Flags of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)

In the 2005 movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, great care was taken to recreate the world of Narnia, its creatures and their cultures.  Much detail was lavished into this movie.  This post is a spotlight of one of those details: the flags of Aslan's Army during the First Battle of Beruna.  Much is still unknown, and there may be other flags not pictured here.  My hope is that this may serve as a springboard for more analysis.

With Aslan the great Lion dead at the hands of the White Witch, Peter, Edmund, and Aslan's army engage the Witch's army in battle.  Under their gold and red banners, they fight "for Narnia...and Aslan!"


All images gathered from eBay, WorthPoint, or screenshots of the movie.  I claim no copyright on any of them.  Click on them for larger version.

This flag is identified as belonging to the Centaurs of Aslan's army.

 This flag is also identified as belonging to the Centaurs.  Both have the same distinct crossed-sword motif.  This flag is likely suspended from a pole shaped like a T, similar to the yellow-and-red lion flag next.











 

One of the easiest flags to see in the movie is the pennant attached to the lances of the front rank of Centaurs as they charge home into the Witch's army.  It too bears the crossed-sword motif of the Centaurs.




This is an interesting collection of flags.  I have not found where the lion topper (left) appears in the movie.  The center flag with red lion is clearly visible in some of the long shots of Peter's army.  The bronze lion holding a yellow flag looks like one of those that topped the tents.

A clearer shot of the flag in the center of the photo above.

The unit that this flag identifies is not currently known.  It is clearly one belonging to Aslan's army, however, as it bears the same red-and-gold color scheme as all the rest.

 The "mystery flag" on camera!  It is on the far right of the shot, partially obscured by a Centaur's lance.  It is possible that this flag is carried by the Satyrs, but at present this is uncertain.

A different rectangular flag is visible behind the Satyr blacksmith.  Though the lighting does not allow for much detail to be visible, it does appear to have three horizontal bars (perhaps feathers like the flag above?) running across the first 1/3 of the flag nearest the pole.

This flag is one of my personal favorites: the flag of the Fauns.  In C. S. Lewis's original book, Mr. Tumnus is rather proud of his hooves: "she'll wave her wand over my beautiful cloven hoofs and turn them into horrid solid hoofs like a wretched horse's."  Apparently this pride is shared by most Fauns.

Another flag with the Faun motif.  This one has a distinctive swallowtail shape.

The Faun on the left of the picture carries a banner that is different from the other two above.  This one appears to have three tails.






 
This yellow flag appears in multiple places around Aslan's camp, as well as during the battle.








No one forgets a Dwarf and certainly not the propmakers!  The Dwarfish archers on the ridge have their own flag in matching colors with the rest of the army.  It bears their device of crossed hammers, reflecting their skill at smithcraft.

The flag behind this female Centaur looks like another angle of the Dwarf flag shown above, though detail is difficult to see.  The yellow hammer head is just visible behind the Centaur's forehead.

The female Centaurs themselves carry three red-and-yellow flags while positioned on the ridge behind Edmund.  They all have a yellow hoist edge (the edge nearest the pole) and a swallowtail-shaped red field.  Though detail is difficult to pick out, they appear to also bear the Centaurs' crossed-sword device.

Flags for Wargamers

It has been rather quiet here at DtL, for the author has been very busy with other things. Some of you may know that I run a small business, Through All Ages LLC.  Recently, Through All Ages has been creating flags for wargamers.  Many of my readers have come to this blog looking for historical military flags, of which there are a few recreations on my blog (to see all of them, go to: http://defendingthelegacy.blogspot.com/search/label/Flags).

Now my flag-making endeavors have moved to Wargame Vault.  Some are free (such as the 1745 Appin Stewart flag at the top of the post), and some are for sale (like the collection illustrated left, with flags of all Hesse-Kassell regiments deployed to North America 1776-1783).  Visit https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/14586/Through-All-Ages-LLC to learn more.  And if you have a historical flag you would like to add to your armies, let me know and I will see what can be done...

Flag of Armand's Legion (Completely Speculative)

Speculative Armand's Legion flag

Following on my flag reconstructions, here is a completely speculative one for Armand's Legion.  I have never run across any description of this legion's flag, or even if they were issued a flag.  However, we have descriptions/artifacts of the 2nd Continental Light Dragoons, the 3rd Continental, and Pulaski's Legion.


