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Dictionary of Vexillology: B (Bend - Bishop's Crook)

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BEND
BEND ON (or BEND ONTO)
BEND SINISTER
BEND SINISTER WAVY
BEND WAVY
BENDLET and BENDLET SINISTER
BENDLET WAVY and BENDLET SINISTER WAVY
BENDWISE (or BANDWISE SINISTER)
BENDY
BENDY SINISTER
BENT
BETHEL FLAG
BETSY ROSS FLAG
BEWPER (OR BEWPERS)
BEZANT (OR BESANT)
BICOLOUR (BICOLOR, BI-COLOR or BI-COLOUR)
BILLET
BILLETTY
BIRLINN
BISHOP'S CROOK (or BISHOP'S STAFF)

BEND

The heraldic term for a diagonal stripe which runs for the upper dexter to the lower sinister of a shield, a banner of arms or any quartering thereof, and which (in strict heraldic usage) should occupy about one-third of the field when charged, and one-fifth when plain – but see ‘Appendix IX’ and ‘descending diagonal’ (also ‘banner of arms’, ‘dexter’, ‘in bend’, ‘per bend’, ‘quartering 1)’, ‘sinister’ and ‘triangular panel 2)’).

Flag of Strasbourg, France (fotw); Arms and Flag of Campania, Italy (fotw)

BEND ON (or BEND ONTO)

(v) A nautical term for securing two pieces of rope together as in attaching the hoistline of a flag to the halyard of a flag pole or mast (see ‘halyard’ and ‘hoistline’).

BEND SINISTER

The heraldic term for a diagonal stripe which runs for the lower dexter to the upper sinister of a shield, a banner or arms or any quartering thereof, and which (in strict heraldic usage) should occupy about one-third of the field when charged, and one-fifth when plain – but see ‘Appendix IX’ and ‘ascending diagonal’ (also ‘banner of arms’, ‘dexter’, ‘in bend sinister’, ‘per bend sinister’, ‘quartering 1)’, ‘sinister’ and ‘triangular panel 2)’).

Flag of Frankerandeel, The Netherlands (fotw); Arms of Dillingen upon Donau, Germany (Wikipedia); Flag of Coeuve, Switzerland (fotw)

Please note that a bend or baton sinister, sometimes incorrectly called a “bar sinister”, was originally placed over a coat of arms to indicate illegitimacy – see ‘baton(s) 2)’.

The Arms of Arthur Plantagenet (d1542) illegitimate son of King Henry V, England (Wikipedia); Arms of the Duke of Grafton (1663-1690) illegitimate son of King Charles II, England (Wikipedia)

BEND SINISTER WAVY

In heraldry see ‘bend’ (also ‘wavy’).

Arms and Flag of Probsteierhagen, Germany (Wikipedia & fotw)

BEND WAVY

In heraldry see ‘bend’ (also ‘wavy’).

Arms and Flag of Lentegí, Spain (ICH & Klaus-Michael Schneider)

BENDLET and BENDLET SINISTER

The heraldic term for a diminutive of bend and bend sinister, nominally half the width of a bend but often much narrower, sometimes wavy and usually (but not invariably) appearing in numbers of two or more – see ‘bend’ and ‘bend sinister’ (also ‘bend’ and ‘bend sinister’ (also ‘bendlet wavy & bendlet sinister wavy’)

Arms and Flag of Grolley, Switzerland (Wikipedia & fotw); Arms and Flag of Südtondern, Germany (fotw)

BENDLET WAVY and BENDLET SINISTER WAVY

In heraldry see ‘bendlet and bendlet sinister’ (also ‘wavy’).

Flag of Bredenbek, Germany (fotw); Arms and Flag of Wesenberg, Germany (fotw)

BENDWISE (or BENDWISE SINISTER)

1) In traditional heraldry see ‘in bend’ and ‘in bend sinister’.
2) In some heraldic usage this term relates specifically to the axis of a charge or charges, rather than to its, or their position, on a shield, a banner of arms or a flag – but see ‘in bend’ and ‘in bend sinister’ as referenced above.

Flag and Arms of Haut Rhin, France (fotw & Wikipedia); Flag of Le Sentier, Switzerland (fotw); Arms and Flag of Eiken, Switzerland (Wikipedia & fotw)

BENDY

1) The heraldic term for the division of a shield, a banner of arms or any quartering thereof, into four or more usually (but not invariably) equal bends or bendlets, and running from the upper dexter to the lower sinister in alternating tinctures – but see ‘bend’ and ‘multi-stripe’ (also ‘banner of arms’, ‘dexter’, ‘quartering 1)’, ‘sinister’ and ‘tincture’).
2) See ‘wavy’.

