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Austria-Hungary - proposals 1805 - 1825

1805 proposals
1819 proposals

See also:

Naval Ensign, proposal 1805

image by Željko Heimer, 5 October 2007

With the upgrade of the state to the level of an empire, ideas for the new flags were considered. One other issue was in mind – with the enlargement of the fleet, it was noticed that it might be prudent to differentiate between the merchant and naval ships. Archduke Carl, the Minister of War and Navy, initiated the discussion, and Count Coblenzl, the Vice-chancellor of the Court and the State, put forward two proposals, one for the naval and the other for the merchant ensign. [Lehnert; Baumgartner, 1977]

The naval ensign proposed was yellow flag with black border and the black double-headed eagle holding a sword and an orb, each head crowned, and with an escutcheon of Austria.
Željko Heimer, 5 October 2007

Merchant Ensign, proposal 1805

image by Željko Heimer, 3 October 2007

The merchant ensign was red white red triband with the black double headed eagle throughout holding a sword and an orb and crowned with an imperial crown.
Željko Heimer, 5 October 2007

Ensign with Emperor aboard, proposal 1805

image by Željko Heimer, 5 October 2007

A third flag was proposed in the set, in design like the naval ensign, but with the greater coat of arms instead of the lesser, to be hoisted on ship when the Emperor is personally on board of a ship.

The proposal provided by the Naval Command replaced the shield in the 1786 naval ensign with a more elaborate design with the imperial crown above it. [Lehnert; Baumgartner, 1977]
Željko Heimer, 5 October 2007

1819 Naval ensign proposal

image by Željko Heimer, 5 October 2007

The proposals of 1805 were not satisfactory and the discussion died out for a while. The Court War Council and the Court and State Office proposed together in 1819 a new set of flags. [Lehnert; Baumgartner, 1977] The naval ensign would be a triband of black-yellow-black with the coat of arms next to the hoist.
Željko Heimer, 5 October 2007

1819 Merchant ensign proposal

image by Željko Heimer, 5 October 2007

The merchant ensign would be a triband of red-white-red with the coat of arms next to the hoist.
Željko Heimer, 5 October 2007

1819 Corsair ensign proposal

image by Željko Heimer, 5 October 2007

The proposal also included, so called, a corsair ensign, to be used by merchant ships with the corsairing patent (as was usual practice of European powers at the period), as the merchant ensign by with three tongues in the fly.
Željko Heimer, 5 October 2007

Sources:

- Josef von Lehnert: "Beiträge zur Geschichte der k. k. Flagge. Vortrag, gehalten im militär-wissenschaftlichen Verein zu Wien am 13. März 1885", Organ der militär-wissenschaftlichen Vereine, nr. 31, Mayer, Wien 1886 pp. 15-18
- Lothar Baumgartner: Die Entwicklung der österreichischen Marineflagge, Militaria Austriaca, Gesellschaft für Österreichische
Heereskunde, Wien, 1977 p. 31