Garter Principal King of Arms
Encyclopedia
The Garter Principal King of Arms (also Garter King of Arms or simply Garter) is the senior King of Arms
, and the senior Officer of Arms
of the College of Arms
. He is therefore the most powerful herald
within the jurisdiction of the College – primarily England
, Wales
and Northern Ireland
– and so arguably the most powerful in the world. The position has existed since 1415.
The current Garter Principal King of Arms is Thomas Woodcock, CVO
.
for the running of the College. He is the principal adviser to the Sovereign
of the United Kingdom
with respect to ceremonial and heraldry
, with specific responsibility for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and, with the exception of Canada, for Commonwealth realms of which The Queen
is Sovereign. He also serves as the King of Arms of the Order of the Garter and his seal and signature appear on all grants of arms made by the College.
. Henry V of England
instituted the office of Garter in 1415 just before sailing for France
.
The Garter Principal King of Arms was placed by King Henry V over all the whole body of heralds. He may be said to have two distinct capacities united in his person, one relative to the order of the Garter, the other as head of the College of Arms, and on this account he not only takes an oath in a chapter of the Garter, before the Sovereign and Knights, but as king at arms another oath before the Earl Marshal
, and therefore he is stiled both principal officer of arms of the most noble order of the Garter and principal king of English arms.
He has power to appoint a herald for his deputy: he must be a native of England and a gentleman bearing arms. It was anciently held that he was neither to be a knight nor a clergyman; but there has been one instance of a Garter having been a foreigner; and since the reign of Henry VII many of them have received knighthood: one was created a knight of the Bath. The office entitles him to the privilege of correcting errors or usurpations in all armorial bearings, to grant arms to such who deserve them, to present to the House of Lords
a genealogy
of every new peer
, to assign his place in the chamber of parliament and to give him and the knights of the Bath supporters.
The arms of his office are, according to the official source, Argent a Cross Gules on a Chief Azure a crown enclosed in a Garter between a lion passant guardant and a fleur de lis all Or. However, some writers have deemed the chief "gules" (red), not "azure" (blue).
King of Arms
King of Arms is the senior rank of an officer of arms. In many heraldic traditions, only a king of arms has the authority to grant armorial bearings. In other traditions, the power has been delegated to other officers of similar rank.-Heraldic duties:...
, and the senior Officer of Arms
Officer of arms
An officer of arms is a person appointed by a sovereign or state with authority to perform one or more of the following functions:*to control and initiate armorial matters*to arrange and participate in ceremonies of state...
of the College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
. He is therefore the most powerful herald
Herald
A herald, or, more correctly, a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is often applied erroneously to all officers of arms....
within the jurisdiction of the College – primarily England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
– and so arguably the most powerful in the world. The position has existed since 1415.
The current Garter Principal King of Arms is Thomas Woodcock, CVO
Thomas Woodcock (officer of arms)
Thomas Woodcock, CVO, DL, FSA is Garter Principal King of Arms.Woodcock was educated at Eton College. He went up to University College, Durham, where he obtained a BA degree, and subsequently to Darwin College, Cambridge, where he received his LLB degree. Woodcock was called to the Bar at the...
.
Role
Garter is responsible to the Earl MarshalEarl Marshal
Earl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England...
for the running of the College. He is the principal adviser to the Sovereign
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with respect to ceremonial and heraldry
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
, with specific responsibility for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and, with the exception of Canada, for Commonwealth realms of which The Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
is Sovereign. He also serves as the King of Arms of the Order of the Garter and his seal and signature appear on all grants of arms made by the College.
History
The office takes its name from the Order of the GarterOrder of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
. Henry V of England
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
instituted the office of Garter in 1415 just before sailing for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The Garter Principal King of Arms was placed by King Henry V over all the whole body of heralds. He may be said to have two distinct capacities united in his person, one relative to the order of the Garter, the other as head of the College of Arms, and on this account he not only takes an oath in a chapter of the Garter, before the Sovereign and Knights, but as king at arms another oath before the Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England...
, and therefore he is stiled both principal officer of arms of the most noble order of the Garter and principal king of English arms.
He has power to appoint a herald for his deputy: he must be a native of England and a gentleman bearing arms. It was anciently held that he was neither to be a knight nor a clergyman; but there has been one instance of a Garter having been a foreigner; and since the reign of Henry VII many of them have received knighthood: one was created a knight of the Bath. The office entitles him to the privilege of correcting errors or usurpations in all armorial bearings, to grant arms to such who deserve them, to present to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
a genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
of every new peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
, to assign his place in the chamber of parliament and to give him and the knights of the Bath supporters.
The arms of his office are, according to the official source, Argent a Cross Gules on a Chief Azure a crown enclosed in a Garter between a lion passant guardant and a fleur de lis all Or. However, some writers have deemed the chief "gules" (red), not "azure" (blue).
