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| | Lioncel | Variants: Lioncel, Lionelor, Lionceau | More recently, a name given to Lion's when more than three are borne in a shield.
Purportedly, an ancient rule of English armory lions was that there cannot be more than one lion upon a shield, and this was one of the great arguments used to determine that the charges on the Royal Arms of England must be leopards and not lions.
It was admitted as a rule of British armory to a limited extent, viz., that when two or more lions rampant appeared upon the same shield, unless combatant, they
were always formerly described as lioncels. British heraldry has, however, long since disregarded any such rule (if any definite rule ever really existed upon the point). The term may still be found as indicated, when more than three appear on the shield. |
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