Purpure is a tincture (what would commonly be called a "colour" but the colours in heraldry also comprise (there are a few rare additions) gules, vert, sable and azure and are distinguished from the metals, or, and argent in heraldry), what we would call "purple." Never as common as the other colours though (despite rare and minoritarian yet persistant questions as to whether it should be counted among the five common colours) it has existed since the earliest period, for example in the purpure lion of the arms of Leon, it was at that time painted in a greyer shade than presently.
