Military Colours in the Military Museum of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain)

Last modified: 2009-11-21 by eugene ipavec
Keywords: spain | tenerife | coat of arms | cross: burgundy | military | eagle (black) | crown | lion (red) |
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• Apochryphal (?) "Scarlet-and-Crimson" Ensign
• First Spanish Cavalry Standard
• 64th Infantry Regiment Tenerife
• Artillery Command Tenerife
• 32th Infantry Regiment Tenerife
• Naval Ensign for Expeditions to India (1501-1507)
• 12th Coastal Battery “Los Guinchos”
• Battalion of Patriotic Volunteers of Las Palmas
• Battalion of Riflemen La Palma No. 8

See also:

• Armed Forces' Flags (Spain)
• Naval Flags (Spain)
• City of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
• Tenerife Island
• Spain

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 23 Jun 2009

I have a problem: I remember not also from pirate movies but also from my English lessond at school, that the Spanish ensign was referred to as the “scarlet-and-crimson flag”, which took me by surprise. I always thought both shades had been reddish. Was this flag used in a specific era? I couldn't find anything about that flag on our pages. The only thing I know is that there had been a lot of proposals for a Spanish ensign to avoid confusions with the flags of other sea powers in the 18th century and iniated by Carlos III, but that seems to be far too late.

The other problem is simply: Do we use special RGB-values for both colours, scarlet and/or crimson? Maybe the colours names' had been used for different colours earlier, but that is a mere speculation.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Jun 2009

To the best of my knowledge most Spanish ensigns during the 17th century appear to have been based on the Ragged Cross and to be predominately red on white (although I have heard of a white cross on blue being sometimes used for civil vessels) and such continued to be used as a merchant flag throughout most of the 18th century? On the other hand the full achievement of arms on a white field was formally introduced (from memory) sometime about 1700 for Royal Ships and (like the Ragged Cross merchant flag) was abolished with the introduction of the red and gold in 1785?

On the other hand, "scarlet and crimson" whilst distinctly different shades of red, are (I would suggest) actually indistinguishable from each from any distance and thus hardly appropriate on flag used as a means of identification at sea? Such a red on red flag would surely have looked like a plain "flag of defiance" as a vessel approached, so if the intention when flying it was to give battle then fair enough?

Christopher Southworth, 15 Jun 2009

I suspect - following on from Chris's comments - that it was a less-than-subtle suggestion that Spanish ships were seen as being like pirate ships (IIRC many pirate vessels flew a plain red flag). Scarlet and crimson are fairly distinct and different colours and ISTR that crimson used to mean a darker, more (ironically) Burgundy-like colour, but as pointed out by Chris, from a difference there would be no practical difference.

James Dignan, 16 Jun 2009

My impression- and it is only a reaction to reading the question, not any prior knowledge- is that it is probably a reference to the quartered flag of Castile and Leon. The background of the Castile quarters could certainly be described as scarlet, and the lions of the Leon quarters could arguably be called crimson. Whether that was ever actually used as an ensign in the strict sense may not be relevant since the general public often uses the term in a much looser sense.

Ned Smith, 16 Jun 2009

Surprisingly, such a flag (or similar) existed: I found a tiny image among my photos of Sta. Cruz de Tenerife Military Museum. I have not sufficient time for further inquiries now, but it was a probably short-lived flag introduced in 1647 under Felipe IV. (1621-1665). (In 1647 there happened nothing special.) I can't see whether it should have had great importance. The ratio was approx. 5:6; in a scarlet field, a crimson cross burgundy and a crown in each corner of the flag. The scarlet is RGB (237/28/36), the crimson is RGB (152/1/47). I observed this flag in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008. Unfortunately I could find out neither the reason nor the importance of that flag, which is often referred to in pirate movies. Hollywood often wasn't too exact in historical details. So maybe the words “scarlet and crimson flag” in the introductions had been taken from a book, but in the (mostly b/w) movies there was used a current Spanish tricolour.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 21 and 23 Jun 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 Jun 2009

The First Spanish cavalry standard (Primer Estandarte de Caballería) 1638 is a square flag. The flag is light blue with a white cross burgundy surrounded by a white tressure. I spotted this flag on the flag chart “Proceso de Formación de la bandera de España” in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 27 Jun 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 Jun 2009

The flag of the 64th Infantry Regiment Tenerife has a ratio of 1:2. The flag shows the Spanish horizontal triband red – yellow – red with ratio approx. 2:3:2. In the centre of the yellow stripe is the coat of arms, which has a round shield topped by a crown and superimposing a red cross burgundy. The arms are surrounded by an inscription of black capitals: “REGIMIENTO DE INFANTERIA TENERIFE No 64” I spotted this flag in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 27 Jun 2009

This is a colour of a pattern introduced in 1843. With a small gap during the reign of Amadeo I in 1873-74, this basic pattern was used until 1931.

