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searchaux" style="display:none">Imperial banners used by Holy Roman Emperor</div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Albrecht_Altdorfer_044.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Albrecht_Altdorfer_044.jpg/220px-Albrecht_Altdorfer_044.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="259" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Albrecht_Altdorfer_044.jpg/330px-Albrecht_Altdorfer_044.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/19/Albrecht_Altdorfer_044.jpg/440px-Albrecht_Altdorfer_044.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2536" data-file-height="2991" /></a><figcaption><a href="/wiki/Maximilian_I,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" title="Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor">Emperor Maximilian</a> with the Imperial Banner, bordered in crimson and parti-colored fringe. (<span title="German-language text"><i lang="de"><a href="/wiki/Albrecht_Altdorfer" title="Albrecht Altdorfer">Albrecht Altdorfer</a></i></span>, <abbr title="circa">c.</abbr><span style="white-space:nowrap;"> 1515</span>)</figcaption></figure> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Wapen_1545_Des_Reichs_Fahn.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/Wapen_1545_Des_Reichs_Fahn.jpg/170px-Wapen_1545_Des_Reichs_Fahn.jpg" decoding="async" width="170" height="256" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/Wapen_1545_Des_Reichs_Fahn.jpg/255px-Wapen_1545_Des_Reichs_Fahn.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f1/Wapen_1545_Des_Reichs_Fahn.jpg/340px-Wapen_1545_Des_Reichs_Fahn.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1714" data-file-height="2582" /></a><figcaption>"The Flag of the Empire" (<i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Des Reichs Fahn</i></span></i>), 1545</figcaption></figure> <p>The <b>flag of the Holy Roman Empire</b> was not a <a href="/wiki/National_flag" title="National flag">national flag</a>, but rather an imperial <a href="/wiki/Banner#Heraldic_banners" title="Banner">banner</a> used by the <a href="/wiki/Holy_Roman_Emperor" title="Holy Roman Emperor">Holy Roman Emperor</a>; <a href="/wiki/Sable_(heraldry)" title="Sable (heraldry)">black</a> and <a href="/wiki/Or_(heraldry)" title="Or (heraldry)">gold</a> were used as the colours of the imperial banner, a black <a href="/wiki/Eagle" title="Eagle">eagle</a> on a golden background. After the late 13th or early 14th century, the claws and beak of the <a href="/wiki/Reichsadler" title="Reichsadler">eagle</a> were coloured <a href="/wiki/Gules" title="Gules">red</a>. From the early 15th century, a <a href="/wiki/Double-headed_eagle" title="Double-headed eagle">double-headed eagle</a><sup id="cite_ref-HRE_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-HRE-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> was used. </p><p>In 1804, <a href="/wiki/Napoleon" title="Napoleon">Napoleon Bonaparte</a> declared the <a href="/wiki/First_French_Empire" title="First French Empire">First French Empire</a>. In response to this, <a href="/wiki/Francis_II,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" title="Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor">Emperor Francis II</a> of the <a href="/wiki/House_of_Habsburg" title="House of Habsburg">Habsburg dynasty</a> declared his personal domain to be the <a href="/wiki/Austrian_Empire" title="Austrian Empire">Austrian Empire</a> and became Francis I of Austria. Taking the colours of the banner of the Holy Roman Emperor, the flag of the Austrian Empire was black and gold. Francis II was the last Holy Roman Emperor, with Napoleon forcing the empire's dissolution in 1806. After this point, these colours continued to be used as the <a href="/wiki/List_of_Austrian_flags#Historical_flags" title="List of Austrian flags">flag of Austria</a> until 1918. </p><p>The colours red and <a href="/wiki/Argent" title="Argent">white</a> were also significant during this period. When the <a href="/wiki/Holy_Roman_Empire" title="Holy Roman Empire">Holy Roman Empire</a> took part in the <a href="/wiki/Crusades" title="Crusades">Crusades</a>, a <a href="/wiki/War_flag" title="War flag">war flag</a> was flown alongside the black-gold imperial banner. This flag, known as the "Saint George Flag", was a white <a href="/wiki/Crosses_in_heraldry" title="Crosses in heraldry">cross</a> on a red background: the reverse of the <a href="/wiki/St_George%27s_Cross" class="mw-redirect" title="St George's Cross">St George's Cross</a> used as the <a href="/wiki/Flag_of_Lombardy" title="Flag of Lombardy">flag of Lombardy</a> and <a href="/wiki/Flag_of_England" title="Flag of England">England</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-HRE_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-HRE-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Red and white were also colours of the <a href="/wiki/Hanseatic_League" title="Hanseatic League">Hanseatic League</a> (13th–17th centuries). Hanseatic trading ships were identifiable by their red-white pennants and most Hanseatic cities adopted red and white as their city colours (see <a href="/wiki/Hanseatic_flags" title="Hanseatic flags">Hanseatic flags</a>). Red and white still feature as the colours of many former Hanseatic cities such as <a href="/wiki/Hamburg" title="Hamburg">Hamburg</a> or <a href="/wiki/Bremen" title="Bremen">Bremen</a>. </p><p>In <a href="/wiki/Northern_Italy" title="Northern Italy">northern Italy</a>, during the conflict between the <a href="/wiki/Guelphs_and_Ghibellines" title="Guelphs and Ghibellines">Guelphs and Ghibellines</a> in the 12th to 14th centuries, the armies of the Ghibelline (pro-imperial) communes adopted the war banner of the Holy Roman Emperor (white cross on red) as their own, while the Guelph (anti-imperial) communes reversed the colours (red cross on white). These two schemes are prevalent in the modern civic <a href="/wiki/Heraldry" title="Heraldry">heraldry</a> of northern Italian towns and remains a revealing indicator of their past factional leanings. Traditionally Ghibelline towns like <a href="/wiki/Pavia" title="Pavia">Pavia</a>, <a href="/wiki/Novara" title="Novara">Novara</a>, <a href="/wiki/Como" title="Como">Como</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Asti" title="Asti">Asti</a> continue to display the Ghibelline cross. The Guelph cross can be found on the civic <a href="/wiki/Coat_of_arms" title="Coat of arms">arms</a> of traditionally Guelph towns like <a href="/wiki/Milan" title="Milan">Milan</a>, <a href="/wiki/Vercelli" title="Vercelli">Vercelli</a>, <a href="/wiki/Alessandria" title="Alessandria">Alessandria</a>, <a href="/wiki/Reggio_Emilia" title="Reggio Emilia">Reggio</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Bologna" title="Bologna">Bologna</a>. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Imperial_banners">Imperial banners</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Flags_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Imperial banners"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>According to <i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de"><a href="/wiki/Meyers_Konversations-Lexikon" title="Meyers Konversations-Lexikon">Meyers Konversations-Lexikon</a></i></span></i> of 1897 (under the heading "Banner"), the German Imperial Banner at the time of <a href="/wiki/Henry_the_Fowler" title="Henry the Fowler">Henry the Fowler</a> (<abbr title="reigned">r.</abbr> 919–936) and <a href="/wiki/Otto_I,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" class="mw-redirect" title="Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor">Otto the Great</a> (<abbr title="reigned">r.</abbr> 936–973) depicted the <a href="/wiki/Michael_(archangel)" title="Michael (archangel)">Archangel Michael</a>; at the time of <a href="/wiki/Frederick_I,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" class="mw-redirect" title="Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor">Frederick Barbarossa</a> (<abbr title="reigned">r.</abbr> 1152–90), an eagle; at the time of <a href="/wiki/Otto_IV,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" title="Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor">Otto IV</a> (<abbr title="reigned">r.</abbr> 1198–1215) an eagle hovering over a dragon, and since the time of <a href="/wiki/Sigismund,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" title="Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor">Sigismund</a> (<abbr title="reigned">r.</abbr> 1410–37), and "perhaps earlier", the <a href="/wiki/Reichsadler" title="Reichsadler">Imperial Eagle</a>, namely a black eagle in a yellow field, bearing the arms of the emperor's house on its breast. </p> <table class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th scope="col">Reconstructions </th> <th scope="col">Date </th> <th scope="col">Use </th> <th scope="col">Description </th></tr> <tr> <td><span class="noresize"><figure class="mw-halign-center mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:K%C3%B6nigsbanner_14Jh.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/K%C3%B6nigsbanner_14Jh.svg/84px-K%C3%B6nigsbanner_14Jh.svg.png" decoding="async" width="84" height="100" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/K%C3%B6nigsbanner_14Jh.svg/127px-K%C3%B6nigsbanner_14Jh.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/K%C3%B6nigsbanner_14Jh.svg/169px-K%C3%B6nigsbanner_14Jh.