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Portugal - 1495 historical flags

image by António Martins

D. Manuel flags
Possible variation of the XVI century flag

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D. Manuel flags

The crown appeared first on the coat of arms; when it appeared on the flags is not possible to say with great precision. In my rendition of the 1485-1495 royal standard the crown doesn't appear. D. Manuel I (1495-1521) used the crowned shield over the cross of the Order of Christ (on the royal standard; he also owned a personal standard: diagonally quartered in red and white with the golden armillary sphere over all.)

Mario Fabretto, 25 May 1997

Possible variation of the XVI century flag

image by António Martins

Recently, as I become more and more awere of vex details, I noticed that not-so-carefull depictions of the portuguese coa had the bezants arranged in cross rather than saltire. This is quite a common error, but yesterday I found that particular arrangement in a statue depicting the "Angel of Portugal", at the Christ Covent, in Tomar, Portugal. This angel, a 16th ct. wood sculpture, bears a large pointed shield with the usual charges. The border, as usual at the time, had the number of castles that best suited its shape and size (!), this ti