Led by our Trillium Principal Herald, the Ealdormere College of Heralds (ECoH) is composed of people from across the kingdom to support heraldic activities, including submitting names, devices and badges, providing training in heraldry, voice heraldry, court heraldry and ceremonies, heraldic display, and other heraldic research. Find out more about heraldry in the Kingdom of Ealdormere, check out the Heralds Handbook.
Types of Heralds
There are many ways that heralds operate in the Kingdom of Ealdormere, although you do not need to specialize in only one type of heraldry. There are:
Book Heralds – Book heralds include Name and Armoury Heralds. These heralds support clients by assisting them in submitting their names and armoury (devices and badges). This can vary in involvement from minimal input to finding original name/device ideas, drafting artistic elements, conflict checking, conducting the research to find the necessary documentation and submitting the relevant paperwork. Often, name heralds will specialize in names for specific cultures and time spans (e.g. Welsh names). Book heralds will often consult with each other to provide the best advice.
Voice Heralds – Voice heralds include Field Heralds, Court Heralds, and Mesinger(ares). Field Heralds (also called Tournament or List Heralds) announce the contestants of a bout, proclaim the winner, and summon the contestants of the next bout to be ready for combat. Court Heralds are the voice of the person sitting on the throne. They announce the edicts and whims of the Royalty, invite people into court, and read the awards presented. Mesinger(ares), also called camp criers, provide important announcements throughout an event site, in camping areas as well as activity areas.
Display Heralds – These heralds support the Kingdom of Ealdormere by providing assistance to residents in how we display our heraldry. This can range from costume design to banners to decorating personal items with your charges and arms. The Royal Ealdormere Guild of Vexillology is dedicated to the study of and sharing knowledge of all aspects of flags, standards, banners and bunting as used in period and SCA heraldic display.
Research Heralds – Research heralds tend to work independently on topics that focus on heraldry, but may range widely based on personal interest. Such topics may include the use of historical heraldry to analyzing how the rules have changed over time in SCA name submissions.
Ceremonial Heralds – Heralds that research, write award text, and coordinate important awards ceremonies, such as peerages.
Protocol Heralds – Heralds that develop and maintain a book of standard ceremonies, court protocols, and traditions.
Heraldic Titles
There are several heraldic titles, including:
- herald (lowercase) – Anyone who practices any of the heraldic arts. Not to be confused with a Herald (uppercase).
- Pursuivant – A local branch`s offical heraldic office, or junior office within the College, often used with an appellation describing the specific office held (e.g. Skraeling Althing Baronial Pursuivant).
- Herald (upper case) – The title is often used with an official officer`s title, indicating the specific office held (e.g. the Green Mantle Herald is the Ealdormere Submissions Herald). This can also refer to someone who has been awarded this title by Trillium Herald for their significant contribution to the heraldic arts.
- Herald Extraordinary (HE) – A rank bestowed upon senior Kingdom Heralds in recognition of their extreme service to the Kingdom of Society`s heraldic arts. This is one of the few awards that is not the Crown`s right to bestow; it is awarded by the Trillium Principal Herald on behalf of the Kingdom’s College, or awarded by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms on behalf of the Society`s College of Arms. This award permits the recipient to register their own unique heraldic title and armoury, and be addressed by their registered Extraordinary name and title (e.g. Magistra Nicolaa de Bracton has the personal title of Rouge Estoile Herald Extraordinary, who may be referred to in the College as Nicolaa Rouge Estoile).
- Event herald – Anyone in charge of heraldic activities at an event. While this person does not need to be a warranted herald, they are responsible for ensuring that warranted heralds provide heraldic service at the event.
Duties of a Herald
- If you are serving as a land-based herald, remember that you must maintain membership. Send a scan of your membership card as proof, when you send your officer changeover form to Trillium Herald.
- Make quarterly reports. This is a basic function of all officers in the Society. You will find your reporting schedule on the forms page.
- Network Your ability to do your job and recruit help is greatly improved when you know who your fellow heralds are and what they’re capable of. Good ways to accomplish this include: attending the Ealdormere College of Heralds meeting at Trillium War, attending the kingdom and Known World Heraldic and Scribal Symposia, participating in the various groups on Facebook, participating in the monthly commentary meetings, reading the monthly Letters of Acceptance and Returns (LOAR), and learning about your fellow heralds.
- Learn You are not expected to know it all, but seek out knowledge to increase your understanding of the heraldic practices of the Society and those we imitate. When in doubt, ask those in your network for help in developing the skills you seek.
- Teach Heraldry includes a vast collection of subjects — field, court and ceremonies, armoury, names, protocols, history of heralds. The College cannot exist without recruiting and training new heralds. Actively work to support the interests of others: point them to our websites, connect them with mentors, help them become socialized into the College at both local., regional. and Society levels. Volunteer to share your knowledge with others at events that offer teaching opportunities.