Regional Style Analysis: Holy Roman Empire (1450-1600)

This Regional Style Analysis is part of a series of articles exploring the heraldic patterns, differences, and combinations unique to a region within the framework encompassed by the governing documents of the SCA. This series is intended to aid herald-hobbyists in creating more authentic armory for a given region in a given time frame.

Source – Scheibler Armorial

The Scheibler Armorial consists of 624 painted achievements, compiled in two separate sections, assembled in a leather bound book. The pages are pressed paper, measuring 25.47×17.81cm, and contain a single achievement per page. Each page is printed on both sides and consists of an escutcheon, helm, torse, mantling, and crest. Names are provided for the armorial bearer, but blazons are omitted.

The first section covers armory recorded between 1450 and 1480, with the second section covering armory recorded during the late 1500s and into the 1600s. Regionally, this collection predominately includes armory from the southern areas of the Holy Roman Empire: Bavaria, Swabia, Alsace, Franconia, Rhineland, Low Countries, Saxony, Meissen, Silesia, Austria, Styria, Tyrol, Turgovia, Raetia Curiensis, Hegau, Lake Constance, Swiss, Breisgau, Allgäu, Westphalia, Walgau, Moravia, and Bohemia. 

This armorial has been cataloged under BSB cod. icon. 312 c. and can be digitally accessed at https://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/bsb00007174/images/index.html. 

Analysis Method

The author went through the armorial page by page and entered the information for each set of armory in a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet. Each possible attribute of armory was then classified and coded to a set SCA standard, and included: Armorial, page number, recipient’s name, blazon, field division, line treatment, field color 1 (2,3,etc), blazon pattern, primary/secondary/tertiary/overall charge classification, charge type, number, color, line of division, and so forth. After each set of armory was thusly coded, the author noted any oddities from the SCA standards, and a series of pivot tables was used to mine out the remaining patterns, which are herein presented. The blazons used for this analysis are the author’s creation, based on the standard SCA heraldic practices. 

Within the examples provided, there are 18 marshalled arms. For the sake of analysis, the quarterings were separated and counted as unique arms. The entry containing the marshalled arms of Burgundy have been omitted entirely due to their complexity (quarterings, sub-quarterings, and an overall escutcheon) and the lack of any variances that would otherwise add to the analysis.

Analysis Summary

Tinctures present: Argent, Azure, Gules, Or, Sable, Vert, and two variants of Vair.

Divisions present: Single tincture, Barry (of 4, of 6+), Bendy, Bendy Lozengy, Checky, Gyronny, Lozengy, Paly, Per Bend, Per Bend Sinister, Per Chevron, Per Chevron Inverted, Per Chevron Throughout, Per Fess, Per Pale, Per Saltire, and Quarterly.

Line treatments present: Plain, Indented, Indented throughout, Embattled, Ploye, Raguly, Stepped, Urdy, Wavy/Nebuly. Please see Expanded Analysis for division and treatment combinations.

Charge groups present: Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and Overall charge groups.

Arrangements present: Field Only, Peripheral Only, Semy and Charged Peripheral, Primary Only, Charged Primary, Co-Primary, Primary and held charge, Primary and secondary, Primary and peripheral secondary, Primary and Overall.

