Word from 1657 Siebmacher Wappenbuch

    There is a word on the top of Table 4, Page 160 (see attached), that looks like Bexdelte. but this word does not exist in a Google search. Any idea what is the correct word and what it means?


    Thanks,


    (Mrs.) Chris Swan

    Thank you, I'm glad it was simple. I never . . .


    This answer brings up further questions about this page. What can one conclude about the Wappen for "Schwanen" from the classification of "Geadelte"? (And why did they add "e" or "en" on to the family names?) It seems that this Wappen can be only for the Werle Lord Nicolas I's Advocate and Claviger, Heinrich v. Schwan, mentioned in the Mecklenburg Urkundenbücher from 1270 to 1287. So he must have been ennobled by Nicolaus I (1210-1277) or his son and successor Heinrich I, of Werle-Güstrow (1245-1291). Is it possible to describe this Wappen with proper heraldic terms so that it could be reproduced? I only ask that because I can't tell what is in the upper corner of the shield, possibly a star and something else, a cloud maybe? (The star appears on later Wappen of this family in Pommern.) Any thoughts on the symbolism there? Finally, I wonder why this particular Wappen does not appear in any later Wappenbuch. Since the v. Schwan family originated in Denmark, is it possible that this fact, if it was known to the 19th century publishers, would cause them to leave it out because of the mid century wars over Schleswig-Holstein?


    So many questions . . . Thanks so much for anything else you can add.


    (Mrs.) Chris Swan

    "Schwanen" was the plural of "Schwan" and meant the members of the family of the person ennobled as "von Schwan".


    All those families ennobled by the Imperial Chancellery at Vinna have been reported from that office to be printed at Nuremberg by Siebmacher's under the header "Geadelte".


    The Person in this case was:
    Schwan, Jacob Ulphin, kais. Hofdiener, 24. IX. 1627, [R] u. [WB II, 160].


    meaning [Reichsadel] and the arms are printed on [plate 160]


    The blazoning is:


    D'azur, à 1 cygne d'arg., le vol levé, nageant dans 1 eau d'arg., et tenant en son bec 3 roses, 1 d'arg. entre 2 de gu., tigées et feuillées de sin., le cygne acc. au canton senestre du chef 1 étoile d'or.; Cq. cour.


    The reason for not appearing in later books might be that the family did not persist for a long time, may be there was no family at all and it was just him.


    He had nothing to do with the family you are mentioning. "Schwan" is a relatively common name in Germany.


    This Coat of Arms can only be used and worn by a person directly descending in male line from above Jacob U. von Schwan.