User talk:Stephen2nd/Sandbox Q

stephen2nd Stephen2nd (talk) 23:45, 21 December 2010 (UTC) Heraldic labels are used to differentiate the individual coats of arms of members of the royal family of the United Kingdom. In the Gallo-British heraldic tradition, cadency marks have been available to "difference" the arms of a son from those of his father, and the arms of brothers from each other, and traditionally this was often done when it was considered important for each man to have a distinctive individual coat of arms and/or to differentiate the arms of the head of a house from junior members of the family. This was especially important in the case of arms of sovereignty, since someone who displayed the undifferenced arms of a kingdom would be heraldically claiming the throne. Therefore in the English royal family, systematic cadency marks were used from the time of Henry III of England, typically a label or bordure alluding to the arms of the bearer's mother or wife. For the next three generations, the heir apparent differenced with a label azure, while other sons used a label or bordure of a different tincture, or bearing charges. After about 1340, when Edward III of England made a claim to the throne of France, a blue label did not contrast sufficiently with the blue field of the French quarter of the royal arms; accordingly the heir apparent used a label argent. Bordures of various tinctures continued to be used into the 15th century.

The label
In the ordinary system of differences a label of three points (which has also been termed a file with three labels) is the distinction of the eldest son during the lifetime of his father. In the oldest rolls of arms the labels are all of five points; but labels of three points were at an early period used interchangeably. Labels are the principal cadency marks used in certain royal families. In the British royal family, all labels are argent (white). The sons and daughters of the sovereign all bear labels of three points argent; that of the Prince of Wales is plain, but all others are charged. Further descendants of princes bear labels of five points charged. All such differences should be borne on the arms, crest, and supporters.

The system of a special mark for difference for each member of the family goes back to the time of Henry III, whose successor, as a prince, placed such a mark on the shield of England. Since 1340 this label has almost always been white, and overlaid with small figures, or charges, such as red crosses of St George. This red cross represents England and its patron saint, and was first borne by Richard of Bordeaux (future king Richard II) before the death of his father the Black Prince in 1376. Other charges used include the blue fleur-de-lis, the Ermine spot, and the Torteau.

Labels by order of succession
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 * width = "70%" bgcolor = "silver" align="center"|
 * width = "70%" bgcolor = "silver" align="center"|
 * width = "70%" bgcolor = "silver" align="center"|


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Labels by order of birth

 * }

House of Plantagenet (1154-1485)

 * Henry III (1206-72)
 * Edward I (1239-1307) until 1272: label azure
 * Alphonso, earl of Chester (1273-84) label azure
 * Edward II (1284-1327) until 1307: label azure
 * Edward III (1312-77) until 1327: label azure
 * Edward, Prince of Wales 1343 (1330-76) label argent
 * Richard II (1367-1400) until 1376: label argent on the center point a cross gules
 * Prince of Wales: label argent

Stephen2nd (talk) 13:16, 19 December 2010 (UTC)
 * Lionel, duke of Clarence 1362 (1338-68) label of 5 points argent on each point a cross gules
 * John, duke of Lancaster (1340-99) label ermine
 * Henry IV (1366-1413) before 1399: label of five points ermine.1399: label of 5 points per pale ermine and France
 * Henry V (1387-1422) Prince of Wales: 3-point label argent
 * Henry VI (1421-71)
 * Thomas, duke of Clarence 1412 (1388-1421) label of 3 points ermine
 * John, duke of Bedford (1389-1435) label of 5 points per pale ermine and France
 * Humphrey, duke of Gloucester 1414 (1391-1447) bordure argent
 * John Beaufort, legitimated, earl of Somerset 1397 (1372-1410) bordure gobony argent and azure
 * Thomas, earl of Dorset, duke of Exeter 1416 (1377-1427) bordure gobony azure and ermine
 * Edmund, duke of York 1385 (1341-1402), m. Isabella of Castile label argent on each point 3 torteaux
 * Edward, earl of Rutland 1390, duke of Albermarle 1397, 2d duke of York (1373-1415) before 1402: label 3-point per pale Castile and Leon
 * Richard, earl of Cambridge (1375-1415) bordure Leon
 * Richard, 3d duke of York (1412-60) label argent on each point 3 torteaux
 * Edward IV (1442-83) label argent on each point 3 torteaux
 * Edward V (1470-83)
 * Richard, duke of York 1472 (1472-83) label argent on the first point a canton gules
 * Edmund, earl of Rutland 1459 (1443-60) label argent per pale lions purpure (Leon) and torteaux (York)
 * George, duke of Clarence 1461 (1449-77) label argent on each point canton gules
 * Richard III (1452-85) duke of Gloucester 1461: label ermine on each point canton gules
 * Thomas, duke of Gloucester 1385 (1356-97) bordure argent
 * John, earl of Cornwall (1316-36) bordure France
 * Thomas, earl of Norfolk (1300-38) label argent
 * Edmund, earl of Kent 1321 (1301-30) bordure argent
 * Edward, 2d earl of Kent (1327-33) bordure argent
 * John, 3d earl of Kent (1330-52) bordure argent
 * Edmund, earl of Lancaster (1245-96), m. Blanche of Artois 1275 label France
 * Thomas, 2d earl of Lancaster (d. 1322) label France
 * Henry, 3d earl of Lancaster (d. 1345) until 1322: bend azure; after 1322: label France
 * Richard, earl of Cornwall, King of the Romans (1209-72) argent a lion gules crowned or within a bordure sable besanty or

Labels of York

 * House of Tudor (1485-1603)
 * Henry VIII (1491-1547) Duke of York 1494: label ermine
 * House of Stuart (1603-1714)
 * James I (1566-1625):


 * (1593-1612) Henry-Frederick, Prince of Wales 1610 --- --- ---
 * Duke of York 1605: 3-torteaux 3-torteaux 3-torteaux


 * Prince of Wales 1616: --- --- ---
 * (1630-85) Charles II Prince of Wales 1646: --- --- ---
 * (1633-1701) James II Duke of York 1643,
 * Duke of Albany 1660: 3-point label ermine


 * (1640-60) Henry, duke of Gloucester 1659 rose rose rose
 * (1660-1) Charles, duke of Cambridge 5-point label ermine
 * (1663-7) James, duke of Cambridge 5-point label ermine
 * (1666-7) Charles, duke of Kendal 3-torteaux 3-torteaux 3-torteaux
 * (1677-7) Charles, duke of Cambridge 5-point label ermine
 * (1688-1766) James Prince of Wales 1688: --- --- ---
 * (1689-1700) William, duke of Gloucester 1689 --- cross ---
 * (inescutcheon of Denmark (or semy of hearts gules three lions passant azure crowned or)


 * (1720-88) Charles-Edward --- --- --- (P)