Flag and coat of arms of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta
January 07, 2023
The flag and coat of arms of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, or the Jerusalem flag,[2] display a white cross on a red field (blazon gules a cross argent), ultimately derived from the design worn by the Knights Hospitaller during the Crusades.
A red field with the white Latin cross extending to the edges of the flag
Flag of the Order's Works
Design
A red field with a white Maltese cross in the center
Grand Master's flag
Design
Red with a white Maltese cross surrounded by the collar of the order and surmounted by a crown
The flag represents the Sovereign Military Order of Malta as a sovereign institution. The state flag bears a Latin cross that extends to the edges of the flag. The Flag of the Order's Works represents its humanitarian and medical activities, and it bears a white Maltese cross on a red field. Both flags together represent the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Its constitution states: "The flag of the Order bears either the white latin cross on a red field or the white eight-pointed cross (cross of Malta) on a red field."[3]
Banners of the order at the Siege of Rhodes (1480), shown as gules a cross argent, and as counter-quarterly gules a cross argent and or a cross ancrée gules (c. 1483).
The banner of the Knights Hospitaller was introduced in 1130, on the order of Pope Innocent III, for disambiguation from the Templars who used the reversed colours. The "eight-pointed cross" is also said to originate in the 12th century, under Raymond du Puy (this was at first a cross fourchée or cross ancrée, and developed into the fully articulated Maltese cross only around or after 1500).[4]
A papal bull of Alexander IV in 1259 made the white cross the design to be put on the mantling of the knights. After that, the emblem was adopted as a general symbol for the Order. In the time after the Hospitallers moved to Cyprus in 1291, the banner of a white cross in a red field was flown from ships in their navy.
Banner of the Hospitallers (vexillum hospitalorum) as depicted in the Chronica Maiora by Matthew Paris, c. 1250.
A lintel in Ippoton street in Rhodes, featuring the coat of arms of the Knights of Rhodes (in the center), flanked by the coats of arms of Grand Masters Hélion de Villeneuve (r. 1319–1346) and Dieudonné de Gozon (r. 1346–1353), again flanked by the coats of arms of England and of king Edward III of England, c. 1350.
Coat of arms of Philibert de Naillac as Grand Master (r. 1396–1421), from his tower in the harbour of Rhodes (early 15th century).
Johann Loesel, grand prior of the langue of Germany, displaying a flag with an eight-pointed cross on a black field in his role as mediator in the Old Zürich War in February 1446 (illustration of Gerold Edlibach's chronicle, c. 1500)
The eight-pointed cross (cross fourchée) on the seal of the provost of St John's church, Stockholm, dated 1526.
Coat of Arms of the Knights Hospitaller of Rhodes, gules a cross argent shown quartered (1,4) for the Grand Master, and in chief for commanders and ordinary members (1695).
Today the flag flies from the SMOM's headquarters at Palazzo Malta in Rome and from other official residences and embassies. Together with the flag of Malta, it is also flown from Fort St Angelo in Birgu, Malta.[5] It goes with the Grand Master and members of the Sovereign Council when they make official visits.
The Flag of the Order's Works, featuring a Maltese cross, is flown by the SMOM's Grand Priories, Subpriories, and National Associations. As a symbol of its humanitarian works, the Order flies it at its hospitals and medical facilities. It is sometimes described as the "Grand Master's flag," but it is not used as a personal standard.
The Grand Master's personal flag is red with a white Maltese cross surrounded by the collar of the order and surmounted by a crown. It flies over the SMOM's magistral seats when the Grand Master is present.
Embassy of the SMOM in Prague flying both the State Flag and the Flag of the Order's Works
"The armorial bearings of the Order display a white latin cross on a red oval field, surrounded by a rosary, all superimposed on a white eight-pointed cross and displayed under a princely mantle surmounted by a crown" as defined in article 6 of the Constitutional Charter.[6]
^Harlaftis, Gelina; Laiou, Sophia (2008). "Ottoman State Policy In Mediterranean Trade and Shipping, C. 1780-C. 1820: The Rise of the Greek-Owned Ottoman Merchant Fleet". In Mazower, Mark (ed.). Networks of Power in Modern Greece. pp. 1–44.
^"Constitutional Charter of the Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta" (PDF). Order of Malta. Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta. 1998. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
^Bernard Berthod, Grandes figures de l'Ordre de Malte, Artège Editions (2010) p. 17.
^. Order of Malta. Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
^"Constitutional Charter of the Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta" (PDF). Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Sovereign Military Order of Malta. 1998. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Flags of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coats of arms of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coats of arms of Knights of Malta.
"Flags". Order of Malta. Sovereign Military Order of St. John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta. Retrieved 11 February 2014.
"Sovereign Military Order of Malta - Grand Master of the Order". Flags of the World Web Site. FOTW Flags of the World. 1999–2006. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
January 07, 2023
flag, coat, arms, sovereign, military, order, malta, flag, coat, arms, sovereign, military, order, malta, jerusalem, flag, display, white, cross, field, blazon, gules, cross, argent, ultimately, derived, from, design, worn, knights, hospitaller, during, crusad. The flag and coat of arms of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta or the Jerusalem flag 2 display a white cross on a red field blazon gules a cross argent ultimately derived from the design worn by the Knights Hospitaller during the Crusades Sovereign Military Order of MaltaCivil amp State Flag 1 Proportion2 3Adopted13th centuryDesignA red field with the white Latin cross extending to the edges of the flagFlag of the Order s WorksDesignA red field with a white Maltese cross in the centerGrand Master s flagDesignRed with a white Maltese cross surrounded by the collar of the order and surmounted by a crownThe flag represents the Sovereign Military Order of Malta as a sovereign institution The state flag bears a Latin cross that extends to the edges of the flag The Flag of the Order s Works represents its humanitarian and medical activities and it bears a white Maltese cross on a red field Both flags together represent the Sovereign Military Order of Malta Its constitution states The flag of the Order bears either the white latin cross on a red field or the white eight pointed cross cross of Malta on a red field 3 Contents 1 History 2 Flag variants 3 Coat of arms 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksHistory EditFurther information Maltese cross Banners of the order at the Siege of Rhodes 1480 shown as gules a cross argent and as counter quarterly gules a cross argent and or a cross ancree gules c 1483 The banner of the Knights Hospitaller was introduced in 1130 on the order of Pope Innocent III for disambiguation from the Templars who used the reversed colours The eight pointed cross is also said to originate in the 12th century under Raymond du Puy this was at first a cross fourchee or cross ancree and developed into the fully articulated Maltese cross only around or after 1500 4 A papal bull of Alexander IV in 1259 made the white cross the design to be put on the mantling of the knights After that the emblem was adopted as a general symbol for the Order In the time after the Hospitallers moved to Cyprus in 1291 the banner of a white cross in a red field was flown from ships in their navy Banner of the Hospitallers vexillum hospitalorum as depicted in the Chronica Maiora by Matthew Paris c 1250 A lintel in Ippoton street in Rhodes featuring the coat of arms of the Knights of Rhodes in the center flanked by the coats of arms of Grand Masters Helion de Villeneuve r 1319 1346 and Dieudonne de Gozon r 1346 1353 again flanked by the coats of arms of England and of king Edward III of England c 1350 Coat of arms of Philibert de Naillac as Grand Master r 1396 1421 from his tower in the harbour of Rhodes early 15th century Johann Loesel grand prior of the langue of Germany displaying a flag with an eight pointed cross on a black field in his role as mediator in the Old Zurich War in February 1446 illustration of Gerold Edlibach s chronicle c 1500 The eight pointed cross cross fourchee on the seal of the provost of St John s church Stockholm dated 1526 Coat of arms of Grand Master Philip Riedesel zu Camberg dated 1594 Coat of Arms of the Knights Hospitaller of Rhodes gules a cross argent shown quartered 1 4 for the Grand Master and in chief for commanders and ordinary members 1695 Emblem of the Military Order of Malta on the facade of San Giovannino dei Cavalieri Florence 1699 Flag variants EditToday the flag flies from the SMOM s headquarters at Palazzo Malta in Rome and from other official residences and embassies Together with the flag of Malta it is also flown from Fort St Angelo in Birgu Malta 5 It goes with the Grand Master and members of the Sovereign Council when they make official visits The Flag of the Order s Works featuring a Maltese cross is flown by the SMOM s Grand Priories Subpriories and National Associations As a symbol of its humanitarian works the Order flies it at its hospitals and medical facilities It is sometimes described as the Grand Master s flag but it is not used as a personal standard The Grand Master s personal flag is red with a white Maltese cross surrounded by the collar of the order and surmounted by a crown It flies over the SMOM s magistral seats when the Grand Master is present Embassy of the SMOM in Prague flying both the State Flag and the Flag of the Order s Works Flags of Malta and the SMOM at Fort St AngeloCoat of arms Edit Coat of arms of the order The armorial bearings of the Order display a white latin cross on a red oval field surrounded by a rosary all superimposed on a white eight pointed cross and displayed under a princely mantle surmounted by a crown as defined in article 6 of the Constitutional Charter 6 See also Edit Catholicism portal Malta portal Flag of Denmark Flag of Savoy Flag of Switzerland Postage stamps and postal history of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta List of Grand Masters of the Knights HospitallerReferences Edit Flags amp Emblems Harlaftis Gelina Laiou Sophia 2008 Ottoman State Policy In Mediterranean Trade and Shipping C 1780 C 1820 The Rise of the Greek Owned Ottoman Merchant Fleet In Mazower Mark ed Networks of Power in Modern Greece pp 1 44 Constitutional Charter of the Sovereign Military Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta PDF Order of Malta Sovereign Military Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta 1998 Retrieved 11 February 2014 Bernard Berthod Grandes figures de l Ordre de Malte Artege Editions 2010 p 17 After Two Centuries the Order Of Malta Flag Flies Over Fort St Angelo Beside the Maltese Flag Order of Malta Sovereign Military Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta Archived from the original on October 20 2013 Retrieved 11 February 2014 Constitutional Charter of the Sovereign Military Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta PDF Sovereign Military Order of Malta Sovereign Military Order of Malta 1998 Retrieved 19 July 2015 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Flags of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coats of arms of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem Wikimedia Commons has media related to Coats of arms of Knights of Malta Flags Order of Malta Sovereign Military Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta Retrieved 11 February 2014 Sovereign Military Order of Malta Grand Master of the Order Flags of the World Web Site FOTW Flags of the World 1999 2006 Retrieved 12 February 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Flag and coat of arms of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta amp oldid 1131435582, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
