only search Aten Submissions
Home Page
Submission Forms
Search A&O
Letters of Presentation (LoP)
Letters of Intent (LoI)
Quick Status
Recent Actions
Heraldic References
Heraldic Art Bits
The Standards for Evaluation of Names and Armory:
The Rules for Submissions
Kingdom of Atenveldt Home Page

Kingdom of Atenveldt
Heraldic Submissions Page

(administered by the Brickbat Herald)

ATENVELDT COLLEGE OF HERALDS 21 April 2008, A.S. XLII
Letter of Intent Kingdom of Atenveldt

Unto Elisabeth de Rossignol, Laurel; Margaret MacDuibhshithe, Pelican; Jeanne Marie Lacroix, Wreath; and the commenting Members of the College of Arms,

Greetings from Marta as tu Mika-Mysliwy, Parhelium Herald!


The Atenveldt College of Heralds requests the consideration and registration of the following names and armory with the College of Arms.

Please note: Unless specifically stated, the submitter will accept any spelling and grammar corrections; all assistance is appreciated.


1. Albin Gallowglass: NEW NAME

The name is English. Albin is a 13th C. masculine given name, from the Old French Albin, Aubin ("Men's Given Names from Early 13th Century England," Talan Gwynek, http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/eng13/eng13m.html ).

Gallowglass is the Anglicized form of an Irish Gaelic term Gallóglaigh, meaning a foreign or mercenary soldier. This particular spelling seems post-period according to the OED s.v. Galloglass: "1848-51 J. O'DONOVAN Ann. 4 Masters (1856) I. 119 note, The bands of kernes and galloglaghs or gallowglasses, supported by the Irish chieftains of the later ages." Variations in spelling prior to the end of our period are seen as galloglasseis (pl, c. 1515), galloglas (c. 1538), galloglasse (1577), galloglass (1600), and gallogloghis (pl?, 1534) (COED, s.n. Galloglass). An Etymological Dictionary of Modern English, Ernest Weekly gives a 1545 entry, p. 614 s.n. galloglass, gallowglass:
Men in those quarters hable to have the conduit of a band of kerne and gallowglasses. (Privy Council Acts, 1545). (http://books.google.com/books?id=TNxiHDi51n8C&pg=PA614&lpg=PA614&dq=gallowglass+etymology&source=web&ots=OOXvPTYuRB&sig=lTVX5hScY9cuFZY8_DOxwIcbQBs&hl=en%C2%A0 ).

The concept of a mercenary/foreign soldier seems a reasonable "occupation"; while it has been quite a long time since its last registration (when it was registered twice in May 1993, to Robin Gallowglass and to Sibán Gallowglass, neither eliciting commentary at the time of registration), I found nothing in the Precedents since that time that suggests the term has been prohibited. Commentary from the Academy of St. Gabriel Report 1499 suggests that the term applied to an individual is not a problem, only its use in the context of an organized group of mercenaries:

"The Academy doesn't generally research cultural history, but we can tell you what we found about the word <gallowglass>.  The Irish word is <gallo/glach>, and in Ireland it referred either to a mercenary in the employ of a chieftain, or more generally, a foot-soldier [6].  The modern Scottish Gaelic word is <gallo\glach> (with a grave accent), which referred to a chieftain's armor-bearer, a kind of bodyguard chosen for his bravery [7].  Your note suggested that you are thinking of "the gallowglasses" as a sort of organized mercenary band.  We found no evidence to support that notion. "

 "[7] Dwelly, Edward, _Faclair gaidhlig: A Gaelic Dictionary_ (Herne Bay [Eng.] E. Macdonald & co., 1902-[11]). "

( http://www.panix.com/~gabriel/public-bin/showfinal.cgi?1499+0 )

The client desires a male name and is most interested in the sound of the name (so that a slight spelling change to an attested period form seems reasonable).


