The House of Plantagenet was the first truly armigerous royal dynasty of England. Their predecessor, Henry I of England, had presented items decorated with a lion heraldic emblem to his son-in-law, Plantagenet founder Geoffrey, Count of Anjou, and his family experimented with different lion-bearing coats until these coalesced during the reign of his grandson, Richard I (1189–1199), into a coat of arms with three lions on a red field, formally Gules, three lions passant guardant or (armed and langued azure), that became the Royal Arms of England, and colloquially those of England itself. The various cadet branches descended from this family bore differenced versions of these arms, while later members of the House of Plantagenet would either quarter or impale these arms with others to reflect their political aspirations.

Overview of Plantagenet arms Before Edward III

Arms of dynastic founder and kingsGeoffrey Plantagenet, Count of AnjouWilliam Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury,illegitimate son of King Henry IIHenry II of England (possible)William FitzEmpress (possible)Richard I of England (1189–1198) (likely)Henry II of England (possible)John, prior to becoming kingRichard FitzRoy, John's illegitimate sonKings of England1198–1340, 1360–1369

Arms of the sons of kings and their issuePrince of WalesRichard, 1st Earl of Cornwall,son of King JohnEdmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster,son of Henry IIIHenry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster,son of Edmund Crouchback (1322–1326)(later inherited his father's arms)Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk,son of Edward IEdmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent,son of Edward IJohn of Eltham, Earl of Cornwall,son of Edward II

After Edward III

Arms of KingsKings of England1340–1360, 1369–1395, 1399–1406Richard II of England,1395–1399Kings of England1406–1422, 1461–1470, 1471–1485Henry VI of England,1422–1461, 1470–1471

Arms of the sons of Edward IIIEdward, the Black PrinceLionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of ClarenceJohn of Gaunt, 1st Duke of LancasterEdmund of Langley, 1st Duke of YorkThomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester

Arms of the grandsons of Edward IIISons of John of Gaunt:House of LancasterSons of Edmund of Langley:House of YorkRichard of Bordeaux,son of the Black Prince, until 1376Humphrey, 2nd Earl of Buckingham,son of Thomas, Duke of Gloucester

House of Lancaster

Arms of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of LancasterArms of Henry of Bolingbroke, eldest son of John of GauntAs Duke of LancasterAs claimant King of Castile (1371)As Duke of HerefordAs Duke of Hereford and Lancaster

House of Henry IVPrinces of WalesThomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of ClarenceJohn of Lancaster, 1st Duke of BedfordHumphrey, Duke of Gloucester

Arms of the House of Beaufort, legitimized sons of John of GauntJohn Beaufort, 1st Earl of SomersetThomas Beaufort, Duke of ExeterBefore 1396After legitimation, 1396France moderne adoptedAfter legitimation, 1396France moderne adopted

House of York

Arms of the sons of Edmund of LangleyEdward of Norwich,as Earl of RutlandEdward of Norwich,as Duke of YorkDuke of Yorksince the adoption of France moderneRichard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge

Arms of the sons of Richard, 3rd Duke of YorkEdward, Earl of MarchEdmund, Earl of RutlandGeorge, Duke of ClarenceRichard, Duke of Gloucester

Arms of the grandsons of Richard, 3rd Duke of YorkEdward, Prince of Wales,son of Edward IVRichard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York,son of Edward IVEdward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick,son of George, Duke of ClarenceEdward of Middleham, Prince of Wales,son of Richard III

Non-Plantagenet families The heiresses of Norfolk and Kent transmitted the Plantagenet arms to non-Plantagenet families:

Mowbrays and HollandsMowbray Dukes of NorfolkHolland Earls of KentJohn Holland, 1st Duke of ExeterJohn Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter

Henry VI of England granted differenced versions of the Plantagenet arms to his maternal half-brothers. This was an extraordinary grant, since they were not descended from the English royal family.

