Academic Heraldry in Canada
- University of British Columbia.
The blazon is something along the lines of: Argent, three bars wavy
azure, issuant from the base a demi-sun in splendour proper; on a chief
azure an open book. The colouring of the book is or and argent and
there appears to be additional detail (writing, clasps?) which I cannot
make out. Perhaps someone with an appropriate Canadian source could elucidate.
Apart from the chief, the arms are, of course, based on those of the Province
of British Columbia.
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- Université de Montréal
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- McGill University. The blazon
and its meaning is described
elsewhere.
- University of Alberta.
The blazon and its meaning is described
elsewhere.
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- Université Laval, Québec
. The arms are: Gules on a cross or five escallops azure between
sixteen allerions argent, derived from those of the founder Séminaire
de Québec, Monseigneur de Montmorency-Laval, first bishop of New-France
(1663). The arms of the Montmorency-Laval, a junior branch of the Montmorency,
were: Or on a cross gules five escallops argent between 16 allerions
azure. (I do not know where the change of tincture comes from.) Allerions
are simply eagles without beak or feet, and are probably a deformation
of the eagle due to the lack of space. The eagles are said by legend to
represent imperial standards seized in battle, first by Bouchard de Montmorency
(le Barbu) on the army of Otto III in the late 10th century, and 12 more
by Mathieu II de Montmorency at the battle of Bouvines in 1214. It is true
that Mathieu's father Bouchard IV had a cross with four eagles on his 1177
seal, and that Mathieu's 1203 seal shows the same arms, while his 1224
seal shows 16 eagles. A younger son of Mathieu, Guy, founded the lineage
of Montmorency-Laval, adding the escallops as mark of cadency. The motto
of the University is: "Deo Favente Haud Pluribus Impar" meaning
"With God's help, to no one equal" (Louis XIV had as motto "nec
pluribus impar": presumably he took God's help as granted).
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- University College of Cape Breton,
in Sydney NS, Canada. Blazon: Argent upon two barrulets wavy Azure in
base a representation of a Cape Breton sloop Or masted Sable sails Argent
edged Azure in chief two keys in saltire wards upwards and inward Vert
surpmounted by an open book Proper inscribed in letters Sable dexter UC
and sinister CB bound and clasped Vert all within two boughs of spruce
Vert overlapping in saltire below the book and surmounted by a maple leave
Gules. And for a crest: within a wreath Argent and Azure rising
from a wreath of mayflowers Proper a Canterbury cap Gules. And for
a motto: Theid Dichioll Air Thoiseach (gaelic, translation Preserverance
will Triumph). The Grant of Arms was made by the Chief Herald of Canada
and the Governor General Of Canada on May 27 1995.