflection of the complex and often contradictory Russian attitudes toward the Mongols.
This demonstrates substantial contact between Russian and Mongol speakers in period. Given this, names combining Russian and Mongol are registerable, but a step from period practice. As the name Ivan is also an attested period Russian name, the submitted name is registerable, although a step from period practice. Because the name Ivan can be documented to period, the name is, by definition, not obtrusively modern.
Registered in August 1988 with the blazon Argent, a sprig of six holly leaves vert, fructed, within an orle wavy gules, that blazon did not accurately describe the arrangement of the holly leaves. We have reblazoned this so that the emblazon can be recreated from the blazon.
When registered in November 1982 with the blazon Per bend sinister vert and Or, a drop-spindle bendwise sinister and a weaver's shuttle bendwise sinister counterchanged, the fact that the drop spindle was empty was omitted from the blazon.
This was registered in October 1990 with the blazon Or, a wall gules, the gate closed proper, issuant from the battlements a demi-weasel rampant sable. The blazon didn't accurately describe the type and placement of the wall: as drawn here, it covers the entire bottom half of the shield, instead of being the visual equivalent of a fess embattled which is the default wall. We've amended the blazon to make the wall issuant from base.
Submitted as Æðeluulf Munec, the submitter requested an authentic 9th C Old English name. While the given name is dated to 854, the spelling of the byname was documented to the 11th C. Albion notes, "The Anglo-Saxon Charters website...has a few for the other OE spelling of the word <Munuc>, including S 1370 (A.D. 961 x 972 (? 969)), mentioned <Æþelstan munuc>." The glossary to Bright's Anglo-Saxon Reader also shows munuc, as a standard spelling of this word. We have changed the name to Æðeluulf munuc to partially comply with the submitter's request for authenticity.
The submitter made a request for an authentic name that was not mentioned on the LoI. While the LoI noted that, if the name had to be changed the submitter was interested in a 9th C Old English name, the fact that he had requested the name be changed to make it authentic was not mentioned. Failure to mention an authenticity request may be reason for return (if such requests are routinely omitted from LoIs) or pend. In this case, the commenters addressed authentic forms for that time period, so we do not need to pend this name.
Submitted as Carloman Macht von Drachenfels, as submitted, the name is two steps from period practice. First, it combines an Old Franconian name with two Middle High German bynames. Second, there is a more than 300 year gap between the 884 date for the given name and the dates found for the bynames; Macht is dated to 1594 in Brechenmacher, Etymologisches Woerterbuch der deutschen Familiennamen, s.n. Macht, while the same work, s.n. Drachenfels, dates Drachenfels to 1376. The submitter has provided proof that Macht is his legal surname. Therefore, we have changed the name to Carloman Macht in order to register it.
The submitter requested an authentic 9th/10th C Frankish name. Carloman or Karloman is a likely vernacular form for the Latin Carlomannus. While a locative byname is certainly a reasonable choice for his period (the "Monumenta Germaniae Historica" [http://www.dmgh.de/] shows several names dated to the 10th C of the form [given] + de + [locative]), we have no evidence that Drachenfels is a placename from that period. If the submitter is interested in an authentic name for this time period, we suggest that he check the "Monumenta" and find a locative that he likes from that period.
Nice 12th C Latin version of a Norman name. We would not be surprised to find this name in a Latin document in northern England or southern Scotland in the 12th C.
There was some confusion about what exactly the submitter requested in terms of authenticity. While the "If the name must be changed, I care most about" line noted "authentic 12th-14th C Gaelic or Saxon", the "please change my name to be authentic for" line noted "12th-14th C Scotland or Northern England." Submissions heralds, please note that these two lines serve different purposes, and should not be combined in the checkbox summary on the LoI.
This was originally registered in November 1995 with the blazon Azure, a pall argent and in chief an eye proper. We are reblazoning this in accordance with this month's Cover Letter, which declares that there is no defined proper for eyes.
Nice armory.
Drakkars, unlike lymphads, have their sails set by SCA default. Please advise the submitter that most artists will place the lower two roundels below the ship.
Registered in December 1985 with the blazon Argent, a dragon gules and a winged unicorn sable combattant, in chief a cross fleury fitchy at the foot and a base rayonny azure, that blazon did not accurately describe the charge in chief.
Nice armory.
When registered June 1983 with the blazon Vert, a pale sable, fimbriated argent, surmounted by a winged drop-spindle Or, the fact that the drop-spindle was empty was omitted from the blazon.
