Baussant

The gonfanon baussant was the standard of Templiers. There existed with several representations différentes.

Etymology

The gonfanon was a rectangular standard hung on a pole by one on its side more grands.
The term baussant means " semi party of couleur" thus they were a standard separated in its medium and different colors. For Templiers, it was of the black and the blanc.

By extension, the Knights removed the gonfanon term to them-even to baptize it baussant. Several etymologies are known but it should be known that of " Beausséant" existed forever.

Later, scouting took again the standard of the templiers to change certain parts of them and to make the " of it; baussant ", the standard scout.

Heraldic

In heraldic terms, the baussant gonfanon was defined as this: " of Money to the chief of Sand, a cross of mouth passant" .
Into heraldic:

Chief: upper part
Money: white
Sand: black
Mouth: rouge

Usually, baussant it its black upper part had but there exist versions with the reversed colors.

Symbolic system

The colors of baussant were not randomly selected. The bishop of Acre and chronicler of the time, Jacques of Vitry, held his information of the Templiers eux-mêmes.
He explains thus that the black symbolized the ferocity of Templiers towards their enemies whereas the white symbolized, as for her, the love (francs and benevolent) for their friends. " Of the lions in war, the lambs in peace. " summarize Jacques of Vitry in his Historia orientalis . The historian Alain Demurger proposes another explanation: the black was the symbol of humility and penitence (what explains why the monks of Cluny chose it), while the white was that of the purity (and was preferred with the black by the Cisterciens which wanted to mark a rupture with excesses that they reproached the Bénédictin S).

Value of the gonfanon

In the hierarchy about the Temple, it was an great honor to occupy the row of gonfanonier (i.e. carrying the gonfanon) because the baussant gonfanon was the rallying sign of the Knights during the batailles.
To in no case it was not to be dropped nor lost during the battle under penalty of serious sanction which could go until the exclusion of the order (loss of the house) if the gonfanon had been given up by cowardice or fear in front of the enemy. The fact that Templiers placed to ten combatants at the disposal of the gonfanonnier during the battle to ensure the defense of the gonfanon is a clear indication of the major importance which the monk-knights attached to their banner.

Baussant scout

Baussant scout is slightly different from the gonfanon. The white is found on the left and the black on the right. The Red Cross is in the middle of the standard and has a Fleur of lily of color gold in its medium.

Significance

The black symbolizes the evil, the white the good. It is observed that there is more white than of black, to of course express the victory of the evil. The cross symbolizes the Christ, and her 8 points the 8 blisses. The flower of lily inside is the international symbol of scouting.

References

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