Armorials in medieval manuscripts: collections of coats of arms as means of communication and historical sources in France and the Holy Roman Empire (13th-early 16th centuries)

Abstract

Armorials in medieval manuscripts have awed people for ages. Yet they have remained poorly understood. Who made and used these colorful collections of coats of arms? For what purpose? And how can we make sense of their shapes and content? Drawing on recent innovative historical studies on heraldry, Elmar Hofman reassesses traditional perspectives and presents a new multifaceted approach to increase the understanding of the content, social contexts, visual presentations, and purposes of armorials in medieval manuscripts. Revealing their variety as means of communication and value as historical sources, this book aims to encourage historians and other researchers alike to explore the rich field of collections of coats of arms.