Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Blazon of Arms: Cardona-Cortez




            We had been talking about building a coat of arms to represent us for a while now. So I finally sat down and did some research on heraldry and coat of arms symbolism.  It was an interesting endeavor though not entirely gratifying. Turns out that heraldry is not entirely standardized—despite the consistency that does exist! So for the most part, it’s anything goes! I am writing this up to explain the details of our crest—such a write up is called a “blazon of arms.” With that said, let us begin at the top:

According to www.fleurdelis.com, “a ‘coat of arms’ consists of several parts: the shield, the mantling, the helm, the wreath, charges, and the crest (note that not all arms have crests).”


Our crest is the Annulet, the three interlocking rings above the helm. This signifies fidelity; commitment. Above all things, we must have a commitment to each other in order for this coat to exist! The three rings themselves represent three supports: physical, spiritual, & financial.

The Helm represented here is merely a placeholder for the helms that will be placed here later. The two I have in mind are from my creation:  The Montarsis Knights and the Black Montarsis Knights. These symbolize the potential to bring out the best and worst in each of us. The Montarsis Knight helm will sit in front of the Black Montarsis Knight helm in a symbolic gesture that we strive to always keep the darker aspects of ourselves in check.

Though the mantling around the helm and shield should reflect the colors of the design itself, I chose to use our favorite colors: Blue & Purple (Azure & Purpure as they are called in the classic heraldry terminology.)  It just so happens that Blue is the symbol for truth and purple is the symbol for royal majesty, sovereignty, and justice. Though we can be a bit full of ourselves, I would like to think the purple does reflect our desire for justice in all affairs. Though I am more than certain Isaac would prefer the majestic definition apply to him.

The shield is quartered with a chevron placed atop. The colors of the shield, Red (Gules) and White/Silver (Argent) represent military strength and peace/sincerity. By military strength I allude to our gaming ability as formidable foes on the playing field. Despite, Isaac’s ravings, we do desire peace in our house. The green (vert) chevron represent hope, joy, and loyalty in love. Since we constantly strive to make each other laugh and seek each other's best interest, this color is befitting our love for each other. 

The top of the shield (chief) bears a black crow. This symbolizes our love for our friends and support of them in their endeavors. (This surprised me at first—the symbol, that is, not the fact that we love our friends. But after thinking about it for a bit, it kind of makes sense in that crows do tend to flock together.)

The left side of the shield (dexter) is the small bear. Bears, as a heraldic symbol, represent strength, cunning, and ferocity in the protection of one’s kindred. As a symbol in the gay lifestyle, a young bear (or younger bear in a relationship) is called a cub. Isaac embodies all these elements. This is his symbol. My symbol can be found on the right side of the shield (sinister) as I am the bear of our relationship and also seek to extoll the virtues of the bear.  I think everyone agrees I tend to overprotect at times.

The morning star, found at the bottom of the shield (base), represents armor and strength of crushing force. We use this symbol to further represent our commitment to our resolve. Once we have made up our minds regarding a plan of action, we can be hard pressed to change our direction. We consider this a virtue.

Last but certainly not least, our motto: Est Adversus Vos Mundi.  

This has been our motto from the very beginning of our relationship though we didn’t know it at the time. We certainly do not say it in Latin, but it is still very relevant. The figurative translation being: “It is you and me against the world.”