ments ▁Although ▁her ald ry ▁origin ated ▁from ▁military ▁necessity , ▁it ▁soon ▁found ▁itself ▁at ▁home ▁in ▁the ▁page antry ▁of ▁the ▁medieval ▁tournament . ▁ ▁The ▁opportunity ▁for ▁kn ights ▁and ▁l ords ▁to ▁display ▁their ▁her ald ic ▁bear ings ▁in ▁a ▁compet itive ▁medium ▁led ▁to ▁further ▁ref in ements , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁elaborate ▁tournament ▁hel ms , ▁and ▁further ▁popular ized ▁the ▁art ▁of ▁her ald ry ▁throughout ▁Europe . ▁ ▁Prom inent ▁burg h ers ▁and ▁corpor ations , ▁including ▁many ▁cities ▁and ▁towns , ▁assumed ▁or ▁obtained ▁gr ants ▁of ▁arms , ▁with ▁only ▁nom inal ▁military ▁associations . ▁ ▁Her ald ic ▁devices ▁were ▁dep icted ▁in ▁various ▁context s , ▁such ▁as ▁religious ▁and ▁fun er ary ▁art , ▁and ▁in ▁using ▁a ▁wide ▁variety ▁of ▁media , ▁including ▁stone work , ▁car ved ▁wood , ▁en am el , ▁st ained ▁glass , ▁and ▁emb roid ery . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁rise ▁of ▁fire ar ms ▁rendered ▁the ▁mounted ▁kn ight ▁increasing ly ▁irrelevant ▁on ▁the ▁battle field ▁during ▁the ▁six teenth ▁and ▁sevent e enth ▁centuries , ▁and ▁the ▁tournament ▁f aded ▁into ▁history , ▁the ▁military ▁character ▁of ▁her ald ry ▁gave ▁way ▁to ▁its ▁use ▁as ▁a ▁decor ative ▁art . ▁ ▁Fre ed ▁from ▁the ▁limitations ▁of ▁actual ▁shield s ▁and ▁the ▁need ▁for ▁arms ▁to ▁be ▁easily ▁distinguished ▁in ▁combat , ▁her ald ic ▁artists ▁designed ▁increasing ly ▁elaborate ▁achiev ements , ▁cul min ating