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9 years ago Also:
Sable, on a cross quarterly pierced argent, four eagles displayed of the first.
(note the positioning of the charges)
Argent, a fesse between two boars passant sable tusked, cleyed, and membered
or; on the fesse a rose between two eagles displayed of the fourth. (third?)
Party per pale argent, an eagle displayed sable dimidiated per pale, and argent
a wolf salient sable.
Per pale gules and azure three eagles displayed argent.
Azure, an eagle's wings endorsed or.
Azure, an eagle displayed ermine, on his breast a cross patonce of the field.
Argent, three bars azure, over all an eagle with two heads gules, armed or.
Gules, an eagle displayed double-headed or, dimidiated with chequy argent and
azure.
"Eagle:" the eagle being the recognized king of birds, it is natural that it
should form a favourite device. With the Romans, it will be remembered, it was
adopted as their ensign, no doubt as symbolical of the courage and power
attributed to that bird. It is found very frequently in the earlier rolls of
arms, and is very common throughout the Middle Ages. In the roll, for instance,
of the time of Edward II., over forty coats of arms bear eagles. In that,
however, of Henry III. there are only two or three, and in that of Edward III.
not so large a number in proportion. Amongst the earliest examples the beak and
claws are blazoned of a different tincture from that of the body; and in Edward
the Second's reign we find the double-headed eagle, and in Edward the Third's
reign we get the term "espanie," signifying "displayed," or "spread out;" (cf.
modern Fr. "épandre.") The mention, too, of the eagles being tinctured "barry"
implies rather that they were represented displayed, even where not so
described.
In later arms also, an eagle is more frequently rendered "displayed," and it may be drawn in two different ways. The first image shows an eagle with its wings elevated, which is what is generally intended by the phrase "an eagle displayed," and the second "with its wings inverted." The difference appears, however, to be an accidental one. The term "expanded" is also found sometimes used, which implies, perhaps, that the wings are displayed more than usual. Unless otherwise appointed, the eagle is to be drawn with the head looking towards the dexter.
But there are various terms which, though not confined to the eagle, are more frequently applied to it than to other birds, namely, as regards its wings, and the several positions in which it is represented.
It may be with wings "close," i.e. closed, or it may be with its wings "elevated," or it may be with wings "disclosed," i.e. somewhat open, but inverted, and pointing downwards (and this is practically the same as the expression "overt," written sometimes "overture.")
If it is "recursant," it means the head is turned back towards the sinister, the term "reguardant" being used for the same. If in "full aspect," it is facing the spectator; if in "trian aspect," something between that and facing towards the dexter.
Again, an eagle may be "rising," that is, about to fly; "volant," that is, flying; or "eyrant," that is, sitting, as it were, on its nest; or it may be "statant," i.e. standing in an ordinary position; and if so, generally perched upon some branch or other object, or holding something in its mouth; or it may be represented as "preyant;" or, again, "pruning its wings." These are a few for which examples are readily found.
Again, eagles, whether in any of the positions above named, or displayed, may have their beaks, talons, or legs of a different tincture from that of the body. Of the talons the term "armed" in most frequently used, though "unguled" is sometimes used; of the legs, "membered;" of the beak, "beaked." It is not unusual, too, to find an eagle "crowned," or having a collar.
When three or more eagles occur in the same shield they are generally represented displayed, though occasionally they are found blazoned otherwise. If they are more than three they are generally blazoned as "eaglets."
The double-headed eagle was borne by the German emperors (who claimed to be considered the successors of the Cæsars of Rome), and hence the term frequently applied to it is "imperial eagle." The wings of the imperial eagle are always drawn by German heralds with a small feather between each pair of large ones. An eagle is also borne by the emperor or czar (that is Cæsar) of Russia. In the Bulle d'or of Charles IV. (A.D. 1323) the eagle is there represented with but one head, and it is not until Sigismund his son began his reign that we find the eagle represented double headed.
The eagles in the arms of many English families can be traced to some former connection between those families and the German empire. The "Eagle of France" dates from Napoleon Bonaparte.
One monstrosity may be mentioned, viz. Eagles' heads with hounds' ears. (Or, an eagle's head with hound's ears azure -- Aerborough.)
"Eagles' wings" are also borne by themselves; also the legs, which are frequently blazoned as "erased/erased a-la-quise," but examples exist of "couped" as well.Original comment by pku...@gmail.com on 5 Jul 2010 at 9:50
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Original issue reported on code.google.com by
pku...@gmail.comon 24 Jun 2010 at 8:09