But onto the description of this fictional flag.  I chose a red ground as all three Continental cavalry standards (2nd, 3rd, and Pulaski's Legion) have red as their field.  An owl was chosen as an interesting classical symbol (the owl of Minerva) and also to evoke Armand's service with the Chouans in France.  The motto translates to "Vigilance is the price of Liberty," and the owl seemed to suggest vigilance and wakefulness.  The 13 stars and fleur-de-lis is taken from contemporary drawings of United States flags.


If you would like to deploy your wargame unit of Armand's Legion under this standard, please feel free; however, credit and a link back to this post is appreciated :)

Edit: A reader requested a proper doublesided flag of Armand's flag, and here it is!

If you like our flags, be sure to check out https://www.wargamevault.com/browse/pub/14586/Through-All-Ages-LLC for even more flags by the author, including many free ones!

Bavarian Flags at Blenheim (1704)

The Elector of Bavaria charges into battle

In the battle of Blenheim, the Elector of Bavaria and his French allies were defeated by the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene.  Nine Bavarian flags were captured in the course of the battle, and they were listed in a London newspaper as follows:


"Nine standards of blue satin, richly embroidered with the Bavarian arms; six belonging to the Elector's own troops, and three to those of Cologne, having the following devices and mottoes."
1st. A laurel; motto, Aut Coronari aut rumpi.
2d. An olive-tree on a rock; motto, Per Ardua Laurus.
3d. A pillar reaching to the clouds; motto, Tantum Umbra movetur.
4th. A bear rampant; motto, Ex Vulnere Crudelior.
5th. A dove with a laurel branch; motto, Uni servo fidem.
6th. A chaos; motto, Obstantia firmant.
7th. A helmet with a feather on a pedestal; motto, Ex duris Gloria.
8th. An olive-tree shading serpents; motto, Nocet Umbra nocenti.
9th. A standard of the Elector's guards with the colour torn to pieces."


The source for this report is The Historical Record of the 5th, or Princess Charlotte of Wales' Regiment of Dragoon Guards, available at http://www.gutenberg.org/files/54607/54607-h/54607-h.htm

Jacobite Flag--Edinburgh Volunteers

Photo by Kim Traynor, licensed under a
Creative Commons 3.0 License

This post continues on the theme of flags used during the Jacobite Rising of 1745.  This flag is recorded as being used by the Edinburgh Regiment when it attempted to defend the Scottish capital.  The regiment as a whole never saw any fighting service, though some volunteers from Edinburgh did fight in Cope's army at Prestonpans.

This is my recreation of the flag.  It is an old Covenanter flag (likely from the English Civil War), as its inscription "Covenants for Religion, King, and Kingdomes" testifies.  If it originally dates from the English Civil War, that would mean that this flag had not been flown for almost 100 years.  If you would like a wargame unit of Edinburgh Volunteers to fly this flag, feel free; however, I would appreciate credit as artist of this flag's recreation :).  There are still more Jacobite flags to recreate...

Flag of the Yorkshire Hunters Regiment in 1745

During the Jacobite invasion of England in 1745, many loyal Whigs (supporters of George II) raised regiments of troops to aid their king against his competitor, Bonnie Prince Charlie. On 24 September 1745, several Whig gentlemen of Yorkshire decided to raise a unit to aid George II. Their contribution included both a regiment of foot called the Yorkshire Blues, and a regiment of cavalry called the Yorkshire Hunters. I detailed the flag of the Yorkshire Blues in a previous post (see http://defendingthelegacy.blogspot.com/2017/01/flag-of-yorkshire-blues-regiment-in-1745.html) and am now recreating the flag of the Yorkshire Hunters.

Detail of the Yorkshire Hunters Flag

A unique eyewitness engraving shows the Yorkshire Blues and Hunters on parade, with glorious detail of their colours. I am focusing here on the Hunters' colours. In the engraving, they are carried by the squadron (see the detail picture at right). While this view is leaves most of the details unknown. the artist included a "close-up" of the flag's details in a cartouche near the bottom of the picture.

