Cockade

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Rosette or knot of ribbon used as an ornament

title: "Cockade" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["cockades", "hats", "ceremonial-clothing", "symbols"] description: "Rosette or knot of ribbon used as an ornament" topic_path: "general/cockades" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockade" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Rosette or knot of ribbon used as an ornament ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/70/Grottger-pozegnanie_fragm.jpg" caption="red-and-white]] cockade to a Polish insurgent's square-shaped ''[[rogatywka]]'' cap during the [[January Uprising]] of 1863–64"] ::

A cockade is a knot of ribbons, or other circular- or oval-shaped symbol of distinctive colours which is usually worn on a hat or cap. The word cockade derives from the French cocarde, from Old French coquarde, feminine of coquard (vain, arrogant), from coc (cock), of imitative origin. The earliest documented use was in 1709.

The first cockades were introduced in Europe in the 15th century. The armies of the European states used them to signal the nationality of their soldiers to distinguish allies from enemies. These first cockades were inspired by the distinctive coloured bands and ribbons that were used in the Late Middle Ages by knights, both in war and in tournaments, which had the same purpose, namely to distinguish the opponent from the fellow soldier.

The cockade later became a revolutionary symbol par excellence during the insurrectional uprisings of the 18th and 19th centuries. Its main characteristic was that of being able to be clearly visible, thus giving way to unequivocally identify the political ideas of the person who wore it, as well as that of being, in case of need, better hideable than, for example, a flag.

18th century

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/13/Coccarda_FRANCIA.svg" caption="The [[cockade of France]], which originated and spread among the revolts of the [[French Revolution"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Coccarda_ITALIA.svg" caption="The [[cockade of Italy]], on which the [[national colours of Italy]] were based in 1789"] ::

In the 18th and 19th centuries, coloured cockades were used in Europe to show the allegiance of their wearers to some political faction, or to show their rank or to indicate a servant's livery. Because individual armies might wear a variety of differing regimental uniforms, cockades were used as an effective and economical means of national identification.

A cockade was pinned on the side of a man's tricorne or cocked hat, or on his lapel. Women could also wear it on their hat or in their hair.

In pre-revolutionary France, the cockade of the Bourbon dynasty was all white. In the Kingdom of Great Britain supporters of a Jacobite restoration wore white cockades, while the recently established Hanoverian monarchy used a black cockade. The Hanoverians also accorded the right to all German nobility to wear the black cockade in the United Kingdom.

During the 1780 Gordon Riots in London, the blue cockade became a symbol of anti-government feelings and was worn by most of the rioters.

During the American Revolution, the Continental Army initially wore cockades of various colors as an ad hoc form of rank insignia, as General George Washington wrote:

Before long however, the Continental Army reverted to wearing the black cockade they inherited from the British. Later, when France became an ally of the United States, the Continental Army pinned the white cockade of the French Ancien Régime onto their old black cockade; the French reciprocally pinned the black cockade onto their white cockade, as a mark of the French-American alliance. The black-and-white cockade thus became known as the "Union Cockade".

In the Storming of the Bastille, Camille Desmoulins initially encouraged the revolutionary crowd to wear green. This colour was later rejected as it was associated with the Count of Artois. Instead, revolutionaries would wear cockades with the traditional colours of the arms of Paris: red and blue. Later, the Bourbon white was added to this cockade, thus producing the original cockade of France. Later, distinctive colours and styles of cockade would indicate the wearer's faction; although the meanings of the various styles were not entirely consistent, and they varied somewhat by region and period.

The cockade of Italy is one of the national symbols of the country and is composed of the three colours of the Italian flag with the green in the centre, the white immediately outside and the red on the edge. The cockade, a revolutionary symbol, was the protagonist of the uprisings that characterized the Italian unification, being pinned on the jacket or on the hats in its tricolour form by many of the patriots of this period of Italian history. The Italian tricolour cockade appeared for the first time in Genoa on 21 August 1789, and with it the colours of the three Italian national colours. Seven years later, the first tricolour military banner was adopted by the Lombard Legion in Milan on 11 October 1796, and eight years later, the birth of the flag of Italy had its origins on 7 January 1797, when it became for the first time a national flag of an Italian sovereign State, the Cispadane Republic.

European military

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Dom_João,_Príncipe_Regente,passando_revista_às_tropas_na_Azambuja-_Domingos_Sequeira,1803(cropped1).png" caption="[[John VI of Portugal]] wearing the blue-and-red cockade of Portugal on a military cocked hat"] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Kokarde_Schwarz-Weiß-Rot_1897.jpg" caption="A metal cockade on the swivel of a [[Pickelhaube]] helmet."] ::

From the 15th century, various European monarchy realms used cockades to denote the nationalities of their militaries. Their origin reverts to the distinctive colored band or ribbon worn by late medieval armies or jousting knights on their arms or headgear to distinguish friend from foe in the field of battle. Ribbon-style cockades were worn later upon helmets and brimmed hats or tricornes and bicornes just as the French did, and also on cocked hats and shakoes. Coloured metal cockades were worn at the right side of helmets; while small button-type cockades were worn at the front of kepis and peaked caps. In addition to the significance of these symbols in denoting loyalty to a particular monarch, the coloured cockade served to provide a common and economical field sign at a time when the colours of uniform coats might vary widely between