Both men and women were expected to help defend a town or a castle, should it be attacked. The formal heraldic tradition, crafted for identification and display, began in the mid- twelfth century. Highly formalized and complex, the shield design was actually sort of a secret code which could make a pun on a knight's name, give a nod to his accomplishments, personify his characteristics, or even denote his illegitimacy. Women did not have arms in their own right. Unmarried women bore their father's arms on a lozenge.
Married women combine their husbands' and fathers' arms on a shield.
Back To Top J oan of Arc is probably the best known medieval woman warrior. Our familiarity with her comes from the miracles associated with her and also from the injustice of her death. She was not the only woman ever to join a medieval army, however, so click on the picture to find out more about her and her contemporaries. This site is designed use frames.