Heraldic flag

Inheraldryandvexillology,aheraldic flagis aflagcontainingcoats of arms,heraldic badges,or other devices used for personal identification.

Heraldic flags includebanners, standards, pennonsand their variants,gonfalons,guidons,andpinsels.Specifications governing heraldic flags vary from country to country, and have varied over time.

Types

Pennon

The pennon is a small elongated flag, either pointed or swallow-tailed (when swallow-tailed it may be described as abanderole^[1]). It was charged with theheraldic badgeor some other armorial ensign of the owner, and displayed on his own lance, as a personal ensign. Thepennoncellewas a modification of the pennon.^[2]

In contemporary Scots usage, the pennon is 120 cm (four feet) in length. It tapers either to a point or to a rounded end as the owner chooses. It is assigned by theLord Lyon King of Armsto any armiger who wishes to apply for it.^[3]

Heraldic banners at the funeral ofElizabeth I.The queen's casket is escorted by mourners bearing the banners of her ancestors' arms marshalled with the arms of their wives.^[4]

Thebanner of arms(also simply calledbanner) is square or oblong and larger than the pennon, bearing the entire coat of arms of the owner, composed precisely as upon a shield but in a square or rectangular shape.^[2]^[5]

In the olden time, when a Knight had distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry, it was the custom to mark his meritorious conduct by prompt advancement on the very field of battle. In such a case, the point or points of the good Knight's Pennon were rent off, and thus the... small Flag was reduced to the square form of the Banner, by which thenceforth he was to be distinguished
— Charles Boutell,The Handbook to English Heraldry^[2]

The banners of members ofOrders of Chivalryare typically displayed in the Order's chapel. Banners of Knights of theOrder of the Thistleare hung in the 1911 chapel of the Order inSt Giles High KirkinEdinburgh.^[6]Banners of Knightsof theOrder of the Garterare displayed inSt George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.From Victorian times Garter banners have been approximately 1.5 m × 1.5 m (5 ft × 5 ft).^[7]

Banners became available to all English armigers as a result of a report by Garter to the Earl Marshal dated 29 January 1906. The report stated that the size of a banner for Esquires and Gentlemen should be considered in the future.^[8]Until that date, they were available to all noblemen and knights banneret.^[9]In 2011, Garter Woodcock said that the banner for an Esquire or Gentleman should be the same size as a Marquess's and those of a lower rank down to Knight, that is, 90 cm × 90 cm (3 ft × 3 ft).^[8]

InScotland,the size of personal banners, excluding any fringes, are specified by theLord Lyon.^[3]^[10]

**Scottish banners**
Rank	Size
The Sovereign	1.50 metres square
Dukes	1.25 metres square
Earls	1.10 metres square
ViscountsandBarons	1.00 metres square
BaronetsandFeudal Barons	0.90 metres square
OtherArmigers	70 centimetres wide x 85 centimetres high^[3]

Heraldic standard

Standard of Sir Henry de Stafford, about 1475, features theStafford knotandBohun swan heraldic badgesdifferenced with acrescent gulesforcadency.The standard bears theCross of Saint Georgefor England. Black and red (sable and gules) were Sir Henry's livery colours.^[11]

Standard of theLeonese Monarchsduring the Middle Ages (until the 13th century). It is one of the oldest heraldic flags, and the documentation for the colours dates fromc. 1150.^[12]

An example of a standard suitable for a Scottishbaronet(who is, in this case, also thechiefofClan Macdonald of Sleat)

Theheraldic standardappeared around the middle of the fourteenth century, and it was in general use by personages of high rank during the two following centuries. The standard appears to have been adopted for the special purpose of displayingbadges."The badge was worn on his livery by a servant as retainer, and consequently the standard by which he mustered in camp was of the livery colours, and bore the badge, with both of which the retainer was familiar."^[2]

Heraldic flags that are used by individuals, like a monarch or president, as a means of identification are often called 'standards' (e.g. royal standard). These flags, usuallybanners,are not standards in a strict heraldic sense but have come to be known as such. The heraldic standard is not rectangular – it tapers, usually from 120 to 60 cm (4 to 2 ft), and theflyedge is rounded (lanceolate). In England, any armiger who has been granted a badge is entitled to fly a standard.

The medieval English standard was larger than the other flags, and its size varied with the owner's rank. TheCross of Saint Georgeusually appeared next to the staff, and the rest of the field was generally dividedper fess(horizontally) into two colours, in most cases the livery colours of the owner. "With some principal figure or device occupying a prominent position, various badges are displayed over the whole field, amotto,which is placed bend-wise, having divided the standard into compartments. The edges are fringed throughout, and the extremity is sometimes swallow-tailed, and sometimes rounded. "^[2]TheRoyal standards of Englandwere used by the kings of England as a headquarters symbol for their armies. Modern usage of the heraldic standard includes the flag of theMaster Gunner, St James's Park^[13]and the flag of thePort of London Authority(used by the chairman and the Vice Chairman).^[14]

TheOriflammewas thebattle standardof theKing of Franceduring theMiddle Ages.

