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{{Short description|Heraldic bird}}
{{About|the legendary creature|the airplane control surface|Aileron}}
{{about|the Heraldic bird|the song by Asking Alexandria|Stand Up and Scream}}
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[[File:Alérion.svg|thumb|right|Heraldic representation]]
{{See also|Aileron}}{{See also|Riout 102T Alérion}}
An '''avalerion''' or '''alerion''' is a [[mythology|mythological]] bird. It was "rather small, yet larger than an eagle" and lived near the [[Hydaspes]] and the [[Indus]] according to European medieval geographers and [[bestiaries]], which were possibly based on a description by [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]]. Only two of the birds were said to exist at a time. A pair of eggs was laid every 60 years; after hatching, the parents drowned themselves.<ref name="bevan">Bevan & Phillott, pp. 30–31</ref>


{{sources|date=February 2023}}
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[[File:Blason Lorraine.svg|thumb|left|95px|3 alerions on [[Lorraine]]'s [[arms (heraldry)|arms]]]]
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[[File:Alérion.svg|thumb|200px|Heraldic representation]]
Some [[coats of arms]] include alerions. In [[heraldry]], an alerion is most often depicted as a bird with no beak and feathered stumps in place of legs, or no legs at all.
[[File:Bouchard3.jpg|thumb|200px|Seal of [[Bouchard de Marly]] (1225) with the coat of arms of the lords of Montmorency, ''or a cross gules, quarterly four alerions azure''<ref>A. Maquet, ''Les seigneurs de Marly, recherches historiques et archéologiques sur la ville et seigneurie de Marly-le-Roi avec notes, armoiries et sceaux... préface de Victorien Sardou.'' Paris, Imprimerie et librairie universelle, 1882.
Notably, the {{interlanguage link|fr|coat of arms of Lorraine|Blason de la Lorraine}} features three alerions, because ''alerion'' is a partial [[anagram]] of ''[[Lorraine]]''.
[[:fr:Armorial des Montmorency]]: ''or à la croix de gueules cantonnée de quatre alérions d'azur'', Bouchard II de Marly: ''d'or à la croix de gueules frettée d'argent cantonnée de quatre alérions d'azur.''
The [[:File:Bouchard Marly2.jpg|seal of Mathieu II]] does not indicate the ''fretty'' variation.</ref>]]
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[[File:Blason Lorraine.svg|thumb|100px|three alerions on [[Lorraine]]'s [[arms (heraldry)|arms]]]]


'''Alerion''' (sometimes known as '''Avalerion''') is a term for a heraldic bird. Historically, it referred to the regular [[heraldic eagle]]. Later, heralds used the term ''alerion'' to refer to "baby eagles" or "eaglets". To differentiate them from mature eagles, alerions were shown as an ''eagle displayed inverted'' without a beak or claws (''disarmed''). To differentiate it from a ''decapitate'' (headless) eagle, the alerion has a bulb-shaped head with an eye staring towards the dexter (left-hand side) of the field. This was later simplified in modern heraldry as an abstract winged oval.
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The word's ultimate origin is unclear, possibly adapted from the German ''{{lang|de|{{linktext|Adler}}}}'' (‘eagle’) or ''{{lang|de|{{linktext|Adelar}}}}'' (‘noble eagle’). And it is found in 12th-century French as ''{{lang|fr|alérion}}'' and in [[medieval Latin]] as ''{{lang|la|alariōnem}}'' (a large eagle-like bird).<ref>{{OED|alerion}}</ref>

An example is the arms of the [[Duchy of Lorraine]] ([[or (heraldry)|or]], on a bend [[gules]], 3 alerions abaisé [[argent (heraldry)|argent]]). It supposedly{{Weasel inline|date=December 2022}} had been inspired by the assumed arms of crusader [[Geoffrey de Bouillon]], according to a tale that he killed three white eaglets with a bow and arrow when out hunting.<ref>Rothery, Guy Cadogan. ''Concise Encyclopedia of Heraldry''. pp.50</ref> It is far more likely to be canting arms that are a pun based on Lorraine / Erne. (''alerion'' is a partial [[anagram]] of ''Lorraine'').

Medieval [[bestiary|bestiaries]] use ''alerion'' for a mythological bird described as somewhat larger than an eagle of which only a single pair was said to live at any time. A pair of eggs was laid every 60 years; after hatching, the parents drowned themselves. The term ''avalerion'' is used on the [[Hereford Map]] near the [[Hydaspes]] and the [[Indus]], possibly based on a description by [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]].<ref name="bevan">{{cite book |author=William Latham Bevan |author-link=William Latham Bevan |author2=Henry Wright Phillott|title=Mediæval Geography: An Essay in Illustration of the Hereford Mappa Mundi |publisher=E. Stanford |location=London |year=1873 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/medivalgeograph00unkngoog/page/n99 30]–31|url= https://archive.org/details/medivalgeograph00unkngoog |quote=Avalerion. }} </ref>

