Changes

Banners

29,713 bytes removed, 09:32, 1 February 2015

==From Literature==

~~===Bede – Ecclesiastical History~~ For a full list of ~~the English People, 731AD===~~*~~:"His [King Edwin] dignity was so great throughout his dominions, that not only were his~~ banners ~~borne before him~~ mentioned in battle, but even in time of peace, when he rode about his cities, townships, or provinces, with his thegns, the standard-bearer was always wont to go before him. Also, when he walked anywhere along the streets, that sort of banner which the Romans call Tufa, and the English, Thuuf, was in like manner borne before him." [SELLAR 1907] * Osthryth, queen of the Mercians:"...that there might be a perpetual memorial of the royal character of this holy man [King Oswald], they hung up over the monument his banner of gold and purple." [SELLAR 1907] ~~===Capitulary of Charles the Bald, 843-877AD===~~*~~:“Let our envoys (missi nostril)~~ primary sources see ~~that the troops of every bishop, abbot, and abbess, march forth properly equipped, and with their Gonfalonier (cum Guntfannonario).”~~ [~~HEWITT 1885: p.166]~~ ~~===Beowulf, c.1000AD===~~*~~:"High o'er his head they hoist the standard, :a gold-wove banner; let billows take him, :gave him to ocean." [GUMMERE 1910]~~ *~~:"To Beowulf gave the bairn of Healfdene :a gold-wove banner, guerdon of triumph, :broidered battle-flag" [GUMMERE 1910]~~ *~~:"His glance too fell on a gold-wove banner :high o'er the hoard, of handiwork noblest, :brilliantly broidered; so bright its gleam," [GUMMERE 1910]~~ ~~===The Song of Roland, 1040-115AD===~~*Verse 4 ~~:"And Geoffrey of Anjou, the bearer of the King's gonfalon" [BACON 1914]~~ *Verse 33 ~~:"Through Cerdagne, and through the valleys and the mountains they marched on, :Until of the French army they saw the gonfalon. :Where aU the twelve companions with the French rear-guard :King Marsile will not tarry till he have joined the fray" [BACON 1914]~~ *Verse 39~~:"They held Valentian lances, and shield on shoulder wore. :White and blue and vermilion were the gonfalons they bore." [BACON 1914]~~ *Verse 59~~:"Then an embroidered banner he gave unto Grandoign :To lead his men against the Franks that battle they might join. :And therewithal was given to Grandoign the whole command." [BACON 1914]~~ *Verse 125~~:"And onwards Geoffrey of Anjou bore the great Oriflame — :Because it was Saint Peter's, it bore the Roman name." [BACON 1914]:Note: Oriflame was the name of Charlemagne's banner~~ *Verse 137~~:"Right through the Prince's body his golden banner bore. :He smote him dead seven hundred of his servitors before." [BACON 1914]~~ *Verse 142~~:"Ogier the Dane and Charlemagne well the great strokes laid on, :And Neimes and Geoffrey of Anjou that bore the gonfalon. :Ogier the Dane in all things a hero good was he. :He spurred the steed beneath him, and let him gallop free. :On him who bore the Dragon he let drive a buffet dread. :Down to the earth before him he hurled Lord Amboire dead. :And the banner of King Baligant in that hour came to ground. :And Baligant beheld it fall, and the ensign of Mahound :Without a man to guard it. In his heart he saw it plain :How wickedness was on his side and the right with Charlemagne" [BACON 1914]~~ ~~===William of Poitiers, The Deeds of William, Duke of Normandy and King of England (Gesta Willelmi ducis Normannorum et regis Anglorum) c.1071AD ===~~ ~~===William of Malmesbury, Chronicle of the Kings of England (Gesta Regum Anglorum) c.1125AD===~~*“The king himself on foot, stood with his brother, near the standard; in order that, while all shared equal danger, none might think of retreating. This standard William sent, after the victory, to the pope; it was sumptuously embroidered, with gold and precious stones, in the form of a man fighting.” [GILES 1847:p.276] ~~===Master Wace, The Chronicle of the Norman Conquest (Roman de Rou), c.1174===~~*Line 11,450:“When Harold had made all ready, and given his orders, he came into the midst of the English, and dismounted by the side of the standard, Leofwin and Gurth, his brothers, were with him; and around him he had barons enough, as he stood by his gonfanon, which was in truth a noble one, sparkling with gold and precious stones. After the victory William sent it to the apostle, to prove and commemorate his great conquest and glory.” [TAYLOR 1837] :“L’apostoile li otreia, un gonfanon li enveia, un gonfanon et un anel, mult precios e riche e bel; si come it dit, desoz la pierre, aveit un des cheveuls Saint Pierre”[MICHEL 1836: p.147] Charlemagne: An Anglo-Norman Poem of the Twelfth Century edited by Francisque Michel 1836 ~~===Snorri Sturluson, Heimskringla (The Chronicle of the Kings of Norway), c.1225AD===~~* Saga of King Harald Grafeld and of Earl Hakon Son of Sigurd~~:"The sharp bow-shooter on the sea:Spread wide his fleet, for well loved he:The battle storm: well loved the earl:His battle-banner to unfurl,:O'er the well-trampled battle-field:He raised the red-moon of his shield;:And often dared King Eirik's son:To try the fray with the Earl Hakon." [LAING 1844]~~ ~~~~* Harald Harfager's Saga~~:The forecastle men were picked men, for they had the king's banner." [LAING 1907]~~ ~~~~* Saga of Harald Hardrade ~~:* OF ULF AND HALDOR.~~::"When Harald came to the castle gate his standard-bearer fell, and Harald said to Haldor, "Do thou take up the banner now." Haldor took up the banner, and said foolishly, "Who will carry the banner before thee, if thou followest it so timidly as thou hast done for a while?" But these were words more of anger than of truth; for Harald was one of the boldest of men under arms." [LAING 1907] ~~:* BATTLE AT A FOURTH CASTLE.::"The coffin was borne high in the air, and over it was a tent of costly linen and before it were carried many banners." [LAING 1907]~~ ~~:* TREATY BETWEEN HARALD AND SVEIN BROKEN.~~::"A little after this it happened that Harald and Svein one evening were sitting at table drinking and talking together, and Svein asked Harald what valuable piece of all his property he esteemed the most. ~~::He answered, it was his '''banner Land-waster'''. ::Svein asked what was there remarkable about it, that he valued it so highly. ~~::Harald replied, it was a common saying that he must gain the victory before whom that banner is borne, and it had turned out so ever since he had owned it. ::Svein replies, "I will begin to believe there is such virtue in the banner when thou hast held three battles with thy relation Magnus, and hast gained them all."" [LAING 1907] ~~:* THE FALL OF EINAR AND EINDRIDE.::"After Einar's murder the king was so much disliked for that deed that there was nothing that prevented the lendermen and bondes~~ Banners from ~~attacking the king, and giving him battle, but the want of some leader to raise the banner in the bonde army." [LAING 1907~~Literature] ~~:* OF KING SVEIN'S ARMAMENT.::"And when King Svein's '''banner''' was cut down, and his ship cleared of its crew, all his forces took to flight, and some were killed." [LAING 1907]~~ ~~:* KING HARALD'S BATTLE WITH EARL HAKON::"Earl Hakon had the same '''banner''' which had belonged to King Magnus Olafson." [LAING 1907] ~~::"When the war-cry was raised the earl let his '''banner '''advance; but when they came under the hill the king's army rushed down upon them, and killed some of the earl's people, and the rest fled. The Northmen did not pursue the fugitives long, for it was the fall of day; but they took Earl Hakon's '''banner '''and all the arms and clothes they could get hold of. King Harald had both the '''banners '''carried before him as they marched away. They spoke among themselves that the earl had probably fallen. As they were riding through the forest they could only ride singly, one following the other. Suddenly a man came full gallop across the path, struck his spear through him who was carrying the earl's '''banner, ''' seized the '''banner-staff''', and rode into the forest on the other side with the '''banner.''' When this was told the king he said, "Bring me my armour, for the earl is alive." Then the king rode to his ships in the night; and many said that the earl had now taken his revenge." [LAING 1907] ~~:* THORD'S DREAM.::"He saw a great battle-array on the land; and he thought both sides began to fight, and had '''many banners''' flapping in the air." [LAING 1907]~~ ~~:* OF HARALD'S ORDER OF BATTLE.~~::"The king's '''banner '''was next the river, where the line was thickest. It was thinnest at the ditch, where also the weakest of the men were. When the earls advanced downwards along the ditch, the arm of the Northmen's line which was at the ditch gave way; and the Englishmen followed, thinking the Northmen would fly. The '''banner''' of Earl Morukare advanced then bravely." [LAING 1907] ~~:* THE BATTLE AT THE HUMBER.~~::"He ordered the '''banner''' which was called the '''Land-ravager''' to be carried before him, and made so severe an assault that all had to give way before it;" [LAING 1907] ~~:* EARL TOSTE'S COUNSEL.::"Then King Harald ordered his '''banner Land-ravager''' to be set up; and Frirek was the name of him who bore the '''banner'''." [LAING 1907]~~ ~~:* OF KING HARALD'S ARMY.~~::"The king himself and his retinue were within the circle; and there was the '''banner''', and a body of chosen men. Earl Toste, with his retinue, was at another place, and had a '''different banner'''." [LAING 1907] ~~:* FALL OF KING HARALD.~~::"King Harald Sigurdson was hit by an arrow in the windpipe, and that was his death-wound. He fell, and all who had advanced with him, except those who '''retired with the banner'''. There was afterwards the warmest conflict, and Earl Toste had taken charge of the '''king's banner'''." [LAING 1907] ~~:* SKIRMISH OF ORRE.~~::"Eystein Orre came up at this moment from the ships with the men who followed him, and all were clad in armour. Then Eystein got '''King Harald's banner Land-ravager'''; and now was, for the third time, one of the sharpest of conflicts, in which many Englishmen fell, and they were near to taking flight." [LAING 1907] ~~~~* The Ynglinga Saga~~:* OF KING HAKE~~:"There was a great battle, in which King Hake went forward so bravely that he killed all who were nearest to him, and at last killed King Eric, and cut down the '''banner''' of the two brothers." ~~:* OF EGIL AND TUNNE~~:"As soon as King Egil perceived the tumult, he prepared for defence, and set up his banner; but many people deserted him, because Tunne and his men attacked them so boldly, and King Egil saw that nothing was left but to fly." ~~~~* King Olaf Trygvason's Saga~~:* BATTLE WITH THE JOMSBORG VIKINGS:"Earl Sigvalde's banner was displayed in the midst of his army, and right against it Earl Hakon arranged his force for attack."~~ ~~:* THE THRONDHJEM PEOPLE BAPTIZED.~~:"But as Skegge was killed, there was no leader in the bondes' army to raise the '''banner''' against King Olaf; so they took the other condition, to surrender to the king's will and obey his order. ~~:* CREW ON BOARD OF THE LONG SERPENT.~~:"Ulf the Red was the name of the man who bore King Olaf's '''banner,''' and was in the forecastle of the Long Serpent; and with him was Kolbjorn the marshal, Thorstein Uxafot, and Vikar of Tiundaland, a brother of Arnliot Gelline." ~~:* OF KING OLAF.~~:"When King Olaf saw that the scattered forces of the enemy gathered themselves together under the '''banners''' of their ships, he asked, "Who is the chief of the force right opposite to us?"" ~~~~* Saga of Olaf Haraldson~~:* OF THE FEAST~~:"As they rode up to the house, and were near the room, they saw on the other side of the house the '''banners''' of Olaf coming waving; and there was he himself, with about 100 men all well equipped." ~~:* OF THE BATTLE AT NESJAR.~~:"He had a white banner on which was a serpent figured. but when they saw the king's fleet coming they began to bind the ships together, to set up their '''banners''', and to make ready for the fight." ~~:* EARL SVEIN'S FLIGHT.:"Their banner was brought up to the ship that was nearest the earl's, and the king himself followed the banner. So says :Sigvat: -- ~~ ~~:"`On with the king!' his banners waving::`On with the king!' the spears he's braving!:`On, steel-clad men! and storm the deck,:Slippery with blood and strewed with wreck.:A different work ye have to share,:His banner in war-storm to bear,:From your fair girl's, who round the hall:Brings the full mead-bowl to us all.'"~~ ~~:* MURDER OF OLAF'S COURT-MEN.:There were twelve of Hrorek's men there, and among them Sigurd Hit, who had been his banner-man, and also little Fin.":* OF THE BAPTISM OF THE VAGABOND FOREST-MEN:The king then took them into the troop of his court-men, and said they should fight under his banner in the battle."~~ ~~:* KING OLAF'S SPEECH.~~:I will let my banner go forward in the middle of the army, and my-court-men, and pursuivants shall follow it, together with the war forces that joined us from the Uplands, and also those who may come to us here in the Throndhjem land. On the right hand of my banner shall be Dag Hringson, with all the men he brought to our aid; and he shall have the second banner. And on the left hand of our line shall the men be whom the Swedish king gave us, together with all the people who came to us in Sweden; and they shall have the third banner. ~~ ~~:Now let the men divide themselves into separate flocks, and then each flock into ranks; then let each man observe well his proper place, and take notice what banner he is drawn up under." ~~:* OF KING OLAF'S SKALDS.~~:Thormod replies, "It may be, sire, that ye now require prayers most; but it would be thin around the banner-staff if all thy court-men were now on the way to Rome." ~~:* KING OLAF COMES TO STIKLESTAD~~:Then he placed his army in battle array, and raised his banner. Dag was not yet arrived with his men, so that his wing of the battle array was wanting. Then the king said the Upland men should go forward in their place, and raise their banner there." ~~:* THORD FOLASON.~~:Thord Folason carried King Olaf's banner. So says Sigvat the skald, in the death-song which he composed about King Olaf, and put together according to resurrection saga: -- ~~:"Thord. I have heard, by Olaf's side,:Where raged the battle's wildest tide,:Moved on, and, as by one accord:Moved with them every heart and sword.:The banner of the king on high,:Floating all splendid in the sky:From golden shaft, aloft he bore, --:The Norsemen's rallying-point of yore."~~ ~~:* KING OLAF'S DREAM.~~:There a slumber came upon him, and he slept a little while; but at the same time the bondes' army was seen advancing with raised banners, and the multitude of these was very great. ~~:* OF ARNLJOT GELLINE'S BAPTISM~~:Thereupon Arnljot was baptized. The king taught him so much of the holy faith as appeared to him needful, and placed him in the front rank of the order of battle, in advance of his banner, where also Gauka-Thorer and Afrafaste, with their men, were. ~~:* OF THE LENDERMEN:Thorer replies thus to his speech: "I do not confide in myself so much as to raise the banner against King Olaf, or, as chief, to lead on this army;~~ ~~:* KALF ARNASON'S SPEECH:Will ye now adopt my proposal -- then shalt thou, friend Thorer, and thou, Harek, go under the banner which we will all of us raise up, and then follow.~~ ~~:* HOW THE LENDERMEN SET UP THEIR BANNERS.~~:Kalf Arnason then raised his banner, and drew up his house-servants along with Harek of Thjotta and his men. Thorer Hund, with his troop, was at the head of the order of battle in front of the banner; and on both sides of Thorer was a chosen body ofbondes, all of them the most active and best armed in the forces. This part of the array was long and thick, and in it were drawn up the Throndhjem people and the Halogalanders. On the right wing was another array; and on the left of the main array were drawn up the men from Rogaland, Hordaland, the Fjord districts, and Scgn, and they had the third banner. ~~235. OF THE PREPARATIONS OF THE BONDES.~~ ~~When the bondes' men and array were drawn up the lendermenaddressed the men, and ordered them to take notice of the placeto which each man belonged, under which banner each should be,who there were in front of the banner, who were his side-men, andthat they should be brisk and quick in taking up their places inthe array; for the army had still to go a long way, and the arraymight be broken in the course of march. Then they encouraged thepeople; and Kalf invited all the men who had any injury to avengeon King Olaf to place themselves under the banner which wasadvancing against King Olaf's own banner. They should rememberthe distress he had brought upon them; and, he said, never wasthere a better opportunity to avenge their grievances, and tofree themselves from the yoke and slavery he had imposed on them."Let him," says he, "be held a useless coward who does not fightthis day boldly; and they are not innocents who are opposed toyou, but people who will not spare you if ye spare them."~~ ~~236. OF THE KING'S AND THE BONDES' ARMIES.Thereafter the bondes' army advanced to Stiklestad, where KingOlaf was already with his people. Kalf and Harek went in front,at the head of the army under their banners.~~ ~~238. BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE OF STIKLESTAD.Now came Thorer Hund, went forward in front of the banner withhis troop, and called out, "Forward, forward, bondemen!"~~ ~~"Midst in their line their banner flies,~~ ~~Thither the stoutest bonde hies:~~ ~~But many a bonde thinks of home,~~ ~~And many wish they ne'er had come."~~ ~~Now the ranks in front of the king'sbanner began to be thinned, and the king ordered Thord to carrythe banner forward, and the king himself followed it with thetroop he had chosen to stand nearest to him in battle; and thesewere the best armed men in the field, and the most expert in theuse of their weapons. Sigvat the skald tells of this: --~~ ~~"Loud was the battle-storm there,~~ ~~Where the king's banner flamed in air.~~ ~~The king beneath his banner stands,~~ ~~And there the battle he commands."~~ ~~239. THORGEIR OF KVISTSTAD'S FALLAt the same instant Thord stuckthe banner-pole so fast in the earth that it remained standing.Thord had got his death-wound, and fell beneath the banner.~~ ~~At the same time Dag Hringson came up with his people, and beganto put his men in array, and to set up his banner; but on accountof the darkness the onset could not go on so briskly, for theycould not see exactly whom they had before them.~~ ~~240. KING OLAF'S FALL."Warrior! who Olaf dared withstand,~~ ~~Who against Olaf held the land,~~ ~~Thou hast withstood the bravest, best,~~ ~~Who e'er has gone to his long rest.~~ ~~At Stiklestad thou wast the head;~~ ~~With flying banners onwards led~~ ~~Thy bonde troops, and still fought on,~~ ~~Until he fell -- the much-mourned one."~~ ~~241. BEGINNING OF DAG HRINGSON'S ATTACK.There a great number of the bondes fell,and these lendermen, Erlend of Gerde and Aslak of Finey; and thebanner also which they had stood under was cut down.~~ ~~246. OF THORMOD KOLBRUNARSKALD.Thormod Kolbrunarskald was under King Olaf's banner in thebattle; but when the king had fallen, the battle was raging sothat of the king's men the one fell by the side of the other, andthe most of those who stood on their legs were wounded.~~ ~~Saga of Magnus the Good32. SVEIN'S FLIGHT"Spattered with mud from heel to head,~~ ~~Our gallant lord his true men led.~~ ~~Will Lund's earl halt his hasty flight,~~ ~~And try on land another fight?~~ ~~His banner yesterday was seen,~~ ~~The sand-bills and green trees between,~~ ~~Through moss and mire to the strand,~~ ~~In arrow flight, leaving the land."~~ ~~34. BATTLE AT HELGANES"And now the Norsemen storm along,~~ ~~Following their banner in a throng:~~ ~~King Magnus' banner flames on high,~~ ~~A star to guide our roaming by.