Registered in May 1983 with the blazon Per pale Or and gules, a squirrel sejant erect guardant sable maintaining in dexter forepaw a drop spindle proper and a chief semé-de-lys counterchanged, the fact that the drop spindle is empty was omitted from the blazon; additionally, drop spindles of themselves have no proper tincture, so the fact that this one is wooden must be specified. We also took the liberty of tightening the blazon, to avoid the suggestion that the squirrel is maintaining the chief.
When registered in March 1983 with the blazon Sable, a drop-spindle within a bordure Or, the fact that the drop spindle is empty was omitted from the blazon.
This was registered in December 1987 with the blazon Per pale gules and sable, a chevron throughout between two roundels Or. The location of the roundels was not clear from that blazon.
The spelling Olivia had been declared unregisterable, because it had been documented as a literary name from a work published after 1600. However, Wreath found several examples of the spelling Olivia in a Latinized record from the late 16th C:
I found some examples of Olivia on ancestry.com, but the original records appear to all be in Latin; all of these from marriages in Somerset:
· Johannes Stegg & Olivia Tunne 13 Dec 1570
· Johannes Copp & Olivia Tylbot 26 Jan 1572
· Johannes Searle & Olivia Rostter [?] 30 Oct 1575
· Elias Searle & Olivia Griffinne 07 Nov 1577
· Johannes Niclas & Olivia Nurse 23 Oct 1580
· Ricardus Howarde & Olivia Hille 11 Jun 1587
· Henricus Mullet & Olivia Kingsburie 02 Aug 1598
While these examples are from a genealogical website, the names do not appear to be normalized. Therefore, Olivia is documented as a late 16th C Latin form of the English name Oliva, and is, therefore, registerable.
There was considerable discussion on OSCAR about the type of cannon shown here. This form, essentially a bombard in a wooden cradle, was the original form of cannon in Society armory, and therefore our default form. The bombard was intended more for blasting down walls than killing troops, so it didn't have to be moved much: it could be dragged into position and left there [Encyclopedia Britannica, 1911, vol. xx, p. 190]. Note that cannon barrels alone, as well as cannon mounted in wheeled carriages, are perfectly permissible, but must be explicitly blazoned.
- Explicit littera accipendorum -
None.
This device is returned for conflict with the device for Ealhswith of Evesham, Argent, four lozenges in cross purpure. We don't distinguish in blazon between a lozenge and a lozenge fesswise, since lozenges will normally be drawn to fill their available space. (For instance, though they usually have a long and short axis, they might also be drawn with equal axes, equivalent to a delf set saltirewise.) As we don't blazon a lozenge's orientation, we cannot grant difference for it, either. Thus against Ealhswith's device we have a CD, for tincture of the lozenges; but even though two of Aline's lozenges are fesswise, to allow them to form a cross, we cannot grant difference for that change. The tincture is the only countable difference, making this a technical conflict.
This device is clear of the device for Keresztély Ilona, Argent, a cross triparted and fretted fleury vert. There is a substantial (X.2) difference between the crosses.
None.
Blazoned on the LoI as a thistle proper, this is actually a thistle vert headed purpure. The rounded part of a thistle proper is vert, with the tuft being either purpure or gules.
This device is returned for conflict with the device for Alina de Montague, Azure, on a pile argent between two fleurs-de-lys Or a sprig of holly vert, fructed gules. There is a CD for changing the tincture of the pile. There is a significant difference (X.4.e) but not a substantial difference (X.2) between a thistle and Alianor's sprig of holly, which is depicted as three holly leaves in pile. Both the thistle's leaves and the holly leaves are jagged with many points. Without a substantial difference between the charges, changing only the type of the tertiary charge is not worth a CD under RfS X.4.j.ii: "For armory that has no more than two types of charge directly on the field and has no overall charges, substantially changing the type of all of a group of charges placed entirely on an ordinary or other suitable charge is one clear difference."
This device is returned for conflict with the device for Justin Brekleg, Azure, a bend argent between a sun in splendor and a lion rampant Or. There is a CD for changing the type of half the secondary charges, but that is the only CD. Please advise the submitter that a more standard heraldic depiction of a ship - a lymphad, for example - should be used upon resubmission.
This device is returned for multiple problems. Foremost among them is the depiction of the larkspur: as this would have been the first registration of the flower in Society armory, its form needs to be documented and identifiable. The plant shown here was neither, and indeed was hard to recognize as a plant of any kind. (Given the roundel in base, at least one commenter thought this was a strangely drawn grenade.) Also, as drawn, the roundel in base was difficult to distinguish from the larkspur; if it's to be part of the design, it needs to be identifiable, which may mean moving it or adding more roundels. When this is redrawn for resubmission, please have the submitter also correct the embattlements on the chief: they should be deeper.
The submission was also overly complex, having four types of charge (roundel, larkspur, crescent, chief) in five tinctures (argent, vert, sable, Or, purpure).