2. Asha Batu: DEVICE RESUBMISSION from Laurel, May 2004

Gules chausse, on a chief Or, a furison sable.


The name was registered May 2004.


His original device, Azure, two fire arrows crossed in saltire argent enflamed gules fimbriated Or, surmounted by an urga argent., was returned for the undocumented use of the urga and for conflict with Gillian Olafsdottir d'Uriel: Azure, three staves crossed at the nombril point argent. (The urga is essentially a staff, so X.2 does not apply, leaving just one CD for changing the type of two of three charges in a sheaf and nothing for the enflaming nor the point where the charges cross.), and for conflict with Loran Redbow: Azure, three fire-arrows bendwise sinister in bend argent, enflamed proper. There's a CD for arrangement but nothing for changing type of one of three charges in the group (as we are not comparing groups of three arranged two and one). This is a complete redesign. The client will be advised to more carefully center the furison upon the chief.


3. Brénainn mac Láegaire: NEW NAME and DEVICE

Per chevron azure and argent, a tree, its trunk the head and torso of a woman, eradicated counterchanged, on a chief argent a panther passant sable, incensed gules.


Brénainn is a masculine Irish Gaelic given name in Ó Corráin and Maguire, p. 34, as the name of several Irish saints. It is shown as an Old Irish Gaelic masculine name, dating from 525 to 770 in "Index of Names in Irish Annals: Brénaind, Brénainn," Mari Elspeth nic Bryan

( http://www.medievalscotland.org/kmo/AnnalsIndex/Masculine/Brenainn.shtml ).

Láegaire is a masculine Irish Gaelic name found in Ó Corráin and Maguire, p. 120, with two Irish saints mentioned bearing this name. Láegaire doesn't appear to be lenited, as it begins with an L-.

The client wants a male name, is most interested in the sound and language/culture of the name (Irish), and wishes it authentic for early-period Celtic culture.


The tree has a woman's head and upper torso that the client would very much like to maintain (yes, this is a tattoo). We'd thought of blazoning it as a dryad (tree nymph) or even as Daphne from classical mythology (who was pursued by Apollo and appealed to her father, a minor god, to help her escape Apollo's clutches...she was transformed into a laurel tree to do so), although the charge would definitely be categorized as a tree, but blazoning it as a tree with an unusual trunk seemed a more blazonable path to take.


4. Coileān mac an Bāird: NEW NAME and DEVICE

Per saltire azure and sable, a sword inverted surmounted by a staff bendwise, headed with a roundel, all argent.


The name is Irish Gaelic.

Coileān is a masculine given name found in Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames, Patrick Woulfe, p. 176. It is also cited (reiterated?) in Irish Names for Children, Patrick Woulfe (revised by Gerard Slevin, Gill and Macmillan, Dublin, 1974) as a Coileán, "an old Irish personal name meaning 'whelp', the same as the Scottish Cailean or Colin among the Campbells."

mac an Bāird is also found in Woulfe's Sloinnte Gaedheal is Gall: Irish Names and Surnames, p. 15; I have no other information on the name, and no expertise in Irish Gaelic naming practices aside from the bottom-of-the-barrel basics, so I hope that there is someone in the College who is willing to work on this on behalf of the client.

The client desires a male name. He will not accept Major changes to the name.


5. Constancia le Gode: NEW DEVICE

Vert, on a pale indented between two fleurs-de-lys argent, a wyvern statant atop a tower sable.


The name appears in the 20 March 2008 Atenveldt Letter of Intent.


