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Dictionary of Vexillology: F (Flamant - Flying Rod)

Last modified: 2024-10-26 by rob raeside
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FLAMANT (or FLAMBANT)
The alternative heraldic terms used to describe burning - flambant – see ‘inflamed’ and ‘incensed’ (also ‘mandoria’).

[flamed] [flamed] [flamed]
Flag of Ohníč, Czechia (fotw); Arms of Ivanska, Croatia (fotw); Flag of Belpberg, Switzerland (fotw)


FLAMED (or FLAMING)
In heraldry see ‘inflamed’ and ‘incensed’ (also ‘flamant’).

 [flamed] [flamed]
Arms and Flag of Il-Kalkara, Malta (fotw)


FLAMED GYRONNY
See ‘flammes 1)’.

[flamed]
Colour of the Regiment Reding, Spain, c1740 (fotw)


FLAMES
See ‘flammes’, ‘flammulets’ and ‘wolfteeth’.

[flames] [flames] [flames]
Flag of Csepel, Hungary (fotw); Colour of the 1st Sea Battalion, Germany c1900 (Klaus-Michael Schneider); Flag of a General Officer, Austria (fotw)


FLAMING (FLAMED or FLAMY) SWORD
The terms for a sword whose blade is either wavy to represent fire, or surrounded by flames, and usually (but not invariably) intended to have religious significance – a flamed or famy sword or a sword flamant (see also ‘sword’).

[flaming] [flaming] [flaming]
Flag of Vracovice, Czechia (fotw); Flag of Marmeleira, Portugal (fotw); Flag of Obora, Czechia (fotw)


FLAMME DE BOEUF
See ‘bullock pennant’.

FLAMME DE FOURRAGÈRE
A "flame of fodder/fodder flame" and the French term for a lanyard pennant - see‘lanyard pennant’.

[flamme de fourragére]
Flamme de Fourragère/Lanyard Pennant for Six Citations of the Légion d'Honneur - Overseas Operations, France (fotw)


FLAMME DE GUERRE
A “flame of war/war flame”, and the French term for a masthead pennant - see ‘masthead pennant 1)’.

[Masthead Pennant - France]
Flamme de Guerre/Masthead Pennant of France (fotw)


FLAMMES
1) The term that is used to describe a series of long wavy-edged (that is flame-like) triangles, which radiate from a central point to the edges of a flag, and historically, a characteristic of Swiss military regiments in foreign service – a gyronny wavy or flamed gyronny – see ‘gyronny’ (also ‘flammulets’, ‘flammully’, ‘pile(s) wavy 1)’, ‘radiating’, ‘wavy’ and and ‘wavy flame’).
2) This term may also be used to describe these same flame-like triangles which extend only to the corner sections of a flag, and typical of historic German military usage – but see ‘pile(s) wavy 1)’.

[Flammes]  [Flammes]  [Flammes]
Colours of Swiss Regiment De Reding, British Pre-1801 (Archive of the Colors); Colour of the 1st Sea Battalion, Germany c1900 (Klaus-Michael Schneider); Military Flag of Neuchâtel, Switzerland (fotw)


FLAMMULA
1) A late Roman military flag of elongated shape designed to fly horizontally and split along its entire length.
2) A pre-heraldic flag cut into the form of a flame (see also ‘flammule’ and ‘pre-heraldic’).

Please note, at least one source suggests that flammula 1) might have been two red streamers attached to a lance (see also ‘streamer 1)’).


FLAMMULE
A flame shaped flag edge now characteristic of the Far East, but see also 'flamumlets' below, ‘flammula 2))’ above, and ‘flammully’.

[Chinese Imperial standard, 1870]
Imperial Standard, China c1870 (fotw)


FLAMMULETS
1) Specifically in largely Central-European usage, the term for a series of flame-like (that is wavy-edged) triangular charges, that facing both inward and outward, create a repeating pattern of colours and form the border of a flag - usually around four edges, but occasionally along the outer sides or a single edge only (see also ‘border’, ‘flammes’, ‘flammule’ above, ‘flammully’ and ‘wolfteeth’).
2) Generically as above, but the term may be extended to include a border consisting of triangular charges (either upright or slanted) whose sides are straight – a zigzag border – but see note below.

