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The Martin Coat of Arms
The following data is extracted from The Martin Genealogy .
A Coat of Arms is an emblem or a device which is displayed by titled persons, persons of royal blood, and their descendants. Coats of Arms were originally used for purposes of identification and recognition on the field of battle as well as in civil life.
It is claimed by some writers that Coats of Arms, in a crude form, were used by Noah’s sons after the flood. There are records of other Coats of Arms, in one crude form or another, at different periods of ancient history. Heraldry, however, as we know it today, did not become of much importance until soon after the invasion of England by William the Conqueror, A. D. 1066. Heraldry became of general interest at about the time of the Crusades.
The Martin Coat of Arms shown in the front of this volume is the Arms of the Martins of Galway; Tullyra, Co. Galway; Doebeg, Co. Sligo and others.
An official chart in the office of Ulster King of Arms, Dublin Castle, states that the Arms was given to Sir Oliver Martin by Richard Coeur de Leon while in the Holylands. Sir Oliver was sole companion of Richard during his captivity by the Saracens and accompanied him back to England. Later he settled in Galway, Ireland. The Coat of Arms is recorded as in use in 1199 A. D. Coats of Arms very similar are used by many other branches of the Martin family.
This is the most widely used of all Martin Coats of Arms. It is described in BURKE’S GENERAL ARMORY, BURKE’S LANDED GENTRY, BURKE’S PEERAGE AND BARONETAGE and other reliable works on heraldry, in some cases accompanied by illustrations. The “Martin Genealogy” shows Thomas and Samuel Martin, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1828 or 1829, as descended from Sir Oliver and therefore entitled to this Coat of Arms. It has been used for generations by their descendants and by many other American branches of the Martin family.
HERALDIC LANGUAGE
ENGLISH DESCRIPTION
Arms
Azure, a cross calvary or on three grieces argent, in the dexter chief a sun in splendor of the second and in the sinister chief an in crescent of the third.
On a blue shield, a golden cross mounted upon a silver base (of three grieces). In the upper right-hand portion of the shield, a golden sun; in the left, a silver crescent.
Crest
An estoile or
A golden star-shaped figure, six-pointed
Motto
Sic Itur ad Astra (Latin).
In this manner I attain the stars.
Sir Bernard Burke, of Heralds College, London, said “Heraldry is prized by all who can show honorable ancestry or wish to found honorable families.’
Besides its family significance this Coat of Arms makes an excellent mural decoration and inspires the admiration and comment of all who see it.
It is quite appropriate that members of the Martin family who have a pride in their ancestry should display the family Coat of Arms, in proper colors.
Source: The Martin Genealogy
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