6. Dominique de la Mer: NEW NAME

Withycombe cites Dominique as the French form of the masculine given name Dominic(k) (Withycombe, 3rd edition, p. 85 s.n. Dominic(k)); however, Withycombe is shaky at best on foreign versions of names. St. Gabriel Report #1967 says about the name Dominique that it is a modern French name used by men and women, and that period feminine forms include 12th and 13th C. Provencal form Domenga, and Dominica recorded in France through the 11th C. (the complete report can be found at http://www.s-gabriel.org/1967 ). The citation from Dauzat for Dominque does include a reference to St. Dominique (1170-1221), a Spaniard (known there as Domingo) and founder of the Dominican Order of priests (Dauzat, Albert. Dictionnaire Etymologique des Noms de Famille et des Prenoms de France, s.n. Dominique). He was canonized very soon after his death (1234), so that his influence might've been wide-spread through the rest of period

( http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05106a.htm ). Dauzat, unfortunately, doesn't mention a date when devotion to St. Dominique became established.

de la Mer is a French byname dated to 1438 in "French Surnames from Paris, 1421, 1423 & 1438, Aryanhwy merch Catmael

( http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/french/paris1423surnames.html ).

The client desires a female name, but she is willing to forego the gender if it is possible to register Dominique. If necessary, she will accept the form Dominic.

Further consultation with the client , although she desires a female name, reveals that she would accept a "gender unimportant" one in order to have the form Dominique registered. Additionally, if it is absolutely necessary, she would be willing to accept the spelling Dominic,

which Withycombe cites as being used by both men and women after the 13th C., in honor of the saint.


7. Dragna Aoine: NEW NAME

The name is Greek.

Dragna is a feminine given name from the Slavic, dated to 1321, in "Early 14th C. Byzantine Names of Macedonia," Maridonna Benvenuti

( http://www.maridonna.com/onomastics/macedonia.htm ).

The byname/family name Aoinos ("drinking no wine"), is femininized to Aoine; the family name and the construction of the feminine form are both found in "Personal Names of the Aristocracy in the Roman Empire during the Later Byzantine Era," Bardas Xiphias

( http://www.sca.org/heraldry/laurel/names/byzantine/introduction.html ).

The client desires a feminine name and is most interested in the meaning of the name.


8. Dubhghlais Brocc: NEW BADGE

(Fieldless) A cock within and conjoined to a mascle Or.


The name appears in the 20 March 2008 Atenveldt Letter of Intent.


This is clear of Sabine de Provence, Quarterly azure and ermine, a hen close Or., with a CD for the field and a CD for the mascle.


9. Francésca Marchési: NEW NAME

The name is Italian. Francésca is found on p. 175 of de Felice; as this is a given name, I believe it was found in de Felice's dizionario dei cognomi italiani. Francesca (without the diacritical mark) is a popular feminine given name found in "Feminine Given Names from the Online Catasto of Florence of 1427," Arval Benicoeur ( http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/arval/catasto/#alpha ).

Marchési is a family name found in dizionario dei Cognomi Italiani, de Felice, p. 161. The family name Marchese is found in "1800 Surnames Recorded in 1447," N.F. Faraglia ( http://www.abruzzoheritage.com/magazine/2002_06/d.htm ).


10. Hans Rüpprecht: NEW NAME

The name is German. Hans is a masculine given name, dated 42 times, from 1287 to 1571, in "Medieval German Given Names from Silesia
Men's Names," Talan Gwynek (
http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/talan/bahlow/bahlowMasc.html ).

Rüpprecht is found in Dictionary of German Names, Bahlow, p. 473, s.n. Rupp, Ruppel, as an Upper German patronymic. Talan's article demonstrates Ruprecht c. 1390 and 1396, and Rüppel in 1480. I don't think that the addition of the second -p- is of much importance, but the exchange of -ü- for -u- might be.

The client desires a male name and is most interested in the language/culture of the name (none given, but I suspect German). He will not accept Major changes to the name.


11. Iamys MacMurray de Morayshire: NEW DEVICE CHANGE

Azure, three mullets argent, on a bordure argent semy of hands gules.


The name was registered January 2002.


