Armorials in medieval manuscripts have awed people for ages. Yet they have remained poorly
understood. Who made and used these colorful collections of coats of arms? For what purpose?
And how can we make sense of their shapes and content? Drawing on recent innovative historical
studies on heraldry Elmar Hofman reassesses traditional perspectives and presents a new
multifaceted approach to increase the understanding of the content social contexts visual
presentations and purposes of armorials in medieval manuscripts. Revealing their variety as
means of communication and value as historical sources this book aims to encourage historians
and other researchers alike to explore the rich field of collections of coats of arms.
