Flag of the Isle of Man

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Flag of the Isle of Man
Flag of the Isle of Mann.svg
Use Civil and state flag FIAV 110000.svg
Proportion1:2 [1]
Adopted1 December 1932;91 years ago (1932-12-01)
DesignA triskelion made up of three armoured legs with golden spurs, in the centre of a red field.
Manx flags on the Loch Promenade, Douglas Loch Promenade - geograph.org.uk - 1354.jpg
Manx flags on the Loch Promenade, Douglas

The flag of the Isle of Man (Manx : brattagh Vannin) is a triskelion, composed of three armoured legs with golden spurs, upon a red background. It has been the official flag of the Isle of Man since 1 December 1932 and is based on the Manx coat of arms, which dates back to the 13th century. [2]

Contents

The three legs are known in Manx as ny tree cassyn'the three legs'. The triskelion is an ancient symbol, used by the Mycenaeans and the Lycians.

History

Crovan dynasty

Until 1265, the Isle of Man formed part of the Kingdom of the Isles, ruled by the Crovan dynasty. The last member of that ruling family died in 1265 without a legitimate heir, when the Isle passed into the possession of Alexander III, King of Scotland (d.1286). In 1266 sovereignty of the Isle of Man and the Hebrides was formally transferred from the King of Norway to King Alexander III of Scotland (1241–1286). The heraldic era in England and Scotland started in about 1215, slightly earlier in Western Europe, and members of the Crovan dynasty are known to have borne ships and lions on their seals, [3] and no evidence exists of their use of the triskeles. It is possible that the origin of the Manx triskeles is a knotted device depicted on the coinage of their 10th-century Viking predecessors on the Isle. [4] However, that device is dissimilar to the Manx triskeles, and the nearly 300-year gap between its use and the appearance of the Manx triskeles suggests that there is no connection between the symbols. [3]

Possible Sicilian connection

Silver Drachma from Sicily, minted during the reign of Agathocles (361-289 BC), Greek tyrant of Syracuse (317-289 BC) and king of Sicily (304-289 BC). Inscription: SURAKOSION ('Syrakosion'). Laureate head of the youthful Ares to left; behind, Palladion. Reverse: triskeles of three human legs with winged feet; at the center, Gorgoneion. 001-syracuse-Triskeles.jpg
Silver Drachma from Sicily, minted during the reign of Agathocles (361–289 BC), Greek tyrant of Syracuse (317–289 BC) and king of Sicily (304–289 BC). Inscription: ΣΥΡΑΚΟΣΙΩΝ ('Syrakosion'). Laureate head of the youthful Ares to left; behind, Palladion. Reverse: triskeles of three human legs with winged feet; at the center, Gorgoneion.
Three-legged symbol of Sicily depicted as a proto-heraldic device on the shield of a Greek warrior. Greek Red Figure lekythos vase, c. 470 BC, found in a tomb near Licata, Sicily. Archaeological Museum of Syracuse, Sicily Red figure lekythos, 470 BC, warrior, AM Syracuse, 121431.jpg
Three-legged symbol of Sicily depicted as a proto-heraldic device on the shield of a Greek warrior. Greek Red Figure lekythos vase, c. 470 BC, found in a tomb near Licata, Sicily. Archaeological Museum of Syracuse, Sicily

The appearance on the Isle of Man of the triskeles in the last third of the 13th century may well be connected with the regime change on the isle in 1265, from Crovan to Scots kings. The symbol is anciently closely associated with Sicily, well known as a tri-cornered island, and is attested there in proto-heraldry as early as the 7th century BC. [5] The most ancient name of Sicily, then a Greek province, was Trinacria, [6] meaning in Greek 'three-cornered', triquetra , referring to the triangular shape of the island. [7] [ better source needed ]

In 1250, the Germanic Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, died after having ruled Sicily for 52 years. [8] He was King of Sicily from 1198, King of Germany from 1212, King of Italy and Holy Roman Emperor from 1220, and King of Jerusalem from 1225. His mother was Constance, Queen of Sicily and his father was Emperor Henry VI of the House of Hohenstaufen. Although there is no evidence that the triskeles was used in Sicily in the 13th century, there is architectural evidence of its use in Austria at that time, almost certainly relating to a personal emblem of Frederick, and almost certainly stemming from his Sicilian connection. [9]

