ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Law of heraldic arms

Okay kiddo, you know how knights and lords used to have colorful coats of arms on their shields and flags? That's what the law of heraldic arms is all about. It's like a set of rules that tells people how to create those coats of arms and what they should look like.

Basically, if you want to design a coat of arms for yourself, your family, or your country, you have to follow these rules. You can't just put any random image on there - there are specific symbols and colors that mean certain things. For example, a lion might represent bravery, a bird might represent freedom, and the color gold might represent wealth.

There are also rules about how the different parts of the coat of arms should be arranged. Usually, there is a shield in the middle with different images and colors on it. It might be surrounded by other symbols like a helmet, a crest, or even animals. These all have their own meanings too.

So why do people follow these rules? Well, the law of heraldic arms has been around for a very long time - over 900 years! It started in medieval Europe and was used to identify knights and their families during battles and tournaments. Over time, it became a way for people to show off their status and achievements. Even today, coats of arms are still used for official purposes in some countries.

Overall, the law of heraldic arms is like a set of instructions for creating official symbols that represent people and their accomplishments. It might seem complicated, but if you take the time to understand the different symbols and colors, you can create a really cool coat of arms that tells your own story.