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# Dictionary of Vexillology: H (Head – Historical Flag)

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Last modified: 2026-07-18 by martin karner
Keywords: vexillological terms |
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- HEAD
- HEAD, FLAGSTAFF
- HEADING (or HEADER)
- HEADQUARTERS FLAG
- HEADSTICK
- HEAD OF STATE'S COLOUR (or COLOR)
- HEAD OF STATE'S STANDARD (or FLAG)
- HEART-SHAPED SHIELD
- HEART SHIELD
- HEIGHT
- HELM (or HELMET)
- HERALDIC BADGE
- HERALDIC BANNER
- HERALDIC BEASTS
- HERALDIC COLOURS
- HERALDIC FOUNTAIN
- HERALDIC LILY
- HERALDIC STANDARD
- HERALDICALLY BASED FLAG
- HERALDRY
- HERZSCHILD
- HIGH COMMISSIONER’S FLAG
- HILTED (HILTED AND POMMELED or HILT)
- HINOMARU (or HI-NO-MARU)
- HIS MAJESTY’S JACK
- HISSFLAGGE (or HISSFAHNE)
- HISTORIC FLAG
- HISTORICAL FLAG

HEAD
  See hoist 1) (also heading and masthead).

HEAD, FLAGSTAFF
  The topmost point of a flagstaff from which a flag can be flown, and which lies below the cap or finial.

HEADING (or HEADER)
  A piece of heavy material, usually canvas or double-ply bunting, along the hoist edge of a flag, into which a rope is sewn as the hoistline, or into which grommets are inserted to facilitate the hoisting of a flag – a hoist strip (see also sleeve 2), grommet 1), hoist 1)).

  Please note that the increasingly (but by no means entirely) obsolete practice of fixing a flag to its pole or staff by a series of attached loops is almost certainly based on the earlier use of ties (see also ring 4)).

HEADQUARTERS FLAG
  1) See camp flag.
  2) In US military, naval and some other usage, the rank flag of a commanding officer when flown from their headquarters ashore – a designating (of headquarters) flag (see also rank flag 1) and flag of command).

  Headquarters/Camp Flag, Royal Marine Commandos, UK; Rank/Headquarters Flag, Vice Admiral USN

HEADSTICK
  In largely naval usage a short piece of wood sewn into the top of a flag’s heading to allow the Inglefield clip to be attached about five cm from the top, thus permitting the flag to be hoisted right up to the truck, while enabling the top hoist corner of the flag to remain straight and upright – but see frame 2) (also Appendix I).

HEAD OF STATE'S COLOUR (or COLOR)
  That flag presented to a military formation by a country’s ruler – see colour 2) and colours 2).

  Presidential Colour of Kenya; Queen’s Colour of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry; King’s Colour RAF 1947–1952, UK

HEAD OF STATE'S STANDARD (or FLAG)
  Royal, Imperial or Presidential standard (or flag) – see royal standard 1), imperial standard 1).

  Royal Standard of The Netherlands; Presidential Flag 1994–2005 of Sri Lanka; Imperial Standard of Germany 1871–1918

HEART-SHAPED SHIELD
  1) See renaissance shield.
  2) See triangular heart-shaped shield.

  Arms of Ilok, Croatia; Flag and Arms of Tinjan, Croatia

  Please note that several of the terms describing a specific type of shield are still in the process of standardization, and that no consistent approach has thus far been identified.

HEART SHIELD
  The term, and a translation of the German herzschild, sometimes used in heraldic blazoning instead of the correct (English) term inescutcheon.

  Arms and Flag of Kamienna Góra, Poland

HEIGHT
  1) The vertical measurement of an emblem, shield, charge or badge when detailing the dimensions – but see width 3) (also width across).
  2) See width 1).

HELM (or HELMET)
  The metal headpiece from a suit of armour usually ensigned above the shield in a coat of arms or set of armorial bearings, but sometimes seen as a separate charge – a helmet or casque (see also Appendix IV, crest 1), wreath 2)).

  Flag of Helmond, The Netherlands; Flag of Josipdol, Croatia; Flag of Rantzau, Germany

  Please note that in English heraldry the style and positioning of a helm varies according to the rank of the bearer, and it is suggested that a suitable glossary or dictionary of heraldry be consulted for full details.

  Helmet of a Knight in English Heraldry (Wikimedia)

HERALDIC BADGE
  See badge in heraldry under badge.

  Badge of the Royal House of Tudor 1486–1603, England (aroyalheraldry.weebly.com)

HERALDIC BANNER
  A banner of arms (see also armorial banner 2)).

  Heraldic Banner and Arms of Drahelčice, Czechia

HERALDIC BEASTS
  The animals, birds, fish and mythological creatures used as supporters and/or charges in a set of armorial bearings, or on a banner of arms or a flag – but see note below (also dragon, griffin, mermaid, pegasus, phoenix, sea-lion).

  Flag of Varaždinske Toplice, Croatia; Blue Ensign of Jersey, UK; Flag of Udbina, Croatia

  Please note that the basic attitudes of heraldic beasts are listed/briefly described herein, and may be found at couchant, courant, erect, forcené, guardant, haurient, naiant, passant, rampant, regardant, salient, segreant, sejant, statant, urinant.