The center of the flag is occupied by a burst of flames with thunderbolts emanating from it. This device was also used in the flag of the French Compagnies Franches de la Marine. (1) I do not know what connection, if any, this device has to Yorkshire or its nobility. Nevertheless, this is certainly what is depicted in the engraving.

Since the engraving is in black and white, some artistic license had to be used to render the flag into color. The flames and thunderbolts are depicted in their natural colors, following the Compagnies Franches de la Marine flag. However, the ground and border of the flag was more difficult. I chose green for the ground and red for the border, with golden fringes. Why?

The flag carried by the regiment

Green appears to be a distinguishing color for the Yorkshire Hunters. While their coats were blue with red cuffs, they wore green cockades. (2) Green cockades are highly unusual, particularly in the midst of the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion, where white cockades and black cockades marked Jacobites and Hanoverians, respectively. Stuart Reid (3) suggests that these were adopted as a compliment to General Oglethorpe. However, the color green was also associated with hunters in military service. Examples from 1745 include the Prussian Feldjager corps, the infantry of the Chausseurs de Fischer, and, in Great Britain, the mounted Georgia Rangers, who were brigaded with the Yorkshire Hunters. Perhaps this color was intended to mark their “hunter” status, for many of the troopers were fox-hunting gentlemen. (4)



My reconstruction of the Yorkshire Hunters flag



Regardless of why green cockades were chosen, they did distinguish the Yorkshire Hunters and therefore I have colored the flag’s field green. The original illustration shows a definite border around the flag, and this I have colored red, just like the Hunters’ facing color. The fringe is gold, based on a slightly later (1751 Warrant) convention that the metallic fringe follow the unit’s button color: gold buttons, gold fringe on the flag. (5)

Finally, I would like to thank everyone who commented on my previous Yorkshire Blues flag. All your comments encouraged me and I fully intend to continue creating Jacobite flags from contemporary illustrations or existent relics. Stay tuned!

If you are a wargamer and would like to deploy a Yorkshire Hunters flag in your armies, go ahead; however, an attribution to the artist would be appreciated :).


Notes
(1) http://kronoskaf.com/syw/index.php?title=Colonial_Compagnies_Franches_de_la_Marine
(2) Reid, Stuart, Cumberland's Culloden Army 1745-46.  Oxford: Osprey, 2012. pg. 46.
(3) ibid., pg. 46
(4)Duffy, Christopher, Fight for a Throne: the Jacobite '45 Reconsidered. West Midlands: Helion and Co, 2015, pg. 346
(5) British Regimental Drums and Colors has reproduced the 1751 Clothing Warrant at http://www.fifedrum.org/crfd/BD_1.htm

Flag of the Yorkshire "Blues" Regiment in 1745

During the Jacobite invasion of England in 1745, many loyal Whigs (supporters of George II) raised regiments of troops to aid their king against his competitor, Bonnie Prince Charlie.  On 24 September 1745, several Whig gentlemen of Yorkshire decided to raise a unit to aid George II.  Their contribution included both a regiment of foot called the Yorkshire Blues, and a regiment of cavalry called the Yorkshire Hunters.  The book Cumberland's Culloden Army 1745-46 by Stuart Reid (1) details the uniform of the Yorkshire Blues: a blue coat with red cuffs and no lapels. 

Click on picture to enlarge it

This is important information; however, the Yorkshire Blues also carried flags, or, in the terminology of that era, colours.  A unique eyewitness engraving shows the Yorkshire Blues and Hunters in parade, with glorious detail of their colours.  I am focusing here on the Blues' colours.  In the engraving, they are carried by each company (see the detail picture at right).  The numbers merely serve as a legend and are not part of the original flag.  It can be seen that each flag carries a shield.  Thankfully, the artist included a "close-up" of the flag's details in a cartouche near the bottom of the picture.

It can now be seen that the shield has a cross running through the center with five animals on it.  These animals reminded me of heraldic lions and further research revealed that this unique distribution of lions on a cross is the coat-of-arms for the city of York.  What would be more appropriate than to put the city's coat of arms on its regiment's flags? 


But there is another detail visible in the print under consideration: script both above and below the York coat-of-arms.  Above it reads "Religion", while below the shield, "and Liberty."  Below is my reconstruction of the Yorkshire "Blues" regimental flag.

