- CONFANONERIUS
- A medieval term, now obsolete, for a
‘standard bearer’.
- CONFANONUM (or CONFARONUM)
- A medieval term, now obsolete, for a ‘gonfanon’.
- CONJOINED (or CONJUNCT)
- 1) A heraldic term used when two or more charges are joined together so as to touch each
other - conjunct, or joinant (see also ‘charge 1)’).
- 2) See ‘interlaced’.
Flag and Emblem of the Army 2002 – 03, South Africa (fotw);
Flag and Arms of Šentilj, Croatia (fotw)
Please note – not to be confused with two sets of arms, or
elements from those arms, which are impaled by dimidiation – see
'dimidiated' and following note.
- CONOISSANSE
- See ‘cognisance’’.
- CONSECRATION
- The usually religious ceremony at which a new military or other ceremonial colour is
dedicated – a service of consecration (see also
‘colour 2)’ and ‘parade flag’).
- CONSTRUCTION SHEET
- See ‘specification sheet’.
- CONSULAR (CONSULAR OFFICER’S or CONSUL’S) FLAG
- See ‘diplomatic flags’.
![[UK consular flag]](../images/v/vxt-d568.gif)
![[UK consular flag]](../images/v/vxt-d568a.gif)
Consular Officer’s Flags Ashore and Afloat, UK (Graham Bartram)
- CONTINENTAL COLORS (or COLOURS)
- The first version of what later became the US national flag whose canton consisted
of the British 1606 pattern union jack rather than white stars on a blue field, and
in unofficial use from 1775 to 1777 – the grand (or occasionally “great”) union,
or Cambridge flag
(see also ‘Betsy Ross flag’,
‘British flag’,
‘Franklin flag’,
‘gridiron flag’,
‘old glory’,
‘quincunx’,
‘star-spangled banner’
and ‘stars and stripes’).
The Continental Colors, US (fotw)
- CONTOURNÉ
- See ‘Appendix V’.
- CONVENTIONAL FLAG
- See ‘hoisted flag’.
- CONVOY FLAG
- See ‘fanion 2)’.
- CORD
- 1) A length of decorative string or rope made from several twisted strands
with tassels at each end, generally made of silk (or a silk-like material) in
the livery or national colours (or gold/silver thread), simply knotted or tied
a bow at the centre and used to decorate a staff just below the finial (see also
‘finial’,
‘livery colours’,
‘national colours 2)’,
‘staff 2)’ and
‘tassels’).
- 2) As above but without tassels and used to finish the edges of a flag, usually
in the livery or national colours (or gold/silver thread).
- CORE FLAG
- The flag whose design forms the basis of other flags, or which inspired the
creation of other flags, with a typical example being the French tricolore (see
also ‘archivexillum’,
‘difference 1)’
‘flag family’, 'pan-African Colours',
'pan-Arab Colours' and 'pan-Slavic Colours').
- CORNET (or CORNETTE or CORNUTE)
- 1) In largely British maritime usage a term, now increasingly obsolete, for
a small triangular pennant (see also 'pennant 2)').
- 2) In largely British RN and some other usage a term, now almost wholly obsolete,
for a swallow-tailed flag, particularly a signal flag (see also
‘signal flag’
and ‘swallow-tail(ed)’).
- 3) A 17th/18th Century generic term, now obsolete, referring to any small,
swallow-tailed flag.
- 4) An alternative form of ‘guidon’, now obsolete, as being the distinguishing
flag of a cavalry regiment (see also ‘guidon 2)’).
- 5) A term, now obsolete, for lowest commissioned rank in the cavalry regiments
of some countries (including those of the UK), being that rank responsible for
carrying the regiment’s cornet or guidon.
- CORONATION FLAGS (or BANNERS)
- A term for those flags or banners (differing from the usual royal standard) which are prepared
specifically for display at the installation (coronation, swearing-in or simple inauguration) of a
monarch and often consisting of the relevant royal arms on a plain field – a “rijksvaandel”,
“riksbanner” or “banner of the realm” (see also ‘greater arms’
under ‘arms’ and ‘royal standard(s) 1)’).
Coronation Flags (riksbanner), Norway 1906 and 1818 (official website)
- CORONET
- 1) Generically on flags, a crown without a curved bar across the top that
may be seen in a wide variety of shapes and circumstances
(see also ‘antique crown’,
'civic crown',
‘crown’, 'mural crown' and
'naval crown').
