standard

Of the main types, the standard was the largest and was intended, from its size, to be stationary. It marked the position of an important individual before a battle, during a siege, throughout a ceremony, or at a tournament. For the monarch it marked the palace, castle, saluting base, tent,…

…bearings of the owner, and standards, strips of cloth that taper gradually to the end and usually bear heraldic badges. In the hoist (the part of the flag nearest to the staff) a standard will bear either the national cross (e.g., that of St. George, St. Andrew, St. Patrick, or…

Arms in the Middle Ages were often displayed on fork-tailed pennons attached to lances. If the forked ends were cut away, the resulting flag was similar in shape to a small banner. Especially valorous conduct could be recognized in that way, and the knight…

Banners and standards are not as a rule mentioned in blazons, though they may be when they occur in a modern grant.