Eagle - The eagle plays an important part in heraldry in almost every part of the globe. Its earliest rise to popularity, however, was in Germany, where, after it became the emblem of the empire, it was adopted by some of the princes and many of the nobles. A double-headed eagle is also the emblem of Russia and Austria. On the roll of Henry III the eagle appears but twice, but in the roll of Edward II there are forty-three examples of it. Nobles of the Holy Roman Empire place their shields on the breast of an eagle, examples of which may be seen in the arms of the Duke of Marlborough , the Earl of Denbigh and Lord Arundel of Wardour.
The imperial eagle is invariably represented as two-headed, the origin of which is obscure. Charlemagne is said to have used it to signify that in his hands was the government of both the Roman and the German empires.
The eagle is generally borne displayed; that is, upright, breast to the front, and legs, tail and wings expanded (commonly called a "spread eagle").
The Bald Eagle, adopted as the national emblem of the United States, is a large and powerful bird, with a far greater spread of wing than the European white-tailed species.
Eared - Applied to animals borne with the ears of a different color from that of the body. In such a case the animal is said to be "eared of" such a color or metal.
Earl - The title of an English noble, the third in rank, coming next below a marquis.
Earl's Coronet - The head attire of an earl, sometimes used in blazonry. The crest of Davidson in Carlisle Cathedral shows a bird rising out of an earl's coronet. This is unusual, however. Generally a ducal coronet is used.
Earl Marshal - An English office of great antiquity, and is now hereditary with the Dukes of Norfolk. The Earl Marshall is the head of the College of Arms, which institution determines all questions relating to arms and grants of armorial bearings.
Earl Marshal's Court - An institution formerly existing in England, presided over by the Earl Marshal, in which all questions and disputes concerning coats of arms were settled. It has since been abolished.
Edged - Applied to an ordinary to denote that the edging is placed only between the ordinary and the field, and not where it joins the escutcheon.
Effare - (af-fa'-ray) [French.] Said of an animal when represented as rearing on its hind legs from fright or rage.
Eight-foil - A grass that has eight leaves. [See OCTOFOIL.]
Elevated - Applied to the wings of a bird when upright and expanded.
Embattled - Indented like a battlement.
The notch in a parapet is called an embrazure, and the intermediate piece of masonry a merlon. When a second and smaller merlon is placed on the first the battlement is said to be stopped.
Embattled Counter-Embattled - Embattled on both faces of the ordinary.
Embattled Grady - One embattlement upon another.
Emblazon - To blazon; to place and arrange figures armorial.
Emblazoner - One who blazons.
Emblazonment - The act or art of blazoning; blazonry.
Emblazonry - Heraldic representations or decorations.
Embordered - (-bor'-derd) Having a border of the same tincture as the field.
Embordured -)-bor'-durd) The same as EMBORDERED.
Embowed - (-bow'd) Bent or bowed.
Embraced - Braced together; bound or tied together.
Embrazure - [See EMBATTLED.]
Embroidery - A term applied to a hill or mount with several copings or rises and falls.
Embrued - (-brud') Said of the mouths of beasts when bloody from devouring their prey; also applied to a weapon represented as covered or sprinkled with blood.
Emerald - Green. [See VERT.]
Empaled - (-paled') This is a term used to describe a shield in which coats of arms are placed side by side, each occupying one-half the escutcheon. The shield is divided by a line down the center (per pale). The arms of the husband are placed on the dexter side, and those of the wife on the sinister.
Empalement - Two coats of arms placed on a shield palewise..
Find another term:
Eagle to Empalement
Enaluron to Environed
Erased to Eyrant
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