oriflamme
A royal banner, mentioned in the “Chanson de Roland” (11th century), which legend claims was given to Charlemagne by the pope, though there is no historical evidence of this. As Eudes, who became king, 888, was Abbot of Saint Martin, the azure banner strewn with gold fleur-de-lis, of the church of Saint Martin of Tours, was the earliest military standard of the Frankish monarchy, remaining the symbol of royalty until the 14th century when the white standard of Joan of Arc was adopted. From the time of Louis VI, however, the oriflamme of the Abbey of Saint Denis, supposedly depicting flames and gold stars on a fiery background, replaced the oriflamme of Saint Martin as ensign of war. Oriflammes having little similarity succeeded one another through the centuries. At the battles of Poitiers, 1356, and Agincourt, 1415, the oriflamme fell into the hands of the English; after the Hundred Years’ War it was no longer borne on the battlefield.
Fuente: New Catholic Dictionary
Oriflamme
In verses 3093-5 of the “Chanson de Roland” (eleventh century) the oriflamme is mentioned as a royal banner, called at first “Romaine” afterwards “Montjoie”. According to the legend it was given to Charlemagne by the pope, but no historical text affords us any information with regard to this oriflamme, which is perhaps fabulous. As Eudes, who became king in 888, was Abbot of St. Martin, the banner of the church of St. Martin of Tours was the earliest military standard of the Frankish monarchy. It was a plain blue, a colour then assigned in the liturgy to saints who were, like St. Martin, confessors and pontiffs. The azure ground strewn with gold fleur-de-lis remained the symbol of royalty until the fourteenth century, when the white standard of Jeanne d’Arc wrought marvels, and by degrees the custom was introduced of depicting the fleur-de-lis on white ground. But from the time of Louis VI (1108-37) the banner of St. Martin was replaced as ensign of war by the oriflamme of the Abbey of St. Denis, which floated about the tomb of St. Denis and was said to have been given to the abbey by Dagobert. It is supposed without any certainty that this was a piece of fiery red silk of sendal the field of which was covered with flames and stars of gold. The standard-bearer carried it either at the end of a staff or suspended from his neck. Until the twelfth century the standard-bearer was the Comte de Vexin, who, as “vowed” to St. Denis, was the temporal defender of the abbey. Louis VI the Fat, having acquired Vexin, became standard-bearer; as soon as war began, Louis VI received Communion at St. Denis and took the standard from the tomb of the saint to carry it to the combat. “Montjoie Saint Denis”, cried the men-at-arms, even as in England they cried “Montjoie Notre Dame”, or “Montjoie Saint George”. The word Montjoie (from Mons gaudii or Mons Jovis) designates the heaps of stones along the roadside which served as mile-stones or as sign-posts, and which sometimes became the meeting-places for warriors; it was applied to the oriflamme the sight of which was to guide the soldiers into the mêlée. The descriptions of the oriflamme which have reached us in Guillaume le Breton (thirteenth century), in the “Chronicle of Flanders” (fourteenth century), in the “Registra Delphinalia” (1456), and in the inventory of the treasury of St. Denis (1536), show that to the primitive oriflamme there succeeded in the course of centuries newer oriflammes which little resembled one another. At the battle of Poitiers (1356) and Agincourt (1415) the oriflamme fell into the hands of the English; it would seem that after the Hundred Years’ War it was no longer borne on the battlefield.
———————————–
GEORGES GOYAU Transcribed by Anthony A. Killeen Laus Deo Semper
The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume XICopyright © 1911 by Robert Appleton CompanyOnline Edition Copyright © 2003 by K. KnightNihil Obstat, February 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D., CensorImprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York
Fuente: Catholic Encyclopedia
Oriflamme
(Auri flamma, or fanon. i.e. flame of gold) was a red flag of sendal, carried on a lance shafted with gilt-copper. It was preserved in the abbey of St. Denis, to which it belonged; and was taken by the kings of France, on occasions of great emergency, from, the altar of that abbey, and on such occasions it was always consecrated and blessed. Louis VI received the oriflamme A.D. 1119 and 1125, and a writer of that period speaks of this as an ancient custom of the French kings. The consecration of a knight’s pennon or gonfanon was indeed an essential feature in the solemn religious ceremonial by which he was elevated to the rank of knighthood in those ages. The consecration of standards for an army or a regiment is merely a different form of the same general idea. SEE KNIGHT-HOOD. The oriflamme is said to have been lost at Agincourt, in the Flemish wars, by Philip de Valois. It passed with the county of Vexin, the counts having been the protectors of the Church, and became the standard of France in the time of Phiip I. Other accounts state that it was last seen in the battle- field in the time of Charles I; and Felibrin says that in 1535 it was still kept in an abbey, but was almost devoured by moths. The oriflamme was charged with a saltire wavy, or with rays issuing from the center crossways. In later times it became the ensign of the French infantry. The name seems also to have been given to other flags; according to Sir N. H. Nicolas, the oriflamme borne at Agincourt was an oblong red flag, split into five parts. See Walcott, Sacred Archaeology, s.v.; Student’s History of France, p. 132. SEE JOAN OF ARC.