Heraldic Markup Language

This project attempts to define an XML schema for describing heraldic coats of arms. The first focus is on detailing and rendering the escutcheon (the shield), in later stages this may be expanded to descriptions of the rest of the heraldic achievement.

Example 1

The following fragment of XML code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<coatOfArms xmlns="http://github.com/wlievens/heraldry" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
            xsi:schemaLocation="http://github.com/wlievens/heraldry ../src/main/resources/xsd/heraldry.xsd">
    <shape>heater-shield</shape>
    <background>
        <division type="quarterly">
            <part position="1,3">
                <background>
                    <field tincture="or"/>
                </background>
            </part>
            <part position="2,4">
                <background>
                    <field tincture="argent"/>
                </background>
            </part>
        </division>
    </background>
    <charges>
        <ordinary type="fret" tincture="gules"/>
    </charges>
</coatOfArms>

Can be turned into the following image:

As well as generate the following description in blazon:

Quarterly or and argent a fret gules

And yes, I am aware this example shield violates the first rule of tincture...

Example 2

It is also the intention to implement a wide selection of variations of the line, as the following contrived example already shows:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<coatOfArms xmlns="http://github.com/wlievens/heraldry" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
            xsi:schemaLocation="http://github.com/wlievens/heraldry ../src/main/resources/xsd/heraldry.xsd">
    <shape>heater-shield</shape>
    <background>
        <division type="quarterly">
            <part position="1">
                <background>
                    <field tincture="argent"/>
                </background>
                <charges>
                    <ordinary type="bend-sinister" tincture="azure" line="nebuly"/>
                </charges>
            </part>
            <part position="2">
                <background>
                    <field tincture="sable"/>
                </background>
                <charges>
                    <ordinary type="bend-sinister" tincture="or" line="invected"/>
                </charges>
            </part>
            <part position="3">
                <background>
                    <field tincture="argent"/>
                </background>
                <charges>
                    <ordinary type="bend-sinister" tincture="vert" line="wavy"/>
                </charges>
            </part>
            <part position="4">
                <background>
                    <field tincture="sable"/>
                </background>
                <charges>
                    <ordinary type="bend-sinister" tincture="gules" line="indented"/>
                </charges>
            </part>
        </division>
    </background>
</coatOfArms>

This is blazoned as:

Quarterly first argent a bend sinister nebuly azure, second sable a bend sinister invected or, third argent a bend sinister wavy vert and fourth sable a bend sinister indented gules

And rendered as: