You are on page 1of 2

12/24/2020 Flag of the Isle of Man - Wikipedia

Flag of the Isle of Man


The flag of the Isle of Man or flag of Mann (Manx: brattagh Vannin) is a triskelion, composed of three
armoured legs with golden spurs, upon a red background. It has been the official flag of Mann since 1 Flag of the Isle of Man
December 1932 and is based on the Manx coat of arms, which dates back to the 13th century.[2]

The three legs are known in Manx as ny tree cassyn ("the three legs"). The triskelion is an ancient symbol,
used by the Mycenaeans and the Lycians.

Contents Use Civil and state flag


History Proportion 1:2[1]
Gallery Adopted 1 December 1932
See also Design A triskelion made up of
References three armoured legs with
golden spurs, in the centre
of a red flag.
History
It is not known for definite why the symbol was originally adopted on the Isle of Man.[3] The usage of a triskelion was very popular with
Scandinavian cultures, and the symbol may have been introduced to the Isle by the Norse descendants of King Analaf Cuaran, who ruled the island
between the 10th century and 1266.[4][5]

The earliest depiction of the triskelion of Mann can be found on the Manx Sword of State which dates back to the early 14th century.[6]

Following English domination of the isle in 1346, the triskelion was retained and endured as a symbol of the Isle of Man.[5]

By the mid-19th century the Manx flag began appearing on merchant ships from the Isle of Man.[7] However, such usage of the flag was not
sanctioned by the Board of Trade and the Admiralty under Section 105 of the 1854 Merchant Shipping Act in favour of the Red Ensign.[7][8] This
decision was reversed by the Admiralty on 4 March 1889 and Manx merchant ships were permitted to fly the Flag of the Isle of Man.[7]

The flag was officially adopted between 1928 and 1932, however sources differ.[9]

In July 1968 steps were taken to standardise the flag.[5] The feet of the triskelion were all to be facing in a clockwise direction and the symbol was to
be balanced on only one leg.[7] On 27 August 1971 a civil ensign for the Isle of Man was approved by royal proclamation.[10][11] This flag featured a
red field with the Union Jack in the canton. The triskelion of Mann is emblazoned off centre towards the fly. Another Manx flag in use is the flag of
Tynwald, the legislature of the Isle of Man, which has flown outside the Legislative Buildings since 1971.[12]

Gallery

Standard of the Flag of Tynwald Civil Ensign of Flag of the Civil


Lieutenant Governor the Isle of Man Defence Service

See also
Coat of arms of the Isle of Man
Flag of Sicily, a similar flag with a triskelion

References
5. "Flag of the Isle of Man | flag of a British crown possession" (https://w
1. Isle of Man (http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/im.html); Flags of the ww.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-the-Isle-of-Man). Encyclopedia
World; (c.1996 – present) Britannica. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
2. Isle of Man Weekly Times, 3 December 1932
6. "BBC - A History of the World - Object : Isle of Man Sword of State"
3. "The Three Legs of Man" (http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnoteboo (http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/jEUZB4_8SMeJ-lwn
k/history/legs.htm). isle-of-man.com. HxpnOA). www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
4. "Three Legs of Mann | Manx National Heritage - Whichever you 7. "Isle of Man" (https://fotw.info/flags/im.html). fotw.info. Retrieved
throw it, it will stand" (https://manxnationalheritage.im/visit/about-the-i 2020-06-15.
sle-of-man/three-legs-of-mann/). Manx National Heritage. Retrieved 8. "United Kingdom: 19th Century Red Ensign Legislation (Part 1)" (http
2020-06-15. s://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/gb-ensr8.html#merchant1854).
www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 2020-06-15.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Isle_of_Man 1/2
12/24/2020 Flag of the Isle of Man - Wikipedia

9. benszmidt (2015-11-13). "Flag of the Isle of Man: Mystery of the 11. "Isle of Man: Civil ensign" (https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/im_ci
triskele" (https://funflagfacts.com/2015/11/13/isle-of-man-mystery-of-t ven.html#:~:text=About%20the%20Flag,centre%20(no%20union%20
he-triskele/). Fun Flag Facts. Retrieved 2020-06-15. flag).). www.crwflags.com. Retrieved 2020-06-15.
10. Barraclough, E.M.C.; Crampton, William (1981). Flags of the World. 12. Ltd., Maxima Systems. "Isle of Man Guide – GOVERNMENT, Manx
London: Frederick Warne and Co. p. 49. ISBN 0-7232-2797-7. Flags" (http://www.iomguide.com/manxflags.php). iomguide.com.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flag_of_the_Isle_of_Man&oldid=981324905"

This page was last edited on 1 October 2020, at 16:47 (UTC).

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Isle_of_Man 2/2

You might also like