[flammulets example]  [flammulets example]
Imperial Standard 1828 – 1894, Austria-Hungary (fotw); Royal Standard of Yugoslavia 1925? – 1937 (fotw)

Please note with regard to 2) that the term flammulets should only apply to a border where the triangular charges face both inward and outward, and that where those charges face only inward the correct term is ‘wolfteeth’.


FLAMMULLY (or FLAMULLY)
A term that may be used when there are a number of flame-like projections from a charge or ordinary, or to describe a border made up of flammulets (see also ‘border’, ‘charge 1)’, ‘flammes’, ‘flammule’, ‘flammulets’, ‘ordinary’ and ‘rayonny’,).

flammully example Presidential standard - Czechia
Presidential Standard of Czechoslovakia (fotw); Presidential Standard of Czechia (fotw)


FLANCHE (or FLAUNCH)
The alternative heraldic terms for a single charge (as opposed to a pair of charges) as detailed in “flanches” below. 

flanches
Arms of Märkisch Buchholz, Germany (fotw)


FLANCHES (FLAUNCHES or FLANKS)
Alternative heraldic terms for a pair of usually (but not invariably) curved shoulders on either side of a shield, banner of arms or any quartering thereof – flaunches or flanks (see also ‘banner of arms’ and ‘flanked’).

flanches flanches flanches
Arms of Green-Templeton College, Oxford, UK (fotw); Flag of Schönewalde, Germany (fotw); Arms of Green College 1979 – 2008, Oxford, UK (fotw)


FLANK (or FLANKS)
1) The terms sometimes used in European heraldic blazoning when a charge touches the (vertical) edge or edges of a shield or banner of arms – a use, as far as has been discovered, unknown in English heraldry – but see 3) below (also ‘blazon’).
2) See ‘flanked’.
3) See ‘flanches’ (also ‘naissant 2)’).

flank flank flank
Flag of Blatten, Switzerland (fotw); Flag of Curopos e Vale de Janeiro, Portugal (fotw); Flag of Rüthi, Switzerland (fotw)


FLANKED (or FLANKING)
Military terms sometimes used in European heraldic blazoning and in vexillology when objects are placed either side of a central charge (see also ‘charge 1)’).

flanked flanked flanked
Flag of Barosa, Portugal (fotw); Flag of Avô, Portugal (fotw); Flag of Arca, Portugal (fotw)


FLAPPING FLAG
An exact translation of the German terms knatterflagge or knatterfahne – but see ‘vertically hoisted flag’.

flapping flag
Flapping/Vertically Hoisted Flag of Sankt Wolfgang, Germany (fotw)


FLASH COLLAR
A decorative cover sometimes used at the base of an outdoor flagpole.

FLEUR-DE-LIS (FLEUR DE LYS or FLOWER-DE-LUCE)
A charge reputedly in the form of a stylized lily, particularly associated with the former Royal House of France but widely used elsewhere - a fleur de lys, flower-de-luce or heraldic lily (see also ‘fleury’, ‘fleur de lis florenee’’, ‘cross fleury’ and ‘double-tressure’).

Sveta Marija - Croatia Royal Banner - France fleur de lis
Flag of Sveta Marija, Croatia (fotw); Royal Banner of France (fotw); Flag of Podstrana, Croatia (fotw)

Please note that the fleur-de-lis became a symbol of the French monarchy in the early Middle Ages, was amended circa 1350, went out of use after 1792, was restored briefly in 1814, and again between 1815 and 1846.


FLEUR-DE-LIS/FLEUR DE LYS CROSS (or FLEURY CROSS)
In heraldry see ‘cross fleury’.

