Flags and Ensigns in the Military Museum of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Canary Islands, Spain)

Last modified: 2010-10-08 by eugene ipavec
Keywords: spain | tenerife | coat of arms | cross: burgundy | military | eagle (black) | crown | lion (red) |
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• Apochryphal (?) "Scarlet-and-Crimson" Ensign
• First Spanish Cavalry Standard
• 64th Infantry Regiment Tenerife
• Artillery Command Tenerife
• 32th Infantry Regiment Tenerife
• Naval Ensign for Expeditions to India (1501-1507)
• 12th Coastal Battery “Los Guinchos”
• Battalion of Patriotic Volunteers of Las Palmas
• Battalion of Riflemen La Palma No. 8
• Branch Tapestries (Reposteros)
• Instruction and Recruitment Centre No.15 (Centro Instrución Recrutamiento No.15/CIR 15)
• Banner of honour, 1st Expeditionary Battery of Riflemen of the Artillery Regiment of Tenerife (1a Bateria Expedicionaria de Montaña del Regimineto de Artillería de Tenerife, Estandarte Laureada)
• Banner of honour, 1st Expeditionary Company of the Group of Intendencia of the Canary Islands (1a Bateria Expedicionaria de Montaña del Regimineto de Artillería de Tenerife, Banderin Laureado)
• Canarian Artillery Militia (1759-1780)
• Colonels banner of Guia (de Isora?) (1745) (Bandera Coronela)
• Battalion of Canarian Infantry (after 1750)
• Colonel's banner of Canarian Militia (18th century) (Bandera Coronela)

See also:

• Armed Forces' Flags (Spain)
• Naval Flags (Spain)
• City of Santa Cruz de Tenerife
• Tenerife Island
• Spain

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 23 Jun 2009

I have a problem: I remember not also from pirate movies but also from my English lessond at school, that the Spanish ensign was referred to as the “scarlet-and-crimson flag”, which took me by surprise. I always thought both shades had been reddish. Was this flag used in a specific era? I couldn't find anything about that flag on our pages. The only thing I know is that there had been a lot of proposals for a Spanish ensign to avoid confusions with the flags of other sea powers in the 18th century and iniated by Carlos III, but that seems to be far too late.

The other problem is simply: Do we use special RGB-values for both colours, scarlet and/or crimson? Maybe the colours names' had been used for different colours earlier, but that is a mere speculation.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Jun 2009

To the best of my knowledge most Spanish ensigns during the 17th century appear to have been based on the Ragged Cross and to be predominately red on white (although I have heard of a white cross on blue being sometimes used for civil vessels) and such continued to be used as a merchant flag throughout most of the 18th century? On the other hand the full achievement of arms on a white field was formally introduced (from memory) sometime about 1700 for Royal Ships and (like the Ragged Cross merchant flag) was abolished with the introduction of the red and gold in 1785?

On the other hand, "scarlet and crimson" whilst distinctly different shades of red, are (I would suggest) actually indistinguishable from each from any distance and thus hardly appropriate on flag used as a means of identification at sea? Such a red on red flag would surely have looked like a plain "flag of defiance" as a vessel approached, so if the intention when flying it was to give battle then fair enough?

Christopher Southworth, 15 Jun 2009

I suspect – following on from Chris's comments – that it was a less-than-subtle suggestion that Spanish ships were seen as being like pirate ships (IIRC many pirate vessels flew a plain red flag). Scarlet and crimson are fairly distinct and different colours and ISTR that crimson used to mean a darker, more (ironically) Burgundy-like colour, but as pointed out by Chris, from a difference there would be no practical difference.

James Dignan, 16 Jun 2009

My impression- and it is only a reaction to reading the question, not any prior knowledge- is that it is probably a reference to the quartered flag of Castile and Leon. The background of the Castile quarters could certainly be described as scarlet, and the lions of the Leon quarters could arguably be called crimson. Whether that was ever actually used as an ensign in the strict sense may not be relevant since the general public often uses the term in a much looser sense.

