Assorted Lessons in SCA Heraldry

Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, Peripheral

This lesson discusses the terms "primary", "secondary", "tertiary", and "peripheral " as applied to charges and charge groups in heraldry.

The glossary of the rules for submission defines the Primary Charge Group as the "The most important group of charges in a piece of armory. The primary charge group is usually mentioned first in the blazon. The primary charge is usually the central ordinary, if one is present. If there is no central ordinary, then the primary charge groups is the set of charges of the same size that are largest and visually dominate the center of the design. "

For example, in Argent, a cross gules between four mullets sable , the cross is the primary charge.

In Per chevron argent and sable, two roses and a fleur-de-lys counterchanged , the primary charge group is the roses and the fleur-de-lys.

In Gules, a pale Or, overall a dragon argent , the primary charge is the pale, even though the dragon may well dominate the design.

In Or, a lozenge within a laurel wreath sable , the primary charge is the lozenge.

Returning to the glossary, a Secondary Charge Group is defined as "A group of charges placed on the field around the primary charge group. "  Note that you cannot have a secondary charge group without a primary charge group.

In Argent, a cross gules between four mullets sable , the secondary charge group is the four mullets.

In Gules, a pale Or, overall a dragon argent , the dragon is the secondary charge.

In Or, a lozenge within a laurel wreath sable , the secondary charge is the laurel wreath.

In Or, a maunche between three roundels azure , the secondary charge group is the three roundels.

In Gules, a chevron between three daggers inverted Or and in base an oil lamp argent , there is one secondary group made up of the three daggers and the lamp. The charges are in a standard arrangement; thus they are treated as a single group.

Tertiary Charge Group "Any group of charges placed entirely on the other charges. Tertiary charges in a group may be together, such as three charges on a chief, or may each be on members of the same charge group. "

Per chevron argent and sable, two roses and a fleur-de-lys counterchanged and on a chief purpure three hearts argent , has one group of tertiary charges, the three hearts on the chief.

In the design Or, on a fess gules a millrind between two escallops Or, all within a bordure vert charged with eight roundels argent ", there are two tertiary charge groups, the millrind and the escallops and the roundels on the bordure.

Peripheral Charge Group "A charge or group of charges that are placed on the field near the edge of a piece of armory without affecting the rest of the design. Chiefs and bordures are the most common peripheral charges, but orles, tressures, or groups of separate charges used in the same area as a chief or bordure may also be peripheral charges. "

For example, in Per chevron argent and sable, two roses and a fleur-de-lys counterchanged and on a chief purpure three hearts argent , the chief is a peripheral charge.

In Purpure, a cross between four eagles displayed argent within a laurel wreath Or , uses the laurel wreath as a peripheral charge.

Sometimes, the categories overlap, such as in Azure, a cross Moline and on a chief argent three lozenges azure, where the chief is both a secondary and a peripheral charge. In Gules, a chief argent , the chief is the primary charge as well as being a peripheral charge. 

Tertiary charges, however, are always nothing but tertiary charges. The other categories all lie at least partially on the field.

Most blazons read Field, primary charge group, secondary charge group, peripheral charge group . Tertiaries are mentioned after the secondary and/or the peripheral on which they appear.

For example, in Argent, on a bend wavy between two eagles displayed sable, charged on the breast with a Latin cross, three escallops Or and a on a chief gules three Latin crosses Or , the primary charge is the bend, the secondary charge group is the two eagles, the peripheral charge is the chief, and each is charged with a tertiary group. By the way, this design is too complex, with four tinctures and five types of charges.

However, Vert, semy of mullets argent, three roundels erminois , the primary group is the three roundels, and the semy of mullets is a secondary group. Semys are secondary groups that get mentioned in the blazon before the primary group. 

Quiz: 
Identify the charge groups in the following blazons 

1. Argent, a saltire azure between two eagles and two lozenges gules.

2. Per fess azure mullety argent and Or, a fess and in base a bear statant gules.

3. Azure ermined Or, three roses within a bordure argent

4. Per pale gules and purpure, on a fess argent between three bezants each charged with a rose, four fleams gules.

5. Sable, an elephant argent charged with a mullet gules within an orle argent.

6. Gules, a chevron between three roses Or, each charged with a cross fitchy sable.

7. Per fess nebuly purpure and argent, three lions within a bordure counterchanged.

8. Per bend gules crusily Or and Or semy of hearts sable, on a bend sable a spear bendwise Or.

9. Vert, two lions rampant and a lymphad Or and in chief two spears fesswise in pale argent.

10. Vert fretty Or.

11. Gules, on a cross argent five mullets gules.

12. Vairy purpure and argent, an eagle displayed sable between three roundels Or.

13. Per chevron sable and Or, on a chevron three bullets and on a chief argent a lion passant gules.

14. Sable, a bordure argent ermined gules.

15. Or, a wolf rampant sable between three hares gules all within a bordure sable billetty Or. 

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