Last updated 13 May, 2006

Charges

A charge is the name given to an object or device painted on a shield. The shield is then said to be charged with whatever appears on it. The most important charges are Ordinaries and Sub Ordinaries. Some of the other charges which occur very frequently in heraldry, are animals, birds and other natural objects such as lions, eagles and shells, as well as special heraldic devices like mullets and fleur-de-lys.

Animals

The lion appears in many hundreds of coats of arms, including the English and Scottish brought harm's. He should be shown as a fierce, lean beast, and have red claws and tongue. If the land itself is red then the claws and tongue are usually covered blue instead. Chief positions of the Lion are rampant, passant, and.
No

Deer occur frequently. Stags and bucks are the commonest. They both have full set of antlers, bucks being flattened at the top .