In the past I have highlighted some of the coats of arms of members of the College of Cardinals who had come from some of the great noble families of Europe. Unlike the Cardinals of today, almost all of whom simply assume a coat of arms on becoming a bishop, many Cardinals from an earlier time came from armigerous families and the arms they bore as Cardinals were composed of coats of arms they had inherited. Here are just a few (all rendered by the late Michael McCarthy).

Ippolito d’Este, created Cardinal-Deacon of S. Lucia in Silice in 1493 (later Archbishop of Capua)

Philipe de la Chambre, OSB, created Cardinal-Priest of S. Martino ai Monte in 1533 (later made Bishop of Frascati)

Simone Tagliavia de Aragon, created Cardinal-Deacon of S. Maria degli Angeli in 1583 (later Bishop of Albano, and Bishop of Sabina)