~~ ~~To Lund, o'er Scania's peaceful field,~~ ~~My shoulder bore my useless shield;~~ ~~A fairer land, a better road,~~ ~~As friend or foe, I never trod."~~ ~~Across Fiona's moor again,~~ ~~The paths late trodden by our men~~ ~~We tread once more, until quite near,~~ ~~Through morning mist, the foes appear.~~ ~~Then up our numerous banners flare~~ ~~In the cold early morning air;~~ ~~And they from Magnus' power who fly~~ ~~Cannot this quick war-work deny."~~ ~~35. OF KING MAGNUS'S CAMPAIGN."To fair Fiona's grassy shore~~ ~~His banner now again he bore:~~ ~~He who the mail-shirt's linked chains~~ ~~Severs, and all its lustre stains, --~~ ~~He will be long remembered there,~~ ~~The warrior in his twentieth year,~~ ~~Whom their black ravens from afar~~ ~~Saluted as he went to war."~~ ~~Magnus Barefoot's Saga~~ ~~27. FALL OF KING MAGNUSThe king answered, "Call all the men together with the war-hornsunder the banner, and the men who are here shall make a rampartwith their shields, and thus we will retreat backwards out of themires; and we will clear ourselves fast enough when we get uponfirm ground."~~ ~~Vidkun Jonson instantly killed the man who hadgiven the king his death-wound, and fled, after having receivedthree wounds; but brought the king's banner and the sword Legbitto the ships.~~ ~~Saga of Magnus the Blind and of Harald Gille~~ ~~2. OF THE FORCES OF HARALD AND MAGNUS.Then the war-horns sounded, and all Harald's men went out fromthe house to an enclosed field, and set up their banners. KingHarald had on two shirts of ring-mail, but his brother Kristrodhad no armour on; and a gallant man he was.~~ ~~12. OF MAGNUS THE BLIND.On Hlesey's plain the foe must quail~~ ~~'Fore him who dyes their shirts of mail.~~ ~~His storm-stretched banner o'er his head~~ ~~Flies straight, and fills the foe with dread."~~ ~~Saga of Sigurd, Inge, and Eystein, the Sons of Harald~~ ~~2. OF SIGURD SLEMBIDJAKNIt is related that Thjostolf Alason carried KingInge in his belt as long as the battle lasted, and stood underthe banner~~ ~~27. OF GREGORIUS DAGSONIt is true that there is but little help in thee on account of thy ill health, but I should think thy will should not be less to hold thy handover thy friends, and I am now quite ready to go from hence tomeet Sigurd, and my banner is flying in the yard."~~ ~~Saga of Hakon Herdebreid ("Hakon the Broad-Shouldered")~~ ~~3. KING HAKON'S FLIGHTThere the man who carried his banner was slain,just as he was going to step on shore. Gregorius ordered Hal, ason of Audun Halson, to take up the banner, which he did, andbore the banner up to the pier.~~ ~~11. KING HAKON'S FLIGHTThereupon he ordered his banner to be set up, whichwas done; and they rowed across the river.~~ ~~14. OF THE FALL OF GREGORIUS DAGSONThen he ordered the banner to be advanced, andimmediately went out on the ice with the men.~~ ~~18. KING INGE'S FALLAn assault was made against King Inge's banner, and in this conflictKing Inge fell; but his brother Orm continued the battle, whilemany of the army fled up into the town.~~ ~~Magnus Erlingson's Saga~~ ~~10. EARL SIGURD'S CONDEMNATIONThe people of Viken were very friendly to Erling andKing Magnus, principally from the popularity of the late KingInge Haraldson; for the Viken people had always served under hisbanner.~~ ~~13. OF EARL SIGURD'S BATTLE ARRAYWe have a good battle-field. Let themcross the bridge; but as soon as the banner comes over it let usthen rush down the hill upon them, and none desert hisneighbour."~~ ~~14. EARL SIGURD'S FALLThey first used spears then edge weapons; and the earl's banner soonretired so far back, that Erling and his men scaled the ridge~~ ~~42. THE FALL OF KING EYSTEIN.Then the Birkebeins' banner was cut down; those whowere nearest gave way and some took to flight~~

==Late Roman Draco Standards==

Admin

Bureaucrat, administrator

17,658

edits

Changes

Banners

Navigation menu

Personal tools

Namespaces

Variants

Views

More

Search

Sections

Navigation

Tools