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Dictionary of Vexillology: M (Mandoria – Matricular Flags)

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MANDORIA
MANDORIA FLAMANT
MAN O’ WAR
MAN O’ WAR PENDANT (or PENNANT)
MANTLE
MANTLED
MANTLING
MAN-TRAP (or MAN TRAP)
MARCHING FLAG
MARIAN CROWN
MARIAN FLAG
MARITIME LIFESAVING FLAGS
MARK
MARKING (or MARKER) PENNANT
MARK(S) OF CADENCY
MARK(S) OF DIFFERENCE
MARRYAT'S CODE (MARRYAT or MARRYAT’S CODE OF SIGNALS FOR THE MERCHANT SERVICE)
MARSHALLING
MARTLET
MASCLE
MASONED
MAST
MASTHEAD
MASTHEAD, AT THE
MASTHEAD FLAG
MASTHEAD PENNANT (or PENDANT)
MASTHEAD STREAMER
MATCHLOCK
MATRICULAR FLAGS (PENNANTS or ENSIGNS)

MANDORIA

The term for an oval or near oval surround, or an area of flames (thus becoming – in heraldic terms – a mandoria flamant), that wholly, or nearly wholly, encompasses a sacred object or person – see aureole and nimbus (also eye of God and flamant).

Flag of Válega, Portugal

MANDORIA FLAMANT

See mandoria.

MAN O’ WAR

A sailing, later steam-assisted, warship of the 17th, 18th or 19th centuries (see also man-o-war pendant and repeating frigates).

HMS Victoria of 121 guns 1858, UK (Wikipedia)

MAN O’ WAR PENDANT (or PENNANT)

In English, then British, usage, now obsolete, an alternative term for the commissioning or masthead pennant – see masthead pennant 1) (also common pendant and man o' war).

Red Commissioning Pendant, England then UK c1625–1864 (CS)

Please note that in English then British usage only vessels of the Royal Navy are permitted to wear a pennant.

MANTLE

1) A heraldic term for a cloak or robe behind the shield, and which can enclose a full set of armorial bearings – but see the note a) below (also armorial bearings).
2) See mantling 1) and mantling 2) (also Appendix IV).

Notes
a) When used on the arms of a ruling prince or sovereign a mantle becomes a pavilion.
b) Mantles may still be seen in the parliamentary and state robes worn by British peers (which are graded according to rank) – see "mantled 2)" (below).

British Peers in Parliamentary Robes (pinterest.com)

MANTLED

1) A term used in some European heraldic systems in place of per chevron or per pile reversed – see per chevron and per pile (also chapé).
2) A term sometimes also used in South European heraldic systems to describe the outer garment of a usually religious person – but see the note below (also vested).

Flag of Körchow, Germany; Arms and Flag of São Vicente, Portugal; Flag of Altenkirchen County, Germany

Please note that the word "mantle" has been used in medieval and renaissance times to describe an outer garment – see note b) at "mantle" (above) – however, its use in English heraldry is much more restricted as may be seen from the entries for "mantle 1)" (above) and "mantling" (below).

MANTLING

1) A heraldic term for the decoration resembling drapery in a coat of arms, and attached to the helmet by a torse – a mantle or cappeline (see also Appendix IV, armorial bearings, coat of arms and, helm – for information on torse see wreath 2)).
2) A heraldic term which some writers contend should also be used to describe the principal colour and metal of the bearer’s arms.

Flag of Miskolc, Hungary

Please note with regard to 1), that mantling (at least in this context) originated as a protective covering for the helmet.

MAN-TRAP (or MAN TRAP)

See wolf-trap and its following note.

Flag of Kirchhundem, Germany

MARCHING FLAG

See parade flag 1).

Girl’s Brigade Company Marching/Parade Flag, UK (Graham Bartram)

MARIAN CROWN

In Christian, particularly South European, tradition, a term (often misapplied) for a crown (sometimes blue) bearing a star or stars on top, and said to symbolize the coronation of the Virgin Mary – but see the note below and crown of the holy spirit (also marian flag).

Flag of Alandroal (Nossa Senhora da Conceiço), Portugal; Flag of Sé, Portugal; Flag of Ourentã, Portugal

Please note that a Crown of the Holy Spirit (illustrated below) is often (sometimes officially) misidentified as a Marian Crown.

Arms of Manigoto, Portugal

MARIAN FLAG

One of a number of flags – most often a bicolour of blue and white – that symbolizes veneration of the Virgin Mary in the Catholic tradition – see marian crown (also christian flag 1) and religious flag).

Catholic Marian Flag (CS); Flag of the Catholic Church in Poland; Flag of the Catholic Church in Malta

MARITIME LIFESAVING FLAGS

The flags of those organizations dedicated to saving life at sea (see also storm warning flag).

Lifeboat Society, Belgium (Željko Heimer); Lifeboat Institution, Canada; Water Rescue Society, Finland

MARK

1. See union mark, merchant mark, house mark and mon.

2. A term occasionally used (to describe the figure on a flag) in place of the more precise (and to be preferred) descriptions contained herein – see coat of arms 1), emblem 1), merchant mark, seal, shield and symbol 1) (also cadency, mark of).

Norway-Sweden Union Mark and Naval Jack 1844–1905; Arms of Bobenheim am Berg Germany (Wikimedia); Presidential Flag of Bangladesh

MARKING (or MARKER) PENNANT

In US military usage and some others, a pennant used to mark the turning points or limits of a parade ground (see also pennant 2)).

