College of Arms Foundation
Encyclopedia
The College of Arms Foundation is a non-profit body whose mission is the promotion of heraldic
knowledge in the United States
. It was first incorporated in 1983 in the state of New York
. The purpose of the original foundation was to raise funds for the College of Arms
in London
. This was around the time of the College's quincentenary and it was hoped that the funds would be used to help renovate and maintain the College's seventeenth century building. In 2001, the foundation changed its focus to promote knowledge of and interest in English
heraldry in the United States. The foundation is independent of the College of Arms in London, though its effectiveness relies on the goodwill and cooperation of the College. The foundation also acts as a liaison with the College of Arms Trust, a similar body based in the United Kingdom
.
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
knowledge in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was first incorporated in 1983 in the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The purpose of the original foundation was to raise funds for 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...
. This was around the time of the College's quincentenary and it was hoped that the funds would be used to help renovate and maintain the College's seventeenth century building. In 2001, the foundation changed its focus to promote knowledge of and interest in English
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...
heraldry in the United States. The foundation is independent of the College of Arms in London, though its effectiveness relies on the goodwill and cooperation of the College. The foundation also acts as a liaison with the College of Arms Trust, a similar body based in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.