HISTORY

HERALDRY

The Universe

The Realm

The Ruler

The State

The Achievement

Unicorn

Order of the Thistle

The Achievement

The Royal Court of Scotland was the administrative, political and artistic centre of the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged in the tenth century and continued until it ceased to function when James VI inherited the throne of England in 1603. For most of the medieval era, the king had no "capital" as such. The Pictish centre of Forteviot was the chief royal seat of the early Gaelic Kingdom of Alba that became the Kingdom of Scotland. In the twelfth and thirteenth centuries Scone was a centre for royal business. Edinburgh only began to emerge as the capital in the reign of James III but his successors undertook occasional royal progress to a part of the kingdom. Little is known about the structure of the Scottish royal court in the period before the reign of David I when it began to take on a distinctly feudal character, with the major offices of the Steward, Chamberlain, Constable, Marischal and Lord Chancellor. By the early modern era the court consisted of leading nobles, office holders, ambassadors and supplicants who surrounded the king or queen. The Chancellor was now effectively the first minister of the kingdom and from the mid-sixteenth century he was the leading figure of the Privy Council.

The court was severely disrupted during the Wars of Independence (1296-1357) and almost ceased to function, but was restored by Robert I (1306-’21) and his Stuart successors, who attempted to embody national and dynastic identity. In the later Middle Ages the king moved between royal castles, particularly Perth and Stirling, but continued to hold judicial sessions throughout the kingdom. Edinburgh only began to emerge as the capital in the reign of James III (1460-‘88) at the cost of considerable unpopularity, as it was felt that the king's presence in the rest of the kingdom was part of his role. Although increasingly based at the royal palace of Holyrood in Edinburgh, the monarch and the court still spent time at refurbished royal palaces of Linlithgow, Stirling and Falkland, and still undertook occasional royal progress to a part of the kingdom to ensure that the rule of law, royal authority or smooth government was maintained

Initially the administrative and martial functions of the court were symbolized by the two sides of the stone slabs representing a square cross and the king and his retinue or curia regis (King’s Council). On some stones the heavenly mandate is symbolized by angels supporting the square cross. These stones are for that reason essentially different from the celtic crosses which symbolize combinations of administrative and religious authority as exercised by the clergy, leaving armed authority to the king.

The authorities of the king are represented on both sides of the royal seal from the beginning of the 12th century, the obverse representing the administrative- and the reverse the martial authority.

After the restoration of the court by Robert I it took another century to make the court sufficiently institutionalized to introduce an achievement symbolizing both administrative- and martial authority sanctioned by the ruler symbolized by a lion, classifying him as of the 3rd rank after the ancient Roman illustres and spectabilis (with an eagle and a griffin for badges respectively). In the 15th century the lion was abandoned and a unicorn was introduced as a royal badge with had nothing to do whatsoever with the ancient badges of rank and stressing the point that the king of Scotland had never been a vassal of the Roman Empire. Also there is no reminescence of the ancient Saxon 3rd Heerschild.

On the contrary, the unicorn was a badge of rank originating from the Persian Empire and was also used by the Seljuks, the Chinese and the Muslims. In the case of Castile it had been the badge of the major domus and military leader during the reign of King Alfonso VII. In this context it must be remarked that a stewart is a kind of major dome and that the ruling dynasty of Scotland in the time of the introduction of the Unicorn was the House of Steward (1371-1714)

James I

*1394- †1437

1406-1437

Privy Seal of James I, about 1424

(National Museums of Scotland)

 “The unicorn does not make its appearance as a royal beast in Scotland before the reign of King James I. His coinage showed a single unicorn supporting his arms, though two Lions support his arms on his Privy Seal” [2]

James II

1437-1460

The achievement of Scotland  in Merano castle (Italy)

These are the arms and supporters of Eleanora (*1433-†1480), daughter of James I (and sister of James II) and married with Duke Sigismund of Austria (*1427-†1490).

James III

1460-1488

“A single Unicorn appears from time to time in subsequent reigns, but it is not until the reign of James III, towards the end of the fifteenth century, that two Unicorns are used as supporters” .[3]

James IV

1488-1513

Privy Seal of James IV, 1489

James IV used the same design on his privy seal as that used by his father, James III but he added two small saltires to the design. In the centre there is a shield bearing the Royal arms, with an open crown with nine points sitting above it and rocks and foliage beneath it. The two supporters on either side of the shield are lions. The inscription or ‘legend’ reads Sigillum Secretum Jacobi dei Gratia Regis Scotorvm which means the Private Seal of James by the grace of God king of Scotland. A saltire [a simple St Andrew’s cross] sits on the flank of the ‘dexter’ or right-hand lion and a second is just visible to the right of the same lion between an ‘annulet’ [a small ring] and a ‘mascle’ [a diamond or lozenge- shaped symbol].