This device was sent to Laurel on a form not approved by Laurel. The August 2006 Cover Letter stated: "As of the May 2007 Letter of Intent, each Kingdom's name and armory submissions must appear on the new forms, or be subject to administrative return." As this was not on a new form, we must return it.
If this badge had not been returned for administrative reasons, it would have been returned for lack of contrast. Each half of the barry lozenge shares a tincture with its field: i.e., it's a lozenge barry argent and sable, on the sable part of the field, and a lozenge barry sable and argent, on the argent part of the field. The total effect makes the lozenge look like a series of oddly couped bars, rendering it unidentifiable. A simple counterchange of the lozenge, as was done with the chevron, would solve the problem, assuming no conflicts.
This badge was sent to Laurel on a form not approved by Laurel. The August 2006 Cover Letter stated: "As of the May 2007 Letter of Intent, each Kingdom's name and armory submissions must appear on the new forms, or be subject to administrative return." As this was not on a new form, we must return it.
If this badge had not been returned for administrative reasons, it would have been returned for conflict with the seal for the Triton Principal Herald, (Tinctureless) A triton-shell trumpet bell in chief. In December 2002, Laurel returned Argent, a whelk purpure with the explanation:
Conflict with a seal for the Triton Principal Herald, (Tinctureless) A triton-shell trumpet bell in chief. There is one CD for tincturelessness but no difference between a triton shell and a whelk. (A triton-shell trumpet is effectively just a triton shell with perhaps the very tip of the shell snipped off.) The two shells are in the same posture (palewise with the opening to chief). Although the triton-shell trumpet in the emblazon for the Triton Principal Herald in the files has a slightly spiralled shape, the standard triton shell is shaped very much like the whelk in this emblazon, as can be seen in an entry from the on-line Shell Encyclopedia (http://www.gastropods.com/t/Shell_Charonia_tritonis_tritonis.html) and the on-line Encyclopedia Brittanica (http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?eu=75359). [Lisette la lavendière de Shelby, 02/2002, R-Middle]
The same conflict exists here, so the badge must be returned.
This badge was sent to Laurel on a form not approved by Laurel. The August 2006 Cover Letter stated: "As of the May 2007 Letter of Intent, each Kingdom's name and armory submissions must appear on the new forms, or be subject to administrative return." As this was not on a new form, we must return it.
If this badge had not been returned for administrative reasons, it would have been returned for multiple conflicts. The badge conflicts with the device for John Thorn, Gules, a chief embattled argent; with Bahrain (important non-SCA flag), Gules, a dexter tierce indented argent; and the arms of John Balliol, King of Scotland (important non-SCA arms), Gules, an orle argent. In each case there is a single CD for changing the type of peripheral charge.
Precedent, established on the September 2007 Cover Letter, requires that the scribal abbreviation Mc be expanded to Mac in Gaelic, Scots, and Anglicized Irish names:
Given this, then, for names found in Scots documents and for Anglicized Irish names, the abbreviations M' and Mc will be expanded to Mac in both first- and second-generation patronymics. For Latin, M' and Mc will be expanded as Mac in first- generation patronymics and as either Mac or Mic, depending on similar expanded Latin examples in contemporary sources, or, preferably, from the same document. Similarly, the parallel abbreviation Vc will be expanded to Vic or Vyc depending on the practice of the time and document in which it is found; this applies to Scots, Anglicized Irish, and Latin documents. For all languages, the capitalization used in the source may be retained (that is to say Mac and mac are interchangeable in this context as are Vyc/Vic and vyc/vic).
The submitter has noted that he will not accept minor changes, which we must interpret as accepting no changes. As he will accept no change, we are forced to return this name.
In resubmitting, the submitter should use a dated form of his surname. Black, The Surnames of Scotland, s.n. MACCRAITH, has these forms McRethe, 1537 (MacRethe with the scribal abbreviation expanded), Makcreith, 1535, McCraith 1545 (MacCraith with the scribal abbreviation expanded), M'Krayth 1584 (MacKrayth with the scribal abbreviation expanded), and M'Kraith, 1603 (MacKraith with the scribal abbreviation expanded). In addition, we have found several examples of the spelling Magrath that are likely period spellings. "Annates for the Diocese of Emly", (http://www.ryans.org/researchinfo/annates%20-%20fiants-1452%20-%201603-Tipperary.htm), contains several examples of Magrath dated to 1602, including Terence or Tirlagh MaGrath of Ballimacky, Terence or Tirlagh MaGrath of Ballimacky, Barnaby MaGrath of Bleyne, Neile MaGrath Brother of Miler of Camass, Gyllepatrick MaGrath of Bleynie, and Andrew Ultagh MaGrath. William Burke, History of Clonmel, notes a report from a spy in 1615 in the British Museum which notes a "Thoma Magrath had a father a fryer..." In resubmitting, we would recommend any of the dated forms in Black, or the spelling Magrath (also in the capitalization MaGrath.