This could be alternately blazoned as Azure, three mullets on a bordure argent seven hands gules. (The client consistently draws this with seven hands, which is an arrangement that pleases him, although it counts for no difference versus a semy of the charges.) The hands lack the bit of wrist, but I feel that they are still blazonable as hands, rather than hand-prints: their tincture is a solid tincture, with no "pieces" of the palm or fingers missing (as one might tend to see in a handprint). The device submission of Zephyr Evanovich, Per fess Or and sable, a pair of handprints gules and a satyr "leaping" affronty maintaining a cup bendwise inverted Or., was returned December 2005 for a redrawing of the satyr and problems with the placement of the line of division. It was noted in that return that the use of handprints is unattested in period heraldry and their use in SCA armory is at least one step from period practice; it was not among the reasons for returnn. For comparison, the emblazon of Zephyr's handprints can be seen at http://atensubmissions.nexiliscom.com/8-2005LoI.shtml .


If registered his currently-registered device, Argent, on a bend azure cotised vert three mullets palewise argent all within a bordure azure., is to be released.


12. Kassah bint Badr: CHANGE OF HOLDING NAME, from "Leslie of Twin Moons"

The original name submission, Keshvar bint Afsar al-Mah, was returned by Laurel February 2002 for numerous problems, including the use of a modern (post-period) Zoroastrian name (Keshvar), and no dates cited or found the other elements. Her armory was registered under the holding name Leslie of Twin Moons.

Kassah is found as a feminine given name in "Jewish Women's Names in an Arab Context: Names from the Geniza of Cairo," Juliana de Luna

( http://heraldry.sca.org/laurel/names/geniza.html ). This article cites only personal names and notes that while this is a listing of names used by Jewish women, the names themselves are mostly Arabic. Kassah translates to "upper class" (although the meaning of the name was likely transparent to those named it, according to the article); there is also a longer version of the name, Sitt al-Kassah ("mistress of the elite).

Badr al-Din Lu’lu was the atabeg (governor) of Mosul, 1211-1259 (bibliography, "Period Arabic Names and Naming Practices," Da'ud ibn Auda, http://heraldry.sca.org/laurel/names/arabic-naming2.htm ). It is found as a masculine 'ism in "Personal Names in Monumental Inscriptions From Persia and Transoxiana," Ursula Georges ( http://www.doomchicken.net/~ursula/sca/onomastics/monument/isms.html ). Daud's article also supports the "X bint Y" Arabic name construction, meaning "X daughter of Y".

The client wants a female name and is most interested in the sound and meaning of the name: she'd like the given name as close to the sound of "Kessa" as possible and wants the byname to mean "daughter/granddaughter of a man named Moon."


13. Maredudd Browderer: NEW BADGE

(Fieldless) In saltire a holly leaf vert and a sewing needle argent.


The name was registered December 2003.


The badge uses elements of her registered device, Argent, a holly leave bendwise sinister vert between two needles bendwise sinister sable.

14. Margareta Marrian: NEW DEVICE

Per bend sinister argent and Or, a hummingbird rising contourny vert, beaked, winged and tailed sable, throated gules and argent, maintaining in its beak a threaded needle sable, and an arrow bendwise sinister inverted proper, fletched vert.


The name was registered July 2007.


Arrows proper are wooden with sable heads by default, so only the tincture of the fletching needs to be specified. The client thought a "more natural" coloration of the hummingbird would help in its definition (that a hummingbird's shape in profile would be too nebulous); while she was told that solid-colored hummingbirds have been registered without comment in the past, we decided to try submitting her original design. The thread from the needle is somewhat disconcerting (to me, who likes things nice and compartmentalized), but I don't know that such a wispy thing is a fatal flaw.


15. Mederic de Chastelerault: NEW BADGE

(Fieldless) In cross a sword fesswise reversed argent, hilted sable, and a sickle inverted argent.


The name was registered February 2007.


The charges are elements taken from his registered device, Azure, in cross a sword fesswise reversed proper and a sickle inverted argent.


