TEMPLAR FLAGS & BANNERS
The Significance of the Knights Templar Flag
The flag of the Knights Templar, commonly known as the "Beauseant," holds deep meaning and significant symbolism in the history of the Knights Templar Order. The Knights Templar, also known as the Order of the Temple of Solomon, was one of the most famous Catholic military orders established in the 12th century during the Crusades.
This flag is typically depicted as vertically divided, with one half being white and the other half black. Each colcor on the flag has its own significance:
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White: The color white is often associated with purity and religious zeal. In the context of the Knights Templar, it represents their righteousness and holy mission, as well as their commitment to the Catholic faith.
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Black: Black is commonly seen as a symbol of resolve and strength. For the Knights Templar, it could also represent their readiness to face death and their fearlessness in the face of enemies.
Additionally, the flag is thought to symbolize the contrast between good and evil, light and darkness, representing the ongoing struggle between these forces in the world and within the human soul.
The Beauseant was not just a symbol of the military power and strength of the Knights Templar, but also a spiritual emblem, encouraging courage and steadfastness in faith. It was commonly used in battles and rituals of the Order.
The Bauceant
Bauceant was the name of the battle flag of the Order used by the Knights Templar in the 12th and 13th centuries.
13th century sources show it as a white gonfanon with a black chief (argent a chief sable). Jacques de Vitry, writing in the 1220s, mentions the gonfanon bauceant and explains that the symbolises the Templar’s ferocity towards their enemies, whilst the white, their kindness and fairness towards their friends.
Later in the 13th century, the red cross of the Templar was also added to the banner. In a damaged fresco of the late 13th century in the Templar church of San Bevignate, Perugia, a Templar banner is depicted with the upper half in white and the lower half in black, with the red cross patty attached to the white field. The same fresco also shows a shield and horse-covers in the same design.
The name bauceant name was used as a battle cry by the Templars, À moi, beau sire ! Beauséant à la rescousse ! (French for “To me, good sire ! Beauséant to the rescue”). According to the statutes of the Order, each squadron (or eschielle) of the Order had its own banner.
In battle, the banner-bearer was obliged to avoid direct contact with the enemy, and between five and ten brother Knights were specifically charged with guarding the banner. If any brother were to find himself separated from his banner, he was obliged to try to rally to the nearest Christian banner in the field. No brother was permitted, on pain of expulsion from the order, to leave the field of battle as long as at least one banner of the Order remained flying.
If all of the Templars’ banners had been lost, the Knights were expected to regroup to the nearest banner of the Hospitallers, or any other Christian banner still flying. Only after the last Christian banner had fallen were they permitted to think about saving their own lives. After the dissolution of the Order in 1310, and at a much later stage, the Freemasons adopted the banner and now continues as a central part of the Knight making ceremony. Within the Masonic Order of Knights Templar, the Bauceant, is accepted as the senior standard.
Vexillum Belli
The second standard carried by the Knights Templar was called the “Vexillum Belli” or more simply known as the War Banner. The banner is distinctive by having the red pate cross of the Order emblazoned on a white background.
The Vexillum Belli was unfurled and displayed at the headquarters of the Grand Master during time of war. Within the Masonic Order of Knights
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What Is the Templar Flag Called?
History of the Knights Templar, Knights Templar Flag, Templars in Popular Culture, Templars Today
The mystery and allure surrounding the Knights Templar, an ancient Christian military order, has fascinated historians and enthusiasts for centuries. Known for their role during the Crusades and rumored to possess great wealth and secrets, the Templars had a unique representation of their ideology and identity, most notably their emblem, the Templar Flag. Officially called
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Knights Templar: Conduct, Costume and Beards
For now, Latin rule is a specific code of conduct according to which the Templar Order society was regulated. It provides every single detail of the templars being. Some historical facts you have no idea before is here.