Four years after Frederick's death, the pope invested the Sicilian kingship in Edmund Crouchback (died 1296), the second surviving son of King Henry III of England (died 1272), [10] and for about ten years afterwards Edmund was styled King of Sicily. [8] Henry invested considerable political capital in his son's new position, and in his efforts to raise funds from taxation to support the dignity of that kingship made himself extremely unpopular with his English nobles, who eventually rebelled.

The wife of Alexander III of Scotland was Margaret of England (died 1275), a daughter of Henry III. This familial connection between the English and Scottish royal families might account for the introduction of the triskeles as a symbol of the Isle of Man. If so, it may well have been adopted as a means to reinforce the regime change on the island. [11]

Following English domination of the isle in 1346, the triskelion was retained and has endured as a symbol of the Isle of Man. [12]

By the mid-19th century, the Manx flag began appearing on merchant ships from the Isle of Man. [13] However, such usage of the flag was not sanctioned by the Board of Trade and the Admiralty under Section 105 of the 1854 Merchant Shipping Act in favour of the Red Ensign. [13] [14] This decision was reversed by the Admiralty on 4 March 1889 and Manx merchant ships were permitted to fly the Flag of the Isle of Man. [13]

The flag was officially adopted between 1928 and 1932; however, sources differ on the exact date. [15]

In July 1968, steps were taken to standardise the flag. [12] The feet of the triskelion were all to be facing in a clockwise direction and the design was to be balanced with one leg directly planted at the bottom. [13] On 27 August 1971, a civil ensign for the Isle of Man was approved by royal proclamation. [16] [17] This flag featured a red field with the Union Jack in the canton. The triskelion of Man is emblazoned off centre towards the fly. Another Manx flag in use is the flag of Tynwald, the legislature of the Isle of Man, which has flown outside the Legislative Buildings since 1971. [18]

Other flags

Certain parishes on the Isle of Man have flags, namely Onchan, Maughold, Douglas and Malew.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isle of Man</span> Self-governing British Crown dependency in the Irish Sea

The Isle of Man or Mann, is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations and is the homeland of the Manx people, a Celtic ethnic group. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Governor. The government of the United Kingdom is responsible for the Isle of Man's military defence and represents it abroad, but the Isle of Man still has a separate international identity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the Isle of Man</span>

The Isle of Man had become physically separated from Great Britain and Ireland by 6500 BC. It appears that colonisation took place by sea sometime during the Mesolithic era. The island has been visited by various raiders and trading peoples over the years. After being settled by people from Ireland in the first millennium AD, the Isle of Man was converted to Christianity and then suffered raids by Vikings from Norway. After becoming subject to Norwegian suzerainty as part of the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles, the Isle of Man later became a possession of the Scottish and then the English crowns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tynwald</span> Legislature of the Isle of Man

Tynwald, or more formally, the High Court of Tynwald or Tynwald Court, is the legislature of the Isle of Man. It consists of two chambers, known as the branches of Tynwald: the directly elected House of Keys and the indirectly chosen Legislative Council. When the two chambers sit together, they become "Tynwald Court".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tynwald Day</span> National day of the Isle of Man

Tynwald Day is the National Day of the Isle of Man, usually observed on 5 July.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triskelion</span> Various symbols with three-fold rotational symmetry

A triskelion or triskeles is an ancient motif consisting either of a triple spiral exhibiting rotational symmetry or of other patterns in triplicate that emanate from a common center. The spiral design can be based on interlocking Archimedean spirals, or represent three bent human limbs. It occurs in artifacts of the European Neolithic and Bronze Ages with continuation into the Iron Age – especially in the context of the La Tène culture and of related Celtic traditions. The actual triskeles symbol of three human legs is found especially in Greek antiquity, beginning in archaic pottery and continued in coinage of the classical period.

