Unveiling the Significance of the Templar Battle Flag

The Baucent -The Templar Battle Flag

The term baucent (also spelt, bausent, bauceant, baussant, beausseant, beauséant, and others) originally referred to a piebald horse in Old French.

Over time, the name became associated with the French phrase bien-séant, meaning "decorous" or "appropriate."

The term was also used as a battle cry by the Templars, with the phrase À moi, beau sire ! Beauséant à la rescousse ! (French for "To me, good sir! Beauséant to the rescue!") being commonly shouted during combat.

According to the statutes of the order, each squadron (eschielle) had its own banner. During battle, the banner-bearer was required to avoid engaging directly with the enemy, and a group of five to ten brothers was assigned to protect the banner. If any brother became separated from his banner, he was obligated to make his way to the nearest Christian banner on the battlefield.

No brother was allowed to leave the battlefield as long as any of the order’s banners remained standing, under penalty of expulsion. If all of the Templars' banners were lost, the knights were expected to rally around the nearest Hospitaller banner or any other Christian banner still flying. Only once the last Christian banner had fallen were they permitted to focus on saving themselves.