- IBERIAN CROSS
- See ‘cross of calatrava’.
![[Iberian cross]](../images/v/vxt-d1017.gif)
Flag of Puebla de Don Rodrigo, Spain (fotw)
- IDEOGRAM(S)
- See ‘mon 1)’ and its following note.
![[Ichikawa si]](../images/v/vxt-d2033.gif)
Flag of
Ichikawa si, Japan (fotw)
- IMPALE (or IMPALED)
- 1) (v) In heraldry a term for the marshalling (or placing) of two sets of
arms side-by-side on a shield or banner of arms to indicate marriage or alliance
– empale (see also ‘banner of arms’, ‘coat of arms 2)’,
‘dimidiated’,
‘entire 1)’,
‘marshalling’,
‘point-in-point’,
‘quarter the arms’ and
‘quartering 1)’)
- 2) (v) On flags as above, but the images placed on a flag need not be arms
as defined herein.
- 3) A term sometimes incorrectly used in place of transfixed - see ‘transfixed’.
![[impaled flags]](../images/v/vxt-d173.gif)
![[impaled flags]](../images/v/vxt-d173a.gif)
![[impaled flags]](../images/v/vxt-d173b.gif)
![[impaled flags]](../images/v/vxt-d173c.gif)
Former Flag of Overasselt, The Netherlands (fotw); Banner of the Arms of The Orkneys, UK (fotw); NY and NJ Port Authority, US (fotw); English Naval Jack – Royalist – 1643 (CS)
- IMPALE(D) BY DIMIDIATION
- See ‘dimidiated’ and following note
(also ‘impale 1)’).
Flag of Lehe, Germany (fotw); Arms and Flag of
Kaly, Czech Republic (fotw)
- IMPERIAL BROAD PENNANT
- See ‘broad pennant 4)’.
Tsar’s Broad Pennant until 1917, Russia (fotw)
- IMPERIAL DRAGON FLAG
- See ‘dragon flag 2)’.
Chinese Imperial Flag c1890 (fotw)
- IMPERIAL FLAG(S)
- 1) See ‘imperial standard(s) 1)’ and ‘imperial standard(s)
2)’.
- 2) In the plural and in increasingly (but not entirely) obsolete usage, a general heading under which all the flags, standards and banners relating to an emperor, or to the imperial family of any particular country or countries are listed (see also ‘royal flag(s) 2)’).
Standard of HIM The Empress, Japan (fotw); Standard of HIH The Crown Prince 1872 – 1919, Germany (fotw)
- IMPERIAL STANDARD(S)
- 1) That flag, now increasingly (but not entirely) obsolete, which signifies the presence and/or authority of an emperor (see also
‘imperial flag(s) 2)’,
‘mon 2)’ and
‘royal standard(s)’)
- 2) In the plural and in increasingly (but not entirely) obsolete usage, a term sometimes applied to the flags flown by other members of an imperial family – the empress’s, crown prince’s/prince imperial’s standard etc.
Imperial Standard, Japan (fotw);
Imperial Standard for Use Ashore 1858 – 1917, Russia (fotw);
Imperial Standard 1890 – 1918, Germany (fotw);
Crown Prince’s Standard, Japan (fotw)
- IN ABEYANCE
- The term used when a flag or office is no longer in current use, but which may be re-introduced at some
future date – with examples being the rank flag of Marshal of France (which office has no extant holder) and
the broad pennant of a commodore first class (a rank in abeyance since 1958 –
see the second note following ‘flag captain’; also
‘broad command pennant 2)’ and
‘rank flag 1)’).
Rank Flag of a Marshal of France (fotw); Former First Class Commodore’s Broad Pennant, UK
- IN BASE
- The heraldic term used when a charge or charges appear in the lower part of a shield, banner
of arms or flag that is otherwise undivided – see
‘base 1)’ (also
‘abased’, ‘banner of arms’, and
‘shield’).
- IN BEND
- The heraldic term used when an object, charge or charges on a shield, a banner of
arms or any quartering thereof are placed diagonally from top left to bottom right
across the field - bendwise (see also ‘banner of arms’, ‘bend’,
and ‘per bend’ and
‘quartering 1)’).
Chief of Naval Staff, Italy (fotw); Arms and Flag of
Surrey, UK (fotw); Flag of Vals, Switzerland (fotw)
- IN BEND SINISTER
- The heraldic term used when an object, charge or charges on a shield, a banner of
arms or any quartering thereof are placed diagonally from bottom left to top left right
across the field – bendwise sinister (see also ‘banner of arms’, ‘bend sinister’,
‘per bend sinister’
and ‘quartering 1)’).
Flag of Altenhof, Germany (fotw); Flag of Wolfenchiessen, Switzerland (fotw); Flag of
Luzein, Switzerland (fotw)
- IN CHIEF
- 1) The heraldic term used when a charge or charges appear in the upper part of a shield, banner of arms or flag that is
otherwise undivided – see ‘chief’
(also ‘banner of arms’, ‘enhanced’ and
‘shield’).
2) In English naval usage now obsolete, a term officially employed to describe a charge placed in the upper hoist canton
– see ‘canton 2)’.
Example; English Red Ensign c1625 – 1707 (fotw)
- IN FESS
- The heraldic term used when an object, charge or charges on a shield, a banner of
arms or any quartering thereof appear in a horizontal
position – fesswise (see also ‘banner of arms’, ‘fess’,
‘per fess’ and
‘quartering 1)’).
