Infante Manuel of Castile, schema 3x3

In Castilian heraldry, the composition of a quarterly coat of arms offers flexibility beyond simple genealogical succession. We observe that, on occasion, the model a) of direct quartering is chosen, in this case, placing the mother's coat of arms in the first and fourth quarters, and the father's coat of arms in the second and third, as seen in the arms of Alfonso X and Philip of Castile. Additionally, in Castile, quartering is not strictly limited to direct inheritance. Model b) shows us how new quarterings can be created based on personal concepts or symbolism. A notable example is that of Infante Manuel of Castile, whose shield integrates his grandfather's arms, the lion, together with two canting quarters for "Manuel," phonetically represented by a «hand» ~ «mano» and a "wing" ~ «ala»; although some authors propose other origins [Menéndez Pidal de Navascués, F.; 1982; pages 98-100], this explanation particularly appeals to me. Therefore, a quarterly coat of arms in Castile does not necessarily mean that the arms are marshalled according to the rigid rules of inheritance. All coats of arms in this schema have been emblazoned by me.

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Blazon keywords: Argent, Purpure, Gules, Or, Azure, Sable, One, Quarterly, Lion, Armed, Langued, Rampant, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned and Eagle.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Ogee.

Classification: Personal, Kingdom of Castile and Leon, Interpreted, Design rationale, Schema, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Manuel of Castile, Infante.

In Castile, a coat of arms quarterly does not necessarily signify inheritance. This schema illustrates two practices: a) Quarterings can represent the mother in the 1^st and 4^th quarters and the father in the 2^nd and 3^rd, highlighting the prominence given to the maternal line by placing it in the most visible quarters. b) Quarterings can also include personal symbols and concepts, like canting arms, for example, «Manuel» =«mano» + «ala» = «hand» + «wing», combined with ancestral arms. This flexibility reflects Castilian heraldic traditions, where arms are not strictly marshalled by inheritance. The inclusion of maternal arms in the 1^st and 4^th quarters highlights how Castilian heraldry often elevates maternal heritage, differing from some other heraldic traditions. The previous commentary emphasizes the creative freedom in Castile, where quartering could incorporate personal symbols or canting arms without the constraints of inheritance or dominium. This flexibility aligns with Castilian culture, allowing heraldry to reflect personal identity, not just dynastic ties. Notably, the arms of Infante Enrique's use of a cross flory demonstrates this creative freedom, showcasing the ability to innovate within heraldry even in royal contexts. While this might seem unconventional compared to other heraldic systems, it is deeply rooted in Castilian tradition. All coats of arms in this schema have been emblazoned by me.

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Blazon keywords: Argent, Purpure, Gules, Or, Azure, Sable, One, Quarterly, Lion, Rampant, Armed, Langued, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Bordure, Compony, Eagle, Cross flory, Cross couped, Party per pale, Hand, Arm, Vambraced, Embowed, Winged, Sword, Point upwards and Hilted.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated and Ogee.

Classification: Personal, Kingdom of Castile and Leon, Interpreted, Design rationale, Schema, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Manuel of Castile, Infante.

Quarterly: 1 and 4 Gules, a hand Carnation, embowed, vambraced and winged Or, holding a sword point upwards Argent, hilted Or; 2 and 3 Argent, a lion rampant Purpure, armed and langued Gules.

Escudo cuartelado: 1^o y 4^o de gules, una mano de carnación, doblada, armada, alada de oro, teniendo una espada alzada de plata, guarnecida de oro; 2^o y 3^o de plata, un león rampante de púrpura, armado y lampasado de gules.

Arms painted by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a leather finish.

Coat of arms of the Infante Manuel of Castile, 1234–1283, 7^th son of the King Ferdinand III of Castile, 1199-1252, and the Queen Beatrice of Swabia, 1205–1235. They are canting arms of «Manuel» ~ «manu–el» ~ «mano–ala» ~ «hand–wing». For this reason, I describe it as a hand with a wing and not as a wing with a hand. Another theory suggests that, since his maternal grandmother was Irene Ángelo, daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Isaac II Angelos, the 2^nd and 3^rd quarters derive from this lineage. However, this Byzantine emperor did not have a coat of arms in the Western heraldic sense, let alone one featuring an angel's wing wielding a sword. A synthetic theory could be proposed, combining the concept of canting arms with angelic symbolism, referencing his descent from the emperors of Byzantium, something that was undoubtedly of great importance to him, [Menéndez Pidal de Navascués, F.; 1982; pages 98-100].

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Argent, Purpure, One, Quarterly, Hand, Arm, Vambraced, Embowed, Winged, Sword, Point upwards, Hilted, Lion, Rampant, Armed and Langued.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Leather.

Classification: Personal, Kingdom of Castile and Leon, Interpreted, Design rationale, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Manuel of Castile, Infante.

Quarterly: 1 and 4 Gules, a hand Carnation, embowed, vambraced and winged Or, holding a sword point upwards Argent, hilted Or; 2 and 3 Argent, a lion rampant Purpure, armed and langued Gules. Crest: An open royal crown.

