Oriflamme: Difference between revisions

{{Short description|BattleMedieval battle standard of the King of France in the Middle Ages}}

The '''Oriflamme''' (from Latin ''aurea flamma'', "golden flame"), a pointed, blood-red banner flown from a gilded lance, was the sacred [[battle standard]] of the [[King of France]] and a symbol of [[divine intervention]] on the [[battlefield]] from [[God]] and [[Denis of Paris|Saint Denis]] in the Middle Ages. The oriflamme originated as the sacred banner of the [[Abbey of St. Denis]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.xenophongroup.com/montjoie/orifl-fa.htm |title=Oriflamme Society |access-date=2005-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051028022144/http://www.xenophongroup.com/montjoie/orifl-fa.htm |archive-date=2005-10-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref> a monastery near Paris. When the oriflamme was raised in battle by the French royalty during the Middle Ages, most notably during the [[Hundred Years' War]], [[no quarter|no prisoners were to be taken]] until it was lowered. Through that tactic, they hoped to strike fear into the hearts of the enemy, especially the nobles, who could usually expect to be taken alive for ransom during such military encounters.<ref>Robert Southey (1841) '' Joan of Arc: a poem'', Longman et autres. [https://archive.org/details/JoanOfArc1841/page/n322 <!-- quote=oriflamme no quarter given. --> p. 280]</ref>

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The Oriflamme was mentioned in the eleventh11th-century ballad the ''[[Chanson de Roland]]'' (vv. 3093–5) as a royal banner, first called ''Romaine'' and then ''Montjoie''.<ref name=CathEncy/> According to legend, [[Charlemagne]] carried it to the [[Holy Land]] in response to a prophecy regarding a knight possessing a golden lance, from which flames would burn and drive out the [[Saracens]].<ref>{{cite book |title=A Distant Mirror |author= Barbara Tuchman |year= 1978|publisher=Penguin |isbn=0140054073 |page=148 }}</ref> ThisThat suggests that the ''lance'' was originally the important object, with the banner simply a decoration, but thisthat changed over time.<ref>[http://www.heraldica.org/topics/france/oriflamm.htm Heraldica.org]</ref>

The Oriflamme was first used in 1124 by [[Louis VI of France|Louis VI]] in 1124 and was last flown in battle1415 at Agincourtthe in[[Battle 1415of Agincourt]],<ref>Richard W. Barber (1984) ''The Penguin guide to medieval Europe''. Penguin Books. [https://books.google.com/books?id=A9MYAAAAYAAJ&q=Oriflamme+Agincourt+no+quarter&dq=Oriflamme+Agincourt+no+quarter&pgis=1 p. 224]</ref> thoughbut a version of it remained in the Abbey of St. Denis until the 18th century.<ref>{{cite book |title= The Complete Book of Heraldry|author=Stephen Slater |year=2002 |publisher=Hermes House |isbn=1846819601 |page=30}}</ref>

Although the azure ground (from the blue [[Cope|cope]] of [[Martin of Tours|St. Martin of Tours]]) strewn with gold [[fleur-de-lis]] remained the symbol of royalty until the 15th century, the Oriflamme became the royal battle standard of the King of France, and it was carried at the head of the king's forces when they met another army in battle. It is recorded as having been carried at the following battles/campaigns:{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

The Oriflamme was lost at least four times during its medieval history: Mons-en-Pévèle,<ref> Kelly DeVries (2006) : ''Infantry Warfare in the Early Fourteenth Century''. Woodbridge, UK: Boydell Press. p. 40.</ref> Crécy, <ref>{{cite book |title=Trial by Battle |author= Jonathon Sumption |year=1990|publisher= Faber & Faber|location=London |isbn=0-571-20095-8 |page=530}}</ref> Poitiers,<ref name=Green>{{cite book |author=David Green | title=The Battle of Poitiers 1356 | year=2004 | isbn=0-7524-2557-9|page=56| publisher=Tempus }}</ref> and during the campaigns of the [[Seventh Crusade]] under [[King Louis IX]].<ref>[https://books.google.co.ukcom/books?id=5ry8BQAAQBAJ&pg=PT47&lpg=PT47&dq=oriflamme+lost+at+crecy&sourcepg=bl&ots=pI5Vxrq898&sig=c1k1MERjD9ECAMD1WfoIvaA_Rb4&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CD4Q6AEwBWoVChMI493i9t6MxwIVAuFyCh1J-gGR#v=onepage&q=oriflamme%20lost%20at%20crecy&f=falsePT47 Edward Cowan (2012) '' The Wallace Book'', Birlinn]</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.baronage.co.uk/bphtm-02/moa-15a.html|title= The Oriflamme|date= 2000|publisher= The Baronage Press|access-date= 2015-08-03|archive-date= 2020-08-04|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200804233115/http://www.baronage.co.uk/bphtm-02/moa-15a.html|url-status= dead}}</ref>