His armory has been registered under the holding name Stephan of Atenveldt.
Conflict with Henry Best, registered July 1991. The names differ by only a single letter, and are too close in sound and appearance.
This was an appeal of her previous submission, (Fieldless) A mushroom vert, which was returned on the LoAR of April 2006 for visual conflict with O'Connor Don (important non-SCA arms): Argent, a tree eradicated vert. As an appeal, this decision is rendered by Laurel. The appeal notes in pertinent part that the ratio of a mushroom's cap width to its stalk width is greater than that of most trees' foliage to their trunks, and that therefore the two plants should not be confused.
Unfortunately, the appeal overlooks the fact that trees in heraldry are frequently not drawn as in nature. The foliage might not be drawn with distinct leaves or fructing, but as a sort of rounded "mass"; the trunk might well be as thick, in proportion, as a mushroom's stalk. Given the wide variation in heraldic emblazons, and the fact that O'Connor Don does not (unlike Society registrations) have a "master" emblazon for comparison purposes, we must assume that the exact proportions are immaterial. We're left with the basic shape of a rounded mass with a thick stalk or trunk extending to base... and thus the issue of visual conflict arises.
Batonvert noted (to our surprise) that mushrooms are period heraldic charges, implying that the standards of period difference of RfS X.4.e might be invoked. And it's true, in general there is at least a CD between a tree and a mushroom. However, the previous return was not for technical conflict, but for visual conflict per RfS X.5. It was the specific rendition of the mushroom, not technical heraldic differencing, which resulted in the previous return. Moreover, whereas the previous submission's mushroom, though its cap was rounded, still showed the cap's underside and its spores, the mushroom of this appeal had its cap more rounded, and turned to the viewer... increasing the visual similarity to a rounded mass of foliage instead of decreasing it.
This is again returned for visual conflict with the arms of O'Connor Don, Argent, a tree eradicated vert. We would suggest that the submitter redraw her mushroom's cap more or less in profile, with a flat (or even slightly concave) bottom, so that its outline does not resemble a simplified drawing of a tree.
This name conflicts with Order of the Hart, registered to the Barony of Highland Foorde in November 2000. The names are nearly identical in sound and appearance. We note that the name should be registerable with a letter of permission to conflict.
This name does not follow patterns found in period order names, nor does it follow order name patterns grandfathered to this Barony. The Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. sirocco, lists the word in 1617 defining it as the hot and blighting wind that blows from the northern coast of Africa over southern Europe. No documentation was included to show that this fit period meta-patterns for order names; scirocco is not the name of a deity, venerated object, or heraldic charge (the only three meta-patterns it could possibly fit). Windmaster Hill has an old and venerable order, Boreas, Order of the, which was registered in October 1979, but, as far as we can tell, this Order name followed the order name meta-pattern "heraldic charge". The Barony registered two badges in the same month using the boreas (north wind) as a charge. However, a scirocco is not a heraldic charge, and therefore does not follow a pattern grandfathered to the barony of "charges based on winds". On this LoAR, the Barony registered two order names based on the meta-pattern deity: Notus, Order of, based on a Latin name for the god of the south wind, and Eurus, Order of, based on Latin name for the god of the east wind. Because a scirocco is not documented as a wind deity, it does not follow this grandfathered pattern either. Given this, we are forced to return this order name.
None.
This name and device have been withdrawn by the submitter.
This device is returned for redraw of the chisels. Many, including those at the Wreath meeting, saw these as blunt daggers rather than chisels. No documentation was provided for this form of chisel, nor do they match the documented forms supplied by the commenters. Nor do they match the forms we've seen in period armory, such as those in the arms of Cheselden, temp. Henry VI (Bedingfeld and Gwynn-Jones, Heraldry, p.61). As for the suggestion that these might be "stonecutter's chisels", Batonvert notes that "the 'stonecutter's chisel' in the PicDic, referenced by Saker, is just a solid bar of metal with a point on one end; it's taken straight from Parker. I've no period examples of it." A stonecutter's chisel is registerable as a period artifact, but it is granted no difference from a wood chisel. We distinguish them in blazon from wood chisels only because of the entry in Parker. On resubmission we suggest using a period, recognizable form of chisel.
No documentation was submitted and none found to suggest that the prototheme of the yobina, Kitsu- was used prior to 1650. While we have found numerous modern examples of this theme, we have found none earlier than the mid-19th C. While the theme was documented from a page that contains many period elements, Anthony Bryant, "Japanese Names" (http://www.sengokudaimyo.com/miscellany/names.html), no date for this theme is given. Without the date, and without an example of its use in period, this theme is not registerable.