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="710" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure></span> </td> <td><span class="nowrap">14th century</span> </td> <td>The earliest Imperial Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor and royal banner of the <a href="/wiki/King_of_the_Romans" title="King of the Romans">King of the Romans</a> </td> <td><i>Or, an <a href="/wiki/Reichsadler" title="Reichsadler">eagle sable</a> displayed</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td><span class="noresize"><figure class="mw-halign-center mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Heiliges_R%C3%B6misches_Reich_-_Reichssturmfahne_vor_1433_(Nimbierter_Adler).svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Heiliges_R%C3%B6misches_Reich_-_Reichssturmfahne_vor_1433_%28Nimbierter_Adler%29.svg/100px-Heiliges_R%C3%B6misches_Reich_-_Reichssturmfahne_vor_1433_%28Nimbierter_Adler%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="67" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Heiliges_R%C3%B6misches_Reich_-_Reichssturmfahne_vor_1433_%28Nimbierter_Adler%29.svg/150px-Heiliges_R%C3%B6misches_Reich_-_Reichssturmfahne_vor_1433_%28Nimbierter_Adler%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Heiliges_R%C3%B6misches_Reich_-_Reichssturmfahne_vor_1433_%28Nimbierter_Adler%29.svg/200px-Heiliges_R%C3%B6misches_Reich_-_Reichssturmfahne_vor_1433_%28Nimbierter_Adler%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure></span> </td> <td><span class="nowrap">early 1400s</span> </td> <td>Imperial Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor </td> <td><i>Or, an <a href="/wiki/Reichsadler" title="Reichsadler">Imperial Eagle</a> displayed with a halo sable armed and langued gules</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td><span class="noresize"><figure class="mw-halign-center mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_haloes_(1430-1806).svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_haloes_%281430-1806%29.svg/100px-Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_haloes_%281430-1806%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="67" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_haloes_%281430-1806%29.svg/150px-Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_haloes_%281430-1806%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/dd/Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_haloes_%281430-1806%29.svg/200px-Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_haloes_%281430-1806%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="900" data-file-height="600" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure></span> </td> <td><span class="nowrap"><abbr title="circa">c.</abbr><span style="white-space:nowrap;"> 1430</span>–1806</span> </td> <td>Imperial Banner of the Holy Roman Emperor </td> <td><i>Or, a <a href="/wiki/Double-headed_eagle" title="Double-headed eagle">double-headed</a> <a href="/wiki/Reichsadler" title="Reichsadler">Imperial Eagle</a> displayed with a halo sable armed and langued gules</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td><span class="noresize"><figure class="mw-halign-center mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_Arms_(1437-1493).svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_Arms_%281437-1493%29.svg/100px-Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_Arms_%281437-1493%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="67" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_Arms_%281437-1493%29.svg/150px-Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_Arms_%281437-1493%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b7/Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_Arms_%281437-1493%29.svg/200px-Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_Arms_%281437-1493%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="400" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure></span> </td> <td><span class="nowrap">1437–1493</span> </td> <td>Imperial Banner of <a href="/wiki/Frederick_III,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" title="Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor">Frederick III</a> </td> <td><i>The Imperial banner with an <a href="/wiki/Escutcheon_(heraldry)" title="Escutcheon (heraldry)">escutcheon</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Coat_of_arms" title="Coat of arms">coat of arms</a> of Frederick III (gules, a fess argent)</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td><span class="noresize"><figure class="mw-halign-center mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_Arms_(1493-1556).svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_Arms_%281493-1556%29.svg/100px-Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_Arms_%281493-1556%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="67" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_Arms_%281493-1556%29.svg/150px-Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_Arms_%281493-1556%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4f/Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_Arms_%281493-1556%29.svg/200px-Banner_of_the_Holy_Roman_Emperor_with_Arms_%281493-1556%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="600" data-file-height="400" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure></span> </td> <td><span class="nowrap">1493–1556</span> </td> <td>Imperial Banner of <a href="/wiki/Maximilian_I,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" title="Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor">Maximilian I</a> and <a href="/wiki/Charles_V,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" title="Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor">Charles V</a> </td> <td><i>The Imperial banner with an escutcheon of the coat of arms of Maximilian I (gules a fess argent, impaling bendy of six Or and azure a bordure gules)</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td><span class="noresize"><figure class="mw-halign-center mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Banner_Of_Charles_V.