Source: Manzano Lahoz, Antonio, "Las banderas históricas del Ejército Español," 2nd edition, (Madrid, Ministry of Defence, 1996)

Ian Sumner, 28 Jun 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 05 Jul 2009

The flag of Artillery Command Tenerife is a square flag. The flag shows the Spanish horizontal triband red – yellow – red with ratio approx. 2:3:2. In the centre of the yellow stripe is the coat of arms, which has a round shield topped by a crown and superimposing a red cross burgundy. The arms are surrounded by an inscription of black capitals: “;ARTILLERIA COMANDANCIA DE TENERIFE ”, Source: I spotted this flag on flag chart “Proceso de Formación de la bandera de España” in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008. The flag of Artillery Command Tenerife The unit existed from 1904 to 1924.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 05 Jul 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 05 Jul 2009

The flag of 32th Infantry Regiment Tenerife, 4th bataillion, expeditionary has a ratio is 1:2. The flag shows the Spanish horizontal triband red – yellow – red with ratio approx. 1:2:1. In the centre of the yellow stripe is the coat of arms from the times of General Franco. In the upper red stripe is a golden inscription “RGTO. DE INFANTERIA DE TENERIFE NO.32” (partially exposed and underlined and “filling words” of smaller height). The coat of amrs is flanked by “4o.” and “Bon.”. In the lower red stripe is the word “EXPEDICIONARIO”, which means according to the dictionary “in action/ taking part of an expedition”. The font type is similar to a narrow type of “Bauhaus”. I spotted this flag in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 05 Jul 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 05 Jul 2009

The flag of Naval ensign of expeditions to India (1501-1507), model 1503. It is a 14-stripes flag, horizontally divided by alternating orange and white stripes. In its centre is a coat of arms topped by a mural crown having five torrets. The shield is quarterly divided and shows twice the arms of Castilia and Leon. Source: I spotted this flag on flag chart “Proceso de Formación de la bandera de España” in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008.

I cannot guarantee the details of the flag's subtitle, because it is very small in my photo. Note that there is a similar flag, slightly different with yellow stripes and a coronet instead of a mural crown, illustrated by Sergio Camero here, as "Ensign for Expeditions to the Indies since 1593."

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 05 Jul 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 06 Jul 2009

The flag of the 12th Coastal Battery “Los Guinchos” Obverse: It is a square flag. The flag shows the Spanish horizontal triband red – yellow – red with ratio approx. 1: 2:1. In the centre of the yellow stripe is a smaller coat of arms from the times of General Franco, i.e. without the two pillars of Hercules. The flag has golden fringes. Reverse: It is a square flag divided per bend sinister into red and black. In the centre of the flag is a yellow disc topped by a yellow flame. The flag has golden fringes. The unit was established in May 1941 and dismantled in 1965. I spotted this flag on flag chart “Proceso de Formación de la Bandera de España” in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 06 Jul 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 07 Jul 2009

The flag of Battalion of Patriotic Volunteers of Las Palmas The ratio is 1:2. The flag shows the Spanish horizontal triband red – yellow – red with ratio 1:1:1. In the centre of the yellow stripe is a lying red cross of St.James slightly shifted to the hoist. According to source the volunteers arose against the Republican government on 18 July 1936 and maintained the home security and re-established the public order. I spotted this flag in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 07 Jul 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 08 Jul 2009

The flag of the Battalion of Riflemen La Palma No. 8 (Battalón de Montaña La Palma No 8) The ratio is 1:2. The flag shows the Spanish horizontal triband red – yellow – red with ratio approx. 1: 2:1. In the centre of the flag is a coat of arms shaped as a Soanish shield and superimposing a red cross burgundy. The shield is topped by a crown. The quarters of the shield are showing the arms of Castilia (1st), Leon (2nd), Catalonia (3rd) , Navarra (4th) and Granada (middle base point). According to source this was a regiment of chasers (Span. cazadores). Its denomination was changes into “Battalón de Montaña La Palma No 8” by royal order on 6 July 1925. The battalion was moved to Jaca in 1931 and merged with 19th infantry regiment of Galicia; the new units was renamed the 19th infantry regiment by royal order from 3 June 1931. I spotted this flag in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 08 Jul 2009