Flag and Arms of Bilje, Croatia (fotw); Flag of the
Comité d'action francophone Pontiac, Canada (fotw)
- IN PALE
- The heraldic term used when an object, charge or charges on a shield, a
banner of arms or any quartering thereof appear in a vertical position – palewise (see also
‘banner of arms’, ‘pale’, and ‘per pale’
and ‘quartering 1)’).
Flag and Arms of Stankovci, Croatia (fotw);
Banner of Arms of the Ordnance Board 1804 – c1960, UK (fotw)
- IN SALTIRE
- The heraldic term used when two separate objects or charges are placed
across each other diagonally on a flag, shield or banner of arms - saltirewise
(see also ‘banner of arms’, ‘saltire’ and
‘per saltire’.
Proposed Flag of Virton, Belgium (fotw); Arms and Flag of
Vojkovice, Czech Republic (fotw)
- INACTIVE
- In vexillology a term that may be used to describe when the rays of a star or sun emblem, or a radiating
stripe, are straight-edged – see ‘active’ (also
‘active and inactive’,
‘radiating’,
‘rays 1)’ and
‘star’ and its following note,
‘sun emblem’ and
‘sunburst’).
![[inactive example]](../images/v/vxt-d623.gif)
![[inactive example]](../images/v/vxt-d1741.gif)
Flag of Groot-Ammers, Netherlands (fotw); Flag of
Sarawak, Malaysia (fotw)
- INCENSED
- 1) The heraldic term for when a wild beast has fire issuing from its mouth or eyes.
- 2) A term sometimes incorrectly used in place of ‘inflamed’ – see ‘inflamed’.
Flag and Arms of Styria. Austria (fotw); Arms of Maria Alm am Steinernen Meer, Austria (ICH)
Please note that only a wild beast should be described as “incensed”, and that other charges are “inflamed”.
- INCLINED FLY
- A term used when the fly of a flag is cut diagonally so that the upper length
of the flag is greater than its lower length – a type largely limited to Central
Europe (see also ‘length 1)’,
‘schwenkel’ and
‘swallow-tail(ed)’).
![[inclined fly flag]](../images/v/vxt-d175.gif)
![[inclined fly flag]](../images/v/vxt-d175a.gif)
![[inclined fly flag]](../images/v/vxt-d175b.gif)
From left: Flag of Jarocin County, Poland (fotw); Flag of
Pleszew County,
Poland (fotw); Flag of Janów Lubelski County, Poland (fotw)
Please note that this is not an established term, but has been introduced by the Editors since no suitable
(or suitably descriptive) alternative could be found.
- INCRESCENT (or INCREMENT)
- See ‘moon 2)’ with following note.
Flag of Oron-la-ville, Switzerland (fotw)
- INDENTED
- See ‘dancetty’ (also ‘embattled’).
![[indented example]](../images/v/vxt-d627.gif)
Flag of Munxar, Malta (fotw)
- INDENTED EDGE
- See ‘scalloped 1)’.
![[indented edge example]](../images/v/vxt-d1529.gif)
Merchant Flag, Portugal 16th/17th Century (fotw)
- INDENTATION(S)
- A term that may be used to describe the shape remaining at the fly of a flag or pennant where that
fly has been cut into two or more tails - see ‘swallow-tail(ed)’ (also
‘hussar cut’,
‘palm’, ‘pennant 2)’,
‘swallow-tail and tongue’ and
‘tongues’).
- INDIVIDUAL FLAG.
- In U.S. army usage, the flag denoting an officer's rank – see
‘rank flag 1)’
(also ‘distinguishing flag 3)’,
‘flag of command’ and
‘personal flag 4)’).
Individual/Rank Flag of a Brigadier General, US Army (fotw)
- INDOOR FLAG
- A flag made expressly for display inside a building and sometimes fringed.
It is often made from more costly materials, is enhanced by embroidered detail, and is fitted
with a sleeve for attachment to a staff – a dress flag or flag of ceremony (see
also ’ceremonial flag 1)’,
‘cord’,
‘embroider’,
‘flag spreader’,
‘fringe’, ‘sleeve 2)’,
‘staff 2)’ and
‘tassels’).
Indoor Flag of The Secretary of Agriculture, US (fotw); Indoor Flag of The
Secretary of The Interior, US (fotw)
- INESCUTCHEON
- The heraldic term for one shield appearing within another (usually – but
not invariably - at its centre point) or on a banner of arms (see also ‘banner of arms’,
‘coat of arms’
‘escutcheon’,
‘escutcheon of pretence 1)’,
‘overall’
and ‘quartering 1)’).
Royal Standard 1700 – 1759, Spain (fotw); Arms and Flag of
Varaždin County, Croatia (fotw); Arms of Almeria, Spain (Klaus-Michael Schneider)
Please note, some heraldic sources propose that this term should also be
used when more than one shield appears within another, but it is suggested that a suitable glossary
or heraldic dictionary should be consulted for further information.
- INFLAMED
- The heraldic term used when a charge is shown with flames coming from it –
ardent, enflamed or flamed – but see ‘incensed 1)’
(also ‘flamant’).
Flag and Arms of Gornja Stubica, Croatia (fotw); Flag of Geroldswil, Switzerland (fotw);
Arms and Flag of Bonfim, Portugal (Sergio Horta)
![[indented edge example]](../images/v/vxt-d1527.gif)