None.
This name conflicts with the registered name Bran mac Domnhail, registered March 1989. The registered form is a misspelling of mac Domhnail, and, per precedent, Bran and Brian are not substantially different in sound and appearance:
This name conflicts with Brian McNaughton (registered June 1986). Bran and Brian are closer in pronunciation than Brian and Brianna, which conflict:
This conflicts with the registered name of Brianna O Duinn. [Brian Ó Duinn, 04/00, R-An Tir]
[Bran McNaughton, May 2002]
Unfortunately this badge must be returned for conflict. The issue here was the primary tincture of a threaded drop spindle, when the thread and spindle are differently tinctured. Given past rulings (Siobhán NicDhuinnshléibhe, 09/1992) that contrast is judged by a drop spindle's thread, not its shaft and whorl, we must conclude that a threaded drop spindle is primarily the tincture of its thread. The submitted charge is therefore primarily argent; and it thus conflicts with the device for Helva of Saxony, Vert, a full drop spindle argent. There is a CD for fieldlessness, but we grant no difference for the style of drop spindle.
The submitted badge is clear of the device for Maryam al-Baghdadi, Per pale argent and sable, an inverted drop spindle, threaded and tuft to chief counterchanged. Even without considering the size of the tuft or the inversion of the spindle, there's a CD for fieldlessness and a CD for the tincture of the charge.
The submitted badge is also clear of the device for Jeanne of Melton, Azure, a lace bobbin argent. There is a CD for fieldlessness. There is a second CD for the changes to the primary charge. A full drop spindle in its default orientation has a CD from a lace bobbin in its default orientation; even when the lace bobbin is threaded, its thread takes up much less of the charge, proportionally, than the thread on a full drop spindle.
We compliment the submitter on her research. For the edification of the College, we repeat a portion of the LoI here:
The submitted depiction of a drop spindle is markedly different from the SCA norm, which has a wide whorl and a triangular cop (the thread wound around the spindle). Such a depiction is found in the PicDic, and was mentioned as correct in precedent as recently as May 2002 (Rory Daughton, R-Atlantia). However, this is a distinctly modern form, as glaringly non-medieval to the trained eye as a ballpoint pen is glaringly modern to anyone's eye. The characteristics of a medieval drop spindle are: a shaft shaped to a point at each end; a small, beadlike whorl; and a cop that tapers at both ends, resulting in a pointed ovoid shape.
At this time we will continue to grant submitters the benefit of the doubt and will continue to register the typical SCA drop spindle; however, its use will be considered a step from period practice. We encourage the use of period drop spindles, as described above (and as illustrated in this LoAR, based on the example in Guillim, p.294). The default orientation for a drop spindle is palewise with the whorl in base; it is threaded (or full) by default.
The form this was submitted on was modified from the standard form: the escutcheon was replaced by a non-approved shape. The August 2006 Cover Letter stated "As of the May 2007 Letter of Intent, each Kingdom's name and armory submissions must appear on the new forms, or be subject to administrative return." Because this submission was on a non-standard form, we must return it.
This device is returned for conflict with the device for Melinda Cheval du Feu, Per fess rayonny argent and sable, in chief a horse courant sable. There is one CD for changes to the field but nothing for changing the horse's posture. As Melinda's horse is forced to be in chief, there is not a CD for placement of the horse.
Unfortunately, this badge must be returned for conflict with the Barony of Dragonsspine's badge for the Order of the Dragon's Blood, Azure, goutty d'Or; there is a single CD for the tincture of the field.
Unfortunately, this badge is returned for conflict with the badge for Caelin on Andrede, Argent goutty de sang. There is a single CD for the tincture of the field. The badge also conflicts with the device for Murphy Garrow, Or, goutty de sang, a gore sinister vert. There is a single CD for removing the peripheral charge.
This device is returned for conflict with the device for Lasairfhíona inghean an Sheanchaide, Per pale gules and sable, three Lacy knots argent. There is only a single CD for changes to the field.
This device does not conflict with the device for Cairistiona inghean Mhuireadhaigh, Azure, three quatrefoil knots argent. There is a CD for changing the tincture of the field and at least a CD between a quatrefoil knot and a Lacy knot.