Charges present (151): Anchor, Annulet, Arm – Bear, Arm – Human, Arrow, Attire, Axe Head, Back Basket, Baton, Bear, Bearded Axe, Bearded Axe Head, Base, Beaver, Bend, Bend Sinister, Billet, Bird, Bird – Cock, Bird – Crane, Bird – Eagle, Bird – Raven, Bird – Swan, Boar, Branch, Brand, Buckle, Bull, Canton/Quarter, Card Pique, Castle/Tower, Cat, Catamount, Cauldron, Chief, Chess Rook, Chevron, Club, Cockatrice, Covered Chalice, Crescent, Cross, Crown, Delf, Demi-Badgerhound, Demi-Boar, Demi-Bull, Demi-Cock, Demi-Eagle, Demi-Goat, Demi-Ram, Demi-Unicorn, Doe, Donkey, Eagle headed wing, Escallop, Escutcheon, Fer-a-Loup, Fess, Fiddle, Flask, Fleur-de-Lys, Fox, Gaming Die, Glove, Goat, Gonfannon, Greyhound, Hand Scythe, Harp, Harpoon, Hat, Head – Bear, Head – Boar, Head – Bull, Head – Dog, Head – Eagle, Head – Horse, Head – Human, Head – Lion, Head – Lion, Winged, Head – Serpent, Head – Stag, Head – Swan, Head – Wolf, Horn – Hunting, Horn – Musical, Horn – Ram, Horse, Horseshoe, Human, Key, Label (2, 3, 4, 5 points), Leg – Eagle, Leopard, Linden Leaf, Linden Vine, Lion, Lozenge, Mace, Massacre, Mirror, Mount/Trimount, Mullet, Ox Yoke, Pale, Pheon/Arrowhead, Pile, Paw – Bear, Pouring Pot, Punner, Ram, Ring, Rose, Rose Branch, Rosebush, Roundel, Saltire, Scepter, Scythe, Seeblatter, Shears, Shearing Blade, Smith’s Tongs, Stag, Steps, Sword, Trefoil, Trident Head, Unicorn, Wall – Brick, Wall – Wattle, Wheel, Wheel hub and spokes, Window (Open), Wing/Vol, Wolf, Yoke.

Postures present: Rampant, Rampant Guardant, Passant, Passant Guardant Salient, Salient Guardant, Glissant, Statant, Statant Wings Displayed, Clymant, Displayed, Rising, Sejant, Trippant, Volant.

Oddities present: vair of non-traditional tinctures, animate charges oriented fesswise, rampant and passant postures in the same charge group, fesswise and palewise addorsed in the same charge group, a peripheral charge charged with another peripheral charge, azure field charged with single gules primary charge, azure field with gules peripheral ordinary, argent field with charged argent ordinary*, and argent field with 3 Or primary charges.

Expanded Data and Analysis

Tinctures

Six of the standard seven tinctures are present in this armorial, omitting only purpure. Only one fur is present, and no other field treatments are present. There are 18 examples of proper coloring, with the majority being present for Roses (6) and Humans/parts (6).

The most common tincture used on the field is argent (142) followed by gules (129) and Or (86). The most common tincture used for charges is argent (141), followed by gules (80) and sable (69). There are (7) instances of counterchanging with (4) instances of counterchanged charges.

Tincture	Field	Charge
Argent	142	141
Azure	64	19
Gules	129	80
Or	86	65
Purpure	0	0
Sable	58	69
Vert	5	6
Vair (azure and argent)	3	0
Vair (Or and gules)	1	0
Proper – Brown	–	4
Proper – Caucasian	–	6
Proper – Rose	–	6
Proper – Ford	–	1
Proper – Tool	–	1

The Field

Field Divisions

There is a wide variety of field divisions present in this armorial, including several examples of complex line treatments. Below is a breakdown of each, including line treatments per field division. The most common by a huge margin was a Single Tincture field (366) followed by Per Fess (37), and Per Pale (25).

Line Division	Line Treatment	Quantity
Single tincture	—	366
Barry	Plain	11
Barry	Embattled	1
Barry	Indented	1
Barry of 4	Plain	1
Bendy	Plain	1
Bendy Lozengy	Plain	2
Checky	Plain	5
Gyronny	Rayonny	1
Lozengy	Plain	3
Paly	Plain	2
Per Bend	Plain	6
Per Bend	Indented	2
Per Bend	Raguly	1
Per Bend	Wavy/Nebuly	4
Per Bend Sinister	Plain	2
Per Chevron	Plain	3
Per Chevron	Ploye	1
Per Chevron	Stepped	1
Per Chevron Inverted	Ploye	1
Per Chevron Throughout	Plain	5
Per Fess	Plain	37
Per Fess	Embattled	2
Per Fess	Indented	5
Per Pale	Plain	19
Per Pale	Indented	2
Per Pale	Indented throughout	2
Per Pale	Urdy	2
Per Saltire	Plain	1
Quarterly	Plain	9
Quarterly	Indented	1

There were a few examples of single tincture, non-charged fields. All but one were part of marshalled arms. The single instance that was not part of marshalled armory had the blazon of “Vair”. 

