Surprisingly, very often we use words whose meanings are not fully understood by us. One example of such usage is the herald. This concept has been known since the Dark Ages, and more than once its meaning has changed. We use this word in certain places, and we believe that we are doing it right. But does our knowledge of history match? Whom they called heralds in ancient times, and how the meaning of this concept has changed over time, we learn below.
Dark ages
After the fall of the Roman Empire , new - feudal relations began to take shape on the European continent. The high culture of ancient thinkers has disappeared into the past - in medieval Europe, an educated person could be found no more often than a blossoming apple tree in winter. Literate were the clergy and the skinny layer of the urban bourgeois, who traded in medicine, pharmaceuticals and litigation. But gradually the need for educated members of society increased. Oddly enough, knightly tournaments have contributed a lot to this.
Knights and heralds
Any self-respecting knight took part in various tournaments, where he earned a reputation as a brave and brave warrior.
Such fame could lead to honors and wealth - a reward was given out for winning tournaments, and many nobles were not averse to getting such a triumphant in their retinue. But the knights were completely illiterate, studying letters and numbers was considered an occupation unworthy of a real man. In order to announce the arrival of the knight, to tell about his shield and flag, to list all his previous victories, special people were hired, each of whom was called a “herald”. These were servants who could read and write, close to their master, accompanying him in military campaigns and tournament competitions. Their duty was to count victories and praise their master. Those who were called heralds knew their master’s pedigree and upon arrival at the tournament venue blew their horn loudly. No wonder in French the herald is written as blason. This word has German roots, and means "blow the horn."
Duties of the Herald
Knowledge of the coats of arms of the noble noblemen, the ability to attract the attention of crowds, loyalty and loyalty to the master - these are the minimum requirements that the herald should meet. This occupation brought honor and prosperity, therefore it was often inherited. In addition, tournaments were often held in distant countries, so it was important for the herald to know foreign languages, the history of the creation of emblems, flags and distinctive signs of all the noble families of his time. The knights had to fight with peers of nobility and antiquity - so heralds became stewards of tournaments. And the knowledge of coats of arms and other distinctive signs gave rise to the science of heraldry, which in our time studies the coats of arms and flags of various states. Despite his knowledge, heralds were little appreciated in the retinue of the feudal lord. Between fights and battles, he talked about the exploits of his overlord, and praised his real or imaginary merits.
Change of duties
Later, the role of heralds began to be appreciated. The poor and ragged servants were replaced by educated personalities who represented their master in all social events. The heralds wore the clothes of their overlord, were authorized to speak on his behalf. Gradually, the herald was perceived as a messenger who voiced the will of his master and transmitted his instructions.
Heralds in history
Knight tournaments later became a thing of the past, but the heralds remained. Now the herald is a representative of the royal houses, a messenger, a messenger of royal will. It is their responsibility to convey the will of the sovereign to all corners of the kingdom. Any sleepy village or provincial city was waiting for news that only the royal herald could bring. Synonyms of this word in Russian - herald, messenger, messenger, ceremonial master. As you can see, all these meanings can be completely combined into one word. The importance of the position shows the transfer of the meaning of this word into the personal context. The name Gerold has become quite popular, it is considered generic in many families. Many of the noble families of Western Europe descended from royal heralds and master ceremonies. They owe their position to their distant ancestors - heralds.
The heralds were necessarily part of the king’s retinue, took part in the work of embassies, and high powers were delegated to them in treaties between states. It was considered unacceptable to let go of an envoy with empty hands after an audience - this was considered a sign of disrespect for the king of the country represented by the herald. This rule lasted for a long time, until the end of the 19th century, when the change of social order deprived the heralds of their authority, and completely different people began to fulfill their duties.
Heralds today
Currently, heralds are preserved only in a few royal houses of Europe. They still announce the will of their overlord and perfectly know his coat of arms and genealogy. In different languages, this word sounds almost the same: “Harold”, “Harold”, “Herald”. The emphasis in this word is on "o", and due to its phonetic composition, this word is difficult to write with errors.
In modern vocabulary, this concept has left only the meaning of a messenger - the word "herald" is sometimes used in the names of daily newspapers or as a humorous designation of a messenger transmitting someone else's orders.