Although the ''Oriflamme'' has often been depicted as present at the battle of Agincourt, modern historians have disputed thisthat. The banner was given to Guillaume de Martel by [[Charles VI of France|Charles VI]] on September 10, 1415, and carried by Martel from Paris to Rouen. <ref>Barker (2005).{{clarifyme|date=May 2022}}</ref> ThisThat was likely an attempt to raise French morale and to rally troops, howeverbut there is no evidence that the ''Oriflamme'' was then taken on campaign and unfurled at Agincourt.<ref>Anne Curry (2000). ‘’The Battle of Agincourt: Sources and Interpretations’’. p. 353.</ref> Modern historians agree that the Oriflamme was not carried by Guillaume de Martel at Agincourt, as the king was not present at the battle in person.<ref>Matthew Strickland{{clarifyme|date=May 2022}}, in A. Curry, M. Mercer (eds.). ‘’The Battle of Agincourt’’ (2015). p. 36–37.</ref><ref>Stephen Cooper (2014). ‘’Agincourt: Myth and Reality, 1915–2015’’. p. 37–38.</ref>

In the fifteenth15th century, the fleur-de-lis on the white flag of [[Joan of Arc]] became the new royal standard replacing both the symbol of royalty and the Oriflamme on the battle field.<ref name=CathEncy/>

The banner was red or orange-red silk and flown from a gilded lance.<ref>{{cite book |title= The Complete Book of Heraldry|author=Stephen Slater |year=2002 |publisher=Hermes House |isbn=1846819601 |page=33}}</ref> According to legend, its colour stemsstemmed from it being dipped in the blood of the recently -beheaded [[Saint Denis of Paris|St. Denis]].

The surviving descriptions of the Oriflamme are in Guillaume le Breton (thirteenth13th century), in the "Chronicle of Flanders" (fourteenth14th century), in the "Registra Delphinalia" (1456) and in the inventory of the [[treasury of Saint-Denis]] (1536). They show that the primitive Oriflamme was succeeded in the course of the centuries by newer Oriflammes, which bore little resemblance to one another except for their colour.<ref name=CathEncy>{{CathEncy|wstitle=Oriflamme}}</ref>

According to [[Maurice Keen]], the Oriflammeoriflamme, when displayed on the battlefield, indicated that [[no quarter]]

The bearer of the standard, the ''porte-oriflamme'', became an [[Great Officers of the Crown of France|office]], (like that of the [[Marshal of France|Marshal]] or [[Constable of France|Constable]]) and a great honour, as it was an important and very dangerous jobposition to take charge of such a visible symbol in battle. If things went badly, the bearer was expected to diebe [[killed in action]], rather than relinquish his charge.

=== Notable Bearers of the ''Oriflamme''bearers ===

== The Oriflamme inIn literature ==

In cantoCanto XXXI of ''Paradiso'', Dante describes the Virgin Mary in the Empyrean as ''pacifica oriafiamma'' (Musa's translation, "oriflame of peace"):<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Divine Comedy, Volume 3: Paradise|author=Dante Alighieri|publisher=Penguin Classics|isbn=9780140444438|location=New York|date=1986|page=[https://archive.org/details/paradise00dant_0/page/369 369]|translator-last=Musa|translator-first=Mark|url=https://archive.org/details/paradise00dant_0/page/369}}</ref>