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Dictionary of Vexillology: M (Mullet - Mythological Creatures)

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MULLET
MULTI-STRIPE
MULTI-TAILED
MULTI-TAILED DESCATE
MUNICIPAL ARMS (or COAT OF ARMS)
MUNICIPAL CROWN
MUNICIPAL FLAG
MURAL CROWN
MURREY
MYTHICAL FLAG
MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURES

MULLET

The heraldic term for a usually geometric charge in the form of a star that usually (but not exclusively) has five or six radiating points – but see ‘rowel’ and ‘estoile’ (also ‘star 1)’, ‘sun in splendour’ and ‘wavy’.

Flag of Orzens, Switzerland (fotw); Flag and Arms of Medjimurje, Croatia (fotw); Flag of Valais, Switzerland (fotw)

Please note, we suggest that a glossary or dictionary of heraldry be consulted regarding the terms given above.

MULTI-STRIPE

A flag of four or more parallel stripes or bands, whether plain or defaced, horizontal, vertical or diagonal, and of equal or unequal width (see also ‘barry’, ‘bendy’, ‘covering’, ‘paly’, ‘partially covering’, ‘defaced’, ‘plain 2)’, ‘rainbow flag’, ‘stripe’ and ‘stripe’).

From left: Civil Flag of Costa Rica (fotw); National Flag of Mauritius (fotw); Power Squadrons, US (fotw); Flag of Friesland, Netherlands (fotw).

Please note that flags bearing a fimbriated central stripe (such as those of Botswana, The Gambia or Suriname where the flanking stripes are narrower than the outer ones) should not be considered as multi-stripes, but as fimbriated tricolours or tribands (see also ‘Appendix VI’, ‘fimbriation’, ‘stripe’, ‘triband’ and ‘tricolour’ ).

National Flag of Botswana (fotw); National of The Gambia (fotw); National Flag of Suriname (fotw)

MULTI-TAILED (or TONGUED)

(adj) A term used to describe a fly that is cut into more than three tails or tongues (see also ‘gonfanon’, ‘square-tongued’, ‘swallowtail and tongue’ and tongue(s)).

War and Merchant Flag of the Republic of Venice c1750 (fotw)

MULTI-TAILED DESCATE

(adj) The term used to describe a fly that is cut into more than three tails with rounded ends (see also ‘double-tailed descate’, ‘fly’, ‘gonfanon’, square-tailed', ‘swallow-tail(ed)’ ‘swallowtail and tongue’ and tongue(s)).

MUNICIPAL ARMS (or COAT OF ARMS)

See ‘civic arms’.

Arms of Bilov, Czech Republic (fotw)

MUNICIPAL CROWN

See ‘mural crown 1)’.

Flag of Versailles, France (fotw)

MUNICIPAL FLAG

See ‘civic flag 1))’.

Flag of Bilov, Czech Republic (fotw)

MURAL CROWN

1) Generically the heraldic term for a coronet composed of battlemented walls showing masonry and generally from three to five towers, usually (but not exclusively) representative of a municipality or urban area - a civic, municipal or urban crown – but see ‘civic crown 1)’ (also ‘astral crown’, ‘coronet’, ‘crown’, ‘crown of arms’, ‘hamburgian coronet’, ‘leafy crown’, ‘naval crown’, and ‘provincial crown’).

2) Specifically the heraldic term for a coronet with masoned, battlemented walls but without towers, often representative of a town or city and reputedly based on an ancient Roman triumphal ornament - but see ‘civic crown 1)’ also ‘astral crown’, ‘coronet’ ‘crown’) and ‘naval crown’.

Flag and Arms of Arcos de Valdevez, Portugal (fotw and Heraldry of the World); Flag and Arms of Almeria, Spain (fotw and wiki); Heraldic Mural Crown (Parker)

Please note that in some European heraldic systems, the number of towers and/or the number of crenellations is dependent upon the size and civic status of the municipality represented.

MURREY

The heraldic term for the colour mulberry--red - see ‘shades of tincture’ in ‘Appendix III’.

MYTHICAL FLAG

1) See ‘suppositious flag’.
2) A newly introduced term that also covers the design of a historical flag which is based upon anecdotal evidence only – but see 1) above (also ‘raven flag’).

Raven Flag (fotw); Mythical/Suppositious State Flag of Mississippi 1861 – 1865 (Clay Moss)

MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURES

See ‘heraldic beasts’.

Flag of Porrentruy, Switzerland (fotw)

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