Haraldr Óláfsson was a thirteenth-century King of Mann and the Isles, and a member of the Crovan dynasty. He was one of several sons of Óláfr Guðrøðarson, King of the Isles, although the identity of his mother is uncertain. When his father died in 1237, Haraldr succeeded to the kingship as a fourteen-year-old, and held the kingship for about a decade afterwards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of the Isle of Man</span>

The culture of the Isle of Man is influenced by its Celtic and, to a lesser extent, its Norse origins, though its close proximity to the United Kingdom, popularity as a UK tourist destination, and recent mass immigration by British migrant workers has meant that British influence has been dominant since the Revestment period. Recent revival campaigns have attempted to preserve the surviving vestiges of Manx culture after a long period of Anglicisation, and significant interest in the Manx language, history and musical tradition has been the result.

The pound, or Manx pound, is the currency of the Isle of Man, at parity with sterling. The Manx pound is divided into 100 pence. Notes and coins, denominated in pounds and pence, are issued by the Isle of Man Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag of Sicily</span>

The flag of Sicily shows a triskeles symbol, and at its center a Gorgoneion with a pair of wings and three wheat ears. In the original flag, the wheat ears did not exist and the colors were reversed. The original flag was created in 1282 during the rebellion of the Sicilian Vespers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manx people</span> Ethnic group originating in the Isle of Man

The Manx are an ethnic group originating on the Isle of Man, in the Irish Sea in Northern Europe. They belong to the diaspora of the Gaelic ethnolinguistic group, which now populate the parts of the British Isles and Ireland which once were the Kingdom of the Isles and Dál Riata. The Manx are governed through the Tynwald, the legislature of the island, which was introduced by Viking settlers over a thousand years ago. The native mythology and folklores of the Manx belong to the overall Celtic Mythology group, with Manannán mac Lir, the Mooinjer veggey, Buggane, Lhiannan-Shee, Ben-Varrey and the Moddey Dhoo being prominent mythological figures on the island. Their language, Manx Gaelic is derived from Middle Irish, which was introduced by settlers that colonised the island from Gaelic Ireland. However, Manx gaelic later developed in isolation and belongs as a separate Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic languages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coat of arms of the Isle of Man</span> National coat of arms of the Isle of Man

The coat of arms of the Isle of Man, blazoned Gules three legs in armour flexed at the knee and conjoined at the thigh, all proper, garnished and spurred or, dates from the late 13th century. The present version dates from 12 July 1996. As the Isle of Man is a Crown dependency and the present Lord of Man is King Charles III of the United Kingdom, the arms are more accurately described as the arms of His Majesty in right of the Isle of Man. The origin of the triskeles is obscure, but it appears to stem from the Scottish takeover of the island in 1265. The heraldic supporters are birds associated with the island, whilst the motto first appears on record in the 17th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Castle Rushen</span> Medieval castle in Castletown, Isle of Man

Castle Rushen is a medieval castle located in the Isle of Man's historic capital, Castletown, in the south of the Island. It towers over the Market Square to the south-east and the harbour to the north-east. The castle is amongst the best examples of medieval castles in Europe and is still in use as a museum and educational centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guðrøðr Magnússon</span> 13th-century Manx rebel

Guðrøðr Magnússon, also known as Godred Magnusson, was an illegitimate son of Magnús Óláfsson, King of Mann and the Isles. In 1275, whilst Mann was under Scottish overlordship, Guðrøðr led an unsuccessful revolt on the island. According to a near contemporary source, over five hundred people lost their lives in the subsequent Scottish invasion and suppression of the Manx. It is not certain whether Guðrøðr escaped the decisive defeat of the rebels at Battle of Ronaldsway with his life or if he was among the slain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Movement for the Independence of Sicily</span> Separatist political party in the Italian island of Sicily (1943-51)

The Movement for the Independence of Sicily was a separatist Sicilian political party originally active in Sicily from 1943 to 1951. Its best electoral result was in 1947, when it won 8.8% of the votes in the Sicilian regional election and had nine regional deputies elected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King of Mann</span> Former sovereign of the Isle of Man

The King of Mann was the title taken between 1237 and 1504 by the various rulers, both sovereign and suzerain, over the Kingdom of Mann – the Isle of Man which is located in the Irish Sea, at the centre of the British Isles. Since 1504, the head of state has been known as the Lord of Mann.