(National Records of Scotland reference: RH6/544)

James V

1513-1542

Royal Achievement of Scotland 1530 ca

from the apartments of Cardinal David Beaton, Keeper of the Privy Seal, in St. Andrews Castle, Fife

(now in the National Museum of Scotland)

Royal achievement of James V

In the Book of Hours of James IV (V)

Arms: Scotland.

Crest: On a golden helmet affrontée, royally crowned, lambrequined Azure and Gules, a lion sejant guardant Gules, royally crowned, in his dexter a sword upright and in his sinister a banner Gules, a saltire ermine.

Order: Of the Thistle

Supporters: Two unicorns Argent haltered with a crown and shackled Or.

Motto: in mI defens

Achievement of James V

on the constitution of parliament, 1540

Arms: Scotland.

Crest: On a golden helmet affrontée, royally crowned lambrequined Azure and Gules, a lion sejant guardant Gules, royally crowned, in his dexter a sword upright and in his sinister a sceptre,

Order: Of the Thistle

Supporters: Two unicorns Argent haltered with a crown  and shackled Or., the dexter keeping a spear with the royal banner of the arms, the sinister keeping a spear with the banner of Scotland Azure, a saltire Argent

Motto: in mI defens

On a scroll: iacobvs rex 5.

In the field flowers of the thistle.

1542

Arms: Scotland.

Crest: On a golden helmet affrontée, royally crowned lambrequined Azure and Gules, a lion sejant guardant Gules, royally crowned, in his dexter a sword upright and in his sinister a sceptre,

Order: Of the Thistle

Supporters: Two unicorns Argent haltered with a crown  and shackled Or., the dexter keeping a spear with the royal banner of the arms, the sinister keeping a spear with the banner of Scotland Azure, a saltire Argent

Motto: in defens

Compartment: A grassy ground, in the field a thistle-flower

The Armorial of Sir David Lindsay of the Mount, Schotland, was begun 1542.[4]

Mary

*1542- †1587

Queen of Scotland 1542-1567

¥ Francis II of France 1558-’60

Queen of France 1559-1560

¥ Henry Stewart 1565-’67

¥ James Hepburn 1567-’78

Heraldic seal:

Arms: Scotland.

Crown: The crown of Scotland.

Order: Of the Thistle.

Supporters: Two unicorns Argent, maned and tufted, halstered with a crown and shackled Or. [5]

Achievement of Queen Mary

in the room where king James (VI/I) was born in Edinburgh Castle

Painted by John Anderson, 1617.

Arms: Scotland.

Crown: The crown of Scotland

Crest: A lion sejant guardant Gules, in his dexter a sword and in his sinister a sceptre.

Order: Of the Thistle.

Supporters: Two unicorns maned and tufted, royally crowned, halstered with crowns and shackled Or 

War Cry: in defence.

Motto: nemo  me  impune  lacesset (No one provokes me with impunity). 

The text on the panel below reads: Lord Jesu Chryst that Crounit was with Thornse / Preserve the Birth quhats Badgie hair is borne / And send Hir Sonce Successione to Reigne still / Lang in this Realme it that it be Thy will / Als Grant O Lord quhat ever of Hir proseed / Be to Thy Glorie Honer and Prans sobied.

“Mary, Queen of Scots, used two Unicorns as supporters on her Great Seal but two Lions as supporters on her Privy Seal” (Dennys, p. 165)

James VI / I

1567-1625

King of England 1603-1625

Great Seal of 1567

Heraldic seal:

Arms: Scotland.

Crown: The crown of Scotland

Crest: A lion sejant guardant Gules, in his dexter a sword and in his sinister a sceptre.

Order: Of the Thistle.

Supporters: Two unicorns maned and tufted, halstered with crowns and shackled Or, the dexter supporting a spear with the royal saltire banner, the sinister supporting a banner of the arms

Motto: in defens

Union with England 1603

Achievement of James I in Einburgh Castle

L.: iacobus primus brittaniæ franciæ et hyberniæ rex. (Edinburgh Castle, 2002)

Arms: Quarterly: the first and fourth for Scotland: Or, a lion rampant Gules, langued and unguled Azure, within a tressure flory counter-flory of the second; the second for England: Gules, Three lions passant guardant Or; the third for Ireland: Azure, a harp Or, stringed Argent.

Crest: On a barred golden helmet guardant, lambrequined Or and Ermine, Imperially crowned, a lion sejant affronté erect Gules, langued and unguled Azure, Imperially crowned, in his dexter paw a sword and in his sinister paw a sceptre, both erect proper.

Order: The collar and jewel of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle. Order of the Garter.