16. Mederic de Chastelerault: NEW HOUSEHOLD NAME "House Steel Fang" and BADGE

Argent, on a fess cotised between a sword fesswise and another fesswise reversed sable, a pair of drinking horns argent.


The household name is likely to be a problem, as teeth are generally described in plain, practical terms (color, for example). Fang, as a canine tooth, is first cited in 1555, according to the COED. However, another definition of fang is "a noose, trap," cited in 1535. The concept of steel as a alloyed version of iron that has more strength and flexibility than plain iron goes back to Beowulf and is found throughout period: "looking glasses of steel" is cited in 1583.

Although the modern or more recognizable definitions of the words make the concept of "a tooth made out of steel/some sort of metal" perhaps a non-period one, the idea of a "trap/instrument made out of steel," as an artifact that might be found as an inn sign not all that unreasonable, although I will admit that the trap concept is likely a device more likely made out of rope (a noose) than of metal. The Hamere (1426), the Bell (1307, 1522), the Shippe (1423), the Sword (various spellings, 1380, 1470) are attested inn signs that feature artifacts likely to be made out of metal, or at least portions of them ("English Sign Names," Mari Elspeth nic Bryan, http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/mari/inn/#OtherItems ).

If this isn't registerable, the client will accept House Steel and Fang; this "X and Y" household name and order name has been registered a number of times by the College of Arms (House Bell and Frog, March 2004; House Blade and Bone, October 2006; House Moon and Boar, August 2005; House of the Cross and Panther, March 2007; Academy of the Falcon and Sword in August 2002). As an instrument made of steel to make fire (with a flint-stone), it is first seen in 1220 as "stel".


17. Michiel le Martel: NEW NAME and DEVICE

Per bend sinister gules and argent, a bend sinister between a mallet and a cross formy, all counterchanged.


The name is French. Michiel is a masculine given name found several times in "French Names from Paris, 1421, 1423, & 1438," Aryanhwy merch Catmael ( http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/french/paris1423.html ).

The byname means "the hammer." S. Gabriel report #2714 states "The word <martel> meaning 'hammer' is actually not German; it is Old French, via the Latin <martulus>, which is a modification of the classical <marculus> 'a small hammer'" [Greimas, Algirdas Julien, Dictionnaire de l'ancien franc,ais (Paris: Larousse, 1997). s.v. Martel; Dauzat, Albert, Dictionnaire Etymologique (Paris: Libraire Larousse, 1938). s.v. Marteau]. The surname Martel is dated to 1498 in "Late Period French Surnames (used by women)," Aryanhwy merch Catmael

( http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/french/latefrenchsurnames.html ). The client is willing to drop the article le, if need be, in order for the name to be registered.

The client desires a male name and is most interested in the sound and the meaning of the name, "Michael the Hammer" (hence the le), and he prefers the use of Martel. Again, the article can be dropped if necessary.


18. Roland Ansbacher: NEW NAME

Roland is a masculine given name. It is found seven times between 1546 and 1612 in "English Given Names from 16th and Early 17th C Marriage Records" http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/english/parishes/parishes.html . There are four examples of it in 1541 in Dictionary of Tudor London Names, http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/english/tudorlondon.pdf . There is one example of it in 1283-86, in this vernacular form, in "Names from 13th- and 14th-Century Latin Records from Gascony" (http://www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/french/earlygasconlatin.html)

Ansbach is a city southwest of Nuremburg; it grew around the monastery of Onolzbach, which was founded in 748 by the Benedictine Order. The town was later sold to a Franconian branch of the Hohenzollern family in 1331 ( http://www.britannica.com/bps/topic/26725/Ansbach ).

The combination of English and German name elements is one step from period practice.

The client desires a male name and is most interested in the sound of the name. He will not accept Major changes to the name.


19. Rollo the Walker: NEW NAME and DEVICE

Or, on a bend sinister cotised between two Thor's hammers sable, a sword Or.