Compound Field Divisions

There were multiple instances of a compound field divisions.

Charges

Primary Charges – Type

There is a very wide variety of primary charges that show up in this armorial with the vast majority being animate (141), followed fairly closely by ordinaries (122) and field only (98). The armory found within use a combination of 140 unique primary charges.

Of the animate charges, the lion (31) is the most common. It is interesting to note the relatively high prevalence of demi-animals (12) or animal heads (24).

Animate	Frequency
Arm – Bear	1
Arm – Human	4
Bear	1
Bird – Generic	3
Bird – Cock	2
Bird – Crane	2
Bird – Eagle	8
Bird – Raven	1
Bird – Swan	3
Boar	3
Bull	2
Cat	1
Catamount	1
Cockatrice	1
Demi-Badgerhound	1
Demi-Boar	2
Demi-Bull	1
Demi-Cock	2
Demi-Eagle	1
Demi-Goat	1
Demi-Ram	3
Demi-Unicorn	1
Doe	3
Donkey	1
Eagle-headed Wing	1
Fox	2
Goat	6
Greyhound	1
Head – Bear	1
Head – Boar	1
Head – Bull	4
Head – Dog	1
Head – Eagle	3
Head – Horse	3
Head – Human	2
Head – Lion	3
Head – Lion, Winged	1
Head – Serpent	1
Head – Stag	1
Head – Swan	2
Head – Wolf	1
Horse	3
Human	3
Leg – Eagle	2
Leopard	1
Lion	31
Paw – Bear	1
Ram	4
Stag	1
Unicorn	4
Wolf	4

Of the inanimate charges, the attire (11) is most common, with the wing/vol being second most with (8) occurrences.

Inanimate	Frequency
Anchor	1
Attire	11
Baton	1
Branch	4
Buckle	1
Castle/Tower	2
Chess Rook	1
Covered Chalice	1
Crown	1
Die (gaming)	1
Escallop	3
Fer-a-Loup	3
Fiddle	1
Flask	1
Fleur-de-Lys	3
Glove	1
Gonfannon	2
Harp	1
Hat	2
Horn – Musical	2
Horn – Ram	3
Horseshoe	1
Hunting Horn	2
Key	3
Label (2 tab)	1
Linden Leaf	2
Linden Vine	1
Massacre	3
Mirror	1
Mount/Trimount	3
Pheon/Arrowhead	1
Ring	1
Rose	5
Rosebush	1
Scepter	4
Step	1
Trefoil	1
Wall – Brick	1
Wall – Wattle	1
Wheel	2
Wheel hub and spokes	1
Window (open)	1
Wing/Vol	8

Of the geometric charges, the crescent (7) is most common, followed closely by the mullet (6).

Geometric	Frequency
Annulet	4
Card Pique	1
Crescent	7
Escutcheon	3
Lozenge	3
Mullet	6
Roundel	3

Tools and weapons make up the smallest proportion of the charges represented herein – there are only (22) in this category, and only (1) sword. Of the tools/weapons category, the axe-head (2), shears (2) or cauldron (2) were the most prevalent. Most charges in this category only appeared once.

Tool/Weapon	Frequency
Axe-head	2
Back Basket	1
Bearded Axe	1
Bearded Axe-head	1
Brand	1
Cauldron	2
Club	1
Hand Scythe	1
Harpoon	1
Ox Yoke	1
Pouring Pot	1
Punner	1
Scythe	1
Shears	3
Shearing Blade	1
Smith’s Tongs	1
Sword	1
Trident Head	1
Yoke	1

Of the ordinaries, the fess (53) is the most common – and given this number is it also the most common charge of all types.

Ordinary	Frequency
Pale	8
Pile	4
Fess	53
Bend	39
Bend Sinister	1
Chevron	13
Cross	1
Saltire	1
Chief	2

Primary Charges – Number and Arrangements

In the Primary Charge Group, a single charge is most common, with a handful of occasions with two or three repeating charges. In this armorial there are no examples of (4) instances of a charge in the Primary Charge Group.