InScotland,a standard requires a separate grant by theLord Lyon.Such a grant is made only if certain conditions are met.

The length of the standard depends upon one'snoble rank.^[3]

**Scottish standards**
Rank	Length
The Sovereign	6.4 m (21 ft)
Dukes	6.1 m (20 ft)
Marquesses	5.5 m (18 ft)
Earls	4.9 m (16 ft)
Viscounts	4.6 m (15 ft)
Lords of Parliament	4.0 m (13 ft)
Baronets	3.7 m (12 ft)
KnightsandFeudal Barons	3.0 m (10 ft)^[3]

Banderole

ABanderole(Fr.for a "little banner" ), has both a literal descriptive meaning for its use by knights and ships, and is also heraldic device for representing bishops.^[1]

Gonfalone

Royal Banner of the King of Denmark in the 14th century, based on theRoyal Arms of Denmark

A gonfalone or gonfalon is a vertically hung banner emblazoned with a coat of arms. Gonfalons have wide use in civic, religious, and academic heraldry. The term originated inFlorence,Italy,where communities, or neighborhoods, traditionally displayedgonfaloniin public ceremonies.

Guidon

The Scots guidon is similar in shape to the standard and pennon. At 1.98 metres (6 feet 6 inches) long, it is smaller than the standard and twice the size of the pennon. Guidons are assigned by the Lord Lyon to those individuals who qualify for a grant of supporters to their Arms and to other individuals who have a following such as individuals who occupy a position of leadership or a long-term official position commanding the loyalty of more than a handful of people. The Guidon tapers to a round, unsplit end at the fly.^[3]

A guidon can also refer to a cavalry troop's banner, such as that which survived the Custer massacre.^[15]

Pinsel

The Scottish pinsel is triangular in shape,76 cm (2+1⁄2ft) high at the hoist and140 cm (4+1⁄2ft) in width tapering to a point. This is the flag denoting a person to whom aClanChief has delegated authority for a particular occasion, such as aclan gatheringwhen the Chief is absent. This flag is allotted only to Chiefs or very special Chieftain-Barons for practical use, and only upon the specific authority of the Lord Lyon King of Arms.^[3]

Notes

^^a ^bChisholm 1911,p. 312.
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^eBoutell 1914,pp. 246–251
^^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^glyon-court.org
^From a manuscript of 1603.
^"Flags of the World: Dictionary of Vexillology: B (Backing - Banner of Victory): Banner of arms".Flags of the World.Retrieved25 January2014.
^Burnett & Hodgson 2001,pp. 6–7.
^Johnston 2011.
^^a ^bWoodcock 2011
^Berry 1830,p.^{[page needed]}
^"The Court of the Lord Lyon - Further Guidance on Flags".26 December 2019. Archived fromthe originalon 26 December 2019.Retrieved29 April2023.
^Boutell 1914,p. 251.
^Lipskey 1972,p.^{[page needed]}
^"United Kingdom - Army Flags".flags.net.Retrieved9 January2020.
^"United Kingdom - Civilian Marine Services".flags.net.Retrieved8 January2020.
^"Custer's 'Last Flag' sells for $2.2 million".NBC News.10 December 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 11 April 2013.Retrieved11 April2018.

References

Berry, W. (1830).Encyclopaedia heraldica or complete dictionary of heraldry.Vol. 1. London: Sherwood, Gilbert & Piper.
Boutell, Charles (1914).Fox-Davies, A. C.(ed.).The Handbook to English Heraldry(11th ed.). London: Reeves & Turner.
Burnett, C.J.; Hodgson, L. (2001).Stall Plates of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle in the Chapel of the Order within St Giles' Cathedral, The High Kirk of Edinburgh.Edinburgh:Heraldry Society of Scotland.ISBN 0-9525258-3-6.
Chisholm, Hugh,ed. (1911)."Banderole".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 312.
Johnston, L. (2011)."Emperor Akihito and the heraldic achievements of the Garter".
Lipskey, Glenn Edgard (1972)."The Chronicle of Alfonso the Emperor, The Poem of Almeria".Retrieved15 December2014.
"The Court of the Lord Lyon - Further Guidance on Flags".lyon-court.org.Retrieved3 March2019.
Woodcock, T(2011)."Garter King of Arms".College of Arms.Personal communication dated 23 December 2011.^{[full citation needed]}

Attribution This article incorporates text fromA. C. Fox-Davies' 1914 edition of Charles Boutell's

The Handbook to English HeraldryatProject Gutenberg,which is in thepublic domainin theUnited States.