Ancient and modern arms
Ancient and modern are terms used in heraldry to differentiate two different coats of arms used at different periods by a family or other bearer. Reasons for changing arms have been numerous, the most famous being the 1376 change in the French royal arms by Charles V of France to show three fleurs-de-lis instead of semee de lis, possibly to symbolize the Holy Trinity. The reasons for other changes were more prosaic, for example where a court of chivalry ordered a change or differencing where two families claimed the same arms, as in the famous case of Scrope v Grosvenor. The resulting two versions of arms are referred to as "France ancient" and "France modern", "Grosvenor ancient" and "Grosvenor modern".
List of examples
| Family | Ancient arms | Modern arms | Date of change | Notes |
| Capet | 1376 | See article Royal Arms of France | ||
| Portugal | 1245 /1485 | See article Coat of arms of Portugal | ||
| Grosvenor | 1389 | See article Scrope v Grosvenor | ||
| Gorges | 1347 | See article Warbelton v Gorges | ||
| Percy | 1273-1314 | See article Henry de Percy, 1st Baron Percy | ||
| Talbot | See article Baron Talbot. Modern arms are of Rhys Mechyll, and wife of Gilbert Talbot, grandfather of Gilbert Talbot, 1st Baron Talbot | |||
| Cantilupe | 1275-1282 | See article Thomas de Cantilupe | ||
| Killigrew | ée'' | See article Arwenack | ||
| Scudamore |