TheOriflamme (from Latinaurea flamma, "golden flame"), a pointed, blood-red banner flown from a gilded lance, was the sacredbattle standard of theKing of France and a symbol ofdivine intervention on thebattlefield fromGod andSaint Denis in the Middle Ages. The oriflamme originated as the sacred banner of theAbbey of St. Denis,[1] a monastery near Paris. When the oriflamme was raised in battle by the French royalty during the Middle Ages, most notably during theHundred Years' War,no prisoners were to be taken until it was lowered. Through that tactic, they hoped to strike fear into the hearts of the enemy, especially the nobles, who could usually expect to be taken alive for ransom during such military encounters.[2]
In French, the termoriflamme has come to mean any banner with pointed ends by association with the form of the original.
The Oriflamme was mentioned in the 11th-century ballad theChanson de Roland (vv. 3093–5) as a royal banner, first calledRomaine and thenMontjoie.[3] According to legend,Charlemagne carried it to theHoly Land in response to a prophecy regarding a knight possessing a golden lance from which flames would burn and drive out theSaracens.[4] That suggests that thelance was originally the important object, with the banner simply a decoration, but that changed over time.[5]
The Oriflamme was first used in 1124 byLouis VI of France,[6] but a version of it remained in the Abbey of St. Denis until the 18th century.[7]
Louis VI replaced the earlier banner ofSaint Martin with 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 byDagobert I,King of the Franks.
Until the 12th century, the standard-bearer was theComte de Vexin, who, as vowed toSt. Denis, was the temporal defender of the abbey. Louis VI, having acquired Vexin, became standard-bearer. As soon as war began, he receivedCommunion at St. Denis and took the standard from the tomb of the saint to carry it into combat.
Although the azure ground (from the bluecope ofSt. Martin of Tours) strewn with goldfleur-de-lis remained the symbol of royalty until the 15th century, the Oriflamme became the royal battle standard of the King of France, and it was carried at the head of the king's forces when they met another army in battle. It is recorded as having been carried at the following battles/campaigns:[citation needed]
The Oriflamme was lost at least four times during its medieval history: Mons-en-Pévèle,[8] Crécy,[9] Poitiers,[10] and during the campaigns of theSeventh Crusade underKing Louis IX.[11][12]
Although theOriflamme has often been depicted as present at the battle of Agincourt, modern historians have disputed that. The banner was given to Guillaume de Martel byCharles VI of France on September 10, 1415 and carried by Martel from Paris to Rouen.[13] That was likely an attempt to raise French morale and to rally troops, but there is no evidence that theOriflamme was then taken on campaign and unfurled at Agincourt.[14] Modern historians agree that the Oriflamme was not carried by Guillaume de Martel at Agincourt, as the king was not present at the battle in person.[15][16]
In the 15th century, the fleur-de-lis on the white flag ofJoan of Arc became the new royal standard replacing both the symbol of royalty and the Oriflamme on the battle field.[3]
The banner was red or orange-red silk and flown from a gilded lance.[17] According to legend, its colour stemmed from it being dipped in the blood of the recently-beheadedSt. Denis.
The surviving descriptions of the Oriflamme are in Guillaume le Breton (13th century), in the "Chronicle of Flanders" (14th century), in the "Registra Delphinalia" (1456) and in the inventory of thetreasury of Saint-Denis (1536). They show that the primitive Oriflamme was succeeded in the course of the centuries by newer Oriflammes, which bore little resemblance to one another except for their colour.[3]
According toMaurice Keen, the oriflamme, when displayed on the battlefield, indicated thatno quarterwas to be given: its red colour was symbolic of cruelty and ferocity.[18]
The bearer of the standard, theporte-oriflamme, became anoffice, like that of theMarshal orConstable and a great honour, as it was an important and very dangerous position to take charge of such a visible symbol in battle. If things went badly, the bearer was expected to bekilled in action, rather than relinquish his charge.
Froissart vividly describesporte-oriflammeGeoffroi de Charny's fall at the side of his king at theBattle of Poitiers in this passage:
There Sir Geoffroi de Charny fought gallantly near the king (note: and his fourteen-year-old son). The whole press and cry of battle were upon him because he was carrying the king’s sovereign banner [the Oriflamme]. He also had before him his own banner,gules, threeescutcheonsargent. So many English and Gascons came around him from all sides that they cracked open the king’s battle formation and smashed it; there were so many English and Gascons that at least five of these men at arms attacked one [French] gentleman. Sir Geoffroi de Charny was killed with the banner of France in his hand, as other French banners fell to earth.[19]
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In Canto XXXI ofParadiso,Dante describes theVirgin Mary in the Empyrean aspacifica oriafiamma (Musa's translation, "oriflame of peace"):[21]
so there, on high, that oriflame of peace
lit up its center while on either side
its glow was equally diminishing
The 19th-century poetRobert Southey refers to the Oriflamme and its reputation in his poemJoan of Arc:
"Dark-minded man!"
The Maid of Orleans answered, "to act well
Brings with itself an ample recompense.
I have not reared the oriflamme of death —
Now God forbid! The banner of the Lord
Is this; and, come what will, me it behooves,
Mindful of Him whose minister I am,
To spare the fallen foe: that gracious God
Sends me a messenger of mercy forth,
Sends me to save this ravaged realm of France,
To England friendly as to all the world;
Only to those an enemy, whose lust
Of sway makes them the enemies of man."— Robert Southey,Joan of Arc. Book VIII[22]
The 20th-century Martiniquais poet and politician,Aimé Césaire (1913–2008) invokes the Oriflamme in his poem "Your Hair" ("Chevelure"). By invoking the Oriflamme, Césaire also invokes the French Colonial Empire, war, and oppression. The poem is included inThe Collected Poetry of Aimé Césaire. An excerpt reads:
Undulating innocent
all the juices rising in the lust of the earth
all the poisons distilled by the nocturnal alembics in the involucres of the Malvaceae
all the thundering of the Saponaria
are like these discordant words written by the flames of pyres
over the sublime oriflammes of your revolt— Aimé Césaire,Solar Throat Slashed[23]
The Oriflamme is depicted in season 2 episode 6 of the History Channel seriesKnightfall, being risen byPhilip IV at the start of a siege on aTemplar castle.[citation needed]
The Oriflamme is also raised in History Channel'sVikings during a 9th Century siege of Paris, predating the first mention of the banner by two centuries.[citation needed]
In theDiscworld novelSmall Gods by Terry Pratchett, the flag of the theocracy of Omnia is referred to as an Oriflamme.[citation needed]
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