Helm, Helmet

Casque, Helme, Healme, Heaume

1. Defensive armour for the head. It is blazoned to indicate whether it is affronté or in profile, open or close, or with the visor up. If garnished the tincture is also given.

2. In an Achievement, the helm is borne above the shield  and beneath the crest. Like the coronet, it denotes the rank of the bearer and is borne as follows

i. Sovereigns and Princes of the Blood Royal - Gold, affronté, with visors of six bars and lined with crimson.

ii. Peers - Silver, placed sideways but not in full profile, with visors of five gold bars lined with crimson.

iii. Baronets and Knights - Steel, affronté with silver visor raised without bars, ornamented with gold, and lined with crimson.

iv. Esquires and Gentlemen - Steel, in profile, either closed or with visor down ornamented with gold,.

The visors of baronets, knights, esquires and gentlemen are sometimes  tinctured  gold and open helms may be padded with crimson or blue silk lining.

The various distinctions of the helm may have been introduced after the Restoration.

The somewhat different custom in France assigned to persons newly ennobled or become gentlemen, a helmet of bright iron or steel in profile, with the visor slightly open. To a gentleman of three descents, by father and mother, a helmet, somewhat more open, but still in profile showing three bars of the visor. To an ancient gentleman who was a knight, a helmet, still in profile, but showing five bars with silver edges. To a baron, a helmet of silver, with the edges of gold and seven bars, neither quite in profile nor quite affronté. To earls and viscounts were assigned earlier on the like helmet, the coronet placed above it to show the distinction of rank; but it was afterwards borne quite affronté with fine bars. To marquesses, a silver helmet  damasked, affronté with eleven bars and the proper coronet. To dukes and princes, a helmet damasked, affronté, the visor almost open and without bars with their proper coronets. And the helmet of kings and emperors were all of gold damasked, affronté, the visor quite open and without bars, implying that they were to see and know all things, and command all without contradiction.

According to some heraldic authors, the helmets of bastards should be turned to the sinister to denote their illegitimacy.

See Armour and specifically Basinet, Burgonet, Morion, Pothelm and Tilting Helmet