Meaning always an upright cross a very common ordinary in European heraldry (with an obvious religious meaning), but seems to be less common in the Seven Kingdoms. The bend sinister goes the other way, from sinister chief to dexter base.Ī broad band across the top of the shield 'chief' also describes a location near or towards the top of the shield. 'Sinister' and 'dexter' mean left and right respectively, but they are from the point of view of someone holding the shield, so they are reversed from an observer's viewpoint. These include:Ī vertical band, meaning an upright stake, whence 'palisade'ĭiagonal band, from dexter chief to sinister base. Some charges with simple geometric shapes are so common that they are often classified separately as ordinaries. Seven-pointed stars are rare in traditional heraldry and vexillology, with a notable exception being the flag of Australia. The use of seven-pointed stars to represent the Faith of the Seven. There are some notable differences in Martin's designs though: Many of the devices and charges used in the heraldry of Westeros derive directly from traditional sources and include creatures such as lions, stags and birds, and symbols such as stars, weapons and ships. This however reflect the real world use of the tincture 'proper'.Ĭharges are objects or figures placed on a shield. Such detail would seem difficult to render on fabric surfaces such as flags, surcoats or the livery of men-at-arms or servants. The use of physical material descriptions like 'oak', 'masonry' or 'sand' in Martin's heraldic descriptions also complicates matters because it is uncertain whether these refer to a specific shade or to an attempt to actually represent these materials pictorially, such as painting the grain of the oak or the bricks of the masonry. Bastards may sometimes use the arms of their father's house with an added distinction. The arms of a house belong to that family, as in Germany and Italy, and may be used by all trueborn descendants of that house. Most of the Seven Kingdoms use escutcheon-shaped coats of arms, but Dornish houses favor circular coats of arms that are not widely seen anywhere else. While real-world heraldry makes extensive use of words and jargon specific to blazonry, Westerosi arms are mostly described in standard English. In this regard, Westeros resembles early medieval or Dark Age societies, before the rules of heraldry were properly developed and widely accepted. Heraldry in the Seven Kingdoms serves largely the same purpose as in medieval Europe, but Westerosi heraldry is significantly less formalized.

Heraldry in Westeros and in the real world 1 Heraldry in Westeros and in the real world.

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