Supporters: Dexter, a Unicorn Argent, horned, hoofed, maned and tufted Or, with a crown about its neck and shackled Or, Imperially crowned, supporting a spear with a banner Azure, a cross saltire Argent, fringed and tasseled Or. Sinister, a lion guardant Or, langued and unguled Gules, Imperially crowned, supporting a spear with a banner Argent, a cross Gules, fringed and tasseled Or.

War Cry: in defens

Charles I

1625-1649

Great Seal of Charles I

Achievement as of James I. L.: carolvs . d . g . mag . brit . fran . et . hib . rex. (Gray Birch n° 52)

Commonwealth & Protectorate

1652-1660

Oliver Cromwell

Lord Protector 1653-1658

Great Seal for Scotland, 1656

Arms: Azure, a saltire Argent charged with the arms of Cromwell: Sable, a lion rampant Argent.

Crest: On a helmet guardant lambrequined ermine and Azure a royal crown, crested with a lion passant guardant Or, royally crowned.

Supporters: Dexter: a lion guardant Or, royally crowned; Sinister: A dragon Gules.

Motto: PAX QUÆRITVR BELLO (Peace is Sought by War).

Kingdom

1660-1707

House of Stuart

Charles II

1660-1685

In 1672 the achievement as introduced by James V was described ex post facto. 

“....at the institution of the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in 1672, Charles II, who (along with his brother, the Duke of Albany and York) set his subjects a good example by obtempering the Statute himself, ‘gave in’ not only the quartered Royal shield [6], but also the Tressured Lion Rampant with its Unicorn Supporters and Lion Crest, which therefore stands recorded in Lyon Register as the exclusive property of the Sovereign [7].

The entry in Lyon Register, dated 1672, reads as follows:

The blason of the atchevement of the King of Scotland.

The most high and mighty Monarch Charles the second Gives as the Soveraigne atchivement of his antient Kingdome of Scotland, Or, a Lyon rampant gules armed and langued azure within a double tressur flowered and counterflowered with flowers de lis of the second, Encircled with the order of Scotland the same being composed of Rue and thistles having the Image of St. Andrew  with his crosse on his brest y unto pendent. Above the shield ane Helmet answerable to his Majesties high qualitie and jurisdiction with a mantle or doubled ermine adorned with ane Imperiall Crowne beautified with crosses pattee and flowers de lis surmounted on the top for his Majesties Crest of a Lyon sejant full faced gules crowned or holding in his dexter paw a naked sword proper and in the sinister a Scepter both erected paleways supported be two Unicornes Argent crowned with Imperiall and goarged with open Crownes, to the last chains affixed passing betwixt their fore leggs and reflexed over their backs or, he on the dexter imbracing and bearing up a banner of cloath of gold charged with the Royall Armes of Scotland and he on the sinister another Banner azure charged with a St. Andrews Crosse argent, both standing on ane compartment placed underneath from which issue thistles one towards each side of the escutcheon, and for his Majisties Royall Motto’s in ane escroll over all In defence, and under on a table of the compartent Nemo me impune  lacessit.

James II        

1685-1689

William III & Mary

1689-1694

Arms of William and Mary on a contemporary engraving

On the arms preference is given to the arms of England. In the middle are the arms of William, Prince of Orange being quarterly of Nassau, Katzenellnbogen, Vianden, Dietz; in nombril point Chalons, Orange, Genève. In chief Meurs and in base Buren.

William III of Orange  Nassau

1694-1702

Achievement for Scotland of William III

Seal box of silver, circular in two portions, engraved with the royal arms of Scotland and the arms of Don of Newton Don, by Thomas Ker, Edinburgh, Scotland, c. 1695

Anne

1702-1707

Great Britain

Anne  

1707-1714

Article 24 of the Act of Union provided for the creation of a new Great Seal for Great Britain, different from those of England and Scotland, but also provided that the English Great Seal could be used until this had been created.

No warrant for any special version of  the Royal Arms for use in Scotland has ever been issued and as a result no special royal coat of arms and achievement for use in Scotland are known from the Kingdom of Great Britain.

House of Hanover

George I

1714-1727

George II

1727-1760

George III

1760-1801

Great Britain and Ireland

George III

King of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1820

Royal achievement for Scotland, 1801-1816

St. Michael’s Church, Linlithgow

At the creation of Great Britain and Ireland it was laid down that there would be a special coat of arms for Scotland. Like in the coat of arms for England the quarter with the fleurs de lis was cancelled. For George III and his successors George IV and William IV new seals were cut, today exposed in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. On the obverse the king on horseback is represented and on the reverse the achievement for Scotland. The achievements differ somewhat in style and the motto of William IV is SUSCIPERE ET FINIRE (Undertake and Accomplish) instead of DIEU ET MON DROIT.

Seal with the royal achievement for Scotland, 1816

The achievement is

Arms: ¼: 1&4: Scotland; 2. England; 3. Ireland. In nombril point: Tierced per pile: 1. Brunswick; 2. Lüneburg; 3. Saxony. In nomril point: Archtreasurer of the Holy Roman Empire. Crowned with a royal crown.

Crown: The Imperial State crown

Orders: 1. Jewel and collar of the Order of the Thistle; 2 Garter and the George  of the Order of the Garter

Supporters: Dexter, a Unicorn Argent, horned, hoofed, maned and tufted Or, with a crown about its neck and shackled Or, Imperially crowned, supporting a spear with a banner Azure, a cross saltire Argent, fringed and tasseled Or. Sinister, a lion guardant Or, langued and unguled Gules, Imperially crowned, supporting a spear with a banner Argent, a cross Gules, fringed and tasseled Or.

Motto: dieu et mon droit.

Badges: The Scottish thistle and the English rose.

George IV     

William IV     

1820-1830

1830-1837

Victoria

1837-1901

Seal of Queen Victoria

The achievement is

Arms: ¼: 1&4: Scotland; 2. England; 3. Ireland.

Crown: The Imperial State crown

Orders: 1. Jewel and collar of the Order of the Thistle; 2 Garter and the George  of the Order of the Garter

Supporters: Dexter, a Unicorn Argent, horned, hoofed, maned and tufted Or, with a crown about its neck and shackled Or, Imperially crowned, supporting a spear with a banner Azure, a cross saltire Argent, fringed and tasseled Or. Sinister, a lion guardant Or, langued and unguled Gules, Imperially crowned, supporting a spear with a banner Argent, a cross Gules, fringed and tasseled Or.

Motto: dieu et mon droit.

Badges: The Scottish thistle and the English rose.

Panel with the achievement of Queen Victoria

Edward VII

1901-1910

The Act of Union had provided that the Arms of the United Kingdom should be declared by Her Majesty (Queen Anne), and one version for the United Kingdom was called into being. No warrant for any special version of  the Royal Arms for use in Scotland has ever been issued, but for the purposes of the Great Seal for Scotland a special design was submitted to King Edward VII., who approved the same by Order in Council, 11th August 1903. The seal is illustrated and described in the Report of the Deputy-Master of the Mint for 1904, and annexed to the illustration is the following description of “The Royal Arms of Scotland,” viz.:

- Arms - Quarterly, First and Fourth, or, a lion rampant within a double tressure flory, counterflory gules; Second, gules, three lions passant guardant in pale or;  Third, azure, a harp or, stringed argent. The shield is surrounded by the collar of the Order of the Thistle with the St. Andrew pendant therefrom. Crest - On the Royal Crown proper, a lion sejant affrontée gules, holding in his dexter paw a sword and in his sinister a sceptre erect, also proper. Supporters - Dexter, a unicorn argent, armed, crined and unguled or, gorged with a coronet composed of crossed pattée and fleurs-de-lis, a chain affixed thereto, reflexed over the back and fastened to a staple below, of the last, and holding erect a lance ensigned with the flag of Scotland, azure, a saltire argent. Sinister, a lion guardant or, crowned with the Royal crown poper, holding erect a lance ensigned with the flag of England argent, a cross gules. Motto - Over the crest, “In defens.”

[The seal itself shows the unicorn crowned with a similar crown to the lion, which fact is omitted in the description.] A similar design appears upon the Great Seal of Scotland of King George V. This order in Council is in Scotland held to authorise this version of the Royal Arms for general use in that country, but it really has no such legal effect. If either king had intended or desired such a result, the intention would have been declared by a proper Warrant issued in a proper way. Arms for the United Kingdom are one thing, arms for that part of it called Scotland are another, but the foregoing design is neither. [8]

House of Saxony-Coburg and Gotha / Windsor (1917)

George V

1910-1922

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

1922-present

George V

1922-1936

Seal of King George V

Edward VIII

1936

George VI

1936-1952

Elizabeth II

1952-present       

By Don Pottinger, 1985

Arms: Or, a lion rampant Gules, langued and unguled Azure, within a tressure flory counter-flory of the second.

Crest: On a barred golden helmet guardant, lambrequined Or and Ermine, Imperially crowned, a lion sejant affronté erect Gules, langued and unguled Azure, Imperially crowned, in his dexter paw a sword and in his sinister paw a sceptre, both erect proper.

Order: The collar and jewel of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle.

Supporters: Two Unicorns Argent, horned, hoofed, maned and tufted Or, with a leafy crown about their necks and shackled Or, Imperially crowned, the dexter supporting a spear with a banner of the Arms: and the sinister supporting a banner Azure, a cross saltire Argent, both banners fringed and tasseled Or.

War Cry: in defens

Motto: nemo me impune lacessit (No One Provokes Me Unpunished)

Compartment: A grassy ground with thistles in front.