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# Dictionary of Vexillology: C (Canadian Pale – Captured Flag)

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Last modified: 2026-05-02 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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On this page:

- CANADIAN PALE
- CANTABRIAN LABARUM
- CANTABRARII
- CANTABRUM
- CANTING
- CANTON
- CANTON FLAG
- CANTON OF ST. GEORGE
- CANTONAL ARMS
- CANTONAL FLAG (or BANNER)
- CANTONAL TRIANGLE
- CANTONED
- CANTONED CROSS
- CAP BADGE
- CAP OF LIBERTY
- CAPPELINE
- CAPSULED
- CAPTAIN'S COLOUR (or COLOR)
- CAPTURED FLAG

CANADIAN PALE
  A term used when the central stripe in a vertical triband has internal proportions of 1-2-1 as in the Canadian national flag – but see the notes below and unequal triband (also proportions 2), pale, tricolour).

  National Flag of Canada; Flag of Sainte-Angèle-de-Prémont, Canada; Flag of Brantford, Canada

  Notes
  a) It is strongly suggested that this Dictionary's entry on pale and/or a suitable glossary or heraldic dictionary be consulted before using this term, and that if used at all it should apply only to Canadian Flags.
  b) This term refers solely to a flag's internal proportions rather than to the colours used, and that that Canadian sub-national flags can show a considerable variation on those colours.

CANTABRIAN LABARUM
  The flag of the Cantabrian independence movement showing a wheel-like emblem that is considered symbolic of the ancient Cantabrians of Northern Spain – see labarum 1).

  The Cantabrian Labarum

CANTABRARII
  Bearers of the cantabrum.

CANTABRUM
  An ancient Roman cavalry standard of uncertain configuration – but see note below.

  Please note – not to be confused with a "cantabrian labarum" (above), although, this is believed (by some sources) to be a later interpretation of the ancient design.

CANTING
  A heraldic term used when the design on a shield or any quartering thereof, on a banner of arms or a flag forms a pun on the name or attributes of the entity or person represented – allusive or punning arms or armes parlantes (see also armorial bearings).

  Flag of Stokke, Norway; Flag of Brodski Stupnik, Croatia; Flag of Bischofszell, Switzerland

  Notes
  a) Stup is Croatian for column.
  b) Norwegian for stick is Stokke.
  c) Bischof means bishop in German.

CANTON
  1) Commonly, all or part of the upper hoist – or first – quarter of a flag’s field that has no vertical divisions and/or is otherwise undivided – the canton (see also Appendix I, inner canton, quarter 1)).
  2) A rectangular (or square) area of colour or design different from the field in the above position, which may occupy exactly one quarter of the flag or a larger or smaller area (see also canton flag below, covering, quarter 1), union).
  3) One of the four quarters of a flag, divided horizontally and vertically into: (1) the upper hoist or upper hoist canton, (2) the upper fly or upper fly canton, (3) the lower hoist or lower hoist canton and (4) the lower fly or lower fly canton corresponding to quarters one to four of a shield divided quarterly (see also Appendix I, grand quarter, quarter 2), quarterly).
  4) In heraldry as definition 2) except (although apparently of no fixed size) heraldic use frequently suggests that a canton should occupy one-third of the chief (see also cantoned 1)).

  Civil Ensign of New Zealand; Flag of Kedah, Malaysia; the four quarters, quarter 1 being the canton

  Please note that "canton" is also the title by which the major sub-divisions of several countries (states, counties etc.) are known (see also cantonal arms and cantonal flag).

CANTON FLAG
  1) A term used to describe the canton of a flag, or to describe the flag itself, when its canton consists of another flag, as in for example, those examples illustrated below – a nationally cantoned flag (see also armorial ensign 2), british style ensign, canton 2), canton of St. George, colonial flag, civil ensign under ‘ensign’).
  2) See cantonal flag.

  Flag of Niue; War Ensign of Brunei 1990–2010; Flag of the Island of Nevis until 2019

CANTON OF ST. GEORGE
  The term used when a flag’s canton is formed by the red cross of St George on its white field – a St George’s canton (see also canton 2), canton flag, st george’s cross 2), st. george's ensign.

  Red Ensign c1625–1707; White Ensign c1630–1702; Blue Ensign c1630–1707, England

CANTONAL ARMS (or COAT OF ARMS)
  The arms of a territorial division within a country when that subdivision is called a canton – e.g., one of those cantons (regions) that make up the Swiss Confederation, or those of Bosnia-Herzegovina or Costa Rica – see state arms 3) under arms (also cantonal flag).

  Arms of Thurgau, Switzerland (Wikimedia); Arms of Buenos Aires, Costa Rica (Wikimedia); Arms of Bosanska Krupa, Bosnia-Herzegovina

CANTONAL FLAG (or BANNER)
  The sub-national flag of a territorial division within a country when that subdivision is called a canton – e.g. one of the cantons which make up the Swiss Confederation, or of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Ecuador or Costa Rica (see also cantonal arms).

  Flag of Buenos Aires, Costa Rica; Flag of Vaud, Switzerland; Flag of Carlos Julio Arosemena Tola, Ecuador

CANTONAL TRIANGLE
  The newly introduced term for a right-angled, triangular panel set with its legs (or catheti) along the hoist and upper edge of a flag as illustrated below – but see triangular panel 1).

  Flag of Imues, Colombia

CANTONED (or CANTONÉE)
  1) See cross cantonée (also canton 4)).
  2) Alternative heraldic terms sometimes (incorrectly) used to describe a charge or charges set in the cantons of a shield that does not carry a cross or saltire – cantonée.

  Flag of Précigné, France; Arms of Figueiró dos Vinhos, Portugal; Flag of Iracemápolis, Brazil

CANTONED CROSS
  In heraldry see cross cantonée.

  Flag of the Kingdom of Jerusalem c1200 (CS)

CAP BADGE
  See badge 3).

  Camp Flag of the Grenadier Guards showing their Cap Badge, UK

CAP OF LIBERTY
  An ancient symbol in the form of a soft red cap which, as a consequence of having been adopted by various revolutionary movements during the 18th century, has come to be regarded as a symbol of resistance against monarchical or imperialist oppression – a liberty, Phrygian or Scythian cap.

  Presidential Transport Flag, National Emblem and Flag of the Army of the Andes 1817–18, Argentina

CAPPELINE
  In heraldry see mantling.

  (internationalheraldry.com > Mantling)

CAPSULED (or CAPSULES)
  Terms sometimes used in European Continental heraldic blazoning indicate that fruit or berry is encased or part-encased in another tincture – a term, as far as can be discovered, unknown in English heraldry – see fructed and garnished.

  Flag of Carvalho, Portugal; Flag of Cimo de Vila da Castanheira, Portugal; Flag of Oliveira de Frades, Souto de Lafões e Sejães, Portugal

CAPTAIN’S COLOUR (or COLOR)
  See stand of colours 1) and venn.

  Examples of First – Third Captain’s Colours in Venn A, English c1641

CAPTURED FLAG
  See trophy flag.

  Banner of Zug, captured at Villmergen (CH), 25 July 1712 [b7b42]; CSA Flag captured at Blakely, Alabama (US), 1 April 1865 (civil-war.com); Japanese Good Luck Flag, captured on Eniwetok (MH), February 1944 (mycg.uscg.mil)

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