Thomas Cranmer

THOMAS CRANMER

Born: 2 July 1489
Deceased: 21 March 1556

Archbishop of Canterbury, 1533-1556

Personal arms (simple)	Personal arms (simple) impaled with the See
Personal arms (complex) impaled with the See	Personal arms (complex) impaled with the See
Personal arms (complex) with additional crescent

Official blazon

(simple arms) : Argent, on a chevron azure between three pelicans sable vulning themselves proper as many cinquefoils or.
(complex arms) : Quarterly, first and fourth; Argent, on a chevron Azure between three pelicans in piety Sable, three cinquefoils Or second; Gules, six lioncels rampant in pile and a bordure Or third; Argent, five fusils in fess Gules, charged with as many escallops Or.
(complex arms) : As above, but with an additional crescent

Origin/meaning

There are a number of versions of the arms seen in different sources. The most common is listed above as personal arms (simple). This version is most commonly seen and used either alone or impaled with the arms of the See of Cambridge.

More complex arms are shown in the Parliament Rolls of 1539 and 1553 and in some glass-stained windows. In one shown above his complex arms are shown with a crescent, indicating a second son.

The original canting arms of the Cranmer family were argent a chevron between three cranes azure. However Thomas Cramer changed the birds to pelicans in their piety as a Christian symbol. He also added three cinquefoils argent. The complex arms are derived from his great-grandfather.

Literature:

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