Heraldry arose, almost spontaneously, throughout Europe in a short space of time between 1130-1160 coinciding with the development of more sophisticated armour. It can be seen from the contemporary seal below of William Ferrers, Earl of Derby, that the horseman would be unrecognisable in the encasing helmet, but easily spotted at a distance by the distinctive markings on his shield and on his horses's drapery.

Heraldry, Pageantry and Social Display in Medieval England

Medieval culture was intensely visual. Although this has long been recognised by art historians and by enthusiasts for particular media, there has been little attempt to study social display as a subject in its own right. And yet, display takes us directly into the values, aspirations and, indeed, anxieties of past societies. In this illustrated volume a group of experts address a series of interrelated themes around the issue of display.