Ancient and modern are terms used in heraldry to differentiate two different coats of arms used at different periods by a family or other bearer.
Reasons for changing arms have been numerous, the most famous being the 1376 change in the French royal arms by Charles V of France to show three fleurs-de-lis instead of semee de lis, possibly to symbolize the Holy Trinity.
The reasons for other changes were more prosaic, for example where a court of chivalry ordered a change or differencing where two families claimed the same arms, as in the famous case of Scrope v Grosvenor.
The resulting two versions of arms are referred to as "France ancient" and "France modern", "Grosvenor ancient" and "Grosvenor modern".
Arms of France ancient:
Azure semée-de-lis or
Arms of France modern:
Azure, three fleurs-de-lis or
Portugal ancient:
Argent, five escutcheons crosswise the dexter and sinister ones pointing to the center azure each semée of argent plates
Portugal modern:
Argent, five escutcheons in cross azure each charged with as many argent plates in saltire, all within bordure gules semée of seven castles or
Denmark ancient:
Or semée of waterlily pads gules, three leopards passant azure crowned or langued gules.
Denmark modern:
Or, three lions passant in pale azure crowned or langued gules, nine lily pads gules.
Grosvenor ancient:
Azure, a Bend Or
Grosvenor modern:
Azure, a Garb Or
Gorges ancient:
Lozengy or and azure
Gorges modern:
Lozengy or and azure, a chevron gules
Percy ancient:
Azure, five fusils conjoined in fess or
Percy modern:
Or, a lion rampant azure
Talbot ancient:
Bendy of ten argent and gules
Talbot modern:
Gules, a lion rampant within a bordure engrailed or
Cantilupe ancient:
Gules, three fleurs-de-lis or
Cantilupe modern:
Gules, three leopard's faces jessant-de-lys reversed or
