Last modified: 2003-07-05 by dov gutterman
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The first attested Papal flag was red with white cross, dated
probably from c. 1195. In 1204 for sure (and perhaps before) it's
attested the red flag with white cross containing white keys. The
first available image is from 1316. The flag is rectangular with
the fly rounded in the corners and swallow tailed in center and
has four white keys, one in each quarter. The four keys were the
keys called of St Peter. About 100 years later, a similar flag is
attested on red cloth without white cross. In next centuries a
red flag with keys or religious motives seems to be in use.
Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
by Jaume Ollé, 7 July 2001
This flag with Christ in the cross, St Peter and St Paul was
dated 1669, reflected accurately a pattern of flag used by the
Papal States ships.
Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
Dated in 1771, the British Enciclopeadya reported a red flag
bearing a cross over a stone (near the hoist) and a bear (looking
to hoist) at fly. I believe that this is a wrong reconstructed
flag. According to this report, the red background was used in
the XVIII century, but the change to red and yellow flag seems to
be attested already in the previous century. The flag in the Navy
and Holy See from XVII century seems to be red and yellow
vertical (or horizontal?) bearing sometimes the tiara and the
keys. This flag (described as bicolor without ornaments) was in
use in1798 when french took Rome. .Becker, in Flag Bulletin 119,
states that in reality there was not a flag (like the modern
concept), but mainly cockardes of red and yellow, and he doesn't
mention the keys. Becker says that was in use until 1808 when
Napoleon took Rome.
Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
The colours of Rome seems to be red
and yellow in vertical arrangement to this day. Don't know if
these Papal flags are their origin or if it is the other way
around (or even if it could be differentiated at the time). While
Vatican changed its colours, the Rome sticks to them to this day,
indeed maybe in somewhat unusual shaes, but yet.
Zeljko Heimer, 5 May 2003
Pre 1808
by Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
From 1808
by Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
On 16 March 1808, Pope Pius VII ordered the new cockarde:
yellow and white, probably derived from the colors of the keys of
St. Peter, but is not established that the change is related with
any imposition from Napoleon. A good source for the period before
1808 seems to be: Luigi Zara, La bandiera Pontificia, Rivista
Araldica (Roma 1929) Vol. 27, pag. 134 & 135.
In fact the use of the colors in flags is not attested.
Oficially, there were only cockardes in use. The last colors were
used in flags only after the Vienna Congress of 1815 bearing the
tiara and keys (in the center?). The flag is pictured in
"Les Pavillons des Potences Maritimes" (Paris, 1819),
however, not in the original edition, but in a correction issued
in a unknown date later than 1819. This flag was for merchant
ships and for fisherman boats. Simultanely were used other flags
(is not clear what others, but seems to be clear that the pattern
dated 1669 was in use, surely now - after 1808 - with white
backgorund). Cardenal Chamberlain established the yellow and
white flag with keys and tiara as the single merchant flag in 17
September 1825. The use was moved to land when, in 1831, the
colors were adopted by a army body. The book "Insigne
militare preunitaria italiana" show several examples of
flags. The crossed keys and tiara patterns were similar but
differents from the current ones.
Frequently used between 1808/15 and 1825/31 at least, was a plain
white flag bearing the keys and tiara. This seems to be used by
the military navy and army on land as alternative design or as
old design moved to white.
Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
At J.W Norie - J.S. Hobbs Flaggen aller seefahrenden Nationen,
1971[ nor71] (original print
1848):
160 Papal Standard:
White, charged with arms which are to elaborate to derive from a
flag image. Let me just say golden keys and tiara feature in
them, as well as the colour blue and the word "PAX".
(The Vatican State?).
161 Roman Merchant:
As current flag in a different style. Both keys appear to be
yellow, though.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 12 November 2001
by Jaume Ollé, 27 January 2003
No. 126 - Papal States, flag of destress, also related to
require a pilot.
Source: [stb62]
Jaume Ollé, 27 January 2003
No. 520
by Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
No. 521
by Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
No. 521 (corrected - 1815-1823)
by Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
No. 521 (corrected - 1823-1829)
by Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
No. 521 (corrected - 1831-1846)
by Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
No. 521 (corrected - 1846-1870)
by Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
No. 522
by Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
The Papal fortress and military navy belonging to Pope or with
the Pope abroad, must use the flag bearing the Papal arms, keys
and tiara. The exemple is illustatred in Steenbergen [stb62] under number 521. This flag
is slighty wrong because some details of the Pope arms are bad
represented. Therefore I add reconstructed images of the same
flag from the respective dates (1815-23, 1823-29, 1831-1846, and
1846-70). Steenbergen mention it as "State and Navy"
(standart). The ships from the Papal states that wasn't belonging
to the Pope, and merchant ships, used a white flag with St Peter
and St. Paul pictured by Steenbergen as 522. I believe that this
flag was supressed in 1825 but was used for some years more.
Periodcally the Popes changed, always by death of the previous
one. Until a new Pope was designated, there was a period (between
some weeks and some months) of "vacation". The flag
attached as must be the State flag and Navy ensign during the
vacation period. Steenbergen captioned it as "Rome, vacation
of the Holy see". This flag was in use in 1823, 1829-1831
and 1846 at leats.
Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
No. 523 - Papal Navy ensign
by Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
No. 524 - Holy Church
by Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
Both flag are supposed to be in use until 1870. Probably
already in use before 1800. Steenbergen stated that thereare many
variations of them, in drawing and colours.
In 1870, the Papal states were annexed to the Italian Kingdom.
Jaume Ollé, 30 April 2003
by Ivan Sache, 11 Febuary 2002
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg wrote: "At "Nouveau
Petit Larousse Illustre" (1924), the Holy See flag appears
to be with equal lengthwise stripes, white over yellow".
The very same Vatican flag is shown in "Grand Larousse
Illustré du XXe siècle" (1929). Since all flags are shown
there with 3:4 proportion, I have used a more standard 2:3
proportion for my image.
Ivan Sache, 11 Febuary 2002