The name is English. Rollo is found in A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, C.W. Bardlesy, p. 52 s.n. Rolf, Rolfe, Rolfes, Rolph: "The great landowner Goisfrid de Bec, son of Rollo...", c. 1275. It is styled in the Domesday Book as "filius Rolf."

Walker is an occupational byname, "a walker," i.e. Fuller: a term applied to a fuller of cloth, dated to 1273 and 1379 (ibid, p. 789-790). Reaney and Wilson comment that Rolf was a peasant name common in Normandy, where it became OFr Roul, Rou and was Latinized to Rollo (3rd edition, p. 382 s.n. Rolf). Reaney and Wilson also date le Walker to 1260 (p. 473 s.n. Walker).

The client desires a male name.


20. Terrance of Granite Mountain: NEW NAME and DEVICE

Sable, on a triangle inverted argent a bow fesswise drawn and nocked with an arrow inverted sable, all within an orle of plates.


Terrance is the client's given name (photocopy of driver's license to Laurel).

Granite Mountain is his home shire; the shire name was registered in December 1996.

The client desires a male name.


21. Varsonofii syn Zakhar'iashev Olyechnov: NEW BADGE

(Fieldless) A mullet voided surmounted by a spider inverted argent.


The name was registered July 2005.


The badge uses elements of his registered device, Sable, three spiders inverted and a bordure engrailed argent.


22. Zedena Lyschka: CHANGE OF HOLDING NAME from "Zedena of Tir Ysgithr"

The original name submission, Zedena Chovat se mazaný, was returned by Laurel February 2007 because no documentation was submitted and none found to support a Czech surname consisting of multiple words, and that the surname with a literal meaning "sly" or "like a fox" (the intended meaning of the submitted surname) is consistent with Czech naming practice. The client's device was registered under the holding name Zedena of Tir Ysgithr.

The College of Arms noted that there is evidence that Czech family names were formed based on animal names. "If the submitter is interested in a Czech surname meaning "little fox" or, possibly, "vixen", we suggest Lyschka. Walraven van Nijmegen notes: Polish for "vixen" is [lisica] or [liszka]. Schwarz ([Schwarz, Ernst. Sudetendeutsche Familiennamen des 15. und 16. Jahrhunderts])has a header for [Lischka], with a 1555 citation for "Petrus Lyschka" from Bohemia." The client has decided to follow the College's advice and submit Lyschka as a byname.

Lyschka: Petrus Lyschka dated to 1555, an individual from Bohemia (Schwarz, Ernst. Sudetendeutsche Familiennamen des 15. und 16. Jahrhunderts, s.n. Lischka).

The client desires a female name and is most interested in the meaning ("little fox") and sound.


I was assisted in the preparation of this Letter by Aryanhwy merch Catmael and Helena de Argentoune.


This letter contains 11 new names, 1 new household name, 7 new devices, 1 new device change, 5 new badges; 1 device resubmission, 2 holding name changes and 2 device resubmissions. This is a total of 30 items, 25 of them new. A check to cover fees will be sent separately.

Thank you again for your great indulgence and patience, your expertise and your willingness to share it.


I remain,



Marta as tu Mika-Mysliwy

c/o Linda Miku

2527 East 3rd Street; Tucson AZ 85716

atensubmissions.nexiliscom.com

brickbat@nexiliscom.com


Commonly-Cited References

Black, George F. The Surnames of Scotland.

Medieval Names Archive. http://www.s-gabriel.org/names/

Ó Corráin, Donnchadh and Fidelma Maguire. Irish Names.

Reaney, P.H. and R. M. Wilson. A Dictionary of English Surnames, 2nd Edition, 1976, reprinted 1979.

Withycombe, E.G., The Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names, 3rd Edition. London, Oxford University Press, 1977.







21 April 2008 Atenveldt Letter of Intent (A.S. XLII)


This page is best viewed with a minimum of 800 x 600 resolution, and 16 million colors.