Rǫgnvaldr Óláfsson was a mid-thirteenth-century King of Mann and the Isles who was assassinated after a reign of less than a month. As a son of Óláfr Guðrøðarson, King of Mann and the Isles, Rǫgnvaldr Óláfsson was a member of the Crovan dynasty. When his father died in 1237, the kingship was assumed by Haraldr Óláfsson. The latter was lost at sea late in 1248, and the following year Rǫgnvaldr Óláfsson succeeded him as king.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crovan dynasty</span> Medieval dynasty

The Crovan dynasty, from the late 11th century to the mid 13th century, was the ruling family of an insular kingdom known variously in secondary sources as the Kingdom of Mann, the Kingdom of the Isles, and the Kingdom of Mann and the Isles. The eponymous founder of the dynasty was Godred Crovan, who appeared from obscurity in the late 11th century, before his takeover of the Isle of Man and Dublin. The dynasty was of Gaelic-Scandinavian origin, descending from a branch of the Uí Ímair, a dominant kindred in the Irish Sea region which first appears on record in the late 9th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Revenue stamps of the Isle of Man</span>

Revenue stamps of the Isle of Man refer to the adhesive revenue or fiscal stamps which were issued by the British Crown dependency of the Isle of Man between 1889 and 1976. British key type revenue stamps with an appropriate inscription were issued on the island until 1966, when revenue stamps showing various scenes and symbols of the island began to be issued. The last set of stamps was issued in 1976. From around 1920 to the 1970s, hundreds of contribution stamps were issued for National Insurance and related schemes.

Aufrica de Connoght, also known as Affrica de Counnought, Affreca de Counnoght, Auffricia de Connaught, and Aufrica de Cunnoght, was a fourteenth-century woman who claimed to be an heiress of Magnús Óláfsson, King of Mann and the Isles, and who had some sort of connection with Simon de Montagu.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ragnhildis Olafsdottir</span> Wife of Norse-Gael king in 12th century

Ragnhildis Olafdottir, also known as Ragnhild, was the daughter of king Óláfr Guðrøðarson of the Kingdom of Mann and Ingibiorg Hakonsdottir, making her a granddaughter of Haakon Paulsson.

References

  1. ↑ Isle of Man Archived 30 July 2020 at the Wayback Machine ; Flags of the World ; (c.1996 – present)
  2. ↑ Isle of Man Weekly Times, 3 December 1932
  3. 1 2 Wilson (2000) p. 36.
  4. ↑ McAndrew (2006) p. 65; Wilson (2000) p. 36.
  5. ↑ Wilson (2000) pp. 35, 51, 56.
  6. ↑ Marchant, J. R. V.; Charles, Joseph F., eds. (1928). Cassell's Latin Dictionary (Revised ed.).
  7. ↑ "Trinacria". Sicilian Culture: The Folklore, Legends & Traditions. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 November 2014. "Sicily." Sicily. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 November 2014.
  8. 1 2 Wilson (2000) p. 37.
  9. ↑ Wilson (2000) pp. 37–38.
  10. ↑ Ridgeway (2010); Lloyd (2008); Wilson (2000) p. 37.
  11. ↑ Wilson (2000) pp. 36–37; Newton (1885).
  12. 1 2 "Flag of the Isle of Man | flag of a British crown possession". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Isle of Man". fotw.info. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  14. ↑ "United Kingdom: 19th Century Red Ensign Legislation (Part 1)". www.crwflags.com. Archived from the original on 22 August 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  15. ↑ benszmidt (13 November 2015). "Flag of the Isle of Man: Mystery of the triskele". Fun Flag Facts. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  16. ↑ Barraclough, E.M.C.; Crampton, William (1981). Flags of the World. London: Frederick Warne & Co. p. 49. ISBN   0-7232-2797-7.
  17. ↑ "Isle of Man: Civil ensign". www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  18. ↑ "Government, Manx Flags". Isle of Man Guide. Maxima Systems. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
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