Commonly used to describe the Napoleonic era British foot soldiers, the British Regulars were known for their distinct red uniform and well-disciplined combat performance. Known famously in British folklore as the Red Coats , these hardened soldiers were the backbone of the British Army in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
45-491: There are several possible reasons why the British Army outfitted its Regulars in red. The most commonly stated reason is that it would hide the appearance of blood on the battlefield, possibly demoralizing the troops. This is unlikely because blood would show black on the red serge tunics, and the white, or "buff" trousers that were commonly issued would hide no blood at all. Another possible explanation would be that red dye
90-565: A banderole ). It was charged with the heraldic badge or some other armorial ensign of the owner, and displayed on his own lance, as a personal ensign. The pennoncelle was a modification of the pennon. 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 the Lord Lyon King of Arms to any armiger who wishes to apply for it. The banner of arms (also simply called banner )
135-456: A heraldic flag is a flag containing coats of arms , heraldic badges , or other devices used for personal identification. Heraldic flags include banners, standards, pennons and their variants, gonfalons , guidons , and pinsels . Specifications governing heraldic flags vary from country to country, and have varied over time. The pennon is a small elongated flag, either pointed or swallow-tailed (when swallow-tailed it may be described as
180-426: A ribbon . Typically these insignia are worn from a sash in the case of the senior ranks, around the neck for the middle ranks (see also neck decorations ), and on the left chest for the lower grades. Many orders use insignia in the form of a cross, but there may also be stars, and military awards may have crossed swords added onto the insignias. Ladies may wear the badge on a bow on the left chest. In orders following
225-747: A consequence of being not an order of chivalry but orders of merit or decorations , some republican honours have thus avoided the traditional structure found in medieval orders of chivalry and created new ones instead, e.g. the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany , the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria , or the Legion of Merit of the United States . Following
270-464: A modern-day order is the Order of the British Empire . The French Legion of Honour democratised the honour systems of orders of chivalry and merit in the sense of formally omitting both the expectations of nobility on admittees while also no further implying the same status on previously non-noble conferees. Yet some orders may still expect noble ancestry on the part of recipients, such as
315-634: A person to whom a Clan Chief has delegated authority for a particular occasion, such as a clan gathering when 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. Attribution This article incorporates text from A. C. Fox-Davies ' 1914 edition of Charles Boutell's Order of chivalry An order of chivalry , order of knighthood , chivalric order , or equestrian order
360-563: 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. Until that date, they were available to all noblemen and knights banneret. 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). In Scotland ,
405-549: A state or a reigning monarch. The answer to the question of whether an order is legitimate or not varies from nation to nation, François Velde wrote an "order of knighthood is legitimate if it is defined as legal, recognized and acknowledged as such by a sovereign authority. Within its borders, a sovereign state does as it pleases. Most, if not all, modern states have honorific orders and decorations of some kind, and those are sometimes called orders of knighthood." Exactly what makes one order legitimate and another self-styled or false
450-435: Is a matter of debate with some arguing that any monarch (reigning or not) or even the descendants of such can create an order while others assert that only a government with actual internationally recognized authority has such power (regardless of whether that government is republican or monarchical in nature). Historically, nobility and knights have also formed Orders of Knighthood. The Noble Order of Saint George of Rougemont
495-454: Is an order of knights , typically founded during or inspired by the original Catholic military orders of the Crusades ( c. 1099–1291) and paired with medieval concepts of ideals of chivalry . Since the 15th century, orders of chivalry, often as dynastic orders , began to be established in a more courtly fashion that could be created ad hoc . These orders would often retain
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#1732786912221540-653: Is into: Confraternal orders are orders of chivalry with the presidency attached to a nobleman: Fraternal orders are orders of chivalry that were formed off a vow & for a certain enterprise: Votive orders are orders of chivalry, temporarily formed on the basis of a vow . These were courtly chivalric games rather than actual pledges as in the case of the fraternal orders. Three are known from their statutes: Cliental pseudo-orders are not orders of chivalry and were princes' retinues fashionably termed orders. They are without statutes or restricted memberships: Honorific orders were honorific insignia consisting of nothing but
585-406: Is not rectangular – it tapers, usually from 120 to 60 cm (4 to 2 ft), and the fly edge 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. The Cross of Saint George usually appeared next to the staff, and the rest of the field
630-477: 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
675-445: 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. 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
720-772: Is the color of St George's cross (St George is the patron saint of England). During the Napoleonic Wars , the British Regulars were a well disciplined group of foot soldiers with years of combat experience, including in the Americas, the Irish Rebellion of 1798 and the War of 1812 . Around half of the British Regular "Redcoats", most were between the ages of 18 and 29; and an over sixth-tenths of
