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User:Stephen2nd/Royal Labels of England

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 LABEL


three points argent

   
Fleur-de-lis or Cross gules Castile or 

    
Ermine spot Torteau gules Lion purpure

Heraldic labels are used to differentiate the individual coats of arms of members of the royal family of the United Kingdom. In the Gallo-British heraldic tradition, cadency marks have been available to "difference" the arms of a son from those of his father, and the arms of brothers from each other, and traditionally this was often done when it was considered important for each man to have a distinctive individual coat of arms and/or to differentiate the arms of the head of a house from junior members of the family. This was especially important in the case of arms of sovereignty, since someone who displayed the undifferenced arms of a kingdom would be heraldically claiming the throne. Therefore in the English royal family, systematic cadency marks were used from the time of Henry III of England, typically a label or bordure alluding to the arms of the bearer's mother or wife. For the next three generations, the heir apparent differenced with a label azure, while other sons used a label or bordure of a different tincture, or bearing charges. After about 1340, when Edward III of England made a claim to the throne of France, a blue label did not contrast sufficiently with the blue field of the French quarter of the royal arms; accordingly the heir apparent used a label argent.[1] Bordures of various tinctures continued to be used into the 15th century.

The label

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In the ordinary system of differences a label of three points (which has also been termed a label with three filess) is the distinction of the eldest son during the lifetime of his father. In the oldest rolls of arms the labels are all of five points; but labels of three points were at an early period used interchangeably. Labels are the principal cadency marks used in certain royal families. In the English and British royal family, all labels are argent (white). The sons and daughters of the sovereign all bear labels of three points argent; that of the Prince of Wales is plain, but all others are charged. Further descendants of princes bear labels of five points charged. All such differences should be borne on the arms, crest, and supporters.
The system of a special mark for difference for each member of the family goes back to the time of Henry III, whose successor, as a prince, placed such a mark on the shield of England. Since 1340 this label has almost always been white, and overlaid with small figures, or charges, such as red crosses of St George.[2] This red cross represents England and its patron saint, and was first borne by Richard of Bordeaux (future king Richard II) before the death of his father the Black Prince in 1376. Other charges used include the gold fleur-de-lis representing France, the Ermine spot, and the Torteau.

Labels of Plantagenet

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Royal Recipient Label
Arms
Warrant  LABEL
Precedence Kingdom
Arms
Father
Mother
Mother Mother's
Arms
Edward I of England
1239-1307
pre- 1272 heir apparent
1239–1272
Henry III of England 1207-1271
Eleanor of Provence
1223-1291
File:Image
Edmund Crouchback
1st Earl of Lancaster
1245-1296






Henry III of England
Eleanor of Provence
Alphonso, Earl of Chester
1273-1284
heir apparant
1274-1284
Edward I of England
(1) Eleanor of Castile
1241-1290
File:Image Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster
(d. 1322)
Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster
(d. 1345)






Edmund Crouchback
Blanche of Artois
1248-1302
File:Image
Edward II of England
1284-1327
pre- 1307 heir apparent
1284–1307
Edward I of England
(1) Eleanor of Castile
File:Image Thomas of Brotherton
1st Earl of Norfolk 1300-1338
heir presumptive
1307–1312
Edward I of England
(2) Maragaret of France
1297-1318
Edward III of England
1312-1377
pre- 1327 heir apparent
1312–1327
Edward II of England
Isabella of France
1295-1358
Edward, the Black Prince
1330-1376
pre- 1343 heir apparent
1330–1376
Edward III of England
Philippa of Hainault
1314-1369
File:Image Thomas de Mowbray
Earl of Nottingham

1366-1399
Label
5 points
three lions[3]
pre- 1389      
1397-1399
John de Mowbray
Elizabeth Segrave
13??-13??
File:Image [4]
Richard II of England
1367-1400
pre- 1376     heir presumptive
1371-1376
Edward, the Black Prince
Joan of Kent
1328-1385
File:Image
  Prince of Wales Label
5 points
three Lions[5]
pre- 1395 heir apparent
1376–1377
 
1395-1399


Labels of Plantagenet 2

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Royal Recipient Label
Arms
Warrant  LABEL
Precedence Kingdom
Arms
Father
Mother
Mother Mother's
Arms
Lionel, Duke of Clarence
1338-1368
1362 Edward III
Philippa of Hainault
1314-1369
John of Gaunt,
1st Duke of Lancaster

1340-1399






Edward III
Philippa of Hainault
Edmund, Duke of York
1341-1402
pre- 1385





Edward III
Philippa of Hainault
Henry IV of England
1366-1413
File:Image









John of Gaunt
Blanche of Lancaster
1345-1369
File:Image
Henry IV of England









Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York
1373-1415
L1 L2 L3 Edmund of Langley
Infanta Isabella of Castile
1355-1392
File:Image
Henry V of England 1387-1422 heir apparent
1399–1413
Henry IV of England
Mary de Bohun
1368-1394
File:Image
File:Image Thomas, Duke of Clarence
1388-1421
pre- 1412





heir presumptive
1413–1421
Henry IV of England
Mary de Bohun
File:Image John, Duke of Bedford
1389-1435










heir presumptive
1421/22-1435
Henry IV of England
Mary de Bohun
Richard, 3rd Duke of York
1412-1460






Richard Conisburgh
Anne de Mortimer
1390-1411
File:Image File:Image
Edward IV of England
1442-1483






Richard, 3rd Duke of York
Cecily Neville
1415-1495
File:Image
File:Image Edmund 2nd Duke of York
1443-1460
File:Image pre- 1459 L1 L2 L3 Richard, 3rd Duke of York
Cecily Neville
George, Duke of Clarence
1449-1477
pre- 1461 L1 L2 L3 heir presumptive
1461–1466
Richard, 3rd Duke of York
Cecily Neville
Richard III of England
1452-1485
L1 L2 L3 Richard, 3rd Duke of York
Cecily Neville
Richard, Duke of York
1472-1483
pre- 1472





heir presumptive
1483–1483
Edward IV
Elizabeth Woodville
1437-1492

See also

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References

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  1. ^ A Complete Guide to Heraldry by Arthur Charles Fox-Davies (1909), p. 494. (Online texts at http://www.archive.org/details/completeguidetoh00foxduoft or http://www7b.biglobe.ne.jp/~bprince/hr/foxdavies/index.htm .)
  2. ^ Ottfried Neubecker & John Brooke-Little: Heraldry: Sources, Symbols and Meaning (1997). ISBN 0316641413. "Signs of Differencing" (pp. 96–97).
  3. ^ Art of Heraldry. (Ch xxv, p258, fig 699). Crest of Thomas de Mowbray, Earl of Nottingham, and Earl Marshal. (from a drawing of his seal (1389): MS. Cott, Julius.C vii). [Crest = Lion passant crowned + label of five points. Shield = 3 Lions of England + Label of 5 points].
  4. ^ Segrave arms. (Dukes of Norfolk) Sable, three garbs or. British Museum. H, 1411, f, 53.
  5. ^ Art of Heraldry.(Ch xxv, p255, fig 692). From the seal (1395) of Richard of Carnarvon, Prince of Wales: [Crest = fan shaped erection. Shield = 3 Lions of England + Label of 5 points].