SERVICE - CONSULTATION - KING OF ARMS

Many heraldic societies exist around the globe. People view heraldry as part of their heritage and as a way to show pride in their origins. Nations, provinces, states, counties and cities continue to add to the traditions of civic heraldry.

Modern heraldry is not usually an expression of aristocracy but simply a form of identification. The military and many churches continue to use a coat of arms to represent themselves, especially in printed materials.  

Heraldry continues to flourish in the modern world. Institutions, companies, and individuals continue to use coats of arms as forms of pictorial identification. In the British Isles, the Kings of Arms and the Chief Herald of Ireland continue to make grants of arms. There are also heraldic authorities in Spain, Canada and South Africa that grant or register coats of arms. Heraldic societies abound in the world today in Africa, Asia, Australia, the Americas, and in Europe. Some people who have interests in heraldry as a hobby participate in the Society for Creative Anachronism and other medieval revivals or in micro nationalism.

Many more people see heraldry as a part of their national, and even personal, heritage, as well as a manifestation of civic and national pride. Today, heraldry has ceased to be an expression of aristocracy throughout the world and is simply a form of identification. Military heraldry continues to develop, incorporating blazons unknown to the medieval world. Nations and their subdivisions—provinces, states, counties, cities, and more—continue to build on traditions of civic heraldry. The Roman Catholic Church, the Church of England, and other faiths maintain a tradition of heraldry known as ecclesiastical heraldry for its highest ranking prelates, holy orders, universities and schools.

COMPETENCE

Don Fernando is the appointed officer of the Royal House of Bourbon Two Sicily to grant Letters Patent recognizing the right to arms. His functions include to record and keep a registry of coats of arms and pedigrees of a petitioner’s families and their descendants (Certifications of arms issued by his private herald office are heraldic documents of a quasi-official nature).

1. By delegation, granting of letters Patent to applicants who had submitted a petition and completed successfully the process for new arms. There are no fixed criteria of eligibility for a grant of arms but tradition, honorability of the petitioner, personal achievements in the arts, science or public and military services are usually considered

2. Registry of marks of cadency and augmentations in granted arms

3. He as a Herald specializes in genealogical and research being able to registry a family pedigree to establish a right to arms by descent or for the satisfaction of knowing that the pedigree is registered within the king of arms.

4. Memorials as proof of gentry required for the application to Chivalric Orders

5. Civic heraldry

As heraldic artist Don Fernando can execute a wide variety of heraldic artwork, including but not limited to:

1. Fine paintings on vellum for display
2. Black and white line drawings for use by engravers on metal and glass
3. seal, flag, and bookplate designs
4. Family trees

Over years of practice and study, he has specialized in genealogical and heraldic research being able to investigate and reconstruct a family pedigree either to establish a right to arms by showing direct male line descent from an ancestor already appearing as entitled to arms or genealogical search for other purposes. He will be able to prepare:

1. To write a Dossier containing a family’s history with biographical, genealogical and heraldic notes and records.

2. To research and reconstruction of family trees in Spain, Mexico, Latin America and the United States.