Holders of the office
- 1415–1450 William BrugesWilliam BrugesWilliam Bruges was an English officer of arms. He is best remembered as the first person appointed to the post of Garter King of Arms, which is currently the highest heraldic office in England.-Origins:...
- 1450–1478 John Smert
- 1478–1504 John WritheJohn WritheJohn Writhe was a long-serving English officer of arms. He was probably the son of William Writhe, who represented the borough of Cricklade in the Parliament of 1450–51, and is most remembered for being the first Garter King of Arms to preside over the College of Arms...
- 1505–1534 Sir Thomas WriothesleyThomas WriothesleySir Thomas Wriothesley was a long serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He was the son of Garter King of Arms, John Writhe, and he succeeded his father in this office.-Personal life:...
- 1534–1536 Sir Thomas Wall
- 1536–1550 Sir Christopher BarkerChristopher BarkerSir Christopher Barker was an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London.-Heraldic career:Barker started his heraldic career as the private officer of arms of Charles Brandon. Barker was made Lisle pursuivant in 1513 and Suffolk Herald in 1517. He is known to have accompanied his employer on...
- 1550–1584 Sir Gilbert DethickGilbert DethickSir Gilbert Dethick Kt FSA was a long-serving English officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He would eventually rise to the highest heraldic office in England and serve as Garter Principal King of Arms....
- 1584–1586 Vacant
- 1586–1606 Sir William DethickWilliam DethickSir William Dethick was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He was the son of Sir Gilbert Dethick and followed his father as Garter Principal King of Arms...
- 1607–1633 Sir William SegarWilliam SegarSir William Segar was a portrait painter and officer of arms to the court of Elizabeth I of England who became Garter King of Arms under James I....
- 1633–1643 Sir John BoroughJohn BoroughSir John Borough was the Garter Principal King of Arms 1633-43.-Life:He was grandson of William Borough, of Sandwich, Kent, by the daughter of Basil Gosall, of Nieuwkerk, Brabant, and son of John Borough, of Sandwich, by his wife, daughter of Robert Denne, of Dennehill, Kent. He received a...
- 1643–1644 Sir Henry St GeorgeHenry St George- Life :He was born in 1581 at Hatley St George, Cambridgeshire. He entered the College of Arms as Rouge Rose pursuivant-extraordinary in 1610 and was promoted to Bluemantle pursuivant the following year, in which capacity accompanied his father in his visitations of Derbyshire and Cheshire...
- 1643–1660 Sir Edward ByssheEdward ByssheSir Edward Bysshe FRS was an English barrister, politician and officer of arms. He sat in the House of Commons variously between 1640 and 1679 and was Garter King of Arms during the Commonwealth period.-Life:...
- 1645–1677 Sir Edward WalkerEdward Walker (officer of arms)Sir Edward Walker was an officer of arms and antiquarian who served as Garter King of Arms.-Early life:Walker was born in 1611 at Roobers in Nether Stowey, Somerset, and entered the household of the great Earl Marshal Thomas Howard in 1633.-Charles I:Walker was in almost constant attendance on...
- 1677–1686 Sir William DugdaleWilliam DugdaleSir William Dugdale was an English antiquary and herald. As a scholar he was influential in the development of medieval history as an academic subject.-Life:...
- 1686–1703 Sir Thomas St GeorgeThomas St George- Life :He was the eldest child of the herald Henry St George and lived at Woodford in Essex. Around 1646 he married Clara Pymlowe , whose father was a Northamptonshire rector. They had six children. At the Restoration he was appointed Somerset herald...
- 1703–1715 Sir Henry St GeorgeHenry St George, the youngerHenry St George, the younger , herald, was a younger son of the herald Henry St George.- Life :He was born in July 1625 in St Andrew's parish, Hertford. Nothing is known of his life before 1660. He was appointed Richmond herald at the Restoration by patent dated 18 June 1660, some weeks before his...
- 1715–1718 Disputed Gartership
- 1718–1744 John AnstisJohn AnstisJohn Anstis was an English officer of arms and antiquarian. He rose to the highest heraldic office in England and became Garter King of Arms in 1718 after years of plotting.-Early life:...
- 1744–1754 John AnstisJohn Anstis, youngerJohn Anstis was an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Anstis was born in St Clement Danes, Westminster, and was the seventh child and eldest son of John Anstis and his wife, Elizabeth. He was educated at Westminster School and privately by Michael Maittaire. He graduated from Corpus...
- 1754–1773 Stephen LeakeStephen LeakeStephen Martin Leake was a numismatist and long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Though he eventually rose to the highest rank in the College, he was born as Stephen Martin and was the only son of Captain Stephen Martin, a naval officer, and his wife, Elizabeth...
