In this regard, Westeros resembles early medieval or Dark Age societies, before the rules of heraldry were properly developed and widely accepted. Heraldry in the Seven Kingdoms serves largely the same purpose as in medieval Europe, but the Westerosi heraldry of author George R. Heraldry was not practiced by the dragonlords of the Valyrian Freehold. Come-into-my-castle is a game which teaches courtesy and heraldry to highborn children. Most of the Seven Kingdoms use escutcheon-shaped coats of arms, but Dornish houses favor circular coats of arms that are not widely seen anywhere else. The heraldry of important individuals can be collected in a roll of arms. Conversely, mystery knights that want anonymity use blank or unknown coats of arms. Heraldry is thus often displayed on shields, surcoats, and banners, and the vassals of a lord are known as bannermen. Bastards may sometimes use the arms of their father's house with an added distinction.Ĭoats of arms are commonly used by knights in tourneys and on the battlefields as a way to identify allied from enemy soldiers in the heat of battle. The arms of a house belong to that family, as in Germany and Italy, and may be used by all trueborn descendants of that house. Most noble houses of the Seven Kingdoms have their own designs, and variants of these designs are adopted only by members of the house. Heraldry in Westeros and in the real world 1 Heraldry in Westeros and in the real world.