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/Banner_Of_Charles_V.svg/71px-Banner_Of_Charles_V.svg.png" decoding="async" width="71" height="100" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/Banner_Of_Charles_V.svg/106px-Banner_Of_Charles_V.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/Banner_Of_Charles_V.svg/141px-Banner_Of_Charles_V.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="2980" data-file-height="4213" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure></span> </td> <td><span class="nowrap">1519–1556</span> </td> <td>Imperial Banner of <a href="/wiki/Charles_V,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" title="Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor">Charles V</a> </td> <td><i>The Imperial banner with an escutcheon of the <a href="/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Charles_V,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" title="Coat of arms of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor">coat of arms of Charles V</a></i> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="War_flag">War flag</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Flags_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: War flag"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>The <i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Reichsfahne</i></span></i> (Imperial flag) was a field ensign of the Holy Roman Empire, originally an equestrian flag or <a href="/wiki/Gonfalon" title="Gonfalon">gonfalon</a>. An early bearer was Werner I, <a href="/wiki/Count_of_Winterthur" class="mw-redirect" title="Count of Winterthur">count of Winterthur</a>, who carried the flag for <a href="/wiki/Conrad_II,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" title="Conrad II, Holy Roman Emperor">Conrad II</a> and <a href="/wiki/Henry_III,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" title="Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor">Henry III</a> and who died in the <a href="/wiki/Battle_at_Br%C5%AFdek" title="Battle at Brůdek">battle at Brůdek</a> in 1040. In the 12th century, the <i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Reichsfahne</i></span></i> apparently<sup class="noprint Inline-Template" style="margin-left:0.1em; white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify" title="Wikipedia:Please clarify"><span title="The text near this tag may need clarification or removal of jargon. (July 2016)">clarification needed</span></a></i>]</sup> showed a white cross on a red field. It was the sign of the united armed forces of the Empire until the late 15th century, but it could be sent by the <a href="/wiki/King_of_Germany" class="mw-redirect" title="King of Germany">king</a> to local lords to sanction them in their defense of <i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de"><a href="/wiki/Landfrieden" title="Landfrieden">Landfrieden</a></i></span></i>. Thus, <a href="/wiki/Sigismund,_Holy_Roman_Emperor" title="Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor">king Sigismund</a> gave the banner to the <a href="/wiki/Old_Swiss_Confederacy" title="Old Swiss Confederacy">Swiss Confederacy</a>, sanctioning their war against the <a href="/wiki/House_of_Habsburg" title="House of Habsburg">Habsburgs</a> in 1415. </p><p>In the late medieval period, the cross design of the <i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Reichsfahne</i></span></i> was replaced by the <a href="/wiki/Reichsadler" title="Reichsadler">Imperial eagle</a>. It was treated as an Imperial <a href="/wiki/Fief" title="Fief">fief</a> traditionally granted to Swabian nobles. In 1336, it was granted to <a href="/wiki/Ulrich_III,_Count_of_W%C3%BCrttemberg" title="Ulrich III, Count of Württemberg">Ulrich III, Count of Württemberg</a>. On this occasion, it was first referred to as the <i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Reichssturmfahne</i></span></i> ("Imperial War Flag"). It remained part of the heraldic insignia of the <a href="/wiki/House_of_W%C3%BCrttemberg" title="House of Württemberg">House of Württemberg</a> until the 19th century. The flag itself was kept in <a href="/wiki/Stuttgart" title="Stuttgart">Stuttgart</a> until 1944, when it was destroyed in a <a href="/wiki/Bombing_of_Stuttgart_in_World_War_II" title="Bombing of Stuttgart in World War II">bombing raid</a>. The flag showed the imperial eagle in a square field, with a red <i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Schwenkel</i></span></i> (<a href="/wiki/Pennon" title="Pennon">pennon</a>) on top. It is not to be confused with the <i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Reichsrennfahne</i></span></i>, granted to the <a href="/wiki/Electorate_of_Saxony" title="Electorate of Saxony">Electors of Saxony</a> in their function as <i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de"><a href="/wiki/Reichsmarschall" title="Reichsmarschall">Reichserzmarschall</a></i></span></i>. This latter flag showed two crossed swords in a black and white field.