ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 1988 http://www.s-gabriel.org/1988 ************************************ 03 May 2000 Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked for our opinion of or as a Dutch woman's name between 1450 and 1550. Additionally, you asked us about arms with a black double headed eagle on a yellow field. Here is what we found. We found or at the site you indicated. She lived in the first half of the 17th century [1]. While we cannot document this name to before 1600, the masculine form , of which this is a diminutive, is documented to 1478-81 [3]. While it is not unlikely that was used in the late 16th century, we cannot recommend it as the best historical re-creation, especially for your period. As you observed, and are found as Flemish names in the 16th century [2]. In modern usage, Flemish is used as the name of the dialect of Dutch spoken in northern Belgium and as a word to describe the people who speak it; and Flanders is often used to describe the region where it is spoken. These usages are based mostly in modern politics and culture, and aren't appropriate to our period. In period, Flemish referred to the County of Flanders. Two languages, French and a dialect of Dutch, were spoken there. The name that you found is a masculine name. However, we found and in the 16th century in Flemish areas (where both Dutch and French forms were recorded) [2], as well as the pet form as a Dutch woman's name in 1478-81 [3]. Therefore, we recommend that you consider or . The pet form is pronounced \STEEN-ken\. , 'the big, tall, or fat', is found in 16th century Flanders as well as in other Dutch speaking settings. The same form is used for both men and women. The form is found as well [4]. Thus, either or , pronounced \kris-TEE-n@ d@ GHROAT\, would be a fine name for a late 15th or early 16th century Dutch woman. \@\ is a schwa; \gh\ is the voiced version of \kh\ (which is the harsh, rasping "ch" sound in Scottish loch or German Bach. Your arms, which would be described heraldically as "Or, a double-headed eagle displayed sable," are in period style; however, they are precisely the arms of the Holy Roman Empire. Therefore, we cannot recommend their use [5]. The double-headed eagle is the symbol of the Roman Emperor, used in the arms of the Emperor of Constantinople and of the Holy Roman Empire. We strongly recommend avoiding it. Many people in the Society include it in their arms as a way to say "I am German"; this is not a practice found in medieval heraldry. In the modern world, it's standard to use a fleur-de-lys to say "I am French" or a shamrock to say "I am Irish". This sort of nationalist symbolism is not found in medieval heraldry. An eagle is a fine charge, common in heraldry throughout medieval Europe; but the double-headed eagle is a charge we recommend avoiding. If you want to look at descriptions of Dutch armory, you can look at: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/1336/bergmans.html 'Armory of Flemish Nobles of the 16th Century'. If you would like assistance in designing arms reflecting authentic medieval Dutch style, please feel free to write us again. We would need to know what colors and design elements are most important to you. We suggest that you browse through the article we mentioned above to get some ideas. If you cannot read blazon well, you might ask a local herald to help you do this. I hope this letter has been useful. Please write us again if any part of it has been unclear or if you have other questions. I was assisted in researching and writing this letter by Walraven van Nijmegen, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Talan Gwynek, Arval Benicoeur, Zenobia Naphtali, Rouland Carre, Barak Raz, Julie Stampnitzky, and Adelaide de Beaumont. . For the Academy, Juliana de Luna 3 May 2000 --------------------------------------------------- References [1] Churchyard, James Nohl, "Our Family Museum: A Collection of Family History Notes" (WWW: privately published, 1997) http://www.crossmyt.com/hc/gen/chfmbct2.html#b1379 Accessed 20 Mar 2000. Record 1379 Ariaentje Cornelisz Trommels of Browershaven, Holland to New Amsterdam, New Netherland ca. 1633. captured in Indian raid Sep 1655 with six children, held for more than a month married secondly Albert Leonards/Leendert 18 Nov 1656 died after 1664 other spellings: Ariaantje, Ariantje, Adriana. [2] Luana de Grood, "Flemish Given Names from Bruges, 1400-1600", (WWW: Academy of Saint Gabriel, 1996) [URL:http://www.s-gabriel.org/docs/bruges/]. [3] Aryanhwy merch Catmael, "15th Century Dutch Names" (WWW: privately published, 2000) [URL:http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/dutch15.html]. [4] Verdam, J., _Middelnederlandsch Handwoordenboek_ (Leiden, Antwerpen: Martinus Nijhoff, repr. 1981). (s.n. groot). [5] In addition, the College of Arms will not register these arms, as the arms of the Holy Roman Empire are protected.