Herald (Old High Ger. hariold—i.e. hari-wald, 'army strength'), an officer who was in early times the messenger of war and peace between sovereigns, and of defiance and courtesy between knights, his office also including the superintendence of jousts and tournaments, and the regulation of public ceremonials. When the bearing of coat-armour came to be reduced to a system its supervision became in France, England, Scotland, and some other countries one of the functions of the herald. A herald was generally attached to every order of knighthood. Heralds had their attendants, called pursuivants, who were presumed to be learning the duties of a herald. Both had official titles; and often not only sovereigns, but the greater nobles, had their heralds and pursuivants. English records and chronicles of the 14th and 15th centuries contain allusions to York, Windsor, Chester, Lancaster, Arundel, Clarencieux, Leopard, and other heralds, and to Falcon, Portcullis, Antelope, and other pursuivants; and in Scottish records of the same date the heralds mentioned include Lyon, Rothesay, Marchmont, Snowdoun, Ilay, and Albany, and the pursuivants Carrick, Diligence, Unicorn. In France, England, Scotland, Burgundy, and some other countries the chief of the heralds acquired the title of King-of-arms, and had more or less a judicial power of regulating the bearing of coat-armour. The office of Montjoie roi d'armes in France is as old as the 13th century. In England in the reign of Edward III. there were two kings-of-arms—Norroy and Surroy—the jurisdiction of the one being to the north, the other to the south of the Trent. The designation Surroy was changed by Henry V. to Clarencieux. And the same king instituted a new king-of-arms called Garter, who was to be connected with the order so called, and to be principal king-of-arms of England. In Scottish records mention first occurs of Lyon King-of-arms (who took his title from the lion in the royal shield) in the beginning of the 15th century. The title of Ulster King-of-arms was created in the reign of Edward VI.; but there existed an Ireland King-of-arms at an earlier date. Certain fees were secured to the English kings-of-arms and heralds in connection with public ceremonials and creations of peers in 1408; and in 1483 Richard III. incorporated them into a collegiate body, known as the Heralds' College, or College of Arms, presided over by the Earl Marshal (whose office is hereditary in the family of the Duke of Norfolk), the other officers including Garter, principal king-of-arms, with Clarencieux and Norroy under him, besides six heralds, named Chester, Windsor, Lancaster, Richmond, York, and Somerset, and four pursuivants, Bluemantle, Portcullis, Rouge Dragon, and Rouge Croix. A residence was at first granted to the heralds, called Cold-harbour or Pulteney's Inn, in the parish of All Saints; and in 1554 Queen Mary gave them a building opposite St Bennets, which was rebuilt after the great fire of 1666, and is still the official residence of the officers of arms and depository of their archives. Heralds extraordinary are sometimes appointed by the crown, who are not members of the Heralds' College.
The College of Arms has no jurisdiction out of England. Functions similar to those which the English kings-of-arms exercise under the Earl Marshal are discharged by Lyon King-of-arms in Scotland, and Ulster King-of-arms in Ireland, directly under the crown. There are under Lyon three heralds, Rothesay, Marchmont, and Albany, and three pursuivants, Unicorn, Bute, and Albany; their duties are chiefly connected with public ceremonials and royal proclamations. Lyon's armorial functions are exercised alone, as judge in the Lyon Court, where, however, the clerk of court or his deputy is sometimes a herald.
A tabard with the royal arms embroidered on both sides of it has long been the official dress of heralds and pursuivants. The tabards of the kings-of-arms are richer in material. The insignia of the latter also include a crown, a baton or sceptre, and a chain with a medal or badge attached to it.