765-736: The Lord Lyon . Such a grant is made only if certain conditions are met. The length of the standard depends upon one's noble rank . A Banderole ( 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. 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 in Florence , Italy , where communities, or neighborhoods, traditionally displayed gonfaloni in public ceremonies. The Scots guidon
810-498: The Order of Saint Stephen of Hungary , established in 1764), others would confer a title upon appointment (such as the Military Order of Max Joseph , established in 1806) while in yet other orders only the top classes were considered knights (such as in the Order of St Michael and St George , established in 1818). Orders of merit which still confer privileges of knighthood are sometimes referred to as orders of knighthood. As
855-532: The Order of the British Empire in the 21st century. In Central Europe, for example, the Order of St. George , whose roots also go back to the so-called "last knight" Emperor Maximilian I , was reactivated by the House of Habsburg after its dissolution by Nazi Germany. Meanwhile, to this day, deserved personalities in republican France are highlighted by being awarded the Knight of the Legion of Honour . In contrast,
900-740: The Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George ), the " Order of Malta " (derived from the Sovereign Military Order of Malta ), and the " Order of the Temple " (derived from the historical Knights Templar ), the latter two featuring prominently in the York Rite . Most orders created since the late 17th century were no longer societies and fellowships of knights who followed a common mission but were established by monarchs or governments with
945-621: The Sovereign Military Order of Malta and those of the Alliance of the Orders of Saint John of Jerusalem . Others may continue to imply conferral of nobility on any admittee, whether hereditary or personal, such as in some of the cases of dynastic orders conferred by the House of Bavaria or the House of Imperial Russia . Some organisations claim to be chivalric orders but are actually private membership organisations that have not been created by
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#1732786912221990-1015: The ... small Flag was reduced to the square form of the Banner, by which thenceforth he was to be distinguished The banners of members of Orders of Chivalry are typically displayed in the Order's chapel. Banners of Knights of the Order of the Thistle are hung in the 1911 chapel of the Order in St Giles High Kirk in Edinburgh . Banners of Knights of the Order of the Garter are displayed in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle . From Victorian times Garter banners have been approximately 1.5 m × 1.5 m (5 ft × 5 ft). Banners became available to all English armigers as
1035-583: The Burgundian court culture was leading and so the Order of the Golden Fleece , founded there in 1430, was for many a model in the sense of a princely order based on the ideals of Christian chivalry. In the course of time, many orders of knights have been dissolved due to a lack of people or the field of activity has changed. So in many areas the charitable aspect and nursing came to the fore. There were also dissolutions for political reasons, such as
1080-650: The Knights Templar in 1312 or many orders of knights as opposition by Nazi Germany. While the Knights Templar was not re-established, some orders were reactivated after the end of World War II and the fall of the Iron Curtain. There are repeated attempts to revive or restore old orders of knights. Often, old knight orders are used today to honor personalities. For example, the British Queen Elizabeth II regularly appointed new members to
1125-728: The above division became no longer sufficient, and heraldic science distinguished orders into: hereditary, military, religious and fees. In a more generous distribution proposed in The Knights in the Crown: The Monarchical Orders of Knighthood in Late Medieval Europe (1987), the Canadian heraldist D'Arcy Boulton classifies chivalric orders as follows: Based on Boulton, this article distinguishes: Another occurrent chronological categorisation
1170-430: The badge: Together with the monarchical chivalric orders (see above) these honorific orders are the prime ancestors of the modern-day orders of knighthood (see below) which are orders of merit in character. The distinction between these orders and decorations is somewhat vague, except that these honorific orders still implied membership in a group. Decorations have no such limitations and are awarded purely to recognize
1215-544: The example set by the French Legion of Honour , founded by Napoleon , most multi-level European orders comprise five ranks or classes. The highest is usually called the Grand Cross , then descending with varying titles. Alternatively, the ranks are referred to by number (for example "1st class" instead of "Grand Cross"). Typical rankings are: Each of these ranks wear insignia, usually badge (often enamelled) on
1260-546: The example set by the French Legion of Honour, the two highest classes also wear a star (or plaque ) on the chest. In special cases the senior class may wear the badge on a collar , which is an elaborate chain around the neck. In certain countries with feudal heritage the higher ranks (usually at least the Grand Cross) may have vestments proper to them, including a robe or mantle and a hat . An example of such
1305-779: The introduction of a universal khaki service dress, would scarlet be officially abandoned as campaign dress for European operations. The classical British Regular was most famous for his action in the Battle of Culloden , the Seven Years' War (1756–1763), the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), the Peninsular War (1808–1815), the War of 1812 (1812–1814), and the Waterloo campaign (1815). Royal Standard In heraldry and vexillology ,
1350-689: The kings of England as a headquarters symbol for their armies. Modern usage of the heraldic standard includes the flag of the Master Gunner, St James's Park and the flag of the Port of London Authority (used by the chairman and the Vice Chairman). The Oriflamme was the battle standard of the King of France during the Middle Ages . In Scotland , a standard requires a separate grant by
