Albany Herald
Encyclopedia
Albany Herald of Arms was a Scottish
herald of arms
of the Court of the Lord Lyon
.
The office was first mentioned in a diplomatic mission from Scotland
to England
in 1401. The office was probably instituted on the creation of Robert Stewart, son of King Robert II
, as Duke of Albany
, on 28 April 1398. Albany is an old name for the part of Scotland north of the River Forth
, and is cognate with "Alba
", the Scottish Gaelic for Scotland.
The badge of office
is A saltire Argent enfuled of a coronet of four fleurs-de-lys (one and two halves visible) Or ensigned of the Crown of Scotland Proper.
The office is currently vacant.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
herald of arms
Officer of arms
An officer of arms is a person appointed by a sovereign or state with authority to perform one or more of the following functions:*to control and initiate armorial matters*to arrange and participate in ceremonies of state...
of the Court of the Lord Lyon
Court of the Lord Lyon
The Court of the Lord Lyon, also known as the Lyon Court, is a standing court of law which regulates heraldry in Scotland. Like the College of Arms in England it maintains the register of grants of arms, known as the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, as well as records of...
.
The office was first mentioned in a diplomatic mission from Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in 1401. The office was probably instituted on the creation of Robert Stewart, son of King Robert II
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II became King of Scots in 1371 as the first monarch of the House of Stewart. He was the son of Walter Stewart, hereditary High Steward of Scotland and of Marjorie Bruce, daughter of Robert I and of his first wife Isabella of Mar...
, as Duke of Albany
Duke of Albany
Duke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on the younger sons in the Scottish, and later the British, royal family, particularly in the Houses of Stuart and Hanover....
, on 28 April 1398. Albany is an old name for the part of Scotland north of the River Forth
River Forth
The River Forth , long, is the major river draining the eastern part of the central belt of Scotland.The Forth rises in Loch Ard in the Trossachs, a mountainous area some west of Stirling...
, and is cognate with "Alba
Alba
Alba is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is cognate to Alba in Irish and Nalbin in Manx, the two other Goidelic Insular Celtic languages, as well as similar words in the Brythonic Insular Celtic languages of Cornish and Welsh also meaning Scotland.- Etymology :The term first appears in...
", the Scottish Gaelic for Scotland.
The badge of office
Heraldic badge
A heraldic badge is an emblem or personal device worn as a badge to indicate allegiance to or the property of an individual or family. Medieval forms are usually called a livery badge, and also a cognizance...
is A saltire Argent enfuled of a coronet of four fleurs-de-lys (one and two halves visible) Or ensigned of the Crown of Scotland Proper.
The office is currently vacant.
Office bearers
- In 1588: Alexander Oliphant
- In 1604: Thomas Oliphant
- 1900s: Robert Spence Livingstone
- 1923 - 1926: George Sitwell Campbell-Swinton
- 1927 - 1935: Sir Thomas Wolseley Haig
- 1935 - 1945: Thomas Innes of LearneyThomas Innes of LearneySir Thomas Innes of Learney, GCVO, WS was Lord Lyon from 1945 to 1969, after having been Carrick Pursuivant and Albany Herald in the 1930s. He was a very active Lord Lyon, strongly promoting his views of what his office was through his writings and pronouncements in his Court. In 1950, he...
- 1953 - 1961: Charles Ian Fraser
- 1961 - 1985: Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk
- 1985 - 2011: John Alexander Spens
See also
- Officer of ArmsOfficer of armsAn officer of arms is a person appointed by a sovereign or state with authority to perform one or more of the following functions:*to control and initiate armorial matters*to arrange and participate in ceremonies of state...
- HeraldHeraldA herald, or, more correctly, a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is often applied erroneously to all officers of arms....
- Court of the Lord LyonCourt of the Lord LyonThe Court of the Lord Lyon, also known as the Lyon Court, is a standing court of law which regulates heraldry in Scotland. Like the College of Arms in England it maintains the register of grants of arms, known as the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, as well as records of...
- Heraldry Society of ScotlandHeraldry Society of ScotlandThe Heraldry Society of Scotland was founded in 1977 with the objective of promoting the study of heraldry and encouraging its correct use in Scotland and overseas....