Howard (arms)

Howard (arms)
Name	Howard
Caption	Arms of the Howard family

Howard (arms)

The Howard arms are a prominent English heraldic achievement associated with the Howard family, a noble house central to Dukedom of Norfolk, Tudor dynasty, House of York, House of Lancaster, and the Peerage of England. Appearing in seals, monuments, tapestries and legal grants, the arms link to figures such as Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, Howard family (English aristocracy), Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, and institutions including Arundel Castle, Norfolk County, College of Arms, and Heraldry Society. The emblem has been cited in heraldic visitations, royal coronations, parliamentary records, and antiquarian studies from the Plantagenet through Stuart eras.

Heraldic description

The classic blazon of the Howard arms is traditionally rendered in heraldic language as "Gules, a bend between six cross-crosslets fitchy argent" or variants recorded in College of Arms registers, Heraldic visitations of Norfolk, and manuscripts compiled by antiquaries like William Dugdale and Nicholas Charles. Early emblazonments appear on funerary brass, stained glass at Arundel Castle, and seals preserved in archives of the National Archives (United Kingdom), showing tinctures and charges consistent with grants confirmed by monarchs such as Edward IV, Henry VIII, and Elizabeth I. Many published armorials, including those by John Guillim and Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, reproduce these blazons with marginalia noting quarterings, augmentations, and impalements arising from marital alliances with houses like Mowbray, Talbot, Hastings, and Fitzalan.

Historical origins and development

Scholars trace elements of the Howard heraldic tradition to medieval service under House of Lancaster and participation in campaigns like Battle of Flodden and Battle of Bosworth Field. The Howards’ rise is documented through royal letters patent, parliamentary writs, and chroniclers including Polydore Vergil and Raphael Holinshed. The family’s adoption of Mowbray quarterings followed inheritance claims after legal processes in the Court of Chivalry and negotiations with peers such as the Dukes of Norfolk and Earls of Arundel. During the English Reformation and the Pilgrimage of Grace, arms were displayed on armor, monuments, and tombs; restorations under James I and confirmations by the College of Arms adjusted bearings after forfeitures and attainders.

Variations and notable cadet branches

Multiple cadet lines produced variant blazons and differenced arms: branches tied to Earl Marshal of England offices, junior Howards who held titles like Earl of Suffolk, Earl of Berkshire, Baron Howard de Walden, and Viscount Fitzalan. Cadency marks, bordures, and quarterings incorporated arms of allied houses including De Warenne, Beaufort, De Clare, and Mortimer. Continental connections via marriages introduced tinctures and charges referenced in continental armorials such as those by Rietstap and correspondences preserved in the archives of House of Habsburg and House of Bourbon courts. Illegitimate lines and legal settlements produced distinct arms used in probate documents, Heralds’ visitations, and peerage compendia like Burke's Peerage.

Symbolism and meanings

Heraldic scholars interpret the Howard charges—cross-crosslets, bends, and quarterings—as signifiers tied to Crusader symbolism, territorial claims, and dynastic alliances seen in manuscripts by Matthew Paris and Geoffrey of Monmouth-era traditions. Cross-crosslets often reference Christian martial service honored at royal funerals and coronations; the bend denotes martial prowess and support of sovereigns such as Henry VII and Henry VIII. Quarterings with Fitzalan and Mowbray arms signal inheritance of castles, manors, and titles like Arundel Castle and convey rank recognized at state events like the State Opening of Parliament.

Use in heraldry and civic contexts

Howard arms have been borne on civic buildings, collegiate chapels, and municipal seals connected to locales such as Arundel, Norwich, London, Carlisle, and estates administered under commissions from Privy Council of England. They appear on funerary monuments in churches like St Martin's Church, Arundel and textile commissions for royal households during events such as the Coronation of Elizabeth I. The arms figure on legal instruments lodged with the Chancery of England, on military standards during Tudor campaigns, and in modern ceremonial use by holders of offices like Earl Marshal at state ceremonies and at institutions including Oxford University and Cambridge University colleges patronized by the family.

Notable bearers and families

Prominent individuals associated with the arms include Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, a magnate at the court of Henry VIII; Catherine Howard, consort of Henry VIII; William Howard, 1st Viscount Stafford; and later peers such as Bernard Howard, 12th Duke of Norfolk, who stewarded restorations of family monuments. Allied families carrying quartered Howard arms include the Fitzalan-Howard line, Talbot, Mowbray, Berkeley, and Howard-Chichester branches reflected in peerage records, heraldic visitations, and genealogies compiled in sources like The Complete Peerage and The Visitations of Suffolk. Modern custodianship appears in estate papers held by West Sussex Record Office, private collections, and displays managed by trusts such as the Arundel Castle Trust.

Category:Heraldry