The flags of Laurania

The earliest recorded instance of a uniquely Lauranian identifying marker can be found in the diary of Gulio Montebranca. He records hearing the story of Flavius Maximus Molarius’s request that the Bishop of Torracastra bless the Eagle – later known as the Lauranian Eagle – that his troops were about to carry into battle against the Visigoths.

There is some debate as to whether or not this was actually a vexillum, but by the time of the Crusades the Lauranians taking part did so under the Lauranian version of the Cross of Saint George. This led to some confusion on the battlefield, as this was very similar to the banner carried by the Knights Templar, and thus was born the Cross of Laurania. This was originally square, with the Cross of Saint George outlined in black.

It is conjectured that the black was added to serve as a memorial to all those Lauranians who had died defending the Holy Land, but it is more likely that it was added to ensure that there was no further confusion with the banners of the Knights Templar. At some stage a plain Lauranian Eagle was added to the canton …

… but this replaced by the version that incorporated the Cross of Saint George.

This remained Laurania’s flag until the conquest of Laurania by the Ottomans.

The Ottomans banned the display of any Lauranian symbols, especially the Lauranian Eagle. The flag was, however, used by Lauranian troops serving in émigré regiments in the Austrian and Russian armies during the eighteenth centuries.

When Laurania was invaded and 'liberated' by French troops during the Revolutionary Wars, a new flag was adopted to mark its change of status. Following the example of the French Tricolor, the Lauranians began using a blue, white, and green tricolor with a Lauranian Eagle at its centre. The colours signified the blue of the Lauranian Sea, the white of the snow on its mountains, and the green fertility of its soil.

The units of the Lauranian Legion (La Legion Lauranienne) that was raised by the French also adopted a new style of regimental flag. It was oblong in shape (the ratio of its sides were 2:3) and was blue, white, and green. It also carried the Lauranian Eagle at its centre surrounded by the name of the unit.

This style of regimental flag was replaced in 1804 with a squarer, more ornate flag that was similar in design to the flags carried by French and Italian troops.

After Napoleon’s fall the new Principality of Laurania adopted a flag design based on the Cross of Laurania. It was oblong in shape (the ratio of its sides were 2:3) and had the Lauranian Eagle, surmounted by a princely crown, within a shield at its centre.

After the 1848 Revolution the design of the Lauranian Eagle was changed slightly. The crown was omitted, the shield was replaced by an oval, and a scroll bearing the letters PPL (standing for Pro Populo Lauranio) was added.

This flag remains in use to this day, and is the basis of many other flags flown in Laurania, including the Naval Ensign. The ensign flown by the ships of the Lauranian Navy is the Lauranian flag with the addition of a gold anchor in the canton.

The regiments of the Lauranian Army all carry a square regimental standard that is based on the current Lauranian flag. In addition to the Lauranian Eagle within an oval at its centre, it has a scroll beneath the Eagle upon which the number and name of the regiment is displayed.