Last modified: 2024-10-26 by martin karner
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The wavy flames radiating from the center originated in the 16th century.
In Switzerland proper cantonal flags predominated over the confederate white
cross, but in mercenary service the units were mixed and of little cantonal
significance.
The Swiss Guards Regiment in France (which was massacred in the August
1792 assault on the Tuilleries, an event commemorated by the Lion Monument
in Lucerne) had a rainbow design of black, blue, yellow and red rays.
The de Meuron Regiment, which served
the British in India and America from 1795 to 1816 had similar rays in all cantons [quarters], but in the
first canton was the UJ (altered in 1801 to include the St. Patrick saltire) [see flag above].
French regiments of the 18th century borrowed the Swiss cross and put
their own regional devices in the cantons.
T.F. Mills, 14 May 1996
The Swiss Guard does not have a regimental flag any more, but I think
the colors of the uniforms go back to such a flag.
Harald Müller, 14 May 1996
If the Guard no longer has a flag, that is relatively recent. I think
each pope presented a new one. There is one hanging in the Musée
des Suisses au Service Etranger near Geneva. It consists of the Swiss
white cross extended to the edges, the arms of Colonel Pfyffer d'Altishofen
in the 1st quarter, the arms of Pius XII (1939–1958) in the 4th, and
horizontal rays in the colors of the Guard uniform.
T.F. Mills, 14 May 1996
The Swiss were a special class of mercenaries, because they belonged
to Switzerland first and secondarily to their foreign employer. In
1515 at the battle of Marignan two Swiss armies did each other
considerable damage. Some time later the Swiss negotiated "military
capitulations" with other countries whereby mercenary regiments
enjoyed unusual extra-territorial rights. The units flew their own
Swiss flags, were officered only by Swiss, the men were subject to
Swiss law, and Switzerland reserved the right forbid mercenary
regiments from participating in campaigns which might bring them into
battle with other Swiss units. Swiss regiments in France were
essentially Swiss colonies, and legally not considered mercenaries.
A few days ago, I posted the flag of the "Cent Suisses", the French
King's company of Swiss guards. That company belonged to a larger
regiment called the "Regiment des Gardes-Suisses". The Swiss
"mercenaries" were temporarily engaged for campaigns until 1616 when
this permanent regiment was formed from the Gallati Regiment. The
"Cent Suisses" guarded the King inside the royal residence and the
"Gardes-Suisses" mounted guard outside the building. On 10 August
1792 the Paris mob stormed the Tuilleries Palace where the Swiss
were guarding the King and killed some 600 Swiss (at a cost to
themselves of 3000). On 3 September, 156 Swiss prisoners were
slaughtered. When Switzerland heard the news, they withdrew all
their other regiments from France. The Lion Monument in Lucerne
commemorates this Swiss tragedy.
image
by T.F. Mills
The Regiment de Gardes Suisses had six flags. I think they were identical, but they probably evolved over time. Attached is a GIF of one representation I have seen. It has the typical white Swiss cross "traversante" and thirteen "piles wavy" in each quarter. I have seen another version with only nine stripes per quarter, and a small fleur de lys at the end of each arm of the cross. A white cravat tied to the pike signified that the regiment was in the service of France.
T.F. Mills, 26 July 1997
The standard of the Swiss Guard of the King of France is mentioned in Neubecker (1932).
This flag is a flaming flag, with a white cross (arms approximately 1 in 12) with each quarter containing
9 flames: the outer two black and the others alternating gold and red. The black flames are half as wide
as the other flames, and at the edges half as wide as the cross arms.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 6 July 2002