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Knights Templar Red Cross Meaning
History of the Knights Templar, Knights Templar Flag
Who Were the Knight Templar? Most of us don’t imagine what winch mount looks like but we know the fact that during the medieval era, Knights Templar was a prominent and well-known organization of devout Christians. And their top-notch task was to protect those European travellers who were visiting the Holy Land’s sites. In addition
Knights Templar Red Cross Meaning
/ History of the Knights Templar, Knights Templar Flag / By admin
Who Were the Knight Templar?
Most of us don’t imagine what winch mount looks like but we know the fact that during the medieval era, Knights Templar was a prominent and well-known organization of devout Christians. And their top-notch task was to protect those European travellers who were visiting the Holy Land’s sites. In addition to this, Knights Templar was also carrying out many military operations. The power, military prowess, financial acumen, and their attitude on behalf Christianity during the Crusades (the wars between Islamic armies and Knights Templar) – is all about the Knights Templar and their importance for society.
In 1099 when the Christian armies have grabbed Jerusalem from Muslim control, a wide range of pilgrims started attending the Holy Land. Lots of them died while trying to cross the territories that were controlled by Muslims.
Later on, in 1118, Hugues de Payens (a French knight) decided to create a military order. He called the Order the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and the Temple of Solomon. Later on, this Order was well-known as the Knights Templar.
Hugues de Payens both with Baldwin II, the Jerusalem’s ruler, decided to organize headquarters on the Temple Mount of that city. They promised to protect the Holy Land. Therefore, Knights Templar is known as an elite group of warriors that were fighting against Islamic armies in the Holy Land – the land where Christ was born and diet – during Europe’s holy wars in 1000-1500.
The Templar Cross Meaning
The Templar Cross – the Templar symbol of martyrdom was worn on the robes of Templars. The death in combat was considered a great honour for Knights Templar, as it guaranteed a place in heaven.
There was one strict and cardinal rule that did not allow the Knights Templar give up, only in case all the Templar flags had fallen, they were allowed to leave the battlefield. This strict and powerful principle, with their courage, strength, heavy armament and excellent training made the Knights Templar the most powerful and feared combat forces in the medieval times.
What Does a Red Cross Mean In Christianity?
The cross from the side of the purely Christian perspective was (and is) the most prominent and meaningful symbol of suffering and death of Jesus. Because the Knights Templar aligned themselves with Christianity and protection of Holy Land and people visiting this land, the sign of the cross is as straightforward as it might seem. Because there were many symbols in Freemasonry and each of them could have a couple of meaning, the sign of the cross was not an exclusion.
If take the symbol of the cross outside the context of Christianity and back 2000 years before the birth of Jesus Christ, you could find many facts that prove that the sign of the cross was used in a couple of the ancient analphabets, including the Hebrew alphabet. In this alphabet, the cross denoted the letter “tav” – the most complex letter and the final one in the alphabet. This letter symbolizes completion. It might signify the end of all the whole things combined.
The meaning of the letter “tav” from the Egyptian word means “mark.” This letter appears throughout Christian and Jewish scriptures, it represented a seal or stamp on a letter, the final mark as a completed piece of work.
Symbolically the sign of the cross symbolizes the completion, the end of life, the death. It not only means our gratefulness to Jesus and the reminder of him, but it also means our finite existence.
If we deep into the symbolic meaning of the letter “tav,” we may conclude that the letter consists of two parts, two separate letters: daleth and nun. These two letters mean Din and Dan – “judgment.” Taking into account these two meanings (finality and judgement), we can conclude that the sign of the cross means inevitable judgement after death.
Cross and Crown
Within the Knights Templar order, you may notice that the knights’ templar cross and the crown are always combined. What is more, outside of Freemasonry, the cross passes through the crown. Its interpretation is considered to be as alluding to the heavenly reward that waits for those people who are living their lives and are ready for the judgment after death. The crown also means that the end is not final, and we are always prepared and can win and get success with honour. Often, the symbol of cross and crown is accompanied by the phrase “In Hoc Signo Vinces.” If translated it from Latin, it means “By this sign, thou shalt conquer.”
The Order was endorsed by the Catholic Church that is why the number of Knights Templar has significantly and quickly grew in power and name all over Europe. The Knights Templar support disappeared after the Holy Land loss.
Order of the Temple
Putative flag of the Templars
image by António Martins
I have heard mention (how accurate, I don't know) of a cross like the St. George's cross, but with the upper two quarters black rather than white. Whether it was ever turned into a flag, or for that matter if it was ever truly used by the templars, I don't know.
James Dignan, 2 May 1997 / 24 April 2004
Putative BOA of the Templars
image by António Martins
A totally different cross was used by the Templars, at least in Portugal, consisting of the intersection of circumferences, in a pattern full of mystical hidden meanings. This cross can be seen in a number of contemporary chapels, churches and castles as well as in paper documents, ant it is a very often motif in central Portuguese (Beiras) municipal heraldry, usually in red on white.
António Martins, 19 February 1998
As a fortunate coincidence with Antonio's postings, I found a site in Portuguese, belonging to a Brazilian magazine (Super Interessante) I used to buy a few years ago. This issue of the electronic version is on the history of the discovering of Brazil and the stories behind it. Some very interesting stuff (on the Tordesillas treaty, the knowledge of Portuguese navigators at the time, and the religious orders of the Temple and of Christ), and some vex-stuff also: references to the symbols of both orders:
from the website of the SUPER INTERESSANTE magazine
The seal of the Templars, featuring two knights in one horse with shields divided black over white.
Jorge Candeias, 20 February 1998
from the website of the SUPER INTERESSANTE magazine
The Cross of the Templars, a narrow and non-hollow Cross of Christ. Note that this cross and not the hollow variation currently in use was often used in the sails of the first Portuguese seafaring ships. The article says that when the Portuguese branch of the Templars turned into the Order of Christ, they kept their original symbols, so this symbol was the original symbol of the Order of Christ. The article also says that the Templar's cross was adopted in 1119 and was derived from the cross of the Copta Church.
Jorge Candeias, 20 February 1998
from the website of the SUPER INTERESSANTE magazine
The Copta cross, adopted by this sect (at the time) in the 2nd c.
Jorge Candeias, 20 February 1998
Order of Temple: Bauceans flag
images by Ivan Sache
According to the site at http://le-gigan.org/othm/temple.htm [retrieved] the banner of the Templars was a 3:2 vertically divided black-white flag named the "Bauceans".
Ivan Sache, 25 April 2000
I usually see the Bauceans (many spellings) flag with a red cross over all – usually a templar cross, pattee, but sometimes also throughout. I'd sure like to have a definitive and authoritative light on this issue, including the supposed Portuguese templar cross.
António Martins, 27 April 2000
I've been mulling this over ever since I saw Ivan's posting and trying to check against other sources. It seems to me, given the nature of sources, that the most that can be said is that the Templars used a black-over-white flag. I've seen lots of depictions over the years that could be blazoned anywhere from "per fess sable and argent" to "argent a chief sable", as well as versions with a red cross surmounting the black and white field in some fashion, as others have noted.
It has also been my distinct impression that fixed proportions for flags are a relatively recent (18th–19th century) development, so citing proportions of 3:2 (or any other ratio) for the flag of an organization that was abolished in the 14th century seems a little risky. To be perfectly clear, none of this is intended as criticism of Ivan, who quite clearly said "according to the site ..."
By the way, my French is not good enough to delve too deeply into the text on other pages of the site, but there seems to be an implication in it that the Masonic bodies and other modern groups using the name of the Templars actually have some legitimate relationship to the original order. If that's really what the site says, it's nonsense. As I understand it, there is a reasonable but not continuous link between the Templars and the Portuguese and Papal Orders of Christ and, a little less directly, with the Aragonese Order of Montesa, but not with the others.
Joe McMillan, 3 May 2000
Grand Larousse Illustré du XXe Siècle (1932) has an entry for Beaucéant (or Beauçant), which clearly refers to the same flag:
Beaucéant (ou Beauçant).
n.m. (du provençal, bausan, balzan). Etendard des anciens Templiers, mi-parti noir et blanc.
n.m. (from provençal, bausan, with white stockings [horse]). Standard of the ancient knights of Temple, divided black and white.
Two points deserve discussion:
– The description refers to a flag divided black and white, but does not give the arrangement of the parts.
– The etymology differs from the most often cited reference to "beau séant", "looking nice".
The word "balzane" (from Italian, balza, border) is still used in French for a spot of white hairs on the lower part of the legs of a dark-coated horse. The adjective "balzan" is used to describe such a horse. From the etymology, it seems evident that the flag was horizontally divided black over white, exactly like the leg of a horse with white stockings. However, the etymological reports given in Larousse, especially in the ancient editions, have to be considered with extreme caution. Robert would be a much more authoritative source, but has unfortunately no entry for "bauceant".
Ivan Sache, 7 November 2001
The beauseant or VAU CENT (= value hundred) is the long and thin standard with small penon of the Templars, not just as a sign of war, but of the almighty presence of Jesus Christ himself in his glory as a risen God on Easter Sunday morning. Its penon is a symbol of the holy and famous cornerstone of the temple
of Jerusalem. The whole area of the temple can be domed over by two imaginary domes 2 : 3 totally measuring 480 cubits – the famous Cloud of Jahweh. They form together a Pythagorean triangle with sides of 120, 160 and 200 cubits – the height = 96 cubits. This is the reason why the vaucent is divided in 2 : 3. On the top of the great Pythagorean triangle can be placed a cornerstone of equal size i.e. 3 : 4 : 5 cubits. You can "move" the vaucent 3 cubits to the front and 2 cubits backwards. If the vaucent is "in function" and is put 3 cubits to the front it raises at the same time its height to 100 cubits (100 - 96 = 4 cubits). In that way you will get the same remarkable proportions on the axes: 75 : 100 : 125 cubits. Just try it out and just make a sketch.
I searched the temple plan of Jerusalem for 12 years now according to the original sources (old Hebrew and old Greek) and I know now for certain, because it's all mathematic.
Albert Jansen, 14 July 2002
The flag or banner that you display, if turned 180 degrees, is the current banner of the Grand Priory of England and Wales, OSMRH (Knights Templar). It is a beauseant (top half black, bottom half white) surmounted by a Cross of St. George.
William Hearter, 21 January 2003
See also: Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church
Portuguese templars
Possible flag of the Portuguese Order of the Temple
by Jorge Candeias
A couple of months ago, I found in a magazine an article on the activities of secret and semi-secret societies in Portugal. In this article, there was a photograph of an ordering of a new knight of the religious Order of the Templars (Ordem dos Templários), an order with a long history in Portugal. I was quite surprised to see it still existed. The interesting thing to us is that behind the person that was in charge of the ceremony (a priest?), there was a small flag, perhaps with about 40 cm of height. I'm sending separately a picture of this flag. The picture is probably not very accurate, since the flag was folded. Anyone knows more on this and if this flag is the flag of the Order?
Jorge Candeias, 1 February 1998
There is a very well known banner of the templar, it was regarded with the highest respect due to a relic and always kept near the Grand Maitre de l'Ordre. It was a black over white horizontal tricolour and it was named Bausséant or Bauceant, spelling being not fixed at these times.This banner was lost to the Saracens at the battle of "The Horns of Hattin" in Holy Land in 1187 if I recall correctly.
Philippe Bondurand, 2 February 1998
The double-barred red cross on white is taken from the patriarchal cross or cross of Lorraine. It is the current representative cross of the Supreme Military Order of the Temple of Jersusalem, alternately OSMTH (Ordo Supremus Militaris Templi Hierosolymitani). The Grand Master of the Order currently resides near Porto, Portugal.
William Hearter, 20 January 2003
Flag in the fortress of Jerez de los Caballeros (Badajoz Province, Spain)
A variation of the flag of the Templar knights that flies in the Bloody Tower (or the Slaughter Tower) of the fortress of Jerez de los Caballeros (Badajoz, Spain). According to the legend, the last Templar knights were reduced in this place and executed in that tower.
