148:
188:
168:
343:
212:
200:
1686:
136:
1718:
124:
331:
232:
2052:
399:
319:
108:
20:
297:, in order to difference the coat of arms in a minor line of a family, though this is rare and practically confined to cases in which a system of bordures is the usual method of showing cadency and the undifferenced coat of the family already has a bordure. In civic heraldry, a
57:
that takes the form of a band running horizontally across the top edge of the shield. Writers disagree in how much of the shield's surface is to be covered by the chief, ranging from one-fourth to one-third. The former is more likely if the chief is
101:. The chief may be combined with another ordinary, such as a pale or a saltire, but is almost never surmounted by another ordinary. The chief will normally be superimposed over a bordure, orle and tressure, if they share the same shield.
281:
can be found in French and
English armory. This ordinary begins in the corners and extends to a point that is one quarter to one third the way down the shield. It is a complex line division variant of a chief. A
259:
drawings of coats of arms, the chief is drawn even deeper, so that it fills almost all the top half of the shield. In some cases, it is drawn so wide that it will look as though the shield is divided
359:
In Italy, chiefs are added to the coats of arms of families or locales to indicate political orientation. For example, many
Italian coats of arms have a chief containing a version of the arms of the
211:
267:
187:
167:
107:
147:
742:
1084:
1048:
427:
199:
514:
123:
336:
An
Italian coat of arms with a blue chief charged with a red label and three fleurs-de-lys, denoting Guelph allegiance
135:
97:
The chief may bear charges and may also be subject to variations of the partition lines. It cannot, however, be
800:
480:
2061:
2084:
1322:
1317:
231:
1187:
324:
An
Italian coat of arms with a yellow chief charged with a black eagle, denoting Ghibelline allegiance
1881:
1377:
904:
2044:
2006:
1398:
1337:
1277:
664:
609:
574:
368:
1899:
1848:
1709:
1704:
1699:
1694:
780:
757:
713:
652:
507:
384:
1676:
785:
735:
730:
708:
592:
473:
The
Complete Book of Heraldry: An International History Of Heraldry And Its Contemporary Uses
305:
heraldry. This is a form of the ruling state's armory compressed into the space of a chief.
1904:
691:
657:
549:
260:
8:
1762:
1560:
1542:
1332:
915:
867:
842:
544:
417:
70:
1956:
1929:
1257:
1202:
1152:
1063:
1053:
990:
965:
900:
875:
847:
747:
534:
349:
342:
174:
78:
1873:
1804:
1795:
1689:
1418:
1023:
895:
834:
812:
790:
674:
626:
500:
476:
422:
412:
364:
360:
50:
443:(revised by J P Brooke-Little, Richmond Herald), Thomas Nelson and Sons, London 1969
1685:
1641:
1629:
1550:
1352:
1157:
1104:
1099:
1033:
1018:
960:
775:
770:
703:
669:
597:
2056:
1968:
1653:
1498:
1483:
1478:
1413:
1094:
1058:
985:
980:
975:
970:
885:
857:
631:
554:
404:
86:
74:
1717:
1172:
1980:
1946:
1939:
1493:
1458:
1250:
1177:
1162:
1142:
880:
725:
720:
614:
602:
2078:
2028:
1963:
1934:
1594:
1518:
1450:
539:
1403:
2041:
Non-traditional, regional, or rarely used (sometimes considered unheraldic)
2018:
1996:
1951:
1829:
1488:
1393:
1028:
955:
920:
765:
698:
621:
559:
238:
54:
24:
1430:
1147:
1126:
66:, the chief is typically wider to allow room for the objects drawn there.
2023:
1865:
1362:
1342:
1210:
1089:
852:
330:
256:
16:
Ordinary in heraldic blazon; horizontal band at the top of a coat of arms
1838:
1435:
910:
1523:
1513:
1473:
1468:
1463:
1408:
1282:
1240:
1220:
1192:
1182:
569:
154:
1857:
1924:
1528:
1508:
1503:
1312:
1297:
1114:
819:
1167:
1043:
217:
Rare example of a chief surmounted by another ordinary (a chevron) (
2013:
1555:
1440:
1367:
1347:
1292:
1235:
1230:
1225:
795:
523:
318:
252:
218:
39:
1774:
1726:
1665:
1423:
1357:
1327:
1307:
1302:
1287:
1267:
1121:
1109:
1079:
1038:
1002:
935:
890:
686:
647:
302:
294:
158:
113:
A chief combined with a pale makes a shape resembling the letter
2001:
1975:
1750:
1582:
1372:
1262:
1245:
1215:
995:
950:
940:
681:
564:
380:
376:
222:
178:
42:
28:
62:, that is, if it does not have other objects placed on it. If
1617:
1272:
945:
824:
807:
19:
274:, but this does not occur in English and Scottish heraldry.