Ned Smith, 16 Jun 2009

Surprisingly, such a flag (or similar) existed: I found a tiny image among my photos of Sta. Cruz de Tenerife Military Museum. I have not sufficient time for further inquiries now, but it was a probably short-lived flag introduced in 1647 under Felipe IV. (1621-1665). (In 1647 there happened nothing special.) I can't see whether it should have had great importance. The ratio was approx. 5:6; in a scarlet field, a crimson cross burgundy and a crown in each corner of the flag. The scarlet is RGB (237/28/36), the crimson is RGB (152/1/47). I observed this flag in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008. Unfortunately I could find out neither the reason nor the importance of that flag, which is often referred to in pirate movies. Hollywood often wasn't too exact in historical details. So maybe the words “scarlet and crimson flag” in the introductions had been taken from a book, but in the (mostly b/w) movies there was used a current Spanish tricolour.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 21 and 23 Jun 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 Jun 2009

The First Spanish cavalry standard (Primer Estandarte de Caballería) 1638 is a square flag. The flag is light blue with a white cross burgundy surrounded by a white tressure. I spotted this flag on the flag chart “Proceso de Formación de la bandera de España” in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 27 Jun 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 Jun 2009

The flag of the 64th Infantry Regiment Tenerife has a ratio of 1:2. The flag shows the Spanish horizontal triband red – yellow – red with ratio approx. 2:3:2. In the centre of the yellow stripe is the coat of arms, which has a round shield topped by a crown and superimposing a red cross burgundy. The arms are surrounded by an inscription of black capitals: “REGIMIENTO DE INFANTERIA TENERIFE No 64” I spotted this flag in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 27 Jun 2009

This is a colour of a pattern introduced in 1843. With a small gap during the reign of Amadeo I in 1873-74, this basic pattern was used until 1931.

Source: Manzano Lahoz, Antonio, "Las banderas históricas del Ejército Español," 2nd edition, (Madrid, Ministry of Defence, 1996)

Ian Sumner, 28 Jun 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 05 Jul 2009

The flag of Artillery Command Tenerife is a square flag. The flag shows the Spanish horizontal triband red – yellow – red with ratio approx. 2:3:2. In the centre of the yellow stripe is the coat of arms, which has a round shield topped by a crown and superimposing a red cross burgundy. The arms are surrounded by an inscription of black capitals: “;ARTILLERIA COMANDANCIA DE TENERIFE ”, Source: I spotted this flag on flag chart “Proceso de Formación de la bandera de España” in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008. The flag of Artillery Command Tenerife The unit existed from 1904 to 1924.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 05 Jul 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 05 Jul 2009

The flag of 32th Infantry Regiment Tenerife, 4th bataillion, expeditionary has a ratio is 1:2. The flag shows the Spanish horizontal triband red – yellow – red with ratio approx. 1:2:1. In the centre of the yellow stripe is the coat of arms from the times of General Franco. In the upper red stripe is a golden inscription “RGTO. DE INFANTERIA DE TENERIFE NO.32” (partially exposed and underlined and “filling words” of smaller height). The coat of amrs is flanked by “4o.” and “Bon.”. In the lower red stripe is the word “EXPEDICIONARIO”, which means according to the dictionary “in action/ taking part of an expedition”. The font type is similar to a narrow type of “Bauhaus”. I spotted this flag in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 05 Jul 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 06 Jul 2009

The flag of the 12th Coastal Battery “Los Guinchos” is square. The obverse shows the Spanish horizontal triband, red – yellow – red with ratio approx. 1: 2:1. In the centre of the yellow stripe is a smaller coat of arms from the times of General Franco, i.e. without the two pillars of Hercules. Its reverse is divided per bend sinister into red and black. In the centre of the flag is a yellow disc topped by a yellow flame. The flag has a golden fringe. The unit was established in May 1941 and dismantled in 1965. I spotted this flag on flag chart “Proceso de Formación de la Bandera de España” in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 06 Jul 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 07 Jul 2009

The flag of Battalion of Patriotic Volunteers of Las Palmas The ratio is 1:2. The flag shows the Spanish horizontal triband red – yellow – red with ratio 1:1:1. In the centre of the yellow stripe is a lying red cross of St.James slightly shifted to the hoist. According to source the volunteers arose against the Republican government on 18 July 1936 and maintained the home security and re-established the public order. I spotted this flag in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 07 Jul 2009

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 08 Jul 2009

The flag of the Battalion of Riflemen La Palma No. 8 (Battalón de Montaña La Palma No 8) The ratio is 1:2. The flag shows the Spanish horizontal triband red – yellow – red with ratio approx. 1: 2:1. In the centre of the flag is a coat of arms shaped as a Soanish shield and superimposing a red cross burgundy. The shield is topped by a crown. The quarters of the shield are showing the arms of Castilia (1st), Leon (2nd), Catalonia (3rd) , Navarra (4th) and Granada (middle base point). According to source this was a regiment of chasers (Span. cazadores). Its denomination was changes into “Battalón de Montaña La Palma No 8” by royal order on 6 July 1925. The battalion was moved to Jaca in 1931 and merged with 19th infantry regiment of Galicia; the new units was renamed the 19th infantry regiment by royal order from 3 June 1931. I spotted this flag in the Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 08 Jul 2009

Visiting Santa Cruz de Tenerife on 18 February 2010, I discovered the Military Services Building, which seemed to be some kind of casino. In the entrance hall there were miltary colours hanging on the walls. The chief of the casino told me however that they were not flags but “reposteros”, this is some kind of tapestry, hanging down from a horizontal bar and having the purpose to display emblems and coats of arms. They have, at least I guess, therefore no reverse. All the reposteros there had ratio 11:13, a thin golden fimbriation, golden fringes and golden floral ornaments of the same shape in every corner.