- 2) Specifically on flags, the term may be used when a hereditary ruler is of a
lesser rank than that of crowned monarch - a princely or arch-ducal coronet (bonnet
or hat), or similar (see also ‘electoral cap’).
- 3) In English heraldry a crown without cross bar across the top as 1) above,
but also a symbol of nobility whose exact design is dependent upon the rank of
the person concerned (see also ‘mantle’).
![[coronet]](../images/v/vxt-d097.gif)
(Martin Grieve)
Please note that the use of a cross-bar across the
top to indicate royal status and to differentiate between a crown and a coronet
is of comparatively recent date.
- CORPORATE FLAG
- The distinguishing flag of a shore based commercial concern as opposed to
that of merchant marine company (see also
‘house flag 1)’ and
‘logo’).
![[Corporate flag]](../images/v/vxt-d582.gif)
Corporate Flag of Lufthansa, Germany (fotw)
- CORPORATION (or CORPORATE) BANNER
- In largely UK usage, a type of processional banner whose symbolism relates to the
corporate body of a town council or corporation, or to the community represented –
see ‘banner 3)’.
- COTTICED (COTISED or COTIZED)
- 1) On flags, a term that may be used to describe the addition of one or more
narrow stripes or bands to an existing charge (such as a stripe or cross) but
which is separated from that charge by a strip of field.
- 2) In heraldry the term has a rather more restricted/complex use which is
briefly described in Appendix VII, however, it is
suggested that a suitable glossary or dictionary of heraldry should be
consulted for further details.
Naval Ensign of Ukraine (fotw); Imperial War Flag 1903 – 1919, Germany (fotw); Flag of Koblenzer Rowing club, Germany (fotw)
- COUCHANT
- See ‘Appendix V’.
- COUNTER-
- The heraldic prefix used when two charges on a shield, banner of arms or flag are turned in contrary directions
as in “fleuri-counterfleuri” (see ‘double-tressure’), or when two
tinctures are reversed either side of a line or lines drawn through a coat of arms see
‘counterchanged’ below (also ‘counter-compony’).
- COUNTER-COMPONY
- The heraldic term used when an ordinary or border is composed of two rows of squares (or occasionally rectangles)
in alternating tinctures – see ‘counter-’ above and
‘compony’ (also ‘ordinary’ and
‘tincture’).
Flag of Olsberg, Switzerland (fotw): Flag of Calfreisen, Switzerland (fotw)
- COUNTERCHANGED (or COUNTER-CHANGED)
- (adj) A basically heraldic term used to describe two colours alternating either
side of a line or lines drawn through a flag or coat of arms or charge - parti-coloured
(see also ‘charge’,
‘coat of arms 2)’
and ‘faceted’).
![[counterchanged]](../images/v/vxt-d101.gif)
![[Greenland]](../images/v/vxt-d101a.gif)
![[Maryland, US]](../images/v/vxt-d101b.gif)
![[Tubise Belgium]](../images/v/vxt-d101c.gif)
From left: counterchanged example; Flag of Greenland (CS); Flag of Maryland, USA (CS); Flag of Tubise, Belgium (Ivan Sache)
- COUNTY FLAG
- See ‘sub-national flag’ (also
‘civic flag 2)’.
- COUPEAU
- A French heraldic term for the base of a shield, banner of arms or a flag that is composed of
semi-circular mounds, and is intended to represent (usually) three (but up to six) hills –
see ‘compartment’ (also ‘mount’).
Arms and Flag of Ludbreg, Croatia (fotw); Arms of Pope Paul VI (Modern Popes); Flag of Oberohrdorf, Switzerland (fotw)
- COUPEAU OF THREE (or OF FIVE)
- See ‘coupeau’ above.
- COUPED
- 1) The heraldic term used when a charge is cut off in a straight line as is often the case with the heads and
limbs of animals but see 2) below (also 'erased')..
- A heraldic term that is also used when an ordinary or charge does not extend to
the edges of a shield or banner of arms, for example a cross-couped – but see
‘slipped’ (also
‘charge’,
‘cross-couped’ in ‘appendix VIII’,
‘Greek cross 2)’ and
‘ordinary’).
Unofficial Flag of Northern Ireland (fotw); Flag of Andwil, Switzerland (fotw); National Flag of Tonga (fotw)
- COURTESY FLAG
- That flag (normally, but not exclusively, the national flag of the country
being visited) flown from a prominent position on a merchant vessel as a matter
of courtesy when visiting a foreign port – a complimentary flag (see also
‘yardarm’).
- COWARD
- See ‘appendix V’.
- COWED
- See ‘queued’.
