Heraldic adoption

The adoption of heraldic arms was a procedure used solely in Polish heraldry and was one of the earlier "old way" forms of ennoblement in Poland.

[1] Heraldic adoptions were part of a broad plan devised by the Polish nobility to pander to the aspirations of ambitious city burghers and patricians, thus securing political allies for themselves.

Ennoblement involved specific diplomatic procedures and required aspiring city burghers and patricians to make various financial contributions on behalf of Poland's monarchy and nobility, for example through taxes, loans, endowments or gifts.

From 1669, the ennobled who came mainly by then from the burgher class would only receive skartabellat (similar to the German Briefadel, or Letters patent), a specific form of institution and ennoblement introduced by pacta conventa, a lower class of nobility where newly created nobles could only hold public offices and perform legations not until after the third generation; from 1775 an obligation was imposed on newly created nobles possessing (purchasing) land estate.

Without the consent of the general sejm, some Polish kings also granted personal nobility, without the right of inheritance, giving the title of Knight of the Golden Spur.