The name Sleporon is the name of the crest. Sort of like the name of a name.

There had long been a family tradition that we were of the old Polish nobility, but since my grandfather was killed when my father was five years old, all of the details had been lost.

My friend Pete Rogan, of Polish extraction, along with a history professor from Wayne State University, dug out the details for me, and presented me with the above family crest.

In Poland, crests were not held by individuals, but by the entire, extended family. In a few battles, this meant that fighters on both sides wore the same markings, a confusing thing to say the least.

My earliest ancestor of record was named Corwin. He had been a knight of Malta, and was a noted horseman, but somehow he worked his way to Poland and there served a wealthy priest for many years as the manager and policeman on the priest's four estates.

The two became good friends, and since the priest had no heirs or descendants, he made Corwin his heir. The inheritance was approved, and the crest, of Corwin's design, was granted in 1221 AD, on the priest's death

Now, Corwin means literally, the crow. Crows are held in poor esteem in the west, but in Eastern Europe they are considered to be very clever, and are often the heroes of children's stories.

The name of the largest estate was Slepowron, which meant 'Blind Crow' or perhaps 'Sleeping Crow', in Polish Hence the two crows on the crest. I think that the diamond rings that the crows are carrying symbolize a gift. Corwin had given his time and effort for many years to the priest, and in return had been given that priest's estates.

The horseshoe was a symbol of luck to the commoners, since at that time, even a worn out horseshoe could be worth a month's pay to the peasant who found it. To a nobleman, it implied horsemanship.

The Maltese Cross of course represented Corwin's affiliation that organization.

The crown at the top was common on Polish Crests. It does not signify royalty, but rather subservience to the king, even though Poland did not have a king in 1221.

I have a second crest, given to my family in the Eighteenth Century by the Russian government, but that seems a bit 'new', considering that the original was more than five hundred years older. I won't be using the new one.

So, 'The House of Three Eagles' has now become 'The House of Three Eagles and Two Crows'!