Guriezo, Spain
Flag of Guriezo, Spain (fotw)


FLEUR-DE-LIS/FLEUR DE LYS FLORENÉE (or FLEUR DE LIS/ FLEUR DE LYS ÉPANOUIE)
The terms used in French heraldry to describe a more elaborate form of this symbol than that used in France – a fleur de lis épanouie see ‘fleur-de-lis’.

fleur-de-lis  fleur-de-lis fleur-de-lis
Flag of Gradište, Croatia (fotw); Flag of the City of Florence pre-1251, Italy (fotw); Flag of Malhadas, Portugal (fotw)


FLEURY (FLORY, FLORETTY or FLORONNY)
The alternative heraldic terms used when a charge (or charges) or an ordinary, such as a cross, baton or bar, is (or are) decorated with fleur-de-lis – flory, floretty or floronny – see ‘fleur-de-lis’ (also ‘batons fleury’, ‘cross fleury’, ‘double-tressure fleury counter fleury’ and ‘ordinary’).

fleury fleury fleury
Flag of Brislach, Switzerland (fotw); Flag of Jølster, Norway (fotw); Royal Banner of Scotland (fotw)

Please note that these terms are never used alone, but always with the charge so described - for example batons-fleury as illustrated above.


FLEURY CROSS
In heraldry see ‘cross fleury’.

fleury cross fleury cross
Arms and Flag of Batalha, Portugal (fotw)


FLORENTINE FLEUR DE LIS
See ‘fleur-de-lis/fleur de lys florenee’.

florentine fleur de lis
Flag of the City of Florence pre-1251, Italy (fotw)


FLOTILLA COMMAND PENNANT
See ‘command pennant’.

Flotilla Command Pennant, Sweden
Flotilla Command Pennant, Sweden (fotw)


FLÜGER (or FLÜGEL)
The terms in German language vexillology for a wimpel or wimpels that are stiffened with a frame – see ‘wimpel’.

fluger
Flüger of the Hamburg Customs Flag (Klaus-Michael Schneider)


FLY
1) That edge or section of a flag, which lies opposite to (or furthest from) the flagpole, mast or staff (see also ‘Appendix I’ and ‘hoist’).
2) (v) The act of displaying a flag from a flagpole, flag mast or flag staff (see also 'wear a flag').
3) The length of a flag – see ‘length’.

FLY EDGE (or FLY END)
See ‘fly 1)’.

FLY-CHEVRON
See ‘chevron 1)

Ureterp, Netherlands
Flag of Ureterp, The Netherlands (fotw)

Please note that this is an extension of an existing term and has been introduced by the editors as no established alternative could be found.


FLY-DIAGONAL
1) A direct translation of the Dutch term vluchtdiagonaal but see ‘bend sinister’, ‘per bend sinister’ and ‘ascending diagonal 2)’.
2) See ‘inclined fly’.

Klobouky u Brna, Czech Rep. Poznań County, Poland
Flag of Klobouky u Brna, Czechia (fotw); Flag of Poznań County, Poland (fotw)


FLY-TRIANGLE
See ‘triangle’.

fly triangle
Flag of Cercs, Spain (fotw)


FLYING ANGEL FLAG
A term for the flag of The Missions to Seafarers (formerly The Missions to Seamen), a worldwide missionary and welfare arm of the Anglican Church founded in 1856 (see also ‘bethel flag’ and ‘church pennant’).

[Seafarers mission] [Seafarers mission]
A Former Design c1950; Flag of The Missions to Seafarers From 2000, UK (fotw)


FLYING AT THE LEECH
See ‘leech’ and its following note (also ‘shift colours’).

flying at the leach


FLYING AT THE PEAK (or AT THE PEAK OF THE GAFF)
See ‘peak 1)’ and its following notes (also ‘gaff’ and ‘shift colours’).

flying at the peak


FLYING LINE
A short, weighted length of line that is suspended below a helicopter, other slow moving aircraft or from the forward stumpmast yardarm of a cargo transit vessel on inland waterways, used to fly a banner, flag or house flag and with the weight adjusted to the speed of the craft involved in order to keep it vertical – but see ‘flying rod’ below (also ‘banner 5)’, 'house flag 1)', ‘stumpmast’ and ‘yardarm’).

Please note that this term (and flying rod below) has been introduced by the Editors as no existing established term could be found.


FLYING ROD
A short, removable rod that is vertically mounted above and/or below the yardarm of a stumpmast and which is used for the flying of a house flag or pennant, usually aboard cargo transit craft on inland waterways - but see ‘flying line’ above (also ‘house flag 1)’, ‘stumpmast’ and ‘pennant 2)’ ).

Please note that this term (and flying line above) has been introduced by the Editors as no existing established term could be found.


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