1721:
930:
492:
352:
used a red chief with a fasces, denoting fascist allegiance
82:
475:. London, United Kingdom: Anness Publishing. p. 201.
89:. There are several other ordinaries and sub-ordinaries.
27:, depicts a red chief placed on a silver shield, and its
301:
may be added to the top of the shield, particularly in
193:
Rare example of a chief that occupies half the shield.
114:
455:
394:
2076:
371:alignment respectively. More recently, a chief
286:is drawn with a concave arch. There is also a
508:
515:
501:
18:
460:. Frederick Warne & Co. p. 56.
129:A chief bearing charges (two scallops).
23:The shield above, which is the arms of
2077:
470:
456:MacKinnon of Dunakin, Charles (1968).
92:
496:
387:; it was no longer in use by 1945.
205:A chief fretty (Wolkrange, Belgium).
293:The chief can be used as a mark of
246:
13:
14:
2096:
2050:
1716:
1684:
397:
341:
329:
317:
230:
210:
198:
186:
166:
146:
134:
122:
106:
458:The Observer's Book of Heraldry
270:version of the chief, called a
471:Slater, Stephen (2003-01-01).
464:
449:
383:, indicated allegiance to the
1:
433:
1807:(metal in the United States)
522:
441:A Complete Guide to Heraldry
141:Chief chequy of 2, Flanders.
73:in heraldry, along with the
7:
428:Liste de pièces héraldiques
390:
308:
10:
2101:
379:, called the Chief of the
2037:
1989:
1917:
1890:
1814:
1783:
1737:
1675:
1604:
1569:
1541:
1449:
1386:
1201:
1135:
1072:
1011:
866:
833:
756:
640:
585:
530:
348:The coat of arms of the
69:The chief is one of the
2045:List of oldest heraldry
385:National Fascist Party
35:
33:Argent, a chief gules.
22:
369:Guelph or Ghibelline
290:version of a chief.
2085:Heraldic ordinaries
2057:Heraldry portal
1484:Hastings/Hungerford
771:Crowns and coronets
743:National traditions
418:Ordinary (heraldry)
299:chief of allegiance
93:Variations of chief
1441:Waterlily/Seeblatt
665:Ancient and modern
350:Amhara Governorate
175:Brinon-sur-Beuvron
153:A chief indented (
36:
2072:
2071:
1913:
1912:
1851:(color in Canada)
1537:
1536:
423:Charge (heraldry)
413:Fillet (heraldry)
365:Holy Roman Empire
361:Kingdom of Naples
237:A chief impaled (
2092:
2055:
2054:
2053:
1893:
1880:
1872:
1864:
1856:
1846:
1836:
1828:
1825:
1817:
1802:
1794:
1786:
1773:
1770:
1761:
1758:
1749:
1746:
1720:
1688:
1664:
1661:
1652:
1649:
1640:
1637:
1628:
1625:
1616:
1613:
1593:
1590:
1581:
1578:
1567:
1566:
1551:Rule of tincture
1268:Griffin/Keythong
864:
863:
555:Officers of arms
517:
510:
503:
494:
493:
487:
486:
468:
462:
461:
453:
407:
402:
401:
400:
345:
333:
321:
279:chief triangular
247:Other variations
234:
214:
202:
190:
170:
150:
138:
126:
110:
2100:
2099:
2095:
2094:
2093:
2091:
2090:
2089:
2075:
2074:
2073:
2068:
2051:
2049:
2033:
1985:
1909:
1891:
1886:
1878:
1870:
1862:
1854:
1844:
1834:
1826:
1823:
1815:
1810:
1800:
1792:
1784:
1779:
1771:
1768:
1759:
1756:
1747:
1744:
1733:
1671:
1662:
1659:
1650:
1647:
1638:
1635:
1626:
1623:
1614:
1611:
1600:
1591:
1588:
1579:
1576:
1565:
1533:
1499:Hungerford knot
1469:Cavendish/Savoy
1445:
1382:
1197:
1131:
1068:
1007:
862:
829:
752:
636:
581:
526:
521:
491:
490:
483:
469:
465:
454:
450:
439:A C Fox-Davies
436:
405:Heraldry portal
403:
398:
396:
393:
375:charged with a
357:
356:
355:
354:
353:
346:
338:
337:
334:
326:
325:
322:
311:
249:
242:
235:
226:
215:
206:
203:
194:
191:
182:
171:
162:
151:
142:
139:
130:
127:
118:
111:
95:
17:
12:
11:
5:
2098:
2088:
2087:
2070:
2069:
2067:
2066:
2065:
2064:
2047:
2042:
2038:
2035:
2034:
2032:
2031:
2026:
2021:
2016:
2011:
2010:
2009:
1999:
1993:
1991:
1987:
1986:
1984:
1983:
1981:Trophy of arms
1978:
1973:
1972:
1971:
1961:
1960:
1959:
1949:
1944:
1943:
1942:
1940:banner of arms
1932:
1927:
1921:
1919:
1915:
1914:
1911:
1910:
1908:
1907:
1902:
1896:
1894:
1888:
1887:
1885:
1884:
1876:
1868:
1860:
1852:
1842:
1832:
1820:
1818:
1812:
1811:
1809:
1808:
1798:
1789:
1787:
1781:
1780:
1778:
1777:
1766:
1754:
1741:
1739:
1735:
1734:
1732:
1731:
1730:
1729:
1714:
1713:
1712:
1707:
1702:
1697:
1681:
1679:
1673:
1672:
1670:
1669:
1657:
1645:
1633:
1621:
1608:
1606:
1602:
1601:
1599:
1598:
1586:
1573:
1571:
1564:
1563:
1558:
1553:
1547:
1545:
1539:
1538:
1535:
1534:
1532:
1531:
1526:
1524:Tristram/Bowen
1521:
1516:
1511:
1506:
1501:
1496:
1491:
1486:
1481:
1476:
1471:
1466:
1461:
1455:
1453:
1447:
1446:
1444:
1443:
1438:
1433:
1428:
1427:
1426:
1416:
1411:
1406:
1401:
1396:
1390:
1388:
1384:
1383:
1381:
1380:
1375:
1370:
1365:
1360:
1355:
1350:
1345:
1340:
1335:
1330:
1325:
1320:
1315:
1310:
1305:
1300:
1295:
1290:
1285:
1280:
1275:
1270:
1265:
1260:
1255:
1254:
1253:
1243:
1238:
1233:
1228:
1223:
1218:
1213:
1207:
1205:
1199:
1198:
1196:
1195:
1190:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1165:
1160:
1155:
1150:
1145:
1139:
1137:
1133:
1132:
1130:
1129:
1124:
1119:
1118:
1117:
1112:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1076:
1074:
1070:
1069:
1067:
1066:
1061:
1056:
1051:
1046:
1041:
1036:
1031:
1026:
1021:
1015:
1013:
1009:
1008:
1006:
1005:
1000:
999:
998:
988:
983:
978:
973:
968:
963:
958:
953:
948:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
918:
913:
908:
898:
893:
888:
883:
878:
872:
870:
861:
860:
855:
850:
845:
839:
837:
831:
830:
828:
827:
822:
817:
816:
815:
805:
804:
803:
793:
788:
783:
778:
773:
768:
762:
760:
754:
753:
751:
750:
745:
740:
739:
738:
733:
723:
718:
717:
716:
711:
701:
696:
695:
694:
684:
679:
678:
677:
667:
662:
661:
660:
650:
644:
642:
638:
637:
635:
634:
629:
624:
619:
618:
617:
610:Ecclesiastical
607:
606:
605:
600:
589:
587:
583:
582:
580:
579:
578:
577:
572:
567:
562:
552:
547:
542:
537:
531:
528:
527:
520:
519:
512:
505:
497:
489:
488:
481:
463:
447:
446:
445:
444:
435:
432:
431:
430:
425:
420:
415:
409:
408:
392:
389:
347:
340:
339:
335:
328:
327:
323:
316:
315:
314:
313:
312:
310:
307:
284:chief enarched
261:party per fess
248:
245:
244:
243:
236:
229:
227:
216:
209:
207:
204:
197:
195:
192:
185:
183:
173:A chief wavy (
172:
165:
163:
152:
145:
143:
140:
133:
131:
128:
121:
119:
112:
105:
94:
91:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
2097:
2086:
2083:
2082:
2080:
2063:
2060:
2059:
2058:
2048:
2046:
2043:
2040:
2039:
2036:
2030:
2029:Sigillography
2027:
2025:
2022:
2020:
2017:
2015:
2012:
2008:
2005:
2004:
2003:
2000:
1998:
1995:
1994:
1992:
1988:
1982:
1979:
1977:
1974:
1970:
1967:
1966:
1965:
1962:
1958:
1955:
1954:
1953:
1950:
1948:
1945:
1941:
1938:
1937:
1936:
1933:
1931:
1928:
1926:
1923:
1922:
1920:
1916:
1906:
1903:
1901:
1898:
1897:
1895:
1889:
1883:
1877:
1875:
1869:
1867:
1861:
1859:
1853:
1850:
1843:
1840:
1833:
1831:
1822:
1821:
1819:
1813:
1806:
1799:
1797:
1791:
1790:
1788:
1782:
1776:
1767:
1764:
1755:
1752:
1743:
1742:
1740:
1736:
1728:
