Maltravers Herald Extraordinary
Encyclopedia
Maltravers Herald of Arms Extraordinary is a current officer of arms
extraordinary in England
. As such, Maltravers is a royal herald
, but is not a member of the College of Arms
in London
. The present office was created in 1887 by the Earl Marshal
, who was also the Duke of Norfolk
and Baron Maltravers
. The office is known to have been held by a pursuivant
to Lord Maltravers when he was deputy of Calais
from 1540 to 1544. The badge is blazoned as A Fret Or. It was officially assigned in 1973, though it had been assumed by two Maltravers Heralds in the 1930s. It derives from the coat of arms
of Maltravers Sable a Fret Or and a Label of the points Ermine, and was the badge of John, Earl of Arundel
through which family the barony passed to the Howard dukes of Norfolk.
The current Maltravers Herald of Arms Extraordinary is former Fitzalan Pursuivant
John Martin Robinson
, MA
(St Andrews
) DPhil (Oxford
) FSA
.
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...
extraordinary in 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...
. As such, Maltravers is a royal herald
Herald
A 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....
, but is not a member of the College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The present office was created in 1887 by the Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England...
, who was also the Duke of Norfolk
Duke of Norfolk
The Duke of Norfolk is the premier duke in the peerage of England, and also, as Earl of Arundel, the premier earl. The Duke of Norfolk is, moreover, the Earl Marshal and hereditary Marshal of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the...
and Baron Maltravers
Baron Maltravers
The title Baron Mautravers or Baron Maltravers was created in the Peerage of England on 25 January 1330, by writ of summons, for John Mautravers or Maltravers. It went into abeyance on his death in 1364; this was terminated by the death of his granddaughter Joan Mautravers without issue c. 1383,...
. The office is known to have been held by a pursuivant
Pursuivant
A pursuivant or, more correctly, pursuivant of arms, is a junior officer of arms. Most pursuivants are attached to official heraldic authorities, such as the College of Arms in London or the Court of the Lord Lyon in Edinburgh. In the mediaeval era, many great nobles employed their own officers of...
to Lord Maltravers when he was deputy of Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
from 1540 to 1544. The badge is blazoned as A Fret Or. It was officially assigned in 1973, though it had been assumed by two Maltravers Heralds in the 1930s. It derives from the coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
of Maltravers Sable a Fret Or and a Label of the points Ermine, and was the badge of John, Earl of Arundel
Earl of Arundel
The title Earl of Arundel is the oldest extant Earldom and perhaps the oldest extant title in the Peerage of England. It is currently held by the Duke of Norfolk, and is used by his heir apparent as a courtesy title. It was created in 1138 for the Norman baron Sir William d'Aubigny...
through which family the barony passed to the Howard dukes of Norfolk.
The current Maltravers Herald of Arms Extraordinary is former Fitzalan Pursuivant
Fitzalan Pursuivant Extraordinary
Fitzalan Pursuivant of Arms Extraordinary is a current officer of arms in England. As a pursuivant extraordinary, Fitzalan is a royal officer of arms, but is not a member of the corporation of the College of Arms in London...
John Martin Robinson
John Martin Robinson
John Martin Robinson, FSA is a British architectural historian and officer of arms.He was born in Preston, Lancashire and educated at the Benedictine school at Fort Augustus, the University of St Andrews and matriculated to Oriel College, Oxford University for his DPhil in 1970...
, MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
(St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
) DPhil (Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
) FSA
Society of Antiquaries of London
The Society of Antiquaries of London is a learned society "charged by its Royal Charter of 1751 with 'the encouragement, advancement and furtherance of the study and knowledge of the antiquities and history of this and other countries'." It is based at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London , and is...
.