This name appeal raised several questions: the limits of the saint's name allowance, whether the name Luan was a name used by ordinary humans in period, and whether an Fael "the wolf" is registerable as an Irish byname
Precedent on the saint's name allowance may be summarized thus:
So, in summary, given names which can be documented as the given name of a saint may be registered as a given name. The use of a name documented as a saint's name carries no weirdness in and of itself. The only weirdnesses that derive from using that name come from the lingual mix of the submitted form of the saint's name with the rest of the submitted name. [09/01, CL]
The intent of this allowance is to permit registration of names that are, in theory, widely known within a community because they are the name under which a saint is venerated. In most European cultures, there is a known pattern of giving children the name of a venerated saint. The allowance does not extend to other people or names mentioned in a saint's hagiography, including names belonging to the saint that are not the saint's venerated name. The reason for this is that most hagiographies of early saints are written several hundred years after the death of the alleged saint; they are, essentially, works of legend. Some names in such hagiographies appear to be made up, some became associated with the saint's legend between the time when the saint was supposed to have lived and the time hagiographies were written, and some are purely allegorical. Saints' legends are, simply put, unreliable as name documentation, and therefore not generally usable. There is even evidence that some saints whose names we register may never have existed. For example, the Catholic Church has acknowledged that many saints venerated during our period never actually existed. We grant a special allowance for venerated names because the people who venerated them (the people of the cultures we are trying to reenact) believed they existed, but to open the doors beyond that point is throw the basic premise of registering names that were actually used by humans in a particular place and time out the window.
This brings us to the question -- is the name Luan registerable. The submitter has found several examples and possible examples of the name in period Irish literature; we'll examine each to determine whether it supports the use of the name by actual humans in period:
Keating, Foras Feasa ar Éirrin indicates that Saint Fionnbharr's baptismal name may be rendered as Luan. -- As noted above, the saint's name allowance only extends to the name under which the saint was venerated; evidence of a name in a hagiography is not, by itself, sufficient evidence for its registration.
The name Luan son of Lugair son of Lugaid occurs in the "Snám Dá Én" from The Metrical Dindshenchas. Also, the modern town of Athlone kas known in period as "Auth Luain", "Luan's Ford" - Unfortunately, the Metrical Dindshenchas are legends. "Britannica Online" (search.eb.com) notes, "Equally important is a great collection, in prose and verse, called the Dindshenchas, which gave appropriate legends to famous sites of Ireland between the 9th and 11th centuries." While this work establishes a pattern for Irish placenames being formed from legendary names, it is not good documentation for names used by humans. In the case of this particular Luan, the text notes that he and his foster brother nightly change into the shape of a bird to visit a particular woman. The place Ath Luain is named after him, because he was killed by her while in the shape of the bird. As such, it is not a human name.
The name occurs in Betha Naile (Life of Naile). - This is a hagiography in which the name Luan occurs, but it is not the name of a venerated saint.
The name Luan Da Mac Loich occurs once in Tochmarc Emire la Coinculaind (The Wooing of Emer) - Indeed, Luan Da Mac Loich is mentioned once in this tale as one of the shipmates of the legendary hero Cuchulainn. While the translator of this tale, Kuno Meyer, notes, "Conchobor and Cuchulaind were, I believe, historical personages, and Irish tradition and chronology were not perhaps so wild as one might think...", this is not the same as saying that "The Wooing of Emer" is a historical record, or that the other names found in it are used in period. For example, we have independent examples of the name Conchobar. As such, this source is legendary and not suitable as name documentation.
Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames has the name Ó Luain, "descendent of Luan" - Woulfe derives this name from the descriptive nickname Luan, "warrior, champion". When Woulfe derives a name from a descriptive, this means he has found no evidence for the patronym as a given name. The only examples we have of this name, so far, are legendary, so even if the patronym was taken as a given name, it does not mean that a real person ever bore that name. It is equally possible that it is a claim to legendary descent.
Ó Corrain and Maguire, Irish Names, list Anluan as a Middle Irish name meaning "great warrior" -- The submitter argues that if the name exists as in the form [adjective] + [descriptive], then it is not unreasonable to assume just [descriptive] as a name. This is an interesting hypothesis, and one we would encourage the submitter to pursue in further researching this name. Unfortunately, he has provided no documentation that this as a general pattern found in Irish names. Without proof of such a pattern, we cannot begin to examine whether this argument is legitimate.
Given this, there is no documentation for Luan as anything but a legendary name. As it can be documented only as a legendary name, it is not registerable. We note that Anluan is registerable. It appears in the Annals of the Four Masters in an entry for 805, "Anluan, mac Conchobhair, tigherna Aidhne, d'ég" (Anluan, son of Conchobhar, lord of Aidhne, died), and for 846 which notes "Anluan, abb Siaghre, d'ecc" (Anluan, abbot of Saighir, died).