HERALDIC COLOURS
  See tinctures.

HERALDIC FOUNTAIN
  See fountain 1).

  Arms and Flag of Sanguinheira, Portugal

HERALDIC LILY
  See fleur-de-lis.

  Arms and Flag of Domaniewice, Poland

HERALDIC STANDARD
  1) In English usage, a flag of heraldic design, long and tapering, possibly with a rounded or double-rounded (lanceolate or double-tailed descate) fly carrying the owner’s badge and motto (sometimes also a national symbol or personal arms), and bordered in his livery colours. Originally used as an identifying symbol by medieval noblemen, and still occasionally flown by those entitled to it (see also badge in heraldry, banner of arms, lance pennon 1)).
  2) The headquarters flag of a Scottish nobleman or clan chief (and a standard as defined above), it is between 3.5 and 7.5 m long (dependent upon rank) and tapers from 120 cm to 80 cm. The hoist carries either the national flag or owner’s arms, whilst the tail is in the main livery colours and has the motto (usually on diagonal bands) separated by the owner’s crest and other badges. The tail is generally split into two rounded (double-tailed descate) ends (except for those chiefs who do not hold a title of nobility, baronetcy or knighthood whose standards have a simple rounded or lanceolate end), and the whole is edged or fringed with alternating livery colours (see also battle standard, great standard, pageant standard).

  Heraldic standard of the Master Gunner St James’ Park UK (Graham Bartram); Heraldic Standard of King Henry IV c1450, England

  Notes
  a) With regard to 1), in English heraldry the entitlement to a heraldic standard is consequent upon the granting or possession of a badge, but is not dependent upon rank (see also badge in heraldry).
  b) Regarding 2) in Scottish heraldry the entitlement to a standard (and to heraldic flags other than a banner of arms) is consequent upon a separate grant by the Lord Lyon King of Arms (see also pinsel and guidon 3)).

HERALDICALLY BASED FLAG
  See armorial banner 2) and livery colours.

  Arms and Flag of Lanškroun, Czechia; Arms and Flag of Galanta, Slovakia

HERALDRY
  The science concerned with the designing, interpretation, recording and blazoning of those armorial bearings and/or heraldic insignia that pertain to an individual, an institution or to a corporate entity (see also anti-heraldry, blazon, coat of arms 2), pre-heraldic).

  Banner of Arms, Hampshire, UK; Armorial Bearings, Staffordshire, UK; Banner of Arms, Lancashire, UK

HERZSCHILD
  The German term for an inescutcheon.

  Flag of Ippesheim, Germany

HIGH COMMISSIONER’S FLAG
  In British and US usage, now obsolete, see colonial flags/ensigns.

  Flag of the Western Pacific High Commissioner 1905–1976, UK; Flag of the Philippines High Commissioner 1935–1946, US

  Please note that in UK usage the title is not obsolete, but that its role has changed, and no longer (as far as is known) carries the entitlement to a special flag – see diplomatic flags.

HILTED (HILTED AND POMMELED or HILT)
  The alternative heraldic terms used when the grip, pommel and cross/hand guard of a sword or dagger are of a different tincture to its blade – but see note below and hafted (also barbed, garnished, pommeled, shafted).

  Flag of St. Anne's College, Oxford University, UK; Flag of Villars-sous-Mont, Switzerland; Flag of Haarlem, The Netherlands

  Please note that heraldic writers will sometimes blazon the hilt and the pommel (of a sword or dagger) separately when describing the charges on a coat of arms – hilted and pommeled.

HINOMARU (or HI-NO-MARU)
  Literally “sun-disk” and the civil ensign/national flag of Japan since 1870 – the hi-no-maru or nisshoki (see also daimyo flags, disc, mon).

  National Flag of Japan

  Please note that, whilst acting in that role for many years, the Hinomaru/nisshoki was only formally adopted as the National Flag in 1999.

HIS MAJESTY’S JACK
  In English RN usage now obsolete, an official term for the 1606 pattern union flag when flown as a naval jack, and in use from c1640–c1690 – the king’s jack or the jack – but see british flag (also interlaced, ‘naval jack’ under jack, james union, union jack 2)).

  Union Flag 1606–1801, England/UK

HISSFLAGGE (or HISSFAHNE)
  See hoisted flag.

  Hissflagge and Banner of Bernburg, Germany

HISTORIC FLAG
  1) Historical flag of special significance.
  2) In Canadian sailing club usage the official title for those defaced ensigns granted to local yacht clubs by the British Admiralty (for use as an ensign) before 1964, but now flown as a club flag (see also blue ensign 1) with its following note and "historical flag" below).

  National Flag of the US 1777–1795; Defaced Ensign/Historic Flag of the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club, Canada

HISTORICAL FLAG
  Flag that has been in use in the past, but has now been superseded by another – but see "historic flag" above (also reconstruction).

  Blue Ensign, UK, 1707–1801; Defaced Blue Ensign of Newfoundland 1870–1904

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