Typical of British heraldry, a cap of maintenance, known in heraldic language as a chapeau gules turned up ermine, is a ceremonial cap of crimson velvet lined with ermine, which is worn or carried by certain persons as a sign of nobility or special honour. It is worn with the high part to the fore, and the tapering tail behind. It may substitute for the torse (a twisted roll of fabric) in the heraldic achievement of a person of special honour granted the privilege by the monarch. It thus appears in such cases on top of the helm and below the crest. The ceremonial form of a Cap of Maintenance does not, however, feature in the present royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom, which shows the royal crest upon the royal crown, itself upon the royal helmet; the derivative Crown Lining Cap does, however, feature inside the Crown on that present Achievement of the UK.
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Cap of maintenance in the context of Achievement (heraldry)
In heraldry, an achievement, armorial achievement or heraldic achievement (historical: hatchment) is a full display or depiction of all the heraldic components to which the bearer of a coat of arms is entitled. An achievement comprises not only the arms displayed on the escutcheon, the central element, but also the following elements surrounding it (from top to bottom):
- Slogan or war-cry
- Mantle and pavilion
- Crest placed atop a:
- Torse (or cap of maintenance as a special honour)
- Mantling
- Helm of appropriate variety; if holder of higher rank than a baronet, issuing from a:
- Coronet or crown (not used by baronets), of appropriate variety.
- Console (decorative or aesthetic in purpose, and not officially part of the armorial grant)
- Supporters (if the bearer is entitled to them, generally in modern usage not baronets), which may stand on a compartment
- Motto, if possessed
- Order, if possessed
- Badge, if possessed
Cap of maintenance in the context of Heraldic achievement
In heraldry, an achievement, armorial achievement or heraldic achievement (historical: hatchment) is a full display or depiction of all the heraldic components to which the bearer of a coat of arms is entitled. An achievement comprises not only the arms displayed on the escutcheon, the central element, but also the following elements surrounding it (from top to bottom):
- Slogan or war-cry, if possessed
- Mantle and pavilion
- Crest placed atop a:
- Torse (or cap of maintenance as a special honour)
- Mantling
- Helm of appropriate variety; if holder of higher rank than a baronet, issuing from a:
- Coronet or crown (not used by baronets), of appropriate variety.
- Console (decorative or aesthetic in purpose, and not officially part of the armorial grant)
- Supporters (if the bearer is entitled to them, generally in modern usage not baronets), which may stand on a compartment
- Motto, if possessed
- Order, if possessed
- Badge, if possessed