Slogan_(heraldry)

Slogan (heraldry)

Slogan (heraldry)

Heraldic motto in Scottish heraldry

A slogan is used in Scottish heraldry as a heraldic motto or a secondary motto. It usually appears above the crest on a coat of arms, though sometimes it appears as a secondary motto beneath the shield.[1] The word slogan dates from 1513. It is a variant of the earlier slogorn, which was an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic sluagh-ghairm (sluagh "army", "host" + gairm "cry").[2] In other regions it is called a war-cry.[3]

The slogan CREAG AN TUIRC appears on the crest badge of a member of Clan MacLaren.
Arms of Brady Brim-DeForest, Baron of Balvaird with the motto above the crest and war cry or slogan below.

Mottoes and heraldry

There are several possible origins for mottoes used in heraldry, and slogans may have originated from battle cries or war cries. There are several notable heraldic mottoes which are thought to originate from a war cries. For example, the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom contains the motto DIEU ET MON DROIT ("God and my right") which has been thought to originated as a war cry, as has the motto MONTJOYE SAINT-DENIS which appeared on the former French coat of arms.[lower-alpha 1] Several mottoes found in Irish heraldry, which end in a boo, are also thought to have originated as war cries. Examples of such Irish mottoes are CROM A BOO of the Fitzgerald earls of Leinster; and SHANET A BOO of the Fitzgerald earls of Desmond.[1][4]

Not all slogans are based on war cries. Many slogans pertaining to Scottish clan chiefs have been registered relatively recently at the Court of the Lord Lyon. Sometimes slogans are merely a name, such as A HOME A HOME A HOME of the Homes, others refer to a rallying point for the clan, like CRUACHAN of the Campbells, some slogans refer to a prominent clansman like the Maclean Fear eile airson Eachuinn ("Another for Hector"). In at least one case, a patron saint is used as a slogan, as in St Bennet and Set On of the Setons.[1][5] The arms of Grant use two slogans (or mottoes): CRAIG ELACHAIDH, which appears above the crest; and STANDFAST, which appears beneath on a scroll beneath the shield.[1] Sometimes a clan chief's slogan appears on his crest badge and in consequence on the crest badges worn by his clan members. In some cases the chief's slogan also appears on his standard, guidon and pinsel.[6]

Slogans

  Slogans officially recorded at the Court of the Lord Lyon as incident to the chief's Arms. Also rendered in all-caps.
More information Clan or title, Notes ...

Notes

  1. This motto is a reference to the oriflamme, the royal standard banner of the kings of France, which was kept in the Basilique Saint-Denis.

Citations

  1. [1]
    Woodcock & Robinson (1988), p. 112
  2. [2]
    Merriam-Webster (2003), p. 1174
  3. [3]
    war-cries on heraldica.org
  4. [4]
    Fox-Davies & Johnston (2007), p. 449–450
  5. [5]
    Innes of Learney (1975), pp. 60–61
  6. [6]
    "Further Guidance on Flags". The Court of the Lord Lyon (lyon-court.com). Retrieved 30 July 2008.
  7. [7]
    Unless otherwise noted the reference for all slogans in this column is from Adam & Innes of Learney (1970), pp. 545–546.
  8. [8]
    "Scottish Clan Pinsels". Flags of the World (fotw.info). Retrieved 31 July 2008. This webpage claims to cite Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia.
  9. [9]
    "history". Clan Arthur USA Association (clanarthur.org). Retrieved 9 September 2007.
  10. [10]
    Adam & Innes of Learney (1970), pp. 545–546
  11. [11]
    Campbell of Airds (2002), pp. 289–290
  12. [12]
    MacKinnon (1995), p. 137
  13. [13]
    Robert Chambers (1847), "Slogans", Select writings of Robert Chambers, vol. 7, pp. 132–138
  14. [14]
    "Lord Macdonald of Macdonald". The High Council of Clan Donald (highcouncilofclandonald.org). Retrieved 19 June 2008. This website cites: "Lyon Register (Volume 36, Folio 44)" for the Arms of Godfrey James Macdonald of Macdonald.
  15. [15]
    "The Captain & Chief of Clanranald". The High Council of Clan Donald (highcouncilofclandonald.org). Retrieved 19 June 2008. This website cites "Lyon Register (Volume 42, Folio 21)" for the Arms of Ranald Alexander Macdonald of Clanranald.
  16. [16]
    "The Chief of Glengarry". The High Council of Clan Donald (highcouncilofclandonald.org). Retrieved 19 June 2008. This website cites "Lyon Register (Volume 1, Folio 576)" for the Arms of Aeneas Ranald Euan MacDonell
  17. [17]
    "A Chlann Raghnall Lochbhair". A Chlann Raghnall Lochbhair (macdonaldofkeppoch.org). Archived from the original on 23 February 2008. Retrieved 19 June 2008. The Arms are of Ranald Alasdair MacDonald of Keppoch.
  18. [18]
    "Scottish Clan Insignia: Description of Clan Standards". Flags of the World (fotw.info). Retrieved 2 August 2008. This webpage claims to cite Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia.
  19. [19]
    "SGURR UARAN". Clan Macrae Scotland (clan-macrae.org.uk). Retrieved 21 June 2008.
  20. [20]
    "The Chief Of Clan Morrison". Clan Morrison Society of North America (cmsna.x10hosting.com). Retrieved 11 December 2011. This website gives the Arms of the current chief's grandfather John Morrison of Ruchdi.

References
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