Last modified: 2004-12-30 by jarig bakker
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![[Naval Jack of the Netherlands]](../images/n/nl-jack.gif)
by Mark Sensen, 17 Jul 2002
On 20 April 1931 (re-confirmed 31 August 1958) this design replaced
the national tricolour as jack. Flags with gironnies
were the traditional jacks of the 17th century.
Mark Sensen, 27 January 1996
The Dutch naval jack is known as the Dubbele Prinsengeus (Double
Princejack). It is for use by the Royal [Netherlands] Navy only. Civilians
can use a design with lesser gironnies (mostly 8) as jack.
Mark Sensen, 6 June 1998
We have these gyronny jacks in NL:
In 1566 the nobilty in the Netherlands offered the Spanish Governess,
Margaretha of Parma, a petition that asked for the harsh religeous laws
Spain introduced to be retracted. On the occasion, one of Margaretha's
advisors commented to her: "ce ne sont que des geux" (they are nothing
but beggars). Considering that in other Northern European countries empovered
nobility had restored its wealth by taking that of the Church, the characterization
may not have been far wrong, but whatever their motive, the name "geux"
stuck to those who had protested against the Spanish laws. When, later,
people protested more violently against Spanish law, and eventually against
Spanish rule as a whole, "Geus" became the name for those people as well.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 1 Oct 2001
The French word 'gueux' was initially derived from Middle Dutch 'guit',
villain. Similar cases occur with several words of French origin which
crossed the Channel and came back later with a different meaning. 'Gueux'
is hardly in use now, the feminine 'gueuse' being slightly more
often used, especially in the expression 'courir la gueuse', to
go wenching.
Concerning the jack, geus, Gösch etc., we lack a specific
word for it in French and call it "pavillon de beaupré",
bowsprit ensign..Beaupré and probably bowsprit, comes from
the Dutch 'boegspriet'. Petit Larousse Illustre gives for 'beaupré'
only the mast and does not mention the ensign.
Ivan Sache, 2 Oct 2001
Naval jack.
Before 1931 a small version of the national flag was used as naval
jack. New image according to Album2000.
Mark Sensen, 17 Jul 2002
The socalled "Geus" is flewn at the bow of the ship (only when moored
or anchored at sunday and public hollydays and also when the ship is visiting
a foreign port or when a foreign navy ship is visiting).
Wim Zindler, 14 Apr 2003
The Dutch naval ensign and national flag were always the same, except
from 1796-1806 when the Batavian Republic added their new jack into the
canton of the national tricolour. So also during WWII the plain tricolour
was used by the navy.
Mark Sensen, 8 Sep 2001
This raises the question as to whether, during ww2, Dutch warships flew
the British ensign as well as the Dutch ensign. After the armistice of
21st June 1940 Free French warships could not fight under the French flag
as France was no longer at war with Germany. French-manned warships
were commissioned into the British navy. They flew the British White
Ensign and the French flag.
As far as I know there was a Netherlands government-in-exile in London
which remained at war with Germany, and Dutch-manned warships were commissioned
into the Royal Netherlands Navy and flew the Dutch ensign alone.
David Prothero, 8 Sep 2001