MARKS OF CADENCY

See cadency, mark of.

The cadency marks of the 1st to the 6th son in English heraldry (Parker)

MARKS OF DIFFERENCE

1) A phrase that may be used to describe those symbols which appear on the command/rank flags of senior naval/military officers, and to distinguish between their various grades – see balls of difference (also flag of command and rank flag).
2) See device 2).

Flags of an Admiral, Vice-Admiral and Rear Admiral, Poland

MARRYAT'S CODE (MARRYAT or MARRYAT’S CODE OF SIGNALS FOR THE MERCHANT SERVICE)

The set of signal flags and pennants devised by Captain Frederick Marryat RN for use by the merchant service (see also distinction pennant 1), International Code of Signal Flags, pilot jack, signal flag and telegraph flag 2)).

Flags 7, 3 and 5 in Marryat’s Code of Signals for the Merchant Service

Please note that this code first was appeared in 1817 and went through several changes before being supplanted by the Commercial Code of Signals (later the International Code of Signals) in 1857.

MARSHALLING

The heraldic term used to describe the process of arranging two or more different coats of arms on the same shield or banner of arms – see impale 1) and quartering 1) (also banner of arms and dimidiated).

Flag and Arms of Kamienna Góra, Poland; Royal Standard of New Zealand

MARTLET

The heraldic term for a small bird, always seen standing and usually (although not invariably) shown with thighs but no visible legs – a merlette.

Flag of Ens, The Netherlands; Flag of East Sussex, UK; A Flag of Bergen, The Netherlands

MASCLE

The heraldic term for a voided lozenge – see voided lozenge).

Flag of Landivisiau, France

MASONED

A heraldic term used to describe the lines formed by masonry blocks in a building.

Flag of Romont, Switzerland; Square Flag of Königswinter, Germany; Flag of Aristau, Switzerland

MAST

1) Any vertical projection from a vessel upon which sails and/or flags can be hoisted (see also fore, mizzen and stumpmast).

2) See flag pole (also pole mast, sailor’s mast and stayed mast).

MASTHEAD

The highest point below the truck of any mast afloat or ashore (see also mast and truck).

MASTHEAD, AT THE

(adv) When a flag is flown at the truck of a mast or at a point below the truck, it is said to fly 'at the masthead'.

MASTHEAD FLAG

1) Generically, any flag hoisted at the masthead of a vessel (see also mast and masthead).

2) Specifically, the national flags hoisted at the masthead of all masts when a ship is dressed overall, usually the national flag of the nation being honoured (see also dress ship).

MASTHEAD PENNANT (or PENDANT)

1) A flag, usually long and narrow and often generally (but by no means exclusively) tapering from hoist to fly, it can be triangular, cut off to a square, swallow-tailed or a variation thereof, and is flown from the main masthead of a naval or other public vessel in commission but which does not carry a flag officer (or officer commanding other vessels) on board – commissioning or commission pennant, narrow pennant, pennant of command, war or warship pennant or of a warship commander and others (see also broad command pennant, broad pennant, burgee command pennant, command pennant, converging stripes, flag officer, flag of command, flagship, in commission, naval ensign under ensign, merchant pendant, ‘naval jack’ under jack, pendant, royal masthead pennant, private ship and suit of flags).

2) The generic name for any long narrow flag that is flown from the masthead of a vessel – a whip pennant (see also streamer 2), homeward bound pennant or paying off pennant).

Masthead Pennant of Spain

Masthead Pennant of Belgium

Masthead Pennant of Taiwan

Notes
a) A distinction has been drawn between the standard masthead pennant flown by commissioned warships as defined in 1) above, and the various command pennants that are flown in addition and subordinate to it (see also command pennant).
b) There are three exceptions to this – the broad command pennant, broad pennant and the burgee command pennant – all of which replace the masthead pennant when flown.

MASTHEAD STREAMER

See streamer 2).

The "Henri Grace à Dieu", English Royal Navy c1525 (Wikipedia)

MATCHLOCK

An early form of firearm whose charge was ignited by a burning match.

Flag of Le Chenit, Switzerland; Flag of Crissier, Switzerland; Flag of Wohlenschwil, Switzerland

When I was much fitter I used to shoot (but only at paper targets, because I don't believe in bloodsports), and I once loaded and fired a borrowed matchlock (twice). What a performance:
The first thing to do is remove the burning match from its holder and put it safely out of the way, then you open the pan-cover, prime it (pour a little powder into the open receptacle on the lock-plate), then close the pan-cover and (placing the gun's butt on the ground) pour a further (much larger) measure of gunpowder down the barrel. You then follow it with a cloth or paper wad and withdrawing the ramrod from beneath that barrel, ram it down and proceed to drop in a lead ball, following it with another wad (also rammed down). You then return the ramrod to its place, re-insert the burning match into the holder, open the pan cover, place the barrel onto its rest, aim the piece (whilst hoping for the best) and squeeze the firing lever which lowers the burning match into the priming powder, with the resulting fire travelling down a channel and igniting the main charge thus firing the piece – in other words "poof" – "bang" with a resulting (and very satisfying) cloud of smoke totally obscuring any target. The whole process took me well over a minute, although with practice (so I am told) one shot a minute is easily possible. – Christopher Southworth

MATRICULAR FLAGS (PENNANTS or ENSIGNS)

See ‘registration flags’ (also ‘insurance flag’).

Matricular Ensign/Registration Flag of La Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain c1870; Matricular Ensign/Registration Flag of San Juan de los Remedios de Cuba, Spain c1850

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