- 1773–1774 Sir Charles TownleyCharles Townley (officer of arms)Sir Charles Townley was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London.-Early and private life:Charles Townley was born on Tower Hill in 1713, the son of Charles Townley, of Clapham, Surrey and Sarah Wilde, daughter of William Wilde of Long-Whatton in Leicestershire. His mother...
- 1774–1780 Thomas Browne
- 1780–1784 Ralph BiglandRalph BiglandRalph Bigland was an English officer of arms and cheesemaker. He was born at Stepney, Middlesex, and was the only son of Richard Bigland and his wife, Mary. His father was a native of Westmorland, descended from the Bigland family of Bigland, Lancashire.-Early career:In 1728 Bigland was...
- 1784–1822 Sir Isaac HeardIsaac HeardSir Isaac Heard was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He began his heraldic career as Bluemantle Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary. He would go on to hold the posts of Lancaster Herald of Arms in Ordinary, Norroy King of Arms and Brunswick King of Arms. In 1784, he was...
- 1822–1831 Sir George NaylerGeorge NaylerSir George Nayler, KH was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London....
- 1831–1838 Sir Ralph Bigland, the Younger
- 1838–1842 Sir William WoodsWilliam Woods (officer of arms)Sir William Woods was an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He was said to be an illegitimate son of the Duke of Norfolk and was appointed to the post of Clarenceux King of Arms in 1831...
- 1842–1869 Sir Charles YoungCharles Young (officer of arms)Sir Charles George Young was an English officer of arms. He served in the heraldic office of Garter King of Arms, the senior member of the College of Arms in England, from 1842 until his death in 1869.-Life:...
- 1869–1904 Sir Albert WoodsAlbert WoodsSir Albert William Woods, GCVO, KCB, KCMG, KGStJ, FSA was an English officer of arms. The Woods family has a firm tradition at the College of Arms. Albert Woods was the son of Sir William Woods, Garter Principal King of Arms from 1838 until his death in 1842...
- 1904–1918 Sir Alfred Scott-GattyAlfred Scott-GattySir Alfred Scott Scott-Gatty, KCVO, KStJ, FSA was a long serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London and a successful composer.-Personal life:...
- 1919–1930 Sir Henry BurkeHenry BurkeSir Henry Farnham Burke, KCVO, CB, FSA was a long serving Irish officer of arms at the College of Arms in London.-Biography:Henry Burke was a son of Sir Bernard Burke . Henry Burke was appointed Rouge Croix Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary in 1880...
- 1930–1944 Sir Gerald WollastonGerald WollastonSir Gerald Woods Wollaston, KCB, KCVO was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Wollaston's family had a firm tradition at the College of Arms. Wollaston's great-grandfather was Sir William Woods, Garter Principal King of Arms from 1838 until his death in 1842...
- 1944–1950 Sir Algar HowardAlgar HowardSir Algar Henry Stafford Howard, KCB, KCVO, MC, TD was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London...
- 1950–1961 The Hon. Sir George BellewGeorge BellewSir George Rothe Bellew, KCB, KCVO, KStJ, FSA was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms is London. An expert genealogist and armorist, Bellew was appointed to the office of Garter Principal King of Arms–the highest heraldic office in England and Wales.-Personal life:Bellew...
- 1961–1978 Sir Anthony WagnerAnthony WagnerSir Anthony Richard Wagner, KCB, KCVO, FSA was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He served as Garter Principal King of Arms before retiring to the post of Clarenceux King of Arms...
- 1978–1992 Sir Alexander Cole
- 1992–1995 Sir Conrad SwanConrad SwanSir Conrad Marshall John Fisher Swan, was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Having been first appointed to work at the College in 1962, he rose to the office of Garter Principal King of Arms in 1992, a position he held until 1995...
- 1995–2010 Sir Peter Gwynn-JonesPeter Gwynn-JonesSir Peter Llewellyn Gwynn-Jones, KCVO was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He was Garter Principal King of Arms, the senior English officer of arms, from 1995 to 2010.-Life and career:...
- 2010–present Thomas WoodcockThomas Woodcock (officer of arms)Thomas Woodcock, CVO, DL, FSA is Garter Principal King of Arms.Woodcock was educated at Eton College. He went up to University College, Durham, where he obtained a BA degree, and subsequently to Darwin College, Cambridge, where he received his LLB degree. Woodcock was called to the Bar at the...
See also
- The Order of the GarterOrder of the GarterThe Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
- The College of ArmsCollege of ArmsThe College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
External links
- The College of Arms
- CUHGS Officer of Arms Index
- Rights and Duties of Garter King of Arms from the Constitutions of the Officers of the Order of the Garter circa 1522