In heraldry, a bar sinister, a broad diagonal stripe from top right to bottom left on a shield, was supposed to signify what?
Baton sinister Baton sinister The baton sinister (alternatively baston) is a charge used in heraldry. It is a diminutive of the bend sinister and constitutes a narrow strip that runs from the upper right to the lower left of a coat of arms. Sinister (meaning "left" in Latin) is merely a directional indicator, and does not carry the negative connotations of the word in modern English. It is commonly believed to be an indicator of an illegitimate birth in the family line, and is used in this way in literary contexts. However, in medieval England, there was no single mark of difference
Dexter and sinister being at the "right hand" of God. Sinister is used to mark that an ordinary or other charge is turned to the heraldic left of the shield. A "bend sinister" is a bend which runs from the bearer's top left to bottom right, as opposed to top right to bottom left. As the shield would have been carried with the design facing outwards from the bearer, the bend sinister would slant in the same direction as a sash worn diagonally on the left shoulder. This division is key to dimidiation, a method of joining two coats of arms by placing