<sup id="cite_ref-Meyers_Fahne_2-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-Meyers_Fahne-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <table class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th scope="col">Flag </th> <th scope="col">Date </th> <th scope="col">Use </th> <th scope="col">Description </th></tr> <tr> <td><span class="noresize"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:War_flag_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire_(1200-1350).svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/War_flag_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire_%281200-1350%29.svg/100px-War_flag_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire_%281200-1350%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="60" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/War_flag_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire_%281200-1350%29.svg/150px-War_flag_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire_%281200-1350%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b1/War_flag_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire_%281200-1350%29.svg/200px-War_flag_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire_%281200-1350%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="600" /></a></span></span> </td> <td>12th–early 14th centuries </td> <td>Reichssturmfahne (<a href="/wiki/War_flag" title="War flag">War flag</a>, used alongside the Imperial Banner) </td> <td>It likely developed from the <a href="/wiki/Knights_Templar" title="Knights Templar">Knights Templar</a>'s flag in the 12th century during the crusades, and was in use as Imperial War Flag during the 13th and early 14th centuries. It was smaller than the imperial banner, carried before the emperor or his appointed commander in battle. </td></tr> <tr> <td><span class="noresize"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Reichssturmfahne.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Reichssturmfahne.svg/100px-Reichssturmfahne.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="100" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Reichssturmfahne.svg/150px-Reichssturmfahne.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Reichssturmfahne.svg/200px-Reichssturmfahne.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="512" /></a></span></span> </td> <td>15th century </td> <td><i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Reichssturmfahne</i></span></i> </td> <td> </td></tr> <tr> <td><span class="noresize"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Reichsrennfahne_heraldic.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Reichsrennfahne_heraldic.svg/100px-Reichsrennfahne_heraldic.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="100" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Reichsrennfahne_heraldic.svg/150px-Reichsrennfahne_heraldic.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/ff/Reichsrennfahne_heraldic.svg/200px-Reichsrennfahne_heraldic.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="200" data-file-height="200" /></a></span></span> </td> <td>15th century </td> <td><i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de">Reichsrennfahne</i></span></i> </td> <td> </td></tr> </tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Free_Imperial_Cities">Free Imperial Cities</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Flags_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Free Imperial Cities"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">Further information: <a href="/wiki/List_of_Free_Imperial_Cities" class="mw-redirect" title="List of Free Imperial Cities">List of Free Imperial Cities</a> and <a href="/wiki/Coats_of_arms_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire#Other_states" title="Coats of arms of the Holy Roman Empire">Coats of arms of the Holy Roman Empire § Other states</a></div> <p>Some <a href="/wiki/Free_imperial_city" title="Free imperial city">free imperial cities</a> took to displaying symbols of the empire, especially the <a href="/wiki/Reichsadler" title="Reichsadler">Imperial eagle</a>, as part of their flags or coats of arms. </p> <table class="wikitable"> <tbody><tr> <th scope="col">Flag </th> <th scope="col">Date </th> <th scope="col">Use </th> <th scope="col">Description </th></tr> <tr> <td><span class="noresize"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_the_Imperial_City_of_Memmingen.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Flag_of_the_Imperial_City_of_Memmingen.svg/100px-Flag_of_the_Imperial_City_of_Memmingen.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="100" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Flag_of_the_Imperial_City_of_Memmingen.svg/150px-Flag_of_the_Imperial_City_of_Memmingen.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Flag_of_the_Imperial_City_of_Memmingen.svg/200px-Flag_of_the_Imperial_City_of_Memmingen.