Calvert Arms/King's Colors (U.S.)

Historical

Last modified: 2004-12-22 by rick wyatt
Keywords: calvert arms | grand union | king's colors | maryland | united states |
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by Rick Wyatt, 31 July 1997

• Description of the flag
• History of the flag
• Calvert Arms/Grand Union

See also:

• United States of America
• Maryland (U.S.)
• Historical flags of the U.S.
• Colonies of the United Kingdom

Description of the flag

The Calvert Arms/King's Colors has the antique gold and black diamonds of the Calvert coat of arms as the field. The Calverts were the Lords Baltimore, lords proprietors of the Royal Colony of Maryland. This is the same design that is used in the first and fourth quarters of the flag of the State of Maryland. The King's Colors of 1606 is used as the canton, yielding a black, gold, red, white, and blue flag.
William M. Grimes-Wyatt, 24 January 1996

History of the flag

The earliest use and display of this flag is unknown at this time. A description appears in the minutes of the Governor's council of 1755 when Maryland ordered guns and powder from London, for the campaign against the French. Lord Braddock, with his Aide, Col. G. Washington, and 1,200 regulars and provincial troops from Maryland and Virginia were ambushed and defeated by the French and their indian allies near Fort Duquesne (now Pittsburg) in July, 1755. The Maryland Militia fought under the Calvert Arms/King's Colours. I have not been able to locate any reference to any flags, other then the British flag, that was flown by the Virginia militia in their