Rank flags of portuguese colonial officials

(obsolete flags)

Last modified: 2005-12-17 by antonio martins
Keywords: coat of arms: escutcheons | armillary sphere | cross: christ knights | general governor | governor | district intendant | colonization inspector | work and colonization inbetweener |
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• Introduction
• Colonies High Commissioner
• General Colonial Governor
• Colony Governor
• Colonial Province Governor
• Colonial District Intendant
• Government Inspector, Work and Settling Curator and Government Commissioner of Beira

• Rank flags of the Portuguese Navy
• Portuguese colonial flags
• Portugal

Introduction

These flags became de facto obsolete with the independence of the last african colony, Angola, at 11-11-1975, but I don’t know when (or even if) they were made obsolete de jure.
Jorge Candeias, 02 Dec 2002

The portuguese colonies (“overseas provinces”) were organized in “districts” (each 5 000-20 000 km² in average) which were adminstered by Intendants (intendente distrital). The colony was administered by a (colonial) Governor and there was a General Governor that superintended the governors.
António Martins, 26 May 1998

The official proportions in these flags where:

• coat of arms - 1/2 of the hoist;
• green stripes - 1/10 of the width, i.e., 3/20 of the hoist);
• distance between the stripes and the flag edge - twice the stripe’s width.

According to Flaggenbuch [neu39], vertical stripes are still 1/6 of hoist wide (as all other green stripes/crosses in Flaggenbuch).
Željko Heimer, 02 Dec 2002

Emblem

The charges of these flags are: a large Christ Order cross, unusually bordered gold, charged with the national (greater) coat of arms, all over green stripes.
António Martins, 26 May 1998

As shown in the Flaggenbuch 1939

According to Flaggenbuch [neu39], a yellow bordered (dark) red cross of the the Order of Christ and the sphere and shield.
Željko Heimer, 02 Dec 2002

I have no doubt that actual examples of this flag did show differing shades of red, but I very much doubt that it was legally prescribed like that. There’s nothing in tradition of historical evidence that advises dark red for crosses of Christ, so I would have made this flag (and the following) only with a normal red.
Jorge Candeias, 02 Dec 2002

Colonies High Commissioner

According to Flaggenbuch [neu39], 2:3 white rectangular flag with two green horizontal stripes and the sphere and shield in the middle. The white and green stripes make relative widths 1:1:2:1:1.
Željko Heimer, 02 Dec 2002

General Colonial Governor

The flag of the Governor General of the Portuguese Overseas Territories was white, with the cross of the Order of Christ, on which was centred the arms of Portugal. Two light green stripes ran horizontally across the flag.
Stuart Notholt, 10 Jan 1996

According to Flaggenbuch [neu39], 2:3 white rectangular flag with two green horizontal stripes and overall a yellow bordered (dark) red cross of the the Order of Christ and the sphere and shield.
Željko Heimer, 02 Dec 2002

Colony Governor

The flag of the Governor was similar to that of the Governor-General, except that the stripes were vertical.
Stuart Notholt, 10 Jan 1996

According to Flaggenbuch [neu39], 2:3 white rectangular flag with two green vertical stripes and overall a yellow bordered (dark) red cross of the the Order of Christ and the sphere and shield.
Željko Heimer, 02 Dec 2002

Colonial Province Governor

According to Flaggenbuch [neu39], 2:3 white rectangular flag with a green horizontal stripe and overall a yellow bordered (dark) red cross of the the Order of Christ and the sphere and shield.
Željko Heimer, 02 Dec 2002

Colonial District Intendent

The District Intendent had a flag with the same badge as the (colonial) Governor and General Governor, but swallowtailed and with only one vertical green stripe.
António Martins, 26 May 1998

According to Flaggenbuch [neu39], 2:3 white rectangular swallow-tailed flag with a green vertical stripe and overall a yellow bordered (dark) red cross of the the Order of Christ and the sphere and shield.
Željko Heimer, 02 Dec 2002

Government Inspector, Work and Settling Curator and Government Commissioner of Beira

A similar flag lacking the stripe was used by the Colonization Inspector / Work and Colonization Inbetweener. I’m not quite sure of the real nature of this office, apart from what the name implies.
António Martins, 26 May 1998

As shown in the Flaggenbuch 1939

According to Flaggenbuch [neu39], 2:3 white rectangular swallow-tailed flag with a green horizontal stripe and overall a yellow bordered (dark) red cross of the the Order of Christ and the sphere and shield.
Željko Heimer, 02 Dec 2002