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1000" data-file-height="1000" /></a></span></span> </td> <td> </td> <td><a href="/wiki/Flag" title="Flag">Flag</a> of the <a href="/wiki/Free_imperial_city" title="Free imperial city">Free Imperial City</a> of <a href="/wiki/Memmingen" title="Memmingen">Memmingen</a> </td> <td><i>Per <a href="/wiki/Pale_(heraldry)" title="Pale (heraldry)">pale</a> argent, dimidiated an <a href="/wiki/Reichsadler" title="Reichsadler">Imperial Eagle</a> displayed sable, impaling a <a href="/wiki/Cross_patt%C3%A9e" title="Cross pattée">cross pattée</a> gules</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td><span class="noresize"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:DEU_N%C3%BCrnberg_COA_(klein).svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/DEU_N%C3%BCrnberg_COA_%28klein%29.svg/89px-DEU_N%C3%BCrnberg_COA_%28klein%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="89" height="100" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/DEU_N%C3%BCrnberg_COA_%28klein%29.svg/133px-DEU_N%C3%BCrnberg_COA_%28klein%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/DEU_N%C3%BCrnberg_COA_%28klein%29.svg/178px-DEU_N%C3%BCrnberg_COA_%28klein%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="550" data-file-height="618" /></a></span></span> </td> <td> </td> <td>Coat of arms of the <a href="/wiki/Free_Imperial_City_of_Nuremberg" title="Free Imperial City of Nuremberg">Free Imperial City of Nuremberg</a> </td> <td><i>Per pale Or, a <a href="/wiki/Double-headed_eagle" title="Double-headed eagle">double-headed</a> <a href="/wiki/Reichsadler" title="Reichsadler">Imperial Eagle</a> displayed with langued gules, dimidiated with bendy of gules and argent</i> </td></tr> <tr> <td><span class="noresize"><span class="mw-image-border" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Flag_of_Canton_of_Geneva.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Flag_of_Canton_of_Geneva.svg/100px-Flag_of_Canton_of_Geneva.svg.png" decoding="async" width="100" height="100" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Flag_of_Canton_of_Geneva.svg/150px-Flag_of_Canton_of_Geneva.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Flag_of_Canton_of_Geneva.svg/200px-Flag_of_Canton_of_Geneva.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="470" data-file-height="470" /></a></span></span> </td> <td>15th century </td> <td>Flag of Geneva </td> <td><a href="/wiki/History_of_Geneva" title="History of Geneva">Geneva</a> had the dual status of free city and <a href="/wiki/Bishopric_of_Geneva" class="mw-redirect" title="Bishopric of Geneva">Prince-Bishopric</a> from the 12th century; this is reflected in the flag of Geneva, which since the 15th century has shown both the <a href="/wiki/Reichsadler" title="Reichsadler">Imperial Eagle</a> and a <a href="/wiki/Keys_of_St._Peter" class="mw-redirect" title="Keys of St. Peter">key of St. Peter</a>, divided <i>per pale</i>. </td></tr> </tbody></table> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Flags_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-HRE-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-HRE_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-HRE_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.fotw.info/flags/de_roman.html">Holy Roman Empire</a> at <a href="/wiki/Flags_of_the_World_(website)" title="Flags of the World (website)">Flags of the World</a>. Retrieved on <span class="mw-formatted-date" title="2008-02-26">2008-02-26</span>.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-Meyers_Fahne-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-Meyers_Fahne_2-0">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.zeno.org/Meyers-1905/A/Fahne+%5B1%5D">Fahne</a></i> [1]. In: <i><span title="German-language text"><i lang="de"><a href="/wiki/Meyers_Konversations-Lexikon" title="Meyers Konversations-Lexikon">Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon</a>.</i></span></i> vol. 6. Leipzig 1906, 267–268.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Johann Christoph Weinland, <i><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=uB1nAAAAcAAJ"><span title="Latin-language text"><i lang="la">De Vexillo Imperii Primario, vulgo Reichs-Sturm-Fahne Commentatio Academica</i></span></a></i> (1727).</span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Flags_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Commons-logo.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/12px-Commons-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/18px-Commons-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/24px-Commons-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1376" /></a></span> Media related to <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Flags_of_the_Holy_Roman_Empire" class="extiw" title="commons:Category:Flags of the Holy Roman Empire">Flags of the Holy Roman Empire</a> at Wikimedia Commons </p>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?type=1x1&useformat=desktop" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; 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