Legal Definitions - armiger

Armiger

Historically, an armiger was an individual of a specific social rank, typically below a knight, who was entitled to bear a coat of arms. This status could involve serving as an armor-bearer for a knight, holding land with military obligations (such as paying scutage), or simply being a gentleman recognized as having the right to display a personal coat of arms.

Here are some examples illustrating the concept of an armiger:

• During a medieval tournament, a young nobleman named Thomas served as an armiger to Sir Gareth. Thomas was responsible for carrying Sir Gareth's shield, helmet, and lance, ensuring his armor was polished, and assisting him in the preparations before each joust. Although not yet a knight himself, Thomas's role as an armiger signified his noble birth and his training towards knighthood.

  This example illustrates an armiger in the role of an armor-bearer, directly assisting a knight and demonstrating a path towards higher military status.

• Lord Alaric, a wealthy landowner in 13th-century England, held his estate directly from the Crown. Instead of personally joining the king's army, he fulfilled his feudal obligations by paying "scutage" – a monetary payment that allowed the king to hire mercenary soldiers. As a gentleman of significant standing and a tenant by scutage, Lord Alaric was considered an armiger, entitled to display his family's coat of arms on his manor and personal seal, even though he did not actively participate in battles.

  This example demonstrates an armiger as a landowner with military obligations (fulfilled through payment) and the right to bear a coat of arms, highlighting a different aspect of the historical term.

• In 15th-century France, Monsieur Dubois was a respected gentleman from a long-established family. While he held no specific military office and was not a knight, his lineage and social standing were recognized by the right to display his family's unique coat of arms on his property and personal documents. This entitlement distinguished him as an armiger within the social hierarchy, signifying his noble heritage and status.

  This example shows an armiger as a gentleman whose status is primarily defined by the right to display a coat of arms, reflecting the heraldic aspect of the term.