1725:
1724:
1723:
1719:
1715:
1711:
1708:
1706:
1703:
1701:
1698:
1696:
1693:
1692:
1691:
1687:
1683:
1682:
1680:
1678:
1674:
1667:
1658:
1655:
1646:
1643:
1634:
1631:
1622:
1619:
1610:
1609:
1607:
1603:
1596:
1587:
1584:
1575:
1574:
1572:
1568:
1562:
1559:
1557:
1554:
1552:
1549:
1548:
1546:
1544:
1540:
1530:
1527:
1525:
1522:
1520:
1517:
1515:
1512:
1510:
1507:
1505:
1502:
1500:
1497:
1495:
1492:
1490:
1487:
1485:
1482:
1480:
1477:
1475:
1472:
1470:
1467:
1465:
1462:
1460:
1457:
1456:
1454:
1452:
1448:
1442:
1439:
1437:
1434:
1432:
1429:
1425:
1422:
1421:
1420:
1417:
1415:
1412:
1410:
1407:
1405:
1402:
1400:
1399:Laurel wreath
1397:
1395:
1392:
1391:
1389:
1385:
1379:
1376:
1374:
1371:
1369:
1366:
1364:
1361:
1359:
1356:
1354:
1351:
1349:
1346:
1344:
1341:
1339:
1336:
1334:
1331:
1329:
1326:
1324:
1321:
1319:
1316:
1314:
1311:
1309:
1306:
1304:
1301:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1289:
1286:
1284:
1281:
1279:
1276:
1274:
1271:
1269:
1266:
1264:
1261:
1259:
1256:
1252:
1249:
1248:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1234:
1232:
1229:
1227:
1224:
1222:
1219:
1217:
1214:
1212:
1209:
1208:
1206:
1204:
1200:
1194:
1191:
1189:
1186:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1169:
1166:
1164:
1161:
1159:
1156:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1144:
1141:
1140:
1138:
1134:
1128:
1125:
1123:
1120:
1116:
1113:
1111:
1108:
1107:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1098:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1077:
1075:
1071:
1065:
1062:
1060:
1057:
1055:
1052:
1050:
1047:
1045:
1042:
1040:
1037:
1035:
1032:
1030:
1027:
1025:
1022:
1020:
1017:
1016:
1014:
1010:
1004:
1001:
997:
994:
993:
992:
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
967:
964:
962:
959:
957:
954:
952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
934:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
912:
909:
906:
902:
899:
897:
894:
892:
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
873:
871:
869:
865:
859:
856:
854:
851:
849:
846:
844:
841:
840:
838:
836:
832:
826:
823:
821:
818:
814:
811:
810:
809:
806:
802:
799:
798:
797:
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
777:
774:
772:
769:
767:
764:
763:
761:
759:
755:
749:
746:
744:
741:
737:
734:
732:
729:
728:
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540:Grant of arms
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288:double-arched
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2019:Phaleristics
1952:Roll of arms
1918:Applications
1830:Bleu celeste
1816:Rare colours
1509:Ormonde/Wake
1394:Fleur-de-lis
956:Inescutcheon
925:
921:Crozier head
766:Coat of arms
653:Augmentation
560:King of Arms
472:
466:
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372:
367:, to denote
358:
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250:
239:Eton College
98:
96:
68:
63:
59:
55:coat of arms
46:
37:
32:
2024:Vexillology
1785:Rare metals
1765:(blood red)
1363:Winged lion
1343:Sea-griffin
1278:Hippocampus
1211:Allocamelus
853:Fimbriation
781:Compartment
758:Achievement
726:Marshalling
692:distinction
550:Law of arms
535:Authorities
266:There is a
257:Renaissance
1969:equestrian
1753:(mulberry)
1479:Harrington
1409:Quatrefoil
1338:Salamander
1283:Hippogriff
1241:Cockatrice
1221:Amphiptere
1193:Wolfsangel