The city of York's coat of arms is a white shield with a red cross of Saint George and five golden lions.  This is fact, but the colors of rest of the flag is an educated guess.  The ground of the flag I have colored blue, with golden script. 


Why blue?  While regimental flags were typically in a regiment's facing (cuffs and lapels) colors (2), red flags were reserved for the three elite Regiments of Foot Guards.  Not even regiments with red facings (e.g. the 33rd Regiment) were allowed red flags; instead, they carried white flags with a Cross of Saint George (3).  To have a provincial regiment carry flags with a red ground would be highly unusual.  I have therefore chosen to color the flag's ground blue, based on the unit's nickname.

My reconstruction of the Yorkshire Blues flag

While nicknames generally attached to the unit's facing colors, such as the 3rd "Buffs" or 71st "Scottish Whites", there are instances where a nickname referred to the unit's coat.  The King's Royal Regiment of New York was known as "Johnson's Greens", not because of its facing color, but instead because of its coat color.  In the same way, the Yorkshire "Blues" were nicknamed because of their coat color.  Since this is the case, I believe that blue is the most reasonable choice for their flag.  The motto "Religion and Liberty" appears in gold, in much the same way as the flag of the 60th Royal Americans. (4)  While I freely admit that my recreation is tentative, I believe that every artistic choice can be defended historically.


But another flag also appears in the original: a standard carried by the Blues' sister regiment, the mounted Yorkshire Hunters.  Stay tuned for an analysis and reconstruction of their flag!


Notes

(1)  Reid, Stuart, Cumberland's Culloden Army 1745-46.  Oxford: Osprey, 2012. pg. 45.  For more about the Yorkshire Blues, see also Duffy, Christopher, Fight for a Throne: the Jacobite '45 Reconsidered. West Midlands: Helion and Co, 2015. pgs. 184-185, also pgs. 345-346.

(2) http://www.fifedrum.org/crfd/BD_1.htm.  This link reproduces the Royal Clothing Warrant of 1751, which regulated the uniforms, flags, and drums of King George II's British army.  Regimental flags in the facing color was a tradition which existed before the Clothing Warrant of 1751.

(3) http://kronoskaf.com/syw/index.php?title=33rd_Foot.  A depiction of the 33rd Regiment's flags during the Seven Years War appears on this page.  Since the Foot Guards carried red regimental flags since the 1600s, this prohibition against red flags for anyone else had existed long before the Clothing Warrant of 1751.

(4) http://kronoskaf.com/syw/index.php?title=60th_Foot.  In addition to the 60th Royal Americans, most of the regiments of foot without a distinctive badge embroidered their regimental numbers on their flags in gold.


If you are a wargamer and would like to deploy this flag in your own unit of Yorkshire Blues, feel free; however, I would appreciate a credit as the artist of this flag's reconstruction :).

Flags of Yorktown (with thanks to James Peale)

Click on the picture to expand it
and view the details

Paintings by eyewitness artists give us a priceless view into the world of the American Revolution. The painting shown here is a portrait of George Washington at Yorktown, painted by James Peale. James Peale was an artist just like his older brother Charles Willson Peale.

 

The painting under analysis right now is obviously based on Charles Willson Peale’s portrait entitled “George Washington at Princeton.” But this painting depicts Washington’s greater triumph at Yorktown.

 

Its details are extremely valuable. No fewer than 7 flags are visible in this painting. Working from bottom left to top right:

 

1. The King’s Color of the 76th Highlanders, crumpled in the bottom left of the painting. Each regiment carried a King’s color which was a Union Jack with the regiment’s number in the center. Under magnification (click the picture to enlarge) the script “Reg 76” can be clearly seen. This flag also offers a magnificent view of the gold-and-crimson mixed cords which were tied around the top of British regimental flagpoles.


2. The Regimental Color of the 76th Highlanders, which is green and draped across the cannon. A regimental color was the same color as a regiment’s cuffs and lapels. It contained a small Union Jack in the upper left canton and the number of the regiment in the center. As the 76th Highlanders were the only British regiment at Yorktown with green cuffs and lapels, this flag belongs to them.