House of TudorEdmund Tudor, 1st Earl of RichmondJasper Tudor, Duke of Bedford

House of Plantagenet Colour key

Descendants of Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou ArmsNameLifeBlazonNotesGeoffrey of Anjou1113–1151Azure, six lions rampant Or, three, two and one.Son of: Fulk, King of Jerusalem and Ermengarde, Countess of Maine.

Married to: Empress Matilda; 1128–1151.

Progenitor of the Plantagenet dynasty. ArmsNameLifeBlazonNotes King Henry II1133–1189Possible: Gules, a lion rampant (? contourné) Possible: Gules, two lions passantSon of: Geoffrey of Anjou and Empress Matilda.No contemporary account provides him with arms, though attempts have been made to extrapolate what he may have used based on those of his sons and other kin.

In French blazoning, the lion passant guardant was often termed a léopard. However, this usage was never widespread in England, and is long obsolete..Queen Eleanor1124?–1204Attributed:Gules, a lion passant guardant in pale Or.Daughter of: William X, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Aquitaine and Aenor de Châtellerault. Married to: King Henry II; 1152–1189.There is not surviving contemporary evidence of her using arms, but later historians would attribute these arms to her.

ArmsNameLifeBlazonNotesWilliam FitzEmpress "Longespee"1136-1164 Possible: Lion rampant (? contourné).Son of: Geoffrey of Anjou and Empress Matilda.

ArmsNameLifeBlazonNotes King Richard I, "The Lionheart" 1157–1199Possible: Lion rampant (? contourné)..

Possible: Two lions combatant

Possible: Two lions passant

Gules, three lions passant guardant Or.Son of: King Henry II and Queen Eleanor.

His arms are only known from two armorial seals, and hence the tinctures can not be determined. His First Great Seal showed one lion on half of the shield. It is debated whether this was meant to represent two lions combatant or a single lion, and if the latter, whether the direction in which the lion is facing is relevant or simply an artistic liberty. A simple lion rampant is most likely.

At the end of his life, his second seal showed three lions, clearly the three-lion coat used by his successors.Queen Berengaria1170?–1230Azure, a cross pomettée Argent.Daughter of: Sancho VI of Navarre and Sancha of Castile, Queen of Navarre.

Married to: King Richard I; 1191–1199.

ArmsNameLifeBlazonNotesWilliam Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury1176–1226Azure, six lions guardant Or, three, two and one..Illegitimate son of: King Henry II and Ida de Tosny.

Descendants of John, King of England ArmsNameLifeBlazonNotesKing John "Lackland"1166–1216Gules, three lions passant guardant OrSon of: King Henry II and Queen Eleanor.Queen Isabella1188–1246Lozengy, Or and Gules (Angoulême).Daughter of: Aymer of Angoulême and Alice of Courtenay.

Married to: King John; 1200–1216.

ArmsNameLifeBlazonNotesRichard, 1st Earl of Cornwall1209–1272Argent, a red lion rampant Gules crowned Or, within a bordure Sable bezanty.Son of: King John and Queen Isabella.

Descendants of Henry III of England ArmsNameLifeBlazonNotesKing Henry III1207–1272Gules, three lions passant guardant Or.Son of: King John and Queen Isabella.Queen Eleanor1223–1291Or, four pallets GulesDaughter of: Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Provence and Beatrice of Savoy

Married to: King Henry III; 1236–1272.

ArmsNameLifeBlazonNotesEdmund Crouchback, Earl of Leicester and Lancaster1245–1296Gules, three lions passant guardant Or, with a label of three points Azure each charged with three fleurs de lys Or.Son of: King Henry III and Queen Eleanor.Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster1278–1322Gules, three lions passant guardant Or, with a label of three points Azure each charged with three fleurs de lys OrSon of: Edmund Crouchback, Earl of Leicester and Lancaster and Blanche of Artois.Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster1281–1345Gules, three lions passant guardant Or, a baston Azure.Son of: Edmund Crouchback, Earl of Leicester and Lancaster and Blanche of Artois.Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster1310–1361Gules, three lions passant guardant Or, with a label of three points Azure each charged with three fleurs de lys OrSon of: Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster and Maud Chaworth