This brings us to the second question, is an Fael a registerable Irish byname? Rowel addresses this question:
It is important to note that, in the cited bynames (from my annals index article), animals you would own or raise (domesticated animals) are the ones that have an article and are in the genitive. The genitive case indicates that the person is somehow connected to (probably owns/raises) those animals, not that he has attributes of those animals. The two bynames from the annals index that don't have the article:
Fox (Sinnach / Sionnach)
Wolf/Hound (Cú)
are in the nominative case (Sinnach may also be an adjectival form, but I'd have to check to be certain). Nominative form bynames generally indicate that the person is that description.
Lacking evidence of predator animals (such as a wolf) being domesticated, I would say the byname <an Fael> is not likely. It would also not be gramatically correct since <Fael> is not in the genitive (at least I don't think it is). Also, OCM seem to indicate that <Fael> does not literally mean wolf. Rather, it is another euphemism for wolf, literally 'howl'. OCM, p. 5, paragraph 2 says:
... In Ireland, the wolf was a tabu animal and terms other than his name were used to describe him e.g. fálchú 'howling hound', fáelán 'the howler', cú allaid 'the wild hound' and mac tíre 'son of the land. These in turn became personal names. ...
As it's a euphemism, 'howl', rather than an animal name (such as cú), I really don't think <Fael> is plausible as a byname since the other "animal" type bynames all actually use words that mean an animal, rather than being a euphemism.
...lacking evidence that <Fael> is a regular word that actually is a name for an animal rather than a euphemistic reference to an animal, I don't think <Fael> is registerable in a descriptive byname even if we fixed the grammar.
Given this, An Fael and Fael are not registerable as descriptive bynames.
What alternatives can we offer the submitter? For the given name, the documented Middle Irish Anluan is our best suggestion. For the byname, we would suggest a patronymic based on one of the given names using the element Fael; perhaps mac Fáeláin. Mari Elspeth nic Bryan, "Index of Names in Irish Annals", shows Fáeláin as the standard Middle Irish genitive form of the name Fáelán. In addition, the name Domnall mac Faelain appears in an entry for 996 in the Annals of Tigernach. The submitter may also be interested in a patronymic using the name Faelchu, or Fáilbe. Both are Middle Irish header forms in Ó Corrain and Maguire; the text indicates both were the venerated name for a saint. We could change the name to one of these forms, but since this is an appeal, we feel it is better to allow the submitter the chance to consider his options and resubmit. Therefore, we are upholding the earlier decision and returning this name as submitted.
His device was registered under the holding name, Selwyn of Darton.
None.
None.
This device is returned for combining two elements each of which is a step from period practice. The period motif of a lion's face jessant-de-lys, with a lion's or leopard's head cabossed and a fleur-de-lys issuant from the back of its head and out its open mouth, was the basis for this design; but we have no examples of the motif that uses any head but a lion's head, or any jessant charge but a fleur-de-lys. In theory, one might substitute another type of head, but precedent speaks to that issue:
[considering an owl's head jessant-de-lis] There was ... some concern that we here we are getting too far from period practice. (Period practice being leopard's head jessant-de-lys; one step from period practice being other beast's heads; and two steps from period practice being other types of heads, including birds' heads.) [Eudoxia d'Antioche, 03/96]
In theory, one might also substitute another type of jessant charge: but the history of the lion's face jessant-de-lys makes that improbable as a period motif. The original form of the arms of Cantilou or Cantilupe, Gules, three fleurs-de-lys Or, was modified c.1290 to Gules, three leopards' heads jessant-de-lys Or [Wagner's Historic Heraldry of Britain, p. 43]; so the heads were a modification of the fleurs-de-lys, not the other way around. There are, of course, other examples of animals' heads transfixed by pointed charges (swords, spearheads, etc.) in period; but the specific motif of a head jessant-de-[charge] is unique and separate from those. We must rule, based on the motif's history, that having a head jessant any charge besides a fleur-de-lys is likewise a step from period practice.
So we have the use of a head (not a leopard's) jessant, which is one step from period practice; and the use of jessant-de-[not a fleur-de-lys], which is a second step from period practice. (And the ram's head here is definitely jessant: the gold of the trumpet is seen coming out of the ram's mouth, and is in front of the lower jaw.) The two steps together bring this beyond the permissible bounds of heraldic style; it must be returned.
Mind you, if this had been Counter-ermine, a straight trumpet Or surmounted by a ram's head cabossed argent armed Or, it would have been acceptable style; and we were tempted to register it that way. But we cannot register a manifestly incorrect blazon merely to avoid a stylistic problem; by the correct blazon for what was submitted, this must be returned.
This title was for a herald in service to John, Duke of Bedford in 1435, at which time the Duke was regent for Henry VI. As Regent of England, he is effectively a sovereign. As such, this title is held by a herald in service to a sovereign and worthy of protection.
