Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 109

Academy of Saint Gabriel Report 109

This report is available at http://www.s-gabriel.org/109

This is one of the Academy's earliest reports. We are not confident that these early reports are accurate. Please use it with caution.

Greetings,

Here's the information we found on your device, "Gules, on a pale argent three martlets sable."

This device conflicts with the flag of Canada, "Gules, on a pale argent a maple leaf gules." It also conflicts with the arms of Katherine Linnet Holford, "Gules, on a pale argent a domestic cat statant reguardant, back arched, between two cinquefoils in pale, sable." In SCA rules, any changes to charges on another charge (in this case, the pale) only count for one difference; two differences are needed to clear a conflict.

We can suggest some other arms which are clear of conflict:

Gules, on a pale engrailed argent three martlets sable Gules, a pale between six martlets argent. Gules, a pale argent between six martlets (argent/Or). Gules, a pale ermine between six martlets (argent/Or). Argent, a pale gules between six martlets sable.

We found that two other devices--"Sable, on a pale argent three martlets gules" and "Argent, on a pale gules three martlets argent" both conflicted with other arms.

"Sanguine" was not widely used at any point in period; while it might be possible to document it for late-period usage, we have never seen an example of it in 13th-century heraldry. However, the actual shades used to depict colors varied widely; it would be possible to use a "sanguine" red and still call it "gules." Current SCA rules do not allow the use of sanguine, although it might be possible to pass arms which include sanguine by documenting it.

In regards to style: as far as we have seen, native Irish families weren't using arms in the 13th centuries--all the Irish armory we've found from this time belonged to Anglo-Normans who had settled in Ireland. These devices follow the pattern of Anglo-Norman armory, although the pale was a rare charge; devices from this period were more likely to use a bend instead of a pale.

Elsbeth Anne Roth, Evan da Collaureo, Arval D'Espas Nord, Zenobia Naphtali, Hartmann Rogge, and Ivanor of Sighty Crag all researched these arms.

If we can be of any further assistance, please let us know.

In service,
Alan Fairfax
Academy of S. Gabriel