CRESCENT, in heraldry, is a bearing in form of a half moon. The Ottomans bear sinople, a crescent montant, argent.
The crescent is frequently used as a difference in coat-armour, to distinguish it for that of a second brother or junior family.
The figure of the crescent is the Turkish symbol; or rather is that of the city Byzantium, which bore this device from all antiquity; as appears from medals struck in honour of Augustus, Trajan, &c.
The crescent is sometimes montant, i. e. its points look towards the top of the chief, which is its most ordinary representation; whence some contend, that the crescent, absolutely so called, implies that situation; though other authors blazon it montant, when the horns are towards the dexter-side of the escutcheon, in which position others call it incroissant.
Crescents are said to be adossed, when their backs or thickest parts are turned towards each other; their points looking to the sides of the shield. Crescent inverted, is that whose points look towards the bottom: turned crescents, are placed like those adossed; the difference is, that all their points look to the dexter-side of the shield: contorted crescents, on the contrary, look to the sinister side: affronted or appointed crescents, are contrary to the adossed, the points looking towards each other.
CRESCENT is also the name of a military order, instituted by Renatus of Anjou, King of Sicily, &c. in 1448; so called from the badge or symbol thereof, a crescent of gold enamelled. What gave occasion to this establishment was, that Renatus took for his device a crescent, with the word hoz, "praise," which, in
Crescentia, the style of rebus, makes low in crescent, q. d. by ad-
Crescim-vancing in virtue, one merits praise.
benti.