Army (Exército de Tierra)	Artillery	Cavalry
images by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 12 Mar 2010
Purple with the crowned golden eagle of the army, having a cross of St. James upon its breast.	Divided per bend into black and red with a yellow bomb (ball with flame) in its centre.	Celestial blue with two crossed lances topped by Spanish pennants and superimposed by two golden sabres in its centre.
Engineers	Infantry	Intendancia de Canarias
images by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 13 Mar 2010
Blue with a silver tower masoned black in its centre.	Reddish with a horn and crossed gun and sword, all in yellow, in its centre.	Divided per bend sinister into white and blue with a golden sun, flanked by two golden garlands and topped by a crown shifted to the bottom.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 12 Mar 2010

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Mar 2010

Military colours of Sta. Cruz dT 3/3 Instruction and Recruitment Centre No.15 (Centro Instrución Recrutamiento No.15/CIR 15) It is also a tapestry of yellow background with black floral ornaments in each corner. In its centre is the eagle of the Spanish Army (Exórcito de Tierra), having a cross of St. James upon its breast, which looks like a bloody sword. The eagle is topped by a crown. Beneath the eagle are embowed black inscriptions in black capitals: “CIR 15” and “GENERALISIMO FRANCO”. CIR 15 is a unit belonging to Grupo Intendancia de Canarias, having its location at Base Hoya Fria in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

I spotted this one in January 2007 at the Santa Cruz Military Museum, but did not identify it with the help of the staff until 18 February 2010.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 Mar 2010

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 04 May 2010

The unit was decorated by Cross with Laurel of the Order of San Fernando for units by governmental order on 8 June 1938, published in D.O. no.97. The Cross with Laurel of the Order of San Fernando is the highest military decoration for units and individuals as well. The decoration was gained by merit in action within the Spanish civil war at Madrid from 15 November 1936 until 10 May 1937.

The flag is squarish, horizontally divided by the Spanish colours, surrounded by golden fringes at three sides and with cravattes in yellow and in Spanish colours. Obverse: In the centre is the coat of arms of Tenerife Island, displaying the figures of the shield in golden embroideries upon a silver field. The shield is surrounded by embroidered golden floral ornaments and topped by a coronet of the same kind. The shield is flanked by black embowed inscriptions: "F.E.T. y de las JONS," the abbreviation of "Falange Española Tradicionalista de las Juntas de Ofensiva Nacionalsindicalista" (upper hoist/ the giver) and "A 1a BATERIA" (lower fly/the receiver). In the upper hoist corner are black yoke with arrows, the symbol of the Falange party, which was re-established by Gen. Franco, originally used by the Catholic kings. (iuego y flechas, i = Isabel and f = Fernando). In the lower fly corner is a symbol for artillery, a golden bomb (bombeta dorada de artillería) in a shield in the traditional colours of artillery red and black. Reverse: In the centre of the yellow stripe is a green wreath of laurel with 4 black crosses in it. The wreath is flanked by black embowed inscriptions: "Ciudad Universitaria," which is Madrid, and "15-11-1936 al 10-5-1937," the duration of action.

I saw an image of this flag in a folder in Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008; missing information was supplied by Sr. Francisco Gonzalez Leal on 30 April 2010.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 04 May 2010

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 04 May 2010

1st Expeditionary Company of the Group of Intendencia of the Canary Islands, banner of honour (1a Compania Expedicionaria del Grupo de Intendencia de Canarias, banderin laureado) The unit was decorated by Cross with Laurel of the Order of San Fernando for units by governmental order on 8 June 1938, published in D.O. no.97. The Cross with Laurel of the Order of San Fernando is the highest military decoration for units and individuals as well. The decoration was gained by merits in action within the Spanish civil war at Madrid especially in January and February of 1937. The banner was handed over in a ceremony on 25 July 1944 just below the museum.

