King of Arms

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Banners of the arms of office of the three current English Kings of Arms. Visible are the banners of Norroy and Ulster King of Arms, Clarenceux King of Arms, and Garter Principal King of Arms.

King of Arms is the senior rank of an officer of arms. In many heraldic traditions, only a king of arms has the authority to grant armorial bearings. In other traditions, the power has been delegated to other officers of similar rank.

1 Heraldic duties
2 Kings of Arms and Heraldic Authorities
- 2.1 English Kings of Arms
- 2.2 Scottish King of Arms
3 Chief or State Heralds
4 Spanish Cronistas de Armas
5 Other Kings of Arms
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Heraldic duties

In England, the authority to grant a coat of arms is subject to the formal approval of the Earl Marshal in the form of a warrant. In jurisdictions such as the Republic of Ireland the authority to grant armorial bearings has been delegated to a chief herald that serves the same purpose as the traditional king of arms. Canada also has a chief herald, though this officer grants arms on the authority of the Governor General as the Queen's representative. In the Kingdom of Spain, the power to certify coats of arms has been given to the Cronistas de Armas (Chroniclers of Arms).

The English and Scottish kings of arms are the only officers of arms to have a distinctive coronet of office, used for ceremonial purposes such as coronations. At the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the kings of arms used a coronet trimmed with sixteen acanthus leaves alternating in height, and inscribed with the words Miserere mei Deus secundum magnum misericordiam tuam (Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy great mercy.). When this coronet is shown in pictorial representations, only nine leaves and the first three words are shown. Recently, a new coronet modeled on the Scottish Royal crown among the Honours of Scotland has been made for the Lord Lyon. This crown, also, will only be worn at coronations.