A herald, or a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is commonly applied more broadly to all officers of arms.
Heralds were originally messengers sent by monarchs or noblemen to convey messages or proclamations—in this sense being the predecessors of modern diplomats.
Like other officers of arms, a herald would often wear a surcoat, called a tabard, decorated with the coat of arms of his master. It was possibly due to their role in managing the tournaments of the Late Middle Ages that heralds came to be associated with the regulation of the knights' coats of arms. Heralds have been employed by kings and large landowners, principally as messengers and ambassadors. Heralds were required to organise, announce and referee the contestants ...
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Anthony von Siegenfeld als Reichsherold.png
Anthony von Siegenfeld als Reichsherold
Au service des Tsars - George Becker - Le couronnement de l'empereur Alexandre III et de l'impératrice Maria Ferodovna - 1888 - ЭРЖ-1637 - 009.jpg
Le couronnement de l'empereur Alexandre III et de l'impératrice Maria Ferodovna. 108х156 см ЭРЖ-1637...
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A Dutch herald of arms from the crowning of Queen Wilhelmina in 1898. The tabard costume of the hera...
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Portrait of Claes Heynenzoon, the Herald Guelders, Wapenboek Gelre' (Folio 122r, Armorial de Gelre)
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Araldo Subalpino
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The Bavarian Herald Jörg Rügen around 1510. On his tabard he displays the arms of the House of Witte...
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Portrait de Michel du Verdier de Vauprivat (1758-1841) dit "Montjoie" dernier roi d’armes de France,...
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Royal herald at the coronation 1844
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Portrait of James Balfour Paul, Lord Lyon King of Arms, in ceremonial tabard, painted by Sir James G...
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The tabard of an English herald of arms, made of silk satin
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An English herald approaches Scottish soldiers; detail from an illustrated manuscript of Froissart's...
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Hugo Gerhard Ströhl: "Heraldischer Atlas". Stuttgart 1899. Tafel
1 "Herolde des 14.–17. Jahrhundert...
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Photo by Armand Attard/DCMS
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This is a one-way "translation arrow" icon, drawn by myself in the style of, and modeled after :Imag...
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Wappen Herold des Preußischen Hohen Ordens vom Schwarzen Adler
William Eliot Peyton - Delhi Herald.jpg
A photograph of William Peyton serving as Delhi Herald of Arms Extraordinary at the Delhi Durbar in ...