Example; Flag and Arms of Šmarje pri Jelšah, Slovenia (fotw); Flag and Arms of Molondin, Switzerland (fotw & wiki)

BENDY SINISTER

The heraldic term for the division of a shield, a banner of arms or any quartering thereof, into four or more usually (but not invariably) equal bends or bendlets, and running from the lower dexter to the upper sinister in alternating tinctures – but see ‘per bend sinister’ and ‘multi-stripe’ (also ‘banner of arms’, ‘dexter’, ‘quartering 1)’, ‘sinister’ and ‘tincture’).

Example; Flag of Wasseramt, Switzerland (fotw); Aarms and Flag of Trüllikon, Switzerland (Wikipedia & fotw)

BENT

In heraldry see ‘embowed’.

Arms and Flag of Fischbach, Switzerland (Wikipedia & fotw)

BETHEL FLAG

The flag of the Bethel Union, a seaman’s missionary organization, and occasionally flown in the 19th Century by some British and US merchant vessels to indicate that a church service was taking place (see also ‘church pennant’ and ‘flying angel flag’).

BETSY ROSS FLAG

A pattern of the stars and stripes whose canton carried thirteen five-pointed stars arranged in a circle, which according to legend was ordered by George Washington in 1776 and sewn by Betsy Ross of Philadelphia (see also ‘continental colours’, ‘eagle standard’, ‘Franklin flag’, ‘great star flags’, ‘old glory’, ‘quincunx’, ‘stars and stripes’ and ‘star-spangled banner’).

The Betsy Ross Pattern US National Flag (fotw)

Please note that the US flag had no official star pattern until 1818, at which time the 20-star flag (and all subsequent flags) had official patterns for military purposes. Since 1912 (the 48-star version), the flag has had an official pattern for all purposes, therefore, the type above is likely one of many patterns used during the period 1777-1795.

BEWPER (OR BEWPERS)

A 16th to early 18th Century term, now obsolete, for the loosely-woven fabric used to make flags – see ‘bunting 1)’.

Typical Ensign c1590, England (fotw); Red Ensign 1707, UK (fotw)

BEZANT (OR BESANT)

The heraldic term for gold or yellow disc – a roundel Or (see ‘hurt’, ‘roundel 3)’, ‘plates’, ‘pomme(s)’ and ‘torteau’).

Example; Flag and Arms of Gáfete, Portugal (fotw); Flag of Harelbeke, Belgium (fotw)

Notes
a) In strict English heraldic usage this term should only be employed when the charge described is gold/yellow (“or”) - see ‘tinctures’.
b) The term, dating from the time of the Crusades, is derived from a gold coin of Byzantium.

BICOLOUR (BICOLOR, BI-COLOR or BI-COLOUR)

1) A flag of two even or uneven stripes or bands of colour (whether divided vertically, horizontally or diagonally) and whether defaced or plain - but see note below (also ‘ascending diagonal 2)’, ‘descending diagonal 2)’, ‘per fess’, ‘per bend’, ‘per bend sinister’, ‘per pale’, ‘deface’, ‘plain 2)’ and ‘stripe’).

2) An undefaced flag with two equal (vertical or horizontal) stripes or bands of colour – a simple bicolour (see also ‘undefaced’).

Flag of the Guarany People, Argentina (fotw); National Flag of Portugal (fotw); Flag of Rome, Italy (fotw); An obsolete flag of Sicily (fotw); National Flag of Bhutan (fotw)

Please note that the division line on a bicolour may be described by using the vexillological terms: horizontal or vertical, by 'descending diagonal' and 'ascending diagonal'; or by the corresponding heraldic terms (party/divided): 'per fess', 'per pale', 'per bend' and 'per bend sinister'.

BILLET

The heraldic term for a small rectangular charge usually (but not invariably) shown upright - but see ‘billetty’.

Example; Flag of Baarle-Nassau, The Netherlands (fotw); Arms of Tunes, Portugal (fotw); Flag of Ganderkesee, Germany (fotw)

BILLETTY

The heraldic term sometimes used to describe a semé of billets – see ‘billet’ and ‘semé’.

Flag of Chastre, Belgium (fotw); Arms of Vodice, Slovenia (fotw); Flag and Arms of Franche-Comté; France (fotw & Wikipedia); Flag of Kampenhout, Belgium (fotw)

BIRLINN

In Scottish heraldry see ‘lymphad’.

Badge and Flag of The Western Isles Council, Scotland, plus (doubtful) Badge and Blue Ensign

BISHOP'S CROOK (or BISHOP'S STAFF)

See ‘crozier’.

Flag of Opatovice, Czechia (fotw)

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