Ordinaries are found fairly often in diminutive arrangements: the fess, bend, chevron, pale and pile have arrangements of (2) or (3). There are no examples of more than (3).

Geometric charges are almost invariably found in arrangements of (1) or (3). There is one example of an arrangement of (2) and one of an arrangement of (5). The majority of the (3) arrangements were found to be [2,1] with eight occurrences. These could also be found as a single instance of each in pall, in fess, or conjoined in bend.

Tools/Weapons are found spread fairly evenly in arrangements of (1), (2), or (3), and have one example of an arrangement of (5). Arrangements of (2) are exclusively long skinny charges arranged in fess. Arrangements of (3) are mostly arranged in pale, but can also be found in [2,1] or in fess. The single arrangement of (5) was arranged in saltire. 

Animate charges were almost exclusively in arrangements of (1). With the exception of the eagle and the lion, the only charges found in arrangements of (2) or more were body parts, and these were either in saltire, in fess or in pale. The eagle was found in one instance to be arranged [2,1]. The lion, when in arrangements of more than (1), was invariably in pale. There are (2) examples of an eagle displayed fesswise. Several heads or demi-animals were issuant from base.

Inanimate charges had the most diversity in charge arrangements and number. These were found in fairly even examples with (1), (2), and (3) instances of a charge in the same charge group. There was one example of (5), one of (6), and one example of a semy as a “primary” charge (being the only one on the field). With (2) charges, seven examples were arranged in Saltire, three in fess, and one in pile. With (3) charges, five examples were found in pale and five in [2,1], four in bend, and one in chevron. With (5) charges, they were arranged in annulo. The (6) example was arranged [3,3]. Three charges were issuant from base: the card pique, the wattle-wall, and the trimount.

Secondary Charges – Number and Arrangements

Secondary charges were not as prevalent as Primary charges. There were 37 examples of arms with secondary charges. The most common were inanimate (16) followed by ordinaries (10), and geometric (5).

The only charges added to the list of charges compiled in the Primary charge group are the Chief, Base, and Canton/Quarter.

Of the animate charges, only three carried over to the secondary charge groups – the lion (2) the demi-eagle (1), and the bird (1).

Of the inanimate charges, the most common was the mount, which had (12) instances if you combine the different variants: single, double, and triple hill versions. Other charges that carried over were the crown (1), the horseshoe (1), the ring (1), and the label (1).

The geometric charges found in the secondary charge group were mostly semys: billets (1) and lozenges (1); there was also (1) instance of a single mullet.

For Ordinaries, the most common charge was the chief (5), with two instances of the remaining charges: the canton/quarter, the base, and the bend, and one example of the fess.

Usually you would assume the Bend or Fess to be in the primary charge group. In this armorial there were two examples of an animate charge (ex. Lion) maintaining, or holding, ordinary diminutives (specifically bendlets). As held charges they are listed as secondary charges. More on this is included in the Oddities section below. There was also one example of a fess cotised. The cotising is listed here and classified as a secondary charge.

No examples included instances of tools or weapons as secondary charges.

Tertiary Charges – Number and Arrangements

There are (20) instances of Tertiary charges in this armorial. All but (1) are related to the Primary Charge Group. Of those, (15) are fully placed upon the Primary charge and (4) are held charges of insubstantial size to count as sustained. Several charges not found in the Primary or Secondary Charge Groups can be added to the list of charges: the beaver, the delf, the roundel, the arrow, branch of 3 roses, the mace, and the seeblatter.

For animate charges, none of the charges were more prevalent, each with (1) instance: the beaver, the bird, and the serpent. All three examples were found wholly on the Primary charge.

For inanimate charges, the most common was a branch of roses/flowers with (2) instances. These were held by a primary charge. All other charges were found in (1) instance: the arrow, the covered chalice, the hat, the rose, and the seeblatter. All but the chalice, which was a held charge by the primary charge group charge, were found wholly on the primary charge.

For geometric charges, the most common was the roundel (2). All others bore equal prevalence by appearing only once: the crescent, the cross couped, the delf, the mullet, and the saltire couped. All examples in this category were found wholly on the Primary charge.

