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{{Stars2|Category=Weapons}}
{{Spears}} Banners, standards, flags, gonfanon (gonfalon, guntfano) and pennons (pennants) were commonly adopted by the warriors of the 9th – 12th centuries. This article attempts to briefly outline what the authors currently know about the subject.<br>The style of banner stays surprisingly consistent from the 9th to the 12th centuries and across Western Europe. For this reason we’ve decided to look at all the evidence together rather than, as we usually do, break the evidence into English, Carolingian, etc.<br>
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===Pennons===
These are triangular flags or streamers.<br>
<galleryheights=150px mode="Packed" style="text-align:left">File:Banner BL Cotton Caligula A XV f123r Harley 603 1000-1025AD.jpg‎ | 1000-1025AD English <br> BL Harley 603File:Banner BL Harley 603 1025-1050AD.jpg‎ | 1025-1050AD English <br> BL Harley 603File:Banner BL Harley 603 1050-1075AD.jpg‎ | 1050-1075AD English <br> BL Harley 603File:Banner_BL_Cotton_Caligula_A_XV_f123r.jpg‎ | c.1073AD English <br> BL Cotton Caligula A XV f123rFile:Banner BL Harley 603 1125-1150AD.jpg‎ | 1125-1150AD English <br> BL Harley 603
</gallery>
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===Banners===
These are rectangular flags ending in ‘swallowtails’.<br>
====Before 1066AD====
<galleryheights=150px mode="Packed" style="text-align:left">File:Banner Leiden I Maccabees.jpg | 850-950AD Carolingian <br> Leiden I Maccabees f.15v & f.22rFile:Banner Brussels ms 10066-77.jpg| 900-1000AD Carolingian <br> Brussels ms 10066-77File:Banner Aachen Liuthar Gospels.jpg | 990AD Ottonian <br> Aachen Liuthar GospelsFile:Banner BL Egerton 3763.jpg| 998-1018AD Ottonian <br> BL Egerton 3763 f.112v & f.116vFile:Banner BL Add. 24199.jpg| 1000AD English <br> BL Add. 24199
File:Banner BL Vatican lat.12 f.37v.jpg | 1025-10505AD English <br> BL Vatican lat.12 f.37v
File:Banner BL Paris Lat. 8824 f.1v.jpg | 1025-10505AD English <br> Paris Lat. 8824 f.1v
File:Banner BL Cotton Tiberius C VI.jpg | 1050AD English <br> BL Cotton Tiberius C VI f.8v & f.9r
</gallery>
 
====The Bayeux Tapestry====
[[File:Bayeux Tapestry Banners.jpg|thumb|180x150px280x250px|left]]
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====After 1066AD====
<galleryheights=150px mode="Packed" style="text-align:left">File:William Seal.jpg| 1066-1087 <br> Seal of William I (The conqueror)File:Seal William Rufus.jpg| 1087-1100 <br> Seal of William II (Rufus) File:Banner Dijon MS14 f.13v.jpg| 1109-1111AD French <br> Dijon MS14 f.13vFile:Banner Dijon MS173 f133v.jpg| 1101-1133 French <br> Dijon MS173 f133v 'Moralia in Job'File:Seal Henry I.jpg| 1100-1135AD English <br> Great Seal of Henry IFile:Banner Heildesheim St Albans Psalter 49.JPG| 1120-1145 <br> Heildesheim, St Albans PsalterFile:Seal King Alexander of Scotland.jpg| 1107-1124 <br> Seal of Alexander I of Scotland
</gallery>
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===Triangular Banners===
A type of banner supported by the banner pole and a horizontal beam and similar in shape to the Viking weather vanes.
<gallery heights=150px mode="Packed" style="text-align:left">
File:Banner Girona, Beatus Of Girona f.242r.jpg| 976AD <br> Girona, Beatus Of Girona f.242r
File:Banner Boulogne MS20 f.29v.jpg| 1000AD Ottonian <br> Boulogne MS20 f.29v
File:Banner Bayeux Tapestry 65a.jpg| c.1076AD <br> Bayeux Tapestry
File:Coin BM 1915,0507.767 Anlaf Guthfrithsson 939-941AD.jpg| 939-941AD <br> Anlaf Guthfrithsson, King of York
File:Coin Cnut.jpg| 1016-1035<br> Cnut, King of England
 
</gallery>
<br>
==From Literature==
For a full list of banners mentioned in primary sources see [[Banners from Literature]].<!-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --br><br>Included here are only those quotes that describe the appearance of banners. I have omitted those quotes that just describe the banner as golden. <br><br>====Bede – Ecclesiastical History of the English People, 731AD===={{Quote|50|* Osthryth, queen of the Mercians:<span style="His font-style: italic; color: green">"...that there might be a perpetual memorial of the royal character of this holy man [King EdwinOswald] dignity was so great throughout his dominions, that not only were they hung up over the monument his banners borne before him in battle, but even in time banner of peace,gold and purple." [SELLAR 1907]when he rode about his cities====The Song of Roland, townships, or provinces, with his thegns, the standard1040-bearer was always wont to go before him. Also, when he walked anywhere along the streets, that sort of banner which the Romans call Tufa115AD====*Verse 39:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">"They held Valentian lances, and the English, Thuuf, was in like manner borne before himshield on shoulder wore. <br>|:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">White and blue and vermilion were the gonfalons they bore." [Project Gutenberg 2011BACON 1914]}}
{{Quote|50|<!-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->"...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."<br>|Osthryth, queen of the Mercians [Project Gutenberg 2011]}}==Late Roman Draco Standards==
{{evidence|Art =<!-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- gallery heights=150px mode="Packed" style="text-align:left">File:Banner St. Gallen Cod.22 140.jpg | c.883-900AD Carolingian <br>St. Gallen Cod.22 140File:Banner Bayeux Tapestry 71a.jpg | c.1076AD English <br> Bayeux Tapestry</gallery>|Literature =*About Witikind, an adversary of Charlemagne:<span style==Capitulary "font-style: italic; color: green">"Hic arripiens signum quod apud eo habebatur sacrum, leonis atque draconis desuper aquilae volantis insignitum effigie ..." [OAKESHOTT 1960:p178]* Henry of Charles the BaldHuntingdon, 843Historia Anglorum c.1129-877AD==c.1154.:AD 752 Battle of Burford:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">“Ethelhun who led the West-Saxons, bearing the royal standard, a golden dragon, transfixed the standard-bearer of the enemy.” [BOHN 1853:p.130]{{Quote|50|:AD 1016 Battle of Assandun“Let our envoys (missi nostril) see :<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">“King Edmund distinguished himself for his valour. For perceiving that the troops of every bishopDanes were fighting with more than ordinary vigour, abbothe quitted his royal station which, and abbess, march forth properly equippedas was wont, he had taken between the dragon and with their Gonfalonier (cum Guntfannonario)the ensign called the Standard,....” |[Hewitt 1885BOHN 1853: p.166194]}}|Archaeology
<!-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->|Discussion ===Beowulf, c.1000AD==={{Quote|50|"High o'er his head they hoist the standard,<br>a gold-wove banner; let billows take him,<br>gave him to ocean."|[Fordham.edu]
}}
The idea of a 'Dragon of Wessex' is an invention of E. A. Freeman in the C19th. [CHANEY 1970:p.128]<br>
Oakeshott refers to "... be the end would have been different. But Harold was struck, and cut down by a Norman sword when William's knights burst through the Huscarles to trample down the Dragon standard and Harold's banner of the Fighting Man." [OAKESHOTT 1960:p.180] but we are unable to find anything that this reference to a dragon standard could be based on.
{{Quote|50|"To Beowulf gave the bairn of Healfdene<br!-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->a gold-wove banner, guerdon of triumph,<br>broidered battle-flag"|[Fordham.edu]}}
==The Viking 'Raven Banner'=={{Quoteevidence|50Art =<gallery heights=150px mode="Packed" style="text-align:left">File:Banner Bayeux Tapestry 53b.jpg |c.1076AD English <br> Bayeux Tapestry</gallery>|Literature =====The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle (890-1116AD)====*AD 878 :<span style="His glance too fell on a goldfont-wove bannerstyle: italic; color: green">“And in the winter of this same year the brother of Ingwar and Healfden landed in Wessex, in Devonshire, with three and twenty ships, and there was he slain, and eight hundred men with him, and forty of his army. There also was taken the war-flag, which they called the RAVEN.” [INGRAM 1912]<br>high oSwanton’s translation [SWANTON 2000:p.77] of Anglo-Saxon Chronicle E <span style="font-style: italic; color: green">“.. and there the banner which they called ‘Raven'er , was taken.” </span> It's also mentioned in the hoardAnglo-Saxon Chronicle's B, C and D (B was written in the second half of handiwork noblestthe C10th,probably in the 970's) but it is not mentioned in the oldest surviving copy of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, A (written from c.890AD to 1070AD). ====Asser's The Life of Alfred (1000AD)====:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">"...and there they gained a very large booty, and amongst other things the standard called '''Raven'''; for they say that the three sisters of Hingwar and Hubba, daughters of Lodobroch, wove that flag and got it ready in one day. They say, moreover, that in every battle, wherever that flag went before them, if they were to gain the victory a '''live crow would appear flying on the middle of the flag''' ; but if they were doomed to be defeated it would hang down motionless, and this was often proved to be so. " [GILES 1848:p62]A major doubt exists regarding the authenticity of this chapter in Asser's Life of Alfred. It has been fairly well proved that Bishop Parker added this chapter directly from The Annals of St Neots in his 1574AD published version of Asser's Life of Alfred. [STEVENSON 1904] The original sole surviving Anglo-Saxon manuscript, Cotton MS Otho A xii, was lost in the Cotton Library fire of 1731AD. The two remaining transcripts have both been affected to varying degrees by Bishop Parkers interpolations.  ====The Annals of St Neots (1120-1140AD)====:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">""<br>brilliantly broideredAlthough written in the C12th, The Annals of St Neots was based in part on a now missing early version of the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. [SWANTON 2000] ====Saga of Olaf, Tryggvi's Son. (c.1260AD)====:<span style="font-style: italic; so bright color: green">"...Take thou here this banner which I have made with all my skill, and I ween that it will bring victory to him before whom it is borne, but death to its gleambearer." The banner was wrought with cunningly executed handiwork and elaborate art. It was made in the shape of a raven,and when floating in the wind it resembled the raven flying."<br>This saga is part of the Flateyjarbók written between 1387AD to 1394AD and contains expanded version of some of the sagas from the Heimskringla. <br>|Archaeology[Fordham.edu]|Discussion
}}
<!-- ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -->===The Song of Roland, 1040-115AD [BACON 1914] LEONABD BACON 1914===*Verse 4 :<span style="font-style: italic; color: green"br>"And Geoffrey of Anjou, the bearer of the King's gonfalon" [BACON 1914]
==Harald Hardrade's 'Land-waster' Banner==Also known as Land-ravager. 'Landøyðan' and '' in Icelandic. <br>The Heimskringla was written around c.1230AD by Snorri Sturluson.<br>*Verse 33 '''Saga of Harald Hardrade.''' From the Heimskringla :* Treaty between Harald and Svein broken::<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">"Through CerdagneA little after this it happened that Harald and Svein one evening were sitting at table drinking and talking together, and through Svein asked Harald what valuable piece of all his property he esteemed the valleys and the mountains they marched onmost.<br>::<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">He answered, it was his '''banner Land-waster'''.<br>::<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">Until of the French army they saw Svein asked what was there remarkable about it, that he valued it so highly.<br>::<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">Harald replied, it was a common saying that he must gain the gonfalonvictory before whom that banner is borne, and it had turned out so ever since he had owned it. <br>::<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">Where aU Svein replies, "I will begin to believe there is such virtue in the twelve companions banner when thou hast held three battles with thy relation Magnus, and hast gained them all."" [LAING 1907]:* The Battle at the French rear-guard Humber::<brspan style="font-style: italic; color: green">"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]:* Skirmish of Orre::<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">"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 Marsile will not tarry till he have joined Harald's banner Land-ravager'''; and now was, for the fraythird time, one of the sharpest of conflicts, in which many Englishmen fell, and they were near to taking flight." [BACON 1914LAING 1907]
