Metadata
Author: langbot
Data
English[en]
bezant
Cornish[kw]
besont [ hanow gorow ] besons [ hanow liesek / hanow liesplek ] Bezants, adopted at an early period as a symbol of Cornwall, appear frequently in Cornish heraldry. Cornish heraldry is the form of coats of arms and other heraldic bearings and insignia used in Cornwall, United Kingdom. While similar to English, Scottish and Welsh heraldry, Cornish heraldry has its own distinctive features. In the Middle Ages, the term bezant (Old French besant, from Latin bizantius aureus) was used in Western Europe to describe several gold coins of the east, all derived ultimately from the Roman solidus. The word itself comes from the Greek Byzantion, ancient name of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire