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Burgher arms orcommoners' arms, calledBürgerwappen in German, arecoats of arms used by commoners, particularly the wealthy merchant class (burghers) in continental Europe since theMiddle Ages and are distinct from the arms of the nobility.^[1]

In some European countries, certain armorial bearings, i.e. the figures and devices displayed upon a coat of arms, were traditionally restricted to a particular social class (usually thenobility), e.g. the use ofsupporters inGreat Britain,tinctures inPortugal orcoronets inSweden. Notwithstanding, in most countries outside theUnited Kingdom, any individual, family and community has usually been free to adopt arms and use them as they please, provided they refrain from wrongfully assuming the preexisting arms of another.^[2] In addition toburghers,peasants sometimes made use of this tradition.^{[citation needed]} Arms of theclergy are classified asecclesiastical heraldry.

Use of coats of arms by burghers andartisans began during the 13th century and in the 14th century some peasants took to using arms.^[3] The arms of burghers bore a far wider variety ofcharges than the arms ofnobility like everyday objects, and particularlytools.House marks are another type charges usually only used in burgher arms. Most widespread burgher heraldry was and still is found inBelgium,Germany,Switzerland and in theNetherlands. In the latter only a small percentage of the existing arms belong to the nobility.^[4]

Crest-coronets in burgher arms are correct only if the arms were granted by asovereign and the coronet is explicitly mentioned in the grant.^[5]

Burghers arms, such as those of thebourgeois of Brussels, were, and remain, common in Belgium and were granted or assumed except during theFrench Revolutionary period and subsequentrepublic.

Men admitted to theSeven Noble Houses of Brussels, many of whom werenot noble, members of theGuilds of Brussels, and of theBrussels Bourgeoisie, were also granted or assumed arms.

Today, theCouncil of Heraldry and Vexillology for theFrench Community and theFlemish Heraldic Council for theFlemish Community grant ahelm with torse,crest, andmantling as well as amotto as external ornaments of theshield. The additaments reserved for the nobility, such as crowned helmets and rankcrowns,supporters and supports,banners andbattle cries, mantles and pavilions, are prohibited.^[6]

Examples of Belgian burgher arms:

• 
  Arms of the de Keghel family,Bourgeois of Brussels until the 16th century.
• 
  Arms of thePipenpoy family, an oldPatrician family of Brussels.
• 
  Arms of the Dewandre family, originally fromLiège.
• 
  Arms of thePoelaert family, burghers of Brussels.
• 
  Arms of theVan der Meulen family
• 
  Roll of arms of theDrapery Court of Brussels, some of which areburgher arms.

Burgher arms[fr] were common inFrance prior to theFrench Revolution, which was hostile to heraldry. At the end of the 17th century, an attempt was made to list all arms in anarmorial in order to increase tax revenue. When the attempt failed, in order to force people to pay tax, arms were given to many burghers who had never had them. These arms were never used by their recipients.^[7] In France burgher arms are not supposed to have a helmet.

Examples of French burgher arms:

• 
  Coat of arms of theBordes family^[8]
• 
  Coat of arms of theCourmes family^[9]
• 
  Coat of arms of theMartinot family, famous clockmaker family of Paris.^[10]
• 
  Coat of arms of theBerlier de Vauplane family (Provence) [fr]^[11]
• 
  Coat of arms of theBaduel d'Oustrac family [fr].^[12]
• 
  Armorial général 1696, some of which are burgher arms.

Although assumption of arms always remained free, the emperors of theHoly Roman Empire sinceCharles IV began to grant arms without raising people to nobiliary status. In the 15th century the authority to grant arms was delegated to “Counts Palatine of the Imperial Court” (German:Hofpfalzgrafen), who from then on also granted arms to burghers. This was regarded as luxury everyone was not able to afford.

Thetilting helmet was prescribed for arms of non-nobles, while the barred helmet was restricted by the imperial chancellery to the nobility as upholders of the tradition of tourneying. This privilege was also shared by certain people who enjoyed the same standing as the nobility, e.g. those who had a doctor's title in law or theology.^[13]Custom of the use of the barred helmet was also followed by citypatricians.^[14] Although the rule of the use of the tilting helmet by burghers was not always obeyed, it has still become the norm in many countries of theGerman-Nordic heraldic tradition, e.g. inSwedish heraldry.

After the fall of theHoly Roman Empire, arms were no longer granted to burghers except in theKingdom of Saxony, where such grants continued from 1911 until 1918.^{[citation needed]} Elsewhere burgher arms were assumed. Such family heraldry is still alive in Germany and burgher armsare protected by law.

Examples of German burgher arms:

• 
  Canting arms of the German painterAlbrecht Dürer (1471–1528)
• 
  Arms ofJakob Heller from theHeller Altarpiece byAlbrecht Dürer

Burgher arms have a complicated and suppressed history in Portugal. During the reign of KingAfonso V, burgher arms were restricted to the use of colours only. This restriction would become irrelevant when KingManuel I forbade the use of arms to those who were not of thePortuguese nobility.^[15] This restriction against burgher arms in Portugal lasted until the establishment of the Republic in 1910.

In some regions (Normandy,Flanders) even peasants sometimes bore arms.^[16]InSwitzerland 14th century arms of farmers are known, but they are rare and did not become numerous until the 17th century,^[17] as well as inLower Saxony,Frisia andTyrol, where farmers had personal freedom.^[14] InDenmark arms of farmers are preserved on seals from about 1300.^[18] InNorway peasants have used arms since the Middle Ages and some of the arms have even been used as family arms.^[19]

• Bourgeoisie
• Grand Burgher
• Bourgeois of Paris
• Bourgeois of Brussels
• Bourgeoisie of Geneva

Look upburgher in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Right to Bear Arms from François Velde's Heraldica website
• Registro araldico italiano

• Heraldry
• Personal coats of arms
• Estates (social groups)
• Bourgeoisie

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