Terminology Cypher Royal Arms King's Color Regimental Color Images of Flags Bibliography	Portuguese Line Infantry Flags of the Napoleonic Wars: 1806-1812 By Robert Burnham, FINS There is only one flag carried by the infantry regiments of the Portuguese Army known to exist today. However, there is much documentary evidence and fragments of flags to provide a fairly accurate description of the flags. Portuguese infantry regiments carried two different flags: the King's Color and the Regimental Color. This paper examines the two different flags. On 19 May 1806, a royal decree was issued which ordered among other things, the re-organization of the army, new styles of uniforms, and new designs for unit flags. According to Terence Wise, there were three paragraphs in the decree that covered the design and issuance of infantry flags: "(XXV) Each regiment of infantry and artillery to have two flags, one in the colours blue, whiete, scarlet and yellow, the other of the colour of the uniform lining appropriate to the regiment." "(XXVII) The flags will have a ribbon [i.e. cravat] of silk, in the colours of the collar and cuffs of the regiment, tied about the pole immediately below the pike head with the ends fringed. The standards will have, in the same style and the same place, a silken ribbon in the colour of the collar and cuffs of the respective units." "(XXVIII) The flags and standards will have embroidered in the middle the Arms of the Realm, and below that the words 'Regimento No. . . Those regiments to which the decree of 17 December 1795 granted the right to add the words 'Ao Valor' to the name of the reigment will preserve the same distinction, having below the arms the legend 'AO VALOR DO REGIMENTO No. . . " The six regiments authorized to have this inscription were the: 3rd, 4th, 6th, 13th, 18th, and 19th Regiments. The inscription would be on the scroll beneath the arms. However there is no evidence to show that any of the regiments, other than the 19th Regiment actually did this. Terminology There are specific words that make written description of flags much easier to understand: Cravat: A ribbon that hangs from the finial. Devices: Heraldic symbols, usually placed in the corners. Field: The large background of the flag, usually of one color. Finial: The metal piece, often shaped like a spear, that is on top of the stave. Obverse: Also known as the front of the flag. The obverse of the flag is the side that appears when the pole is on the left. Reverse: Also known as the rear. The Reverse of the flag is the side that appears when the pole is on the right. Stave: The pole. The Cypher In the corner of both King's color and the regimental color is the royal cypher of the Prince Regent John (João Príncipe Regente): JPR. The cypher is as shown in image #1. It has gold lettering and is topped with a gold crown with a red background.   Royal Arms of Bragança   The King's Color The King's color was 1.8 meters square. Its field was divided into sixteen parts, alternating blue and red. In each corner was a white box with the Royal Cypher in gold. There was a yellow cross stretching from corner to corner. In the center of the flag were the Royal Arms of Bragança. A white scroll was located just underneath the center. On this scroll, embroidered in gold letters, was the "Regimento No. . . " followed by the regiment's number in Arabic numerals. The 19th Regiment The 19th Regiment did embroidered their scroll as authorized by the regulations. Furthermore, it also used Roman numerals to show its regimental number. The scroll of the 19th Regiment had the following: AO VALOR DO REGIMENTO No XIX Above the Royal Arms of Brgança, the regiment also had a white scroll with the word "Exemplo" embroidered on it. The Regimental Color Each regiment was also authorized a regimental color and cravat. The design for the flags were the same, but with different field colors. The color of the field was was based on which division the regiment was assigned to. The Portuguese Army was divided into three divisions in the re-organization of 1806: the North, the Center, and the South. The colors of the regiments that were assigned to the North Division had a yellow field; those in the Center Division had a white field; while those in the South Division had a red field. The color of the cravat was based on the color of the regiment's collar and cuffs. In the center of the field were the Royal Arms of Bragança. A blue scroll was located just underneath the center. On this scroll, embroidered in gold letters, was the "Regimento No. . . " followed by the regiment's number in Arabic numerals. In each corner of the field, was the Royal Cypher embroidered in gold. Regimental Distinctions Regiment Field Cravat 1st White Dark blue and white 2nd Scarlet Dark blue and white 3rd Yellow Dark blue and white 4th White Dark blue and scarlet 5th Scarlet Dark blue and scarlet 6th Yellow Dark blue and scarlet 7th White Dark blue and yellow 8th Scarlet Dark blue and yellow 9th Yellow Dark blue and yellow 10th White Dark and light blue 11th Scarlet Dark and light blue 12th Yellow Dark and light blue 13th White White 14th Scarlet White 15th Yellow White 16th White Scarlet 17th Scarlet Scarlet 18th Yellow Scarlet 19th White Yellow 20th Scarlet Yellow 21st Yellow Yellow 22nd White Light Blue 23rd Scarlet Light Blue 24th Yellow Light Blue Images of Line Infantry Flags These flags are not original. They are reproductions made to help celebrate the centennial of the battle of Busaço in 1910. The flags are believed accurately portray the original flags, based on all available evidence. These flags are on display at the Museu Militar in Busaço and the city museum in Tores Vedras. Click on any thumbnail image for a larger view. (Left to right) The Royal Cypher which appears in the corner of all Portuguese infantry flags. King's Color, 8th Infantry Regiment Regimental Color, 8th Infantry Regiment; Note the cravats in the corner Regimental Color, 10th Infantry Regiment (Left to right) Regimental Color, 11th Infantry Regiment Regimental Color, 12th Infantry Regiment Regimental Color, 19th Infantry Regiment: Note that the color does not carry the inscription "Ao Valor" in the scroll as authorized by regulations. Regimental Color, 24th Infantry Regiment; Note the cravats in the corner     Bibliography Beauford, Henri de. Les Armées Portugaises sous la Révolution et l’Empire La Varenne : Club Français de la Figurine Historique; 1999. Howard, Richard. The Portuguese Regular Army: 1806-1814 Napoleonic Association; 1979. Haythornthwaite, Philip. Uniforms of the Peninsular War Poole : Blandford Press; 1978. Howard, Richard . The Portuguese Regular Army 1806-14 Napoleonic Association; 1979. Nafziger, George. The Armies of Spain and Portugal 1808-1814 Privately published; 1993. Lachouque, Henry: Napoleon's War in Spain London : Arms and Armour Press; 1978. Over, Keith. Flags and Standards of the Napoleonic Wars London : Bivouac Books; 1976. Oivka, Otto von. The Portuguese Army of the Napoleonic Wars London : Osprey; 1977. Wise, Terence. Flags of the Napoleonic Wars Vol. 3; London : Osprey; 1981.  Placed on the Napoleon Series October 2000   [ Military Index | Organization Index ]
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