Descendants of Edward I of England ArmsNameLifeBlazonNotesKing Edward I1239–1307Gules, three lions passant guardant Or.Son of: King Henry III and Queen Eleanor.Queen Eleanor1241–1290Quarterly, 1st and 4th, Gules a castle Or (Castile), 2nd and 3rd, Argent a lion rampant (Leon).Daughter of: King Ferdinand III of Castile and Joan of Ponthieu. Married to: King Edward I; 1254–1290Queen Margaret1279–1318Gules, three lions passant guardant Or (England), dimidiating, Azure, semée fleurs de lys Or (France).Daughter of: King Philip III of France and Marie of Brabant. Married to: King Edward I; 1299–1307

ArmsNameLifeBlazonNotesAlphonso Plantagenet, Earl of Chester1273–1284Gules, three lions passant guardant in pale Or, with a label of five points AzureSon of: King Edward I and Queen Eleanor.Edward of Caernarfon, Prince of Wales (later King Edward II)1284–1327Gules, three lions passant guardant in pale Or, with a label of three points AzureSon of: King Edward I and Queen Eleanor.Thomas of Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk1300–1338Gules, three lions passant guardant in pale Or, with a label of three points Argent.Son of: King Edward I and Queen Margaret.Alice de Hales (or Halys)1304–1326Barry of ten Argent and Azure, a canton Gules, a lion passant guardant OrDaughter of: Roger Hales (or Halys) Married to: Thomas of Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk; (1316?–1320?)–1326Edmund of Woodstock, Earl of Kent1301–1330Gules, three lions passant guardant in pale Or, within a bordure Argent (Kent).Son of: King Edward I and Queen Margaret.Margaret Wake, Baroness Wake of Liddell1297?–1349Barry of six Or and Gules, in chief three torteauxDaughter of: John Wake, Baron Wake of Liddell and Joan de Fiennes Married to: Edmund of Woodstock, Earl of Kent; 1325Joan of Kent1328–1385Gules, three lions passant guardant Or, within a bordure Argent (Kent)Daughter of: Edmund, Earl of Kent and Margaret Wake.

Married to: Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent; 1340–1360

Married to: Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales; 1361–1376.

The so-called Fair Maid of Kent.Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent1350?–1397Gules, three lions passant guardant in pale Or, within a bordure Argent (Kent).Son of: Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent and Joan of KentJohn Holland, Duke of Exeter1352–1400Gules, three lions passant guardant in pale Or, within a bordure Argent charged with fleurs de lys OrSon of: Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent and Joan of KentJohn Holland, Duke of Exeter and Earl of Huntingdon1395–1447Gules, three lions passant guardant in pale Or, within a bordure Azure charged with eight fleurs de lys OrSon of: John Holland, Duke of Exeter and Earl of Huntingdon and Elizabeth of Lancaster

Descendants of Edward II of England ArmsNameLifeBlazonNotesKing Edward II1284–1327Gules, three lions passant guardant Or.Son of: King of Edward I and Queen Eleanor. Queen Isabella1295–1358Gules, three lions passant guardant Or (England), dimidiating, Azure, semée fleurs de lys Or (France)

Quarterly, 1st England, 2nd France ancien, 3rd, Gules, a cross saltire and an orle of chains linked together Or (Navarre), 4th, Azure, a bend Argent cotised potent-counter-potent Or (Champagne).Daughter of: King Philip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre. Married to: King of Edward II; 1308–1327

ArmsNameLifeBlazonNotesEdward of Windsor, Prince of Wales (later King Edward III)1312–1377Gules, three lions passant guardant Or, with a label of three points Azure.Son of: King Edward II and Queen Isabella.John of Eltham, Earl of Cornwall1316–1336Gules, three lions passant guardant Or, within a bordure of FranceSon of: King Edward II and Queen Isabella.

Descendants of Edward III of England ArmsNameLifeBlazonNotes King Edward III1312–1377Previously Edward bore: Gules, three lions passant guardant Or.