 

 

3. This flag is an Ansbach-Bayreuth regimental color, draped across the cannon, next to the 76th regimental color. There were two Ansbach-Bayreuth regiments at Yorktown, and they surrendered ten very similar flags. This position shows the reverse of the flag, with a red eagle on it. For a thorough discussion of these flags, visit https://archive.org/stream/yorktownsurrende001989#page/36/mode/2up

A photograph of a surviving Ansbach-Bayreuth flag

4. This flag is another Ansbach-Bayreuth regimental color, folded on the ground. This is the obverse of the Ansbach-Bayreuth flag, with the Margrave’s initials surmounted by a crown. Also see entry 3, above.

 

5. Hiding behind the Ansbach-Bayreuth color draped on the cannon is a King’s color of an unknown regiment. No regimental distinctions are visible.

 

6. Above the 3rd Continental Light Dragoon (holding Washington's horse) is an American flag with thirteen white stars in a circle on a blue canton. Mysteriously, this flag appears to have no red stripes, but only a field of white. Why is this? My conjecture is that it is a regimental standard for a Continental regiment with white facings, and that the unit’s motto/distinction would be in the center. This flag also appears to have a blue cord wrapped just below the spear point.



Each flag annotated with its identification (if known)



7. The last flag, next to the American flag, is obviously a French flag. The three fleurs-de-lys proclaim its nationality. It is decorated with a golden cord, but oddly is lacking the white cravate which was normally placed on the flag as well. A minor mystery encircles this flag as well, for it is unlike any French flag known to have been at Yorktown. It most closely resembles a “colonel’s” flag, which was white with a white cross of Saint-Denis (+ shape) overall, but the arrangement of the fleur-de-lys suggests that it bears the white cross of Saint Andrew (x shape). Since it matches none of the French flags currently known, could it be a colonel’s color of Lauzun’s Legion. Lauzun’s Legion sailed to America accompanied by its colonel, the Duc de Lauzun, so perhaps this identification is possible. An alternate theory is that it is a “national” flag of France.

This concludes our look at the flags of James Peale’s portrait of Washington at Yorktown. Of the seven flags visible, the details of four (two of the 76th Highlanders and two of the Ansbach-Bayreuth regiments) can be substantiated with other evidence. Since this is the case, there seems to be no reason to deny the authenticity or accuracy of the other three flags in this painting.  I eagerly await more analysis of the other three flags.

Flag of the British Legion

 



Tarleton's portrait.  I am grateful to have
it in such high resolution to be able to
see Reynolds' details.



 

Banastre Tarleton’s British Legion  is one of the most famous units in the American Revolution.  In this portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds, Tarleton wears the uniform of the British Legion.  Two cannons and three flags (one buff and two red) appear in the portrait.  Most likely they are trophies won in war.

 

But in the upper left hand corner of the portrait is another flag.  Rather than being draped on the ground this one is flourished triumphantly by a trooper of the British Legion.  Is it the flag of the Legion?  We don’t know; however it has several distinctly British elements.

 

The upper left canton is white with a greenish-gray bird.  Is it a swan? (1)  Lighting appears to be shooting from the bird into two corners of the canton.  The flag’s ground is dark red or brown.  In the lower left canton (below the white canton) are two artillery pieces.  In the center is a dark circular laurel wreath enclosing a red “L” written in cursive script.  Above the “L” appears to be a crown.

 

Clicking on this picture will enlarge it
so that you can see what the text
is describing.

I have numbered the elements of the flag on the detail of Reynolds’ portrait and use the same numbers here.  This allows a comparison of my text with the painting.

1. The bird appears to be a swan.  Firstly, the bird’s neck is bent downward, like swans in heraldry.  It is certainly not an eagle or hawk, as neither of them have such a long neck. Secondly, a distinct representation of swan (with a golden crown around its neck and a golden chain attached to it) is a symbol of British royalty.  Most intriguingly, the bird appears to wear a golden chain.
2. The artillery pieces are quite unusual on a British flag.  It is possible, however, that they represent enemy cannons captured by the Legion.  This could be a forerunner of the later system of “battle honors”, where a regiment would be granted the right to put the name of a battle it fought in on its flag.  Battle honors were officially introduced in the regular British army in 1784. (2)  However, it is quite possible that units were embellishing their flags with honors and trophies before 1784.  And since Tarleton’s legion was not a regular unit (until 1781[3]), it would be more likely to have unofficial elements on its flags.
3. The crown is of the British type known as the Crown of Saint Edward.
4. The laurel wreath is very common on American Revolution-era British flags.  It usually enclosed the regimental number or badge.  There is an “L” within the wreath, possibly standing for “Legion”?
   Is this the flag of the British Legion?  More research is needed, but it certainly has enough British elements to rule out the possibility that it is a captured French or American flag.
    
