Royal Bend of Castile

The Royal Bend of Castile ("Banda Real de Castilla"), was the positional ensign, “"guión"” of the Castilian monarch. It was created in 1332 by Alfonso XI, King of Castile and León, he also instituted the Knights of the Band, a military order. Charles I (1500 – 1558), king of Spain, also Charles V as Holy Roman Emperor, was the last monarch that used this standard.

The Bend of Castile description from Henry I reign was: “"Gules, a or bend engouled into dragantes, dragon or wolf's heads"”. Before, the bend and the dragon’s heads were different colours.

The Castilian Bend origin was the old Count of Castile’s coat of arms - "Gules a bend Or" - , after "Gules, a three towered castle Or" [ [http://sca.historiaviva.org/tiki-index.php?page_ref_id=284&PHPSESSID=21da30dd4db01b9cd0560c349b13ba6a Bend of Castile. Alcázar de Briosa] ]

*The Catholic Monarchs used the Castilian Bend between a yoke with ribbons Or (on obverse side) and a sheaf of arrows with ribbons Or (on reverse side) and their motto: “"Tanto Monta, Monta Tanto"” ("cutting as untying") an explanation of the equality of the monarchs. [ [http://www.armada.mde.es/ArmadaPortal/appmanager/ArmadaPortal/ArmadaPortal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=ap_page_conocenosHistoria_presentacion&pathNodo=%2FBEA+Repository%2Fdesktop_armada_portal%2Fap_book_main%2Fbb_ap_book_conocenos%2Fee_ap_book_conocenos_historia%2FCC_Bandera%2FCC_ReyesCatolicos The Bend of Castile of Catolic Monarchs, Spanish Navy website. (In Spanish)] ]

*Charles I used the Bend between the Pillars of Hercules, External Oraments of the King-Emperor's heraldry.

*Francisco Franco used from 1940 to 1975 the Castilian Bend (like the version of Charles I) as Head of State’s Standard and Guidon: The Bend between the Pillars of Hercules, crowned with an imperial crown and open (old) royal crown. [ [http://www.fotw.net/flags/es^cs940.html Standard and guindon of Francisco Franco, Flags of the World] ]

See also

*Knights of the Band

References