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Dictionary of Vexillology: F (Flamant - Flying Rod)

Last modified: 2020-03-14 by rob raeside
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FLAMANT (or FLAMBANT)
The heraldic term used to describe burning - flambant – see ‘inflamed’ and ‘incensed’.

[flamed] [flamed] [flamed] [flamed] [flamed]
Flag of Belpberg, Switzerland (fotw); Arms and Flag of Il-Kalkara, Malta (fotw); Arms and Flag of Bleiken bei Oberdiessbach, Switzerland (Wikipedia & fotw)


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

[flamed] [flamed]
Arms and Flag of Ivanska, Croatia (fotw)


FLAMED GYRONNY
See ‘flammes 1)’.

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


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

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


FLAMING (FLAMED or FLAMY) SWORD
The term 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 (see also ‘sword’).

[flaming] [flaming] [flaming]
Flag and Arms of Obora, Czechia (fotw); Flag of Vracovice, Czechia (fotw)


FLAMME DE BOEUF
See ‘bullock pennant’.

FLAMME DE FOURRAGÈRE
See ‘lanyard pennant’.

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


FLAMME DE GUERRE
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’, ‘flammuly’, ‘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]  [Flammes]
Colours of Swiss Regiments in Foreign Service: De Meuron, British Pre-1801; Reding, French c1760; Niderost, Spanish c1720 (fotw); Colour of the 1st Sea Battalion, Germany c1900 (Klaus-Michael Schneider)


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] [flammulets example] [flammulets example]
Imperial Standard 1828 – 1894 and another Imperial Flag, Austria-Hungary (fotw); Flag of a General Officer, Austria (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 flammully examle Presidential standard - Czechia
Examples (2); Presidential Standard of the Czechia (fotw)


FLANCHE (or FLAUNCH)
The heraldic term 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)
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 flanches
Flag of Elbe-Parey, Germany (fotw); Arms of Green-Templeton College, Oxford, UK (fotw); Flag and Arms of Schönewalde, Germany (fotw & Wikipedia)


FLANKED (or FLANKING)
A military term sometimes used in vexillology when objects are placed either side of a central charge (see also ‘charge 1)’).

flanked flanked flanked flanked
Flag and Arms of Ameixoeira, Portugal (fotw); Flag and Arms of Barosa, 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 Sveta Marija - Croatia arms Royal Banner - France Royal Banner - France Provence 
Flag and Arms of Sveta Marija, Croatia (fotw); The Royal Banner and Arms of France (fotw & Wikipedia); A Flag of Provence, France (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 Guriezo, Spain
Flag and Arms 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’.

Florence, Italy Florence, Italy Florence, Italy Florence, Italy
Arms and Flag of Gradište, Croatia (fotw); Arms of Malhadas, Portugal (fotw); Arms and Flag of Florence, Italy (fotw)


FLEURY (FLORY, FLORETTY or FLORONNY)
The heraldic term 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 also ‘fleur-de-lis’, ‘double-tressure’, ‘ordinary’ and ‘cross fleury’).

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

Please note that this term is 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 Vila Nova da Rainha, 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 also ‘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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