Crow (heraldry)

In heraldry, crows, rooks, and ravens are not distinguished from each other. As with all birds that are not eagles, a crow or raven is depicted by default as close, but they can uniquely be blazoned as speaking. Crows may also be called corbies, as in the canting arms of Corbet.^[1]

Former County Dublin coat of arms

Fingal coat of arms

The Cornish chough is also depicted in heraldry, which looks similar but has a red beak and feet. Anciently, the Cornish chough is sometimes called a beckit.^[2][1] On the coat of arms of County Dublin and Fingal in Ireland, the crow was adapted from the raven banner of the Vikings, who had settled in the area.^[3][4] Lisbon, the capital of Portugal and Wagga Wagga, Australia have crows in their coats-of-arms.^[5][6]

The Hungarian family Hunyadi also used the raven in their coats of arms.^[7] Matthias Corvinus of Hungary named his famous library (Bibliotheca Corviniana) after the bird. It might have inspired the uniform and name of his mercenary army (Black Army of Hungary), and his illegitimate son, János Corvinus also wore the bird's name.^{[citation needed]}

The Corbet (Corbel, Corby, Corbe) family from the Channel Islands are also names having been corrupted over time from the Latin word corvus, for raven.^[8]

See also

• Raven banner

References

1. Gough, Henry; Parker, James (1894). A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry (New ed.). Oxford and London: J. Parker and Co. p. 112.
2. Franklyn, Julian (1970). An encyclopaedic dictionary of heraldry. Pergamon Press. p. 71. ISBN 978-0-0801-3297-6.
3. "Grants and Confirmations of Arms Vol. X". Ireland Genealogical Office. 1994. p. 2. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
4. "All 32 Irish county coat of arms, what they mean and where they come from". The Irish Post. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
5. "Our History". Wagga Wagga City Council. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
6. "A barge and two crows: Saint Vincent, the ancient patron saint of Lisbon". Turismo de Lisboa. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
7. Rogers, Clifford J. (2010). "Hunyadi, Mátyás". The Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/acref/9780195334036.001.0001. ISBN 978-0-1953-3403-6.
8. Jobling, James A (2010). The Helm Dictionary of Scientific Bird Names. London: Christopher Helm. p. 119. ISBN 978-1-4081-2501-4.