Heraldic ensigns, introduced by Richard I. from the Holy Land, where they were first invented, originally they were painted on the shields of the Chris-tian knights who went to the Holy Land during the crusades, for the purpose of lden-tifying them, some such contrivance being necessary in order to distinguish knights when clad in armor from one another, wharton
Source: Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed (1910)