*Verse 39:<span style="font!-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --style: italic; color: green">"They held Valentian lances, and shield on shoulder wore. <br>:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">White = Viking Weather Vanes ==7 'weather vanes' have been found and blue and vermilion were the gonfalons they borea depiction of them can be found on a carving from Bergen." [BACON 1914]
*Verse 59:<span style="font!-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --style: italic; color: green">"Then an embroidered banner he gave unto Grandoign <br>:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">To lead his men against the Franks that battle they might join. <br>:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">And therewithal was given to Grandoign =King Harold’s ‘Fighting Man’ banner==King Harold’s personal banner is described by three sources although only two of them mention the whole command‘Fighting Man’." [BACON 1914]
*Verse 125:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">"And onwards Geoffrey '''William of Anjou bore the great Oriflame — <br>:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">Because it was Saint PeterPoitiers, Gesta Willelmi ducis Normannorum et regis Anglorum's'' (The Deeds of William, it bore the Roman nameDuke of Normandy and King of England) c." [BACON 1914]1071AD:Note: Oriflame was the name of Charlemagne's banner<br>
*Verse 137'''William of Malmesbury, Chronicle of the Kings of England''' (Gesta Regum Anglorum) c.1125AD:*::<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">"Right through the Prince's body The king himself on foot, stood with his golden banner borebrother, near the standard; in order that, while all shared equal danger, none might think of retreating. <br>:<span style="font-style: italicThis standard William sent, after the victory, to the pope; color: green">He smote him dead seven hundred it was sumptuously embroidered, with gold and precious stones, in the form of his servitors beforea '''man fighting'''." [BACON 1914GILES 1847:p.276]
*Verse 142'''Master Wace, The Chronicle of the Norman Conquest''' (Roman de Rou), c.1174:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">"Ogier the Dane and Charlemagne well the great strokes laid on* Line 11, <br>450::<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">And Neimes “When Harold had made all ready, and Geoffrey given his orders, he came into the midst of Anjou that bore the gonfalon. <br>:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">Ogier English, and dismounted by the Dane in all things a hero good was he. <br>:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">He spurred side of the steed beneath himstandard, Leofwin and let Gurth, his brothers, were with him gallop free. <br>:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">On and around him who bore the Dragon he let drive had barons enough, as he stood by his gonfanon, which was in truth a buffet dreadnoble one, sparkling with gold and precious stones. <br>:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">Down After the victory William sent it to the earth before him he hurled Lord Amboire dead. <br>:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">And the banner of King Baligant in that hour came apostle, to groundprove and commemorate his great conquest and glory. ” [TAYLOR 1837]<br>:</span style="font-style: italic; color: green">And Baligant beheld it fall, and the ensign of Mahound <br>:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">Without a man to guard it. In his heart he saw it plain <br>:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">How wickedness was on his side and the right with Charlemagne" [BACON 1914]
<!-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- --><br>===Master Wace, The Chronicle of the Norman Conquest (Roman de Rou), c.1174Papal Banner===*Line 11,450:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">“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.” [PICKERING 1837]</span><br>
:<span style="font-style: italic; color: green">“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]</span> Charlemagne: An Anglo-Norman Poem of the Twelfth Century edited by Francisque Michel 1836
<!-- ---------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --><br>==Late Roman Draco StandardsCharlemagne's 'Oriflame' ==
{{evidence|Art ==== The song of Roland ====<gallery>*Verse 226File:Banner St. Gallen Cod.22 140.jpg | c.883<span style="font-900AD Carolingian style: italic; color: green">"And onwards Geoffrey of Anjou bore the great '''Oriflame''' — <br> St. Gallen Cod.22 140File:Banner Bayeux Tapestry 71a.jpg | c.1076AD English <br> Bayeux Tapestry</gallery>|Literature span style={{Quote|50|"Hic arripiens signum quod apud eo habebatur sacrumfont-style: italic; color: green">Because it was Saint Peter's, leonis atque draconis desuper aquilae volantis insignitum effigie ..it bore the Roman name."|About Witikind, an adversary of Charlemagne. [Oakshott 1963:p178BACON 1914]}}|Archaeology
<!-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --><br>== The Caroccium ==    <!-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --><br>==References=={{Ref|Discussion Book=Anderson, Hjjaltalin & Goudie 1873}}{{Ref|Book=Bacon 1914}}"... be the end would have been different. But Harold was struck, and cut down by a Norman sword when William's knights burst through the Huscarles to trample down the Dragon standard and Harold's banner of the Fighting Man." [Oakshott 1963:p.180]{{Ref|Book=Bohn 1853}}{{Ref|Book=Chaney 1970}}{{Ref|Book=Giles 1847}}{{Ref|Book=Giles 1848}}{{Ref|Book=Gummere 1910}}{{Ref|Book=Hewitt 1855}}{{Ref|Book=Laing 1907}}{{Ref|Book=Oakeshott 1960}}{{Ref|Book=Sellar 1907}}{{Ref|Book=Stevenson 1904}}{{Ref|Book=Swanton 2000}}{{Ref|Book=Taylor 1837}} <HarvardReferences />