The 3 Wise Men – Coats of Arms

July 23, 1164 is a day of high significance for Cologne: According to the Cologne Royal Chronicle produced some 50 years later, Archbishop Rainald von Dassel entered the city to the sound of bells and the cheers of the population. Reason for the triumph: He is bringing the relics of the Magi “to Cologne to the eternal glory of Germany”.

(Kölner Stadtanzeiger, Tuesday, 07.01.2014)

As a result of this relic, so the tradition goes, three golden crowns appear on the city crest of Cologne to this day.
That is exciting enough, but who would have thought that the Three Wise Men even had coats of arms?

Here is the “proof ”…

The Ingeram-Codex

Also known as “Codex Cotta”, according to one of its previous owners, is a book of heraldry of the Austrian Duke Albrecht VI., dated 1459. Today, it is in the possession of the Weapon Collection of the Museum of Art History in Vienna.

Proof is also found in the Wernigerode Book of Heraldry

The Wernigerode Book of Heraldry (also Schaffhausen Book of Heraldry), is considered to be the best preserved book of heraldry of the 15th Century. It emerged between 1486 and 1492. It originally consisted of two volumes, the second of which is presumed lost. A third volume with the index of names to volumes 1 and 2 is now on permanent loan to the University and State Library Halle as the Prince Stolberg-Wernigerode deposit.

 

And finally, also in the Book of Heraldry Codex Haggenberg

Hans Haggenberg came into the world in 1450 and entered the service of the Abbot of St Gallen, Ulrich Rösch where he was employed until at least 1488. During this period he created the only work with certainty ascribed to him, the Book of Heraldry, Codex Haggenberg, (Codex 1084 of the St. Gallen Abbey Library). In the book he describes himself as author of the work and citizen of St. Gallen.

It is striking, but not surprising, that the color scheme of the Magi coats of arms is variable, which is frequently the case with “ascribed” coats of arms, because there is naturally a lack of continuity in the bearing of these coats of arms over an extended period.

Subsequent Allocation of Coat of Arms

As students of heraldry, you may ask: How can this be? The heraldic period does not begin until the second third of the 12th Century. That is correct. However, the crest enthused Middle and Late Middle Ages also granted coats of arms to historical, mythological and biblical personalities who lived long before this time.

In the 1705 edition of the Siebmacher Book of Heraldry there are even coats of arms for Adam of the Bible, Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, King Arthur and Charlemagne:

Written by: Dr. Rolf E. Sutter
Since 1980, scientific director at PRO HERALDICA. Dr. Rolf Sutter is a member of the Académie Internationale d’Héraldique, member of the Académie Internationale de Généalogie, president of Wappen-HEROLD, German Heraldic Society Incorporated, Chairman of the board of Gerhard Tietz Foundation International, member of the Association of German speaking professional genealogists.

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