There is one example of a tool/weapon as a held/maintained charge, the mace, and it is the only example in this category as a tertiary charge. 

There are two examples of an ordinary as a tertiary charge: a label and a fess. The former can be found in the oddities section below, and based on the depiction of the latter, it looks like a bar on a fess; however, this could be interpreted as a fess fimbriated. 

Overall Charges – Number and Arrangements

For overall charges, there were only (5) instances. Of these, only two charge categories are present: Inanimate and Ordinary.

The most prevalent Overall charge was the Fess (2). Of its (2) appearances, (1) contained two bars as the Overall Charge Group. The Saltire, the Baton, and the Escarbuncle each appeared once.

Postures and Modifications

For animate charges, the most prevalent posture present is Rampant. This is expected as the most prevalent animate charge is a lion – which has a default posture of Rampant. The second most common was Displayed, which again makes sense as the second most common animate charge was an eagle. Both of these are considered the default SCA postures for each respective charge.

Posture	Primary	Secondary	Tertiary
Close	0	1	0
Clymant	4	0	0
Displayed	8	1	0
Glissant	0	0	1
Passant	0	1	0
Passant Guardant	10	0	0
Passant Regardant	1	0	0
Rampant	37	1	0
Rampant Guardant	2	0	0
Rising	2	0	0
Salient	10	0	0
Salient Guardant	1	0	0
Sejant	2	0	0
Statant	14	0	0
Statant, Wings Displayed	1	0	0
Trippant	1	0	0
Volant	1	0	1

Primary Charges

Of the (24) examples of animate heads, there were (3) examples of erased. One was a lion, one was a winged lion, and one was a swan. For both lions, the “erased” dags were rayonny, about 1/6 the height of the overall charge, and numbered about (7). For the swan, which was counterchanged over the fess line, the dags were rayonny, about 1/2 the overall charge height, and numbered (3). All others were couped or couped close. The couping was either a straight line, slightly embowed (mostly on furred beasts), or double enarched (mostly on cloven footed beasts). One example, a swan, was issuant from/terminated in a Crown. One bull’s head cabossed had its tongue hanging out.

Secondary Charges

Given that there were only (4) animate secondary charges, it is unsurprising that there is a small representation of postures in this charge group. Of those that appear, all were equally scarce with a single appearance each: Passant, Rampant, Close, and Displayed.

Tertiary Charges

There were only (2) animate tertiary charges. The only postures that appeared in this charge group were Glissant (snake) and Volant (swans). Both sets are on bend, and both follow the orientation of the bend.

Charge Groups

The most common charge group found in this armorial was a single Primary Animate charge with (120) instances followed by Field only (98), and single Primary Ordinary charge (89).

Charge Group	Frequency
Field Only	98
Peripheral Only	2
Semy and Charged Peripheral	1
Primary Only – All types	333
Primary Only – Ordinary	89
Primary Only – Animate	120
Primary Only – Inanimate	76
Primary Only – Geometric	26
Primary Only – Tool/Weapon	22
Charged Primary	16
Co-Primary	1
Primary and Held Charge	4
Primary and Secondary	33
Primary and Peripheral Secondary	2
Primary and Overall	5

Oddities

Vair, non-traditional tinctures

Rule of Tincture Violation – Color on Color

Rule of Tincture Violation – Metal on Metal

Unity of Orientation Counterexample

Animate Charges Fesswise

Lions Maintaining Batons

Peripheral Charged with a Peripheral

Conclusion

For armory following the regional style of the southern Holy Roman Empire from 1400 to 1600, one would most likely expect to see an argent, Or, or gules field with a sable, gules, or argent charge. For the field it would most likely be a single tincture, or if divided, split per fess or per pale consisting of a color and a metal, and without any line treatments. If charged, one would expect to see a Lion (rampant), Eagle (displayed), or a Fess or Bend. There are several oddities, but these account for less than 3% of the provided armory.

Names

Below is a listing of the names contained within this armorial. There are 470 unique entries.

First published April 2021, by Barwnes Ariana verch Gwenllian

© 2021 Stephanie Rendt-Scott. All rights reserved. Limited publication rights may be granted upon written request to the author.