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The word's ultimate origin is unclear, possibly adapted from the German ''{{lang|de|{{linktext|Adler}}}}'' or ''{{lang|de|{{linktext|Adelar}}}}'' ("eagle"). It is found in 12th-century French as ''{{lang|fr|alérion}}'' and in [[medieval Latin]] as ''{{lang|la|alariōnem}}'' (a large eagle-like bird).<ref>{{OED|alerion}}</ref>

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==See also==
{{Portal|Mythology|Heraldry}}
{{Columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* [[Double-headed eagle]]
* [[Phoenix (mythology)|Phoenix]]
* [[Triple-headed eagle]]

}}


==Notes==
==Notes==
Line 13: Line 31:


==References==
==References==
{{Commons category|Alerions}}
*{{cite book |author=[[William Latham Bevan]]; Henry Wright Phillott |title=Mediæval Geography: An Essay in Illustration of the Hereford Mappa Mundi |publisher=E. Stanford |location=London |year=1873 |pages=30–31|url= https://books.google.com/books?output=html&id=u_oHAAAAQAAJ&dq=Avalerion&jtp=30 }}
*{{cite book |author=[[Guillaume de Machaut]] |translator= Minnette Gaudet and Constance B. Hieatt |title=The Tale of the Alerion |publisher=University of Toronto Press |location=Toronto |year=1994}}
*{{cite book |author=Guillaume de Machaut |author-link=Guillaume de Machaut |translator= Minnette Gaudet |translator2= Constance B. Hieatt |name-list-style=amp |title=The Tale of the Alerion |publisher=University of Toronto Press |location=Toronto |year=1994}}


{{Heraldry footer}}
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==See also==
{{commonscat|Alerions in heraldry}}
{{Div col|cols=2}}
* [[Garuda]]
* [[Garuda Purana]]
* [[Jatayu (Ramayana)]]
* [[Karura]]
* [[Tengu]]
{{Div col end}}


[[Category:Legendary birds]]
[[Category:Legendary birds]]
[[Category:Heraldic birds]]
[[Category:Heraldic birds]]
[[Category:Medieval European legendary creatures]]
{{legendary-creature-stub}}
[[Category:Birds in mythology]]
{{asia-myth-stub}}
[[Category:Fictional birds of prey]]
[[Category:Heraldic eagles]]

Latest revision as of 17:03, 23 September 2024

This article is about the Heraldic bird. For the song by Asking Alexandria, see Stand Up and Scream.
See also: Aileron
See also: Riout 102T Alérion
Heraldic representation
Seal of Bouchard de Marly (1225) with the coat of arms of the lords of Montmorency, or a cross gules, quarterly four alerions azure[1]
three alerions on Lorraine's arms

Alerion (sometimes known as Avalerion) is a term for a heraldic bird. Historically, it referred to the regular heraldic eagle. Later, heralds used the term alerion to refer to "baby eagles" or "eaglets". To differentiate them from mature eagles, alerions were shown as an eagle displayed inverted without a beak or claws (disarmed). To differentiate it from a decapitate (headless) eagle, the alerion has a bulb-shaped head with an eye staring towards the dexter (left-hand side) of the field. This was later simplified in modern heraldry as an abstract winged oval.

An example is the arms of the Duchy of Lorraine (or, on a bend gules, 3 alerions abaisé argent). It supposedly[weasel words] had been inspired by the assumed arms of crusader Geoffrey de Bouillon, according to a tale that he killed three white eaglets with a bow and arrow when out hunting.[2] It is far more likely to be canting arms that are a pun based on Lorraine / Erne. (alerion is a partial anagram of Lorraine).

Medieval bestiaries use alerion for a mythological bird described as somewhat larger than an eagle of which only a single pair was said to live at any time. A pair of eggs was laid every 60 years; after hatching, the parents drowned themselves. The term avalerion is used on the Hereford Map near the Hydaspes and the Indus, possibly based on a description by Pliny.[3]

The word's ultimate origin is unclear, possibly adapted from the German Adler or Adelar ("eagle"). It is found in 12th-century French as alérion and in medieval Latin as alariōnem (a large eagle-like bird).[4]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ A. Maquet, Les seigneurs de Marly, recherches historiques et archéologiques sur la ville et seigneurie de Marly-le-Roi avec notes, armoiries et sceaux... préface de Victorien Sardou. Paris, Imprimerie et librairie universelle, 1882. fr:Armorial des Montmorency: or à la croix de gueules cantonnée de quatre alérions d'azur, Bouchard II de Marly: d'or à la croix de gueules frettée d'argent cantonnée de quatre alérions d'azur. The seal of Mathieu II does not indicate the fretty variation.
  2. ^ Rothery, Guy Cadogan. Concise Encyclopedia of Heraldry. pp.50
  3. ^ William Latham Bevan; Henry Wright Phillott (1873). Mediæval Geography: An Essay in Illustration of the Hereford Mappa Mundi. London: E. Stanford. pp. 30–31. Avalerion.
  4. ^ "alerion". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)

References

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alerions.
  • Guillaume de Machaut (1994). The Tale of the Alerion. Translated by Minnette Gaudet & Constance B. Hieatt. Toronto: University of Toronto Press.
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