1395-766: The knights of the ecclesiastical orders of knights such as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and the Order of St. John mainly devote themselves to social tasks, nursing and care. The Secretariat of the State of the Holy See – medieval pioneer of the original military orders – distinguishes orders in the following manner: In Dell'origine dei Cavalieri (1566), the Italian scholar Francesco Sansovino (1521–1586) distinguished knights and their respective societies in three main categories: Over time,
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1440-469: The loyalty of more than a handful of people. The Guidon tapers to a round, unsplit end at the fly. A guidon can also refer to a cavalry troop's banner, such as that which survived the Custer massacre. The Scottish pinsel is triangular in shape, 76 cm ( 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 ft) high at the hoist and 140 cm ( 4 + 1 ⁄ 2 ft) in width tapering to a point. This is the flag denoting
1485-512: The main purpose of an ideal or charitable task. The original ideal lay in monachus et miles (monk and knight), who in the order – ordo (Latin for 'order' / 'status') – is dedicated to a Christian purpose. The first orders of knights were religious orders that were founded to protect and guide pilgrims to the Holy Land. The knightly orders were characterized by an order-like community life in poverty, obedience and chastity, which
1530-423: The merit or accomplishments of the recipient. Both orders and decorations often come in multiple classes. The orders have influenced organizations which are completely separate and distinct from them. Since at least the 18th century, Freemasonry has incorporated symbols and rituals of several medieval military orders in a number of Masonic bodies , most notably, in the " Red Cross of Constantine " (derived from
1575-429: The notion of being a confraternity , society or other association of members, but some of them were ultimately purely honorific and consisted of a medal decoration. In fact, these decorations themselves often came to be known informally as orders . These institutions in turn gave rise to the modern-day orders of merit of sovereign states. An order of knights is a community of knights composed by order rules with
1620-476: The regulars were five feet, four inches, to five feet seven inches. The British Government at the time, did not allow enlisted men to be older than 45 years old. Although typically under English command, many of the enlisted Regulars were either Scottish or Irish. A small number of Regulars were from Prussia and other states within the German Confederation . From these multiple origins, also came
1665-479: The sense of canon law through papal recognition of their own binding rules of order and through the dissolution of ecclesiastical diocesan organizations. In addition to the religious orders of knights, courtly orders of knights emerged in many European royal houses from the middle of the 14th century. This enabled the monarchs and princes to create a reliable household power independent of the church and to combine their court life with knightly virtues. During this time,
1710-427: The size of personal banners, excluding any fringes, are specified by the Lord Lyon . The heraldic standard appeared 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 displaying badges . "The badge was worn on his livery by a servant as retainer, and consequently
1755-417: The specific purpose of bestowing honours on deserving individuals. In most European monarchies, these new orders retained some outward forms from the medieval orders of chivalry (such as rituals and structure) but were in essence orders of merit, mainly distinguished from their republican counterparts by the fact that members were entitled to a title of nobility . While some orders required noble birth (such as
1800-427: 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." 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, usually banners , are not standards in a strict heraldic sense but have come to be known as such. The heraldic standard
1845-456: The two different "Schools of Thought", the 'American' and the 'German'. The American school focused on open-formation light infantry tactics that were well suited for areas of rough terrain, and dense forested areas, best suited against enemies that had no cavalry nor artillery. The 'American' school favored infantry ranks of two deep, and use of light infantry with rifles. The German school focused on disciplined, close-drill order, well suited for
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1890-506: The vast Central Plains of Europe. This approach was preferred in large battlefields where the enemy had large numbers of cavalry plus artillery. The 'German' school favored infantry ranks of three deep, and the use of smooth bore muskets. After 1855, starting in India and gradually extending to other colonial outposts, the scarlet uniforms were often replaced with khaki on campaign for tactical reasons i.e. camouflage. However, not until 1902, and
1935-470: Was generally divided per 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, a motto , 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." The Royal standards of England were used by
1980-527: Was linked with charitable tasks, armed pilgrimage protection and military action against external and occasionally internal enemies of Christianity. Examples are the Knights Templar , Knights of the Holy Sepulchre officially called The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, founded in 1090, the Order of St. John and the Order of Malta . These communities only became orders in
2025-571: Was relatively cheap, allowing the Army to give its troops better equipment without wasting money on more expensive dyes. Another good reason could be that British officers needed to be able to identify their men in heavy smoke. Red would show better through gunsmoke than most other colors. A final possibility is that red is the primary color in the Royal Standard , the Royal Coat of Arms , and
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