ACADEMY OF SAINT GABRIEL REPORT 3365 http://www.s-gabriel.org/3365 ************************************ 12 Nov 2008 From: Julia Smith Greetings from the Academy of Saint Gabriel! You asked us about the suitability for fifteenth century Florence of the name and a canting device using an oak tree. You also asked about other armorial motifs: hawk's bells, fleurs-de-lys, a chief embattled, and a chevronel, as well as the colors azure and argent. Finally, you ask about arms which we would blazon "Azure, a chevron and in base a fleur-de-lys, on a chief embattled argent, three fleurs-de-lys azure." was found as a feminine name in Florence in 1427. [1] is found as a family name at the same time. [2] The word is a shortened form of or 'of the X family'; the shortened form was not generally used at this time. While the mostly likely form combining these two elements is simply , there are examples from 1427 Florence using 'of the,' giving , and of from slightly later, giving . An oak tree is a lovely charge for Florence; it is found several times both as a central charge and as a charge on other charges. Chevrons are used in a few coats of arms, but are less common than some other ordinaries. Hawk's bells are not common, but we did find a single case using them. Fleurs-de-lys are used relatively common charges, strewn on a field, or as three charges around an ordinary. Chiefs are relatively common, but chiefs embattled are not common; we found two medieval examples from Florence. Charged chiefs are rather rare, and generally with quite simple designs. Azure, argent, and Or are all quite common in Florentine armory. [4] We cannot recommend the specific design "Azure, a chevron and in base a fleur-de-lys, on a chief embattled argent, three fleurs-de-lys azure" for two reasons. First, both chiefs embattled and charged chiefs are rare in Florence, and we have no examples of a design that includes both. Second, we have no examples of designs that use the same charge as a secondary charge (the one in base) and as a tertiary charge (the ones on the chief). Here are some designs that seem consistent with Florentine amory styles: Azure, a chevron between three fleurs-de-lys and a chief embattled argent. Azure, a chevron and on a chief argent three fleurs-de-lys azure. Azure, a tree between three hawk's bells argent, a chief argent. Argent, a tree between three fleurs-de-lys, a chief embattled azure. We hope this letter has been useful to you. If you have any questions or would like further information, please don't hesitate to write to us again. Zenobia Naphtali, Aryanhwy merch Catmael, Maridonna Benvenuti, Ursula Georges, and Talan Gwynek assisted me in researching and writing this report. For the Academy, Juliana de Luna 27 October 2008 [1] Arval Benicoeur, "Feminine Given Names from the Online Catasto of Florence of 1427" (WWW: Academy of Saint Gabriel, 1998). http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/arval/catasto/ [2] Anonymous, "Family Names Appearing in the Catasto of 1427," http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/ferrante/catasto/family_names.html. [3] Herlihy, David and Christiane Klapisch-Zuber, Les Toscans et leurs familles : une e/tude du "catasto" florentin de 1427 (Paris: Fondation nationale des sciences politiques: E/cole des hautes e/tudes en sciences sociales, 1978) and the Medici Archive (http://documents.medici.org/) [4] Orsini de Marzo, Niccolo, _Stemmario Fiorentino Orsini de Marzo_ (Milano, Italy; Casa Editrice OrsiniDeMarzo.com, 2005). Wills, Howel, _Florentine heraldry. A supplement to the guide-books_ (London: Dean & Son, Ltd., 1901).