LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Heraldry: Russian College
built 230 days ago
The Russian College of Heraldry was re-established in April 1991 under the High Patronage of His Imperial Highness, The Grand Duke of Russia Vladimir Kirillovich in his capacity as Head of the Imperial House of Romanov. Up until his death in 1992, the Grand Duke supported the aims of the College, its' re-establishment as an Imperial College of Arms and as well the renaissance of Russian heraldry.
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The American College of Heraldry is a Chartered, non-profit body established in 1972, with the aim of aiding in the study and perpetuation of heraldry in the United States and abroad. Registrations are restricted by policy to American citizens or residents, as well as to others with significant personal or business connections in America.
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Heraldry itself dates from the beginning of the 12th century, when coats of arms began to appear and were adopted rapidly throughout Western Europe. These symbols were developed because of the military necessity of identifying armor-clad warriors, whose faces were covered by helmets. Because of the Crusades, in which men of many nationalities were involved, the idea of heraldic identification spread readily among the nobility of Western Europe. Because the majority of the nobles could not write, their coats of arms were soon incorporated into the design of the wax seals with which they stamped letters and documents. Within a short time coats of arms were adopted for the same purpose by clerics, lawyers, and the heads of corporations such as colleges, merchant companies, and towns.
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