The use of heraldry in a military context dates back to the earliest usage of heraldry itself since it arose from the need for warriors to be identi ed on the battle eld and in medieval tournaments. It was created for the battle eld, for battles simulations or training. Later, with the emergence of family heraldry, it began to be used to indicate membership of a certain lineage and went on to be employed by army corps in the form of heraldic standards that could pertain to a lord, a municipality, a chivalric order or the king. With the passing of the era of great battles commanded by the naked eye, when the tactical use of heraldic symbols reached its height, developments in tactics, arms and means of command progressively transformed the role of heraldic symbols, whose function came to be simultaneously honori c, representative, emblematic and historical. Heraldry is a phenomenon bound up with the history of Europe that is still very much alive today, more so, in fact, than when it emerged. It is alive not only in Europe but also in other continents where it was introduced. Originally used as a means of identi cation for the warrior class, it quickly began to be used in a wide range of elds, from government o ces to the church. Now we live in the age of brands, badges and emblems which, being associated with organizations, clubs, companies, political groups and religious institutions, are used as a means of communication, to attract members or as symbols of belonging. In this spontaneous, multi-coloured panoply that sprouts up everywhere, it is possible to discern only traces of the heraldic style or the purity and sound conceptions of visibility that incorporate centuries of evolution and re nement, ordering and creating emblems, symbols and ags in accordance with the rules, art and stylization that are classed as heraldic. Being based on the