This title was for a herald in service to John, Duke of Bedford in 1435, at which time the Duke was regent for Henry VI. As Regent of England, he is effectively a sovereign. As such, this title is held by a herald in service to a sovereign and worthy of protection.
None.
A brown rabbit proper should be entirely brown; the tail of this rabbit is white. Unfortunately this is grounds for return, as was confirmed as recently as May 2007 (v. Marie Helena von Bremen).
- Explicit littera renuntiationum -
This device is pended to consider the potential conflict with the device for Jessyca of Rivenvale, Azure, a wolf's head erased between three maple leaves argent. There is a CD for changing the type of secondary charges. Under current policy, there is not a CD for changing the type of canine head.
Commentary raised the issue of whether or not we should grant a CD between a talbot's head and a wolf's head. It was argued that, by the same criteria we use for granting difference between a raven and a popinjay (they were considered different charges in period and were consistently drawn by any given heraldic artist such that there were differences between the two), we ought to grant difference between a talbot and a wolf - or at least between their heads. One of the main arguments against granting such a difference is the fact that in the SCA we use many more breeds of dogs than were used in period heraldry. We encourage the College to provide their thoughts on this issue. We also encourage research into the distinction of various canines in period heraldry.
This device is clear of the device for George of Glen Laurie, Azure, a St. Bernard dog's head couped at the neck bearing a cask at its neck, all proper. [Canis familiaris extrariis St. Bernardi]. There is CD for adding the plates. There is a second CD for changing the tincture of the dog's head; George's St. Bernard is half argent and half brown with sable markings.
This was item 2 on the Ansteorra letter of July 31, 2007.
Listed on the LoI as Brandr hani, the name was originally submitted as Brandr inn hani. No mention of the change or the reason for the change was made on the LoI. Failure to mention changes is cause for return or pending. We are pending this name to allow the commenters to address whether it is registerable in its originally submitted form.
This is the documentation and checkbox summary from the LoI:
Submitter desires a male name.
Meaning ("Brandr the Rooster") most important.
The name is Old Norse. Brandr is a masculine given name found in "Viking Names found in the Landnámabók," Aryanhwy merch Catmael, <http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/norse/landnamabok.html>.
hani, "rooster," is found in "Viking Bynames found in the Landnámabók," Aryanhwy merch Catmael, <http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/norse/vikbynames.html>. [The client's legal surname is Glasscock.]
His device has been registered under the holding name Brandr of Atenveldt.
This was item 5 on the Atenveldt letter of July 28, 2007.
Listed on the LoI as Isabeau Beauyeux, the forms showed Isabeau de Beaux Yeux. When names are changed in kingdom, even if it is in consultation with the submitter, it is necessary to list the change, the reason for the change, and the originally submitted form on the LoI. This allows the commenters to evaluate changes made to ensure they are consistent with period practice and the submitter's stated wishes. Failure to mention changes on the LoI is grounds for returning (if the omissions are continual or egregious) or pending names. We are pending this item to allow the commenters the opportunity to address this name knowing its full history. We would also have the commenters consider further whether this or any other forms they may suggest conflict with the registered name Ysabel de Bayeux
The submitter included the following documentation for her proposed byname:
de - French of "of", "of the"
Beaux Yeux - The submitter desires a French byname meaning "beautiful eyes".
Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1989 notes the phrase "Beaux Yeux" meaning "beautiful eyes". url http://www.bartleby.com/81/1566.html
Translation from English to French via web-tool Bable Fish [sic] gives "beaux yeux" for "beautiful eyes". url: http://babelfish.altavista.com/translate.dyn
The June 1993 LOAR stats, "In both English and French, bynames are usually straightforward descriptions: of origin, of personal description, of trade or craft." (Lynette la Tisserande des Mots, p17) The phrase "beautiful eyes" falls into the category of personal description of epithet.
Noted are surnames with French origins which utilize the descriptive element "beautiful"; Reaney & Wilson, p 35, s.n. Beaufront, it states "John Beaufront 1382 AssLo, A nickname, 'beautiful forehead', OFR beau, front. CF Henry Beaubraz 1228 FFO ' beautiful arms'; John Beucol 1327 SRY 'fair neck'; Ivo Beaudonte 1327 SRSo 'beautiful teeth'; Richard Beaupel 1218 P (D) 'beautiful skin'." Thus "beautiful eyes" does not seem to be amiss from the practice that creates names meaning 'beautiful teeth', 'beautiful arms' etc.
Her armory has been registered under the holding name Isabeau of Forgotten Sea.
This was item 9 on the Calontir letter of July 26, 2007.
- Explicit -
Created at 2008-03-19T17:21:09