1173:Portcullis
1085:Black swan
1039:Camelopard
868:Ordinaries
786:Escutcheon
736:impalement
731:quartering
714:variations
632:Attributed
570:pursuivant
482:0754810623
434:References
363:or of the
268:diminutive
155:Fernelmont
71:ordinaries
2062:resources
2007:socialist
1930:Hatchment
1925:Bookplate
1905:Carnation
1892:Realistic
1705:Erminites
1543:Tinctures
1494:Hinckaert
1459:Bourchier
1313:Ouroboros
1298:Manticore
1203:Legendary
1178:Reremouse
1115:Przepaska
1044:Hind/stag
1034:Dog/hound
843:Attitudes
820:Supporter
748:Societies
709:divisions
658:abatement
60:uncharged
2079:Category
2014:Logotype
1957:Illyrian
1839:Brunâtre
1763:Sanguine
1700:Erminois
1668:(purple)
1561:Hatching
1556:Tricking
1519:Stafford
1419:Shamrock
1368:Woodwose
1348:Sea-lion
1318:Pantheon
1293:Lindworm
1236:Chollima
1231:Biscione
1226:Basilisk
1148:Crapaudy
1049:Kangaroo
911:Componée
905:Łękawica
801:pavilion
796:Mantling
675:courtesy
670:Alliance
598:dominion
593:National
524:Heraldry
391:See also
309:In Italy
253:medieval
251:In some
219:Sampigny
40:heraldic
1990:Related
1858:Cendrée
1841:(brown)
1695:Ermines
1666:Purpure
1656:(green)
1632:(black)
1605:Colours
1585:(white)
1489:Heneage
1431:Thistle
1424:Trefoil
1358:Unicorn
1333:Phoenix
1328:Pegasus
1323:Panther
1308:Musimon
1303:Mermaid
1288:Lampago
1258:Enfield
1251:Chinese
1188:Serpent
1183:Scallop
1153:Dolphin
1127:Pelican
1122:Martlet
1110:Szaszor
1080:Alerion
1054:Leopard
1029:Bull/ox
1003:Saltire
991:Roundel
966:Lozenge
936:Flaunch
901:Chevron
891:Bordure
876:Annulet
848:Erasure
835:Charges
699:Canting
687:Cadency
648:Armiger
622:Burgher
575:private
545:History
295:cadency
159:Belgium
99:cotised
79:chevron
64:charged
25:Menzies
2002:Emblem
1976:Tabard
1900:Proper
1879:
1874:Orange
1871:
1863:
1855:
1847:
1845:
1837:
1835:
1827:
1824:
1803:
1801:
1796:Copper
1793:
1772:
1769:
1760:
1757:
1751:Murrey
1748:
1745:
1738:Stains
1727:Potent
1690:Ermine
1663:
1660:
1651:
1648:
1644:(blue)
1639:
1636:
1627:
1624:
1615:
1612:
1597:(gold)
1592:
1589:
1583:Argent
1580:
1577:
1570:Metals
1436:Turnip
1387:Plants
1373:Wyvern
1263:Garuda
1246:Dragon
1216:Alphyn
1012:Beasts
996:Bezant
951:Hamade
941:Goutte
896:Canton
813:slogan
791:Helmet
682:Blazon
641:Topics
565:herald
479:
381:Lictor
377:fasces
303:German
272:comble
223:France
179:France
85:, and
51:charge
43:blazon
29:blazon
1947:Badge
1866:Ochre
1775:Tenné
1642:Azure
1630:Sable
1620:(red)
1618:Gules
1514:Savoy
1474:Dacre
1464:Bowen
1451:Knots
1353:Tyger
1273:Harpy
1158:Emmet
1136:Other
1105:Eagle
1073:Birds
961:Label
946:Gyron
926:Chief
916:Cross
858:Lines
825:Torse
808:Motto
776:Crest
721:Fraud
704:Field
627:Women
615:papal
603:civic
586:Types
373:gules
53:on a
49:is a
47:chief
1964:Seal
1935:Flag
1882:Rose
1849:Buff
1805:Buff
1722:Vair
1710:Pean
1677:Furs
1654:Vert
1529:Wake
1504:Lacy
1414:Rose
1378:Yale
1168:Lucy
1100:Dove
1095:Crow
1090:Cock
1064:Wolf
1059:Lion
1024:Boar
1019:Bear
986:Pile
981:Pall
976:Pale
971:Orle
931:Fess
886:Bend
477:ISBN
255:and
87:pale
83:fess
75:bend
45:, a
1997:Mon
1404:Oak
1163:Ged
1143:Bee
881:Bar
38:In
31:is
2081::
1595:Or
277:A
263:.
241:).
225:).
221:,
181:).
177:,
161:).
157:,
81:,
77:,
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903:(
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509:t
502:v
485:.
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