A standard-bearer, also known as a flag-bearer is a person (soldier or civilian) who bears an emblem known as a
standard Standard may refer to:
Symbols
* Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs
* Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification
Norms, conventions or requirements
* Standard (metrology), an object th ...
or
military colours, i.e. either a type of
flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used (and often
honour
Honour (British English) or honor (American English; see spelling differences) is the idea of a bond between an individual and a society as a quality of a person that is both of social teaching and of personal ethos, that manifests itself as a ...
ed) as a formal, visual symbol of a
state
State may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Literature
* ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State
* ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States
* ''Our S ...
,
prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...
,
military unit, etc.
This can either be an occasional duty, often seen as an honour (especially on parade), or a permanent charge (also on the battlefield); the second type has even led in certain cases to this task being reflected in official rank titles such as
Ensign
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
,
Cornet and
Fähnrich
Fähnrich () is an officer candidate rank in the Austrian Bundesheer and German Bundeswehr. The word comes from an older German military title, (flag bearer), and first became a distinct military rank in Germany on 1 January 1899. However, ...
.
Role of the standard-bearer
In the context of the
Olympic Games
The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a vari ...
, a flagbearer is the
athlete who carries the flag of their country during the
opening and
closing ceremonies.
While at present a purely ceremonial function, as far back as
Roman warfare and
medieval warfare
Medieval warfare is the warfare of the Middle Ages. Technological, cultural, and social advancements had forced a severe transformation in the character of warfare from antiquity, changing military tactics and the role of cavalry and artillery ( ...
the standard-bearer had an important role on the battlefield. The standard-bearer acted as an indicator of where the position of a military unit was, with the bright, colorful standard or flag acting as a strong visual beacon to surrounding soldiers. Soldiers were typically ordered to follow and stay close to the standard or flag in order to maintain unit cohesion, and for a single commander to easily position his troops by only positioning his standard-bearer, typically with the aid of musical cues or loud verbal commands. It was an honorable position carrying a considerable risk, as a standard-bearer would be a major target for the opposing side's troops seeking to capture the standard or pull it down.
In the Roman military the person carrying the
standard Standard may refer to:
Symbols
* Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs
* Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification
Norms, conventions or requirements
* Standard (metrology), an object th ...
was called
Signifer
A ''signifer'' () was a standard bearer of the Roman legions. He carried a ''signum'' ( standard) for a cohort or century. Each century had a ''signifer'' so there were 59 in a legion. Within each cohort, the first century's ''signifer'' would ...
. In addition to carrying the ''signum'', the ''signifer'' also assumed responsibility for the financial administration of the unit and functioned as the legionaries' banker. The Signifer was also a
Duplicarius Duplarius (plural ''duplares''), ''duplicarius'' or ''dupliciarius'', was an inferior, low-ranking Roman officer, who received double rations or increased payment valuing the 2nd ration based on their valor. As part of cavalry, one decurio, one dupl ...
, paid twice the basic wage.
In the
city militias of the
Dutch Republic
The United Provinces of the Netherlands, also known as the (Seven) United Provinces, officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (Dutch: ''Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden''), and commonly referred to in historiography ...
, the standard-bearer was often the youngest single man, who was shown in group portraits wearing rich clothing in addition to carrying the flag. Chosen ensigns were good candidates for painters to woo with their portrait skills.
Gallery
File:Frans Hals - Banket van de officieren van de Sint-Joris-Doelen.jpg, Frans Hals' visiting card
A visiting card, also known as a calling card, is a small card used for social purposes. Before the 18th century, visitors making social calls left handwritten notes at the home of friends who were not at home. By the 1760s, the upper classes in ...
in 1616 placed the young ensigns in key positions
File:Frans Hals, left ensign detail - De magere compagnie.jpg, When the trekschuit
Trekschuit (, literally ''"tug-boat"'', but true meaning ''"tugged-boat"'') is an old style of sail- and horse-drawn boat specific to the Netherlands, where it was used for centuries as a means of passenger traffic between cities along ''trek ...
made day trips to Amsterdam possible in 1632, Hals also wooed wealthy ensigns of Amsterdam in 1633
File:Rembrandt, The Standard-Bearer, 1636.jpg, Rembrandt leaves Leiden and advertises his portrait skills in 1636 to wealthy ensigns in Haarlem and Amsterdam
File:Andries Stilte as a Standard Bearer.jpg, Andries Stilte chose Johannes Cornelisz Verspronck
Johannes Cornelisz. Verspronck (between 1600 and 1603 – 30 June 1662 (buried)) was a Dutch Golden Age portrait painter from Haarlem.
Life
Johannes Cornelisz. Verspronck was born between 1600 and 1603 in Haarlem as the son of the painter Co ...
in 1640 for the "Cloveniers" flag of the Haarlem schutterij
The Haarlem schutterij refers to a collective name for the voluntary civic guard of Haarlem, from medieval times up to the Batavian Revolution in 1794, when the guilds of Haarlem were disbanded.
History
During the Hook and Cod wars in 1402, Ha ...
File:Diadobombero-parana.jpg, Standard-bearer of Firefighters Corps of Paraná State
In the State of Paraná, Brazil, the Firefighters Corps ( pt, Corpo de Bombeiros) is part of the structure of the Military Police of State.
The mission of the Firefighters Corps is the implementation of activities of Civil Defense, prevention a ...
, Brazil
File:Cinque giornate di Milano.jpg, Prominent in the center of this popular print depicting the 1848 "Five Days of Milan
The Five Days of Milan ( ) was an insurrection and a major event in the Revolutionary Year of 1848 that started the First Italian War of Independence. On 18 March, a rebellion arose in the city of Milan, and in five days of street fighting ...
", the Italian city's uprising against Austrian rule, is the standard-bearer raising aloft what was then a revolutionary flag and later became the flag of Italy.
File:Team USA at 2010 Winter Olympics opening ceremony 2.jpg, Team USA marches in the parade of athletes around BC Place stadium during the opening Ceremony of the XXI Olympic Winter Games
)''
, nations = 82
, athletes = 2,626
, events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening = February 12, 2010
, closing = February 28, 2010
, opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean
, cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy GreeneWayne Gret ...
, February 12, 2010, in Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
– The standard-bearer is Mark Grimmette
Mark Grimmette (born January 23, 1971) is an American luger who competed from 1990 to 2010. Competing in five Winter Olympics, he won two medals in the men's doubles event with a silver in 2002 and a bronze in 1998. He was born in Ann Arbor, Mic ...
.
File:Aztec Standard Bearer Iconography.pdf, Identifying iconographic elements in an Aztec standard-bearer sculpture.
See also
*
Regulation Colours
The Regulation Colours are the standard colours used in the armed forces of the countries falling under the Commonwealth of Nations.
British Armed Forces colours
British Armed Forces units usually carry two Regulation Colours: the Regulation K ...
*
Historical colours, standards and guidons
The following is a list of historical military colours, standards and guidons in different countries that do not exist today.
France
Middle Ages
During the Middle Ages, units did not have specific colours attached to them; rather, they often ...
*
Colour guard
In military organizations, a colour guard (or color guard) is a detachment of soldiers assigned to the protection of regimental colours and the national flag. This duty is so prestigious that the military colour is generally carried by a young ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Standard-Bearer
Flags