Shakespeare’s Family Crest – To be or not to be?
It’s difficult to imagine William Shakespeare worrying about his legacy. For more than 400 years, his name has been etched in history as the most well-known author in the English language. His plays, performed more times than anyone else’s before him or since, and his 154 sonnet masterpieces ensure his legacy will endure for centuries to come.
But in his lifetime, Shakespeare did not always hold a high social status. And his family’s pursuit of a coat of arms is as interesting a tale as the plots he penned himself.
The Tale of Shakespeare’s Coat of Arms
The story begins before Shakespeare was born. His father, John Shakespeare, was successful businessman across many trades and a town leader. Around the year 1557, John married a Mary Arden, a woman of status. Mary was heiress of prominent landowner Robert Arden.
Shortly after, John applied to the College of Arms requesting a coat of arms. Living above the working class but not quite nobility, John hoped the granting of a coat of arms would elevate his family’s social status. The application required significant financial investment, what amounted to approximately one year’s salary at the time. Unfortunately his request was denied.
To Be… Or Not To Be?
It was not until 1596 that the Shakespeare family would be awarded a coat of arms. John’s son (William) was then 32 years old and had become quite successful—not just as a writer but as the owner of an acting company. Many believe it was William who put up the funds to renew his father’s coat of arms application. William’s finances and reputation were enough to push the application through.
The coat of arms gave the Shakespeares‘ their long-sought-after escalation into the ranks of the gentry. It gave both John and William the status of gentleman, a significant entitlement that confers upon the family a status above the working class.
Not long after the granting, and shortly after John’s passing, the validity of Shakespeare’s coat of arms was called into question by York herald Ralph Brooke. Brooke asserted that Shakespeare’s shield (as well as dozens of others) too closely resembled previously granted coats of arms—“uniqueness“ being one of the five critical attribute of any granting. His objections were not be upheld; heralds William Camden and Willaim Dethick deemed Shakespeare’s coat of arms adequately differentiated and therefore official.
Description & Meaning
Shakespeare’s coat features a silver-tipped spear, a falcon, and bands of black and gold. The spear could have been a play on Shakespeare’s name. It’s fine tip represents skillfulness and, while likely just coincidence, resembles a pen. The falcon, an elegant and highly regarded bird, is a choice that conveys an elite class of nobility, as does the usage of silver and gold.
Written on the arms was „Non sanz droict,“ a French expression which translates to „Not without right.“ This was a motto of Shakepeare’s that appears on many of his documents.
While Shakepeare’s creative works have brought him fame that spans centuries, it was his coat of arms that established his right to a higher social status and gave his family name immortality.
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