   

   

   My reconstruction of the Legion's flag

   
   The last picture shows my reconstruction of this flag.  I owe credit to many Wikimedia contributors for creating some of the elements used in the flag.  Specifically, the swan and Crown of Saint Edward were created by Wikimedia User: Sodacan and licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 License.  The cannon was created by Wikimedia User: Heralder and licensed under a Creative Commons 3.0 License.
    

1. pg. 237, A History of the Uniforms of the British Army volume 3 by C. C. P. Lawson
2. pg. 128, A History of the Uniforms of the British Army volume 3 by C. C. P. Lawson
3. On March 7, 1781, the British Legion was put on the American Establishment with 5 other Loyalist regiments.  This meant that they were regular (professional) soldiers and their officers would receive half-pay when they retired or the regiment was disbanded. Royal Provincial Website. http://www.royalprovincial.com/military/rhist/britlegn/blmem3.htm

American Revolution--2nd Pennsylvania Regimental Flag

I recently featured the 2^nd Pennsylvania Regiment on my blog (to see it, go to http://www.defendingthelegacy.blogspot.com/2015/10/2nd-pennsylvania-regiment-by-armies-in.html).  This unit is one of the few Continental units where the regimental flag is known and linked to that unit.  How?  

Colonel Stewart's portrait

Detail from the portrait

In the background details of Charles Willson Peale’s portrait of Colonel Walter Stewart of the 2nd Pennsylvania Regiment, the regimental camp can be seen. (1)  Flying in front of a large tent (possibly the colonel’s) is a large flag.  Due to its size and placement in camp, it is the regimental flag rather than a camp flag.  Camp flags “marked the area when in camp.  They were 18in (45cm) square, with poles either 7ft (2.1m) or 9 ft (2.7m) high.” (2)

In this close-up from the recreated 2^nd Pennsylvania’s website (3), the flag can be seen with a white ground, a yellowish snake, and a blue scroll below the snake.  This is my recreation of the 2^nd Pennsylvania’s flag.  Unfortunately, the picture is much too small to make out any lettering in the blue scroll.  I put “Do Not Tread on Me” because that was a common motto on American flags.  However, the scroll could also contain the unit’s name: “2^nd Pennsylvania Regiment.”

If you would like to use this flag for your wargame armies, that is great, but please make sure to credit Defending the Legacy (a link back to this post would be appreciated!)

(1)  http://www.243regiment.com/WalterStewartHistoryDETAILS.html

(2)  pg. 146, An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Uniforms from 1775-1783 The American Revolutionary War by Digby Smith and Kevin F. Kiley (Lorenz: London, 2010)

(3)  http://www.243regiment.com/WalterStewartHistoryDETAILS.html

Changing Foundations

When a country changes foundations from God's law to man's law (or man's law to God's law), the change can be seen in the culture.  In Europe, the men quit using blue tattoos, donned clothing, and began protecting women and children--all as a result of the preaching of brave Christian missionaries in the years 100-700 A.D.

On the other hand, France changed from God's law to man's law in the 18th century, and it could be seen even in the battle flags that they carried.  France's cavalry was among the best of the time, and the premier cavalry regiment was Regiment Colonel-General.  From 1657 until 1759, the regiment was commanded by various members of the Turenne family.  Under them, the cavalry carried a flag which proudly displayed the pillar of cloud and fire which guided the Israelites.

In 1759, the colonelcy of Regiment Colonel-General passed to Marquis de Bethune.  He changed the flag to show Hercules's club.

This anecdote shows that, by the mid-18th century, France's foundations were changing.  While the flag had upheld Biblical principles, it now glorified pagan Greek myth.  When man's law eclipsed God's law, the stage was set for the bloody French Revolution.
Flag from http://www.kronoskaf.com/syw/index.php?title=Colonel_G%C3%A9n%C3%A9ral_Cavalerie