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Military Flags until 1474 (Castile and Leon, Spain)

Last modified: 2009-01-10 by eugene ipavec
Keywords: castile and leon | virgin mary | star: 6 points (white) | crescent: points to hoist (white) | cross (yellow) | pennants: crossed (2) | pennants: 8 (yellow) |
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Cavalry Flag 13th Century

[Cavalry Flag 13th Century (Spain)]
image by Sergio Camero, exported to GIF by Santiago Dotor, 23 March 2002

Cavalry flags (estandartes) in the 13th century generally had religious images, something which also happened during the Hapsburg dynasty (1506-1700) and in many later flags up to nowadays.

During the Middle Ages there was an absolute lack of criteria for denominating flags as well as their shapes. Names such as seña, estandarte, pendón and confalón were used. In the 13th century, King Alphonse X tried to regulate the shapes and use of flags.

Sources:

  • Juan Espinazo García, Vexilología en la Edad Media y en las Órdenes Militares;
  • Cantigas de Sta. María, no. CLXXXI, Alfonso X el Sabio;
  • image after Calvo and Grávalos 1983 [cag83].

Sergio Camero, 23 March 2002

Cavalry Flag of Don Gil Álvarez Carrillo de Albornoz 1338-1350

[Cavalry Colour of Don Gil Álvarez Carrillo de Albornoz 1338-1350 (Spain)]
image by Sergio Camero, 15 March 2002

This cavalry flag belonged to the Huestes (followers) of Don Gil Álvarez Carrillo de Albornoz (1338-1350). The original one can be seen in a miniature in the book Registrum Recognitiorum. The most usual colour in Castilian flags was red. In Aragon the kings used more frequently blue.

Sources: Juan Espinazo García, Vexilología en la Edad Media y en las Órdenes Militares; Calvo and Grávalos 1983 [cag83].

Sergio Camero, 15 March 2002

Moorish Guard of Henry IV of Castile 1454-1479

[Moorish Guard of Henry IV of Castile 1454-1479 (Castile and Leon, Spain)]
image by Santiago Dotor, 10 June 1999

Some days ago I wrote on the use of six-pointed stars by Moors under Spanish rule. This is the flag/pennant of the Moorish Guard of Henry IV of Castile (1454-1479), as it appears in Calvo and Grávalos 1983 [cag83].

Santiago Dotor, 25 September 1998

This Castilian king felt great predilection for Moorish usagee of the time, he dressed in Moorish style and ended up signing in Arabic characters. This Guard had an important paper in the actions against the Kingdom of Granada. The image in Calvo and Grávalos 1983 [cag83] is taken from the Count of Clonard, Album de la Caballería Española and Juan Priego López, Escoltas y Guardias Moras de los Jefes de Estado españoles.

Sergio Camero, 28 September 2002