The obverse of the flag is squarish, horizontally divided by the Spanish colours, surrounded by golden fringes at three sides and with scarves in yellow and in Spanish colours. In the centre is a green wreath of laurel, open at its top. Within the wreath is a black inscription CIUDAD (1st line, slightly bigger), UNIVERSITARIA(2nd line) 8 DE JUNIO 1938) (3rd line). Line one and two is a synonyme for Madrid, line three is the date of of the governmental order. Reverse: It is squarish, divided per bend into white and celestial blue, the traditional colours of the Canary Islands. In the centre is the coat of arms of Sta. Cruz de Tenerife. The coat of arms is flanked by an embowed black inscriptionF.E.T. y de las JONS, the abbreviation of Falange Espaola Tradicionalista de las Juntas de Ofensiva Nacionalsindicalista (top/ the giver), a and la flanking the order beneath the shield and finally ESFc del Grupo de Canarias (lower fly/ the receiver). In the upper fly corner are red yoke with arrows, the symbol of the Falange party, which was re-established by Gen. Franco, originally used by the Catholic kings. (iuego y flechas, i = Isabel and f = Fernando). In the lower hoist corner is a golden wreath with a star of the same colour, the symbol of an intendencia.

I saw an image of this flag in a folder in Military Museum Sta. Cruz de Tenerife on 22 April 2008; missing information was supplied by Sr. Francisco Gonzalez Leal on 30 April 2010.

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 04 May 2010

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 May 2010

Flag of the Canarian Artillery Militia (1759-1780) is a white rectangular flag addded by a white tail (a schwenkel). In the centre of the rectangle are the great arms of Spain, topped by a crown, surrounded by a chain of the Order of the Golden Fur (Goldenes Vlies) and flanked by military equipment like guns, trumpets, lances, white flags and partially surrounded by a celestial-blue ribbon. The fields of the shield ordered from top to bottom and from left to right (visible) are as follows: 1st row: Aragon (Catalonia), Sicily, Austria, Burgundy (2nd house) 2nd row: Parma, inescutcheon, Parma 3rd row(embowed): Burgundy(1st house), Flandres, Tirol (probably), Brabant. The tinctures are quite unusual as e.g. Sicily (red eagles instead of black ones), Tirol (black eagle instead of red one), Burgundy (2nd house) (red background instead of blue) and Toskana (blue balls instead of red ones). The inescutcheon shows the quarterly divided arms of Castilia and Leon with the fleur de lis of the house of Bourbon in an oval shield in its centre and the arms of Granada upon the middle base point.

Source: [snm10], p.7, image 13

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 15 May 2010

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 May 2010

A white squarish flag, in its centre the great arms of Spain, topped by a crown, surrounded by two chains, the inner chain belonging to the Order of the Golden Fleece (Goldenes Vlies), the outer chains order, probably later established by house of Bourbon, shows among others golden fleur de lis. The fields of the shield ordered from top to bottom and from left to right(visible) are as follows: 1st row: Castilia and Leon (twice, quarterly divided), Aragon (Catalonia), Sicily, Austria, Burgundy (2nd house) 2nd row: Austria, inescutcheon showing the arms of house of Bourbon, Burgundy(2nd house) 3rd row(embowed): Burgundy(1st house), Flandres, Tirol, Brabant. The shield has a hole in its centre, the inescutcheon and the inner blueish parts of the arms of Burgundy are completely lost. I added them in grey. The supporters are two golden rampant guardant lions, crowned golden and tongued red In the four corners are embroidered capitals, depicted also in grey, R.(upper hoist), P. or I.(upper fly), D.(lower hoist) and G.(lower fly).

Source: [snm10], p.7, image 12

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 May 2010

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 May 2010

Battalion of Canarian Infantry (after 1750) used a white squarish flag with a burgundy-red cross burgundy. Both upper ends are topped by golden coronets. The cross is slightly damaged (parts depicted grey).

Source: [snm10], p.7, image 15

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 May 2010

image by Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 May 2010

Colonel's banner of Canarian Militia (18th century) is a white squarish flag. In its centre are the great arms of Spain, topped by an oversized crown, which is nearly as big as the shield itself, and surrounded by five flintstones and the golden ram, symbolizing the Order of the Golden Fur (Goldenes Vlies). The fields of the shield ordered from top to bottom and from left to right(visible) are as follows: 1st row: Castilia and Leon (twice, quarterly divided), Aragon (Catalonia), Sicily, Austria, Burgundy (2nd house) 2nd row: Austria, inescutcheon (depicted grey slightly damaged parts, showing fleur de lis of house of Bourbon with a red bordure), Burgundy (2nd house) 3rd row (embowed): Burgundy (1st house), Flandres, Tirol, Brabant.

Source: [snm10], p.6, image 11

Klaus-Michael Schneider, 17 May 2010