Coat of arms of the Infante Manuel of Castile, 1234–1283, 7^th son of the King Ferdinand III of Castile, 1199-1252, and the Queen Beatrice of Swabia, 1205–1235. This coat of arms has been delineated with proportions by me.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Argent, Purpure, One, Quarterly, Hand, Arm, Vambraced, Embowed, Winged, Sword, Point upwards, Hilted, Lion, Rampant, Armed, Langued, Crest, Open royal crown and Crown.

Style keywords: Ratio, Outlined, Outlined in sable and Ogee.

Classification: Personal, Kingdom of Castile and Leon, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Manuel of Castile, Infante.

Quarterly: 1 and 4 Gules, a hand Carnation, embowed, vambraced and winged Or, holding a sword point upwards Argent, hilted Or; 2 and 3 Argent, a lion rampant Purpure, armed and langued Gules. Crest: An open royal crown.

Coat of arms interpreted by me, in flat tinctures, outlined in Sable, with an ogee outer contour and with a texturized finishing.

Coat of arms of the Infante Manuel of Castile, 1234–1283, 7^th son of the King Ferdinand III of Castile, 1199-1252, and the Queen Beatrice of Swabia, 1205–1235. This coat of arms has been emblazoned by me with plain colors and metals.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Argent, Purpure, One, Quarterly, Hand, Arm, Vambraced, Embowed, Winged, Sword, Point upwards, Hilted, Lion, Rampant, Armed, Langued, Crest, Open royal crown and Crown.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Plain tincture and Ogee.

Classification: Personal, Kingdom of Castile and Leon, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Manuel of Castile, Infante.

Quarterly: 1 and 4 Gules, a hand Carnation, embowed, vambraced and winged Or, holding a sword point upwards Argent, hilted Or; 2 and 3 Argent, a lion rampant Purpure, armed and langued Gules. Crest: An open royal crown.

Arms emblazoned by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with an ogee outer contour and with a freehand finish.

Coat of arms of the Infante Manuel of Castile, 1234–1283, 7^th son of the King Ferdinand III of Castile, 1199-1252, and the Queen Beatrice of Swabia, 1205–1235. This coat of arms has been emblazoned by me.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Argent, Purpure, One, Quarterly, Hand, Arm, Vambraced, Embowed, Winged, Sword, Point upwards, Hilted, Lion, Rampant, Armed, Langued, Crest, Open royal crown and Crown.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Freehand.

Classification: Personal, Kingdom of Castile and Leon, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Manuel of Castile, Infante.

Or, an eagle displayed Sable.

Escudo de oro, un águila de sable.

Coat of arms painted by me, highlighted with lights and shadows, outlined in Sable, with an ogee external shape and with a freehand finishing.

Coat of arms of the Queen Beatrice of Swabia, 1205–1235, baptized as Elisabeth, wife of King Ferdinand III of Castile, 1199–1252. The eagle Sable on an Or field is a distinctive symbol of the Holy Roman Empire. This coat of arms has been emblazoned by me.

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Blazon keywords: Or, Sable, One and Eagle.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Freehand.

Classification: Personal, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Beatrice of Swabia.

Quarterly: 1 and 4 Gules, a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, and masoned Sable; 2 and 3 Argent, a lion rampant Purpure, armed and langued Gules; a bordure compony of sixteen sections: eight Gules, a castle triple-towered Or, port and windows Azure, and masoned Sable, eight Or, an eagle displayed Sable.

Escudo cuartelado: 1^o y 4^o de gules, un castillo de oro, aclarado de azur, mazonado de sable; 2^o y 3^o de plata, un león rampante de púrpura, armado y lampasado de gules; una bordura componada de dieciseis compones: ocho de gules, un castillo de oro, aclarado de azur, mazonado de sable, ocho de oro, un águila de sable.

Coat of arms emblazoned by me, illuminated with lights and shadows, contoured in Sable, with an ogee outer contour and with a freehand finishing.

Coat of arms of the Infanta Berenguela of Castile, 1228–1279, 5^th daughter of the King Ferdinand III of Castile, 1199-1252, and the Queen Beatrice of Swabia, 1205–1235. There are discrepancies regarding the year of her death, with sources suggesting either 1279 or 1288. She bore her father's arms with a bordure compony featuring the arms of Castile and those of her mother, from Swabia. [Menéndez Pidal de Navascués, F.; 1982; page 104 and illustration between pages 112 and 113] writes «We know of a seal of this infanta that displays in the field the royal quarterly, surrounded like a bordure by 4 castles and 4 eagles, alternating», and in the illustration he depicts the bordure with 8 castles and 8 eagles, which is the version I have interpreted. I am particularly fond of compony arms, and this one is, to me, among the most beautiful and quintessentially Castilian.

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Blazon keywords: Gules, Or, Azure, Sable, Argent, Purpure, One, Sixteen, Eight, Quarterly, Castle, Triple-towered, Port and windows, Masoned, Lion, Rampant, Armed, Langued, Bordure, Compony and Eagle.

Style keywords: Outlined in sable, Illuminated, Ogee and Freehand.

Classification: Personal, Kingdom of Castile and Leon, Interpreted, Boa and Coat of arms.

Bearer: Berenguela of Castile, Infanta.

Continue with: Crown of the Infanta Berenguela of Castile.