War flag facts for kids

A knight (Jan I van Brabant) flying a heraldic flag in battle, in addition to the heraldic device displayed on his shield (Codex Manesse, c. 1304)

A war ensign is a special flag used by a country's military when they are on land. You might also hear it called a military flag, battle flag, or standard. Think of it as a unique version of a country's national flag just for its armed forces. For ships at sea, there's a similar flag called a naval ensign. Today, not many countries have a completely different flag just for war. Most often, their military uses a flag that is also their regular state flag or national flag.

The History of War Flags

Long, long ago, even in the Bronze Age, people used special symbols in battles. These were called field signs. They helped soldiers know where their group was and who was in charge. The word standard comes from an old word for these early battle symbols.

Flags as we know them started to appear in Asia during the Iron Age. Countries like Achaemenid Persia had unique standards for each part of their army. Even officers had special banners outside their tents.

Some early battle symbols weren't exactly flags. They were more like "flag-like" objects, called vexilloids. For example, the ancient Romans used an eagle standard. The Sarmatians had a cool dragon standard. The Roman Vexillum was a cloth hung from a horizontal bar, not a tall pole.

As time went on, especially in the medieval period, simple flags became very common in battles. They were used alongside heraldry, which are special symbols on shields, like a family's coat of arms. During this time, flags for ships at sea, called maritime flags, also became important. In medieval Japan, foot soldiers carried small flags on their backs called Sashimono. These helped identify them in battle.

Some medieval cities, like Lucerne, had their own war flags. These flags were not always based on a family's coat of arms. For example, Lucerne used a simple blue and white flag as its battle symbol from the 1200s.

Modern War Flags

Today, many countries still use special flags for their military. Here are some examples of war flags used around the world.

Flags for All Armed Forces

These flags are used by a country's entire military, including land, sea, and air forces.

Flags for Land Armies Only

These flags are specifically used by the army, which is the part of the military that fights on land.

Flags for Both Land and Sea Forces

Some flags are used as both war flags on land and as naval ensigns for ships at sea.

Historical War Flags

Over time, many different war flags have been used by countries and groups. These flags tell stories about past battles and nations.

Learn More About Flags

• Colours, standards and guidons
• Hata-jirushi
• Sashimono
• Uma-jirushi