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Portugal - historical sea merchant flags

Last modified: 2003-08-16 by jorge candeias
Keywords: portugal: historical | sea merchant flags | merchant flags | cross of christ | bezants | quinas |
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The sea merchant flags

These "ensigns" were listed by the organizators of the "Flags of Portugal" exhibition, held at Lisbon in 1994, whose catalogue was my main source for this work.

Theyer actual use on board was not confirmed; these flags were used by cartogrphers to mark portuguese held territories in navigation maps, and are usualy discribed as "Sea merchant flags" (bandeiras do comércio marítimo).

Obviously, the fact that this or that flag was registered in a map from a particular year does not mean that it's use was restricted to that time nor that it was the only one then used by portuguese commercial vessels.

Also, the phantasy and uninformedness of most cartographers, many of them not navigators nor living in Portugal and modern misinterpretations make some details doubtful...

António Martins, 22 May 1997


from the map of Mateu Prunes, 1563

[sea merchant flag from the map of Mateu Prunes]
by António Martins

A plain blue field charged with five white circles in saltire.

António Martins, 22 May 1997


from the map of João Freire, mid 16th ct.

[sea merchant flag from the map of João Freire, mid 16th ct.]
by António Martins

As the previous one, but bordered red.

António Martins, 22 May 1997

This design, often reported without the red border or with reversed colors, began to appear on portolanoes in the 15th century and is still attested in the 17th century: Jorge Reinel between 1518 and 1520; Herrera 1601/1615 in Mapas de America en los libros espanoles en los siglos XVI-XVIII. This precise design (with the red border, but a little narrower) is to be found on the Sanches 1623 planisfere BM Add. Ms 22874. In the Atlante Miller, 1519 circa, the flag has also eight golden castles on the red border.

Mario Fabretto, 22 May 1997


from the map of Fernão Vaz Dourado, 1570 (per band)

[sea merchant flag from the map of Fernão Vaz Dourado, 1570]
by António Martins

Blue over red per band (from top hoist to lower fly) charged with a gold shield bearing five blue circles in saltire. Edge serrated postage stamp-like.

António Martins, 22 May 1997

The circular indentations of the border are to be found on many 16th and 17th century portuguese flags. The gold of old portolanoes can represent white: several examples exist of that. The reversed colours (blue quinas on white) were on the flame used by ships sailing with the financial support of the Senatus and the city of Lisbon. A similar flag is to be found in the Atlas by Fernão Vaz Dourado (1571) flying over Japan.

Mario Fabretto, 22 May 1997

Sometimes, the gold of old portolanoes can represent white due to pigment chemichal alteration (if I recall correctly oxidation of decayed calcium-rich molecules), but I can't imagine the "original" flag as white (instead of gold) shield with white bezants... ;-)

António Martins, 22 May 1997


from the map of Fernão Vaz Dourado, 1570 (gold field with border)

[sea merchant flag from the map of Fernão Vaz Dourado, 1570]
by António Martins

Very similar to the previous: Gold field charged with five silver circles saltire and bordered blue over red per band with the same edge serration.

António Martins, 22 May 1997

This particular colour arrangement seems to be the result of a colour degradation of the previous design.

Mario Fabretto, 22 May 1997

Dunno: they both appear on the same map (Fernão Vaz Dourado, 1570) so one would expect that pigments would alterate at the same rate (but could be due to unqual exposition to sunlight on second thought...). Anyway, change from shield to square would be quite a chemical alteration! ;-D

António Martins, 22 May 1997


from the map of Fernão Vaz Dourado, 1570 (with Cross of Christ)

[sea merchant flag from the map of Fernão Vaz Dourado, 1570]
by António Martins

Christ Order cross on silver over blue grironny.

António Martins, 22 May 1997


from the map of Jorge Reinel, 1540

[sea merchant flag from the map of Jorge Reinel, 1540]
by António Martins

Christ Order cross on green over silver grironny. The original depiction shows the cross whole with black instead of silver, but this must be either an error or a tint alteration.

António Martins, 22 May 1997


from the "Account on the successful second siege to Diu" of Jerónimo Corte-Real, 1574

[sea merchant flag from the 'Account on the successful second siege to Diu' of Jerónimo Corte-Real, 1574]
by António Martins

A banner of the portuguese coat of arms: silver chaged with five blue eschuteons pointing downwards and arranged in cross, each bearing five silver circles saltire, all bordered with red charged with eigth castles gold. Very similar to the "national" flag of 1485-1495, this having only seven castles;

António Martins, 22 May 1997


from painting of Jan Huygen van Linschoten, 1638

[sea merchant flag from painting of Jan Huygen van Linschoten, 1638]
by António Martins

Chist Order cross on green. Also used as "national" flag in 1495-1521 (King Manuel's reign) along with an arms-on-white flag. Also known as the Restoration Flag, used as revolution banner in 1640 (regain of independence from Spain).

António Martins, 22 May 1997


from the so called "Miller" atlas of Lopo Homem Reineis, 1519

[sea merchant flag from the so called
by António Martins

Silver charged with five blue circles saltire and bordered red charged with eight castles. The original depiction shows azure field, but this is most certainly a tint alteration.

António Martins, 22 May 1997


from anonymous atlas, c.a 1930

[sea merchant flag from anonymous atlas, c.a 1930]
by António Martins

[sea merchant flag from anonymous atlas, c.a 1930]
by António Martins

Extended Christ Order cross on white over blue gironny charged with silver eschuteon bordered blue and charged with five blue circles saltire. The original depiction shows a 2:3 flag -- as this is unusual, I've added a 1:1 version.

António Martins, 22 May 1997