15th Century Flags (Spain)

Last modified: 2005-02-26 by santiago dotor
Keywords: coat of arms: quartered (counterquartered) | columbus (christopher) | cross: formy (green) | letters: 2 (green) | fy | crowns: 2 (yellow) |
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• Ensigns 13th-15th Centuries
• Royal Standard of the Catholic Kings 1492-1506
• Christopher Columbus' Flags 1492 (the first European flags in America)

See also:

• Historical Flags (Spain)
• Historical Flags (Castile and Leon, Spain)
• Legendary "Purple Banner of Castile" or "Commoners' Banner" (Pendón Morado de Castilla or Pendón de los Comuneros)
• Spain

I have no knowledge of Spanish ensigns from the battle of Covadonga in the 8th century, starting point of the Reconquista, until the 13th century. There is a great anarchy on the flags used by different expeditions, captains, and local privateers. The first ensigns denoting nationality I know of date from the 13th century. Boats based on Castilian harbours would fly the quartered flag of Castile and Leon as ensign, while those based on Aragonese harbours would use the striped flag of Aragon. Both the usage and the shapes and proportions lacked all uniformity, and different paintings show several versions. They were used until 1517, when the Burgundy cross flag took over.

José Carlos Alegría, 29 December 2001