The lion as a heraldic charge is present from the very earliest development of heraldry in the 12th century. One of the earliest known examples of armory as it subsequently came to be practiced can be seen on the tomb of Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, who died in 1151. The lions have a history going back to the 12th century, when a standard with three gold lions on a red field was carried into battle to inspire the troops. The first one came from Henry I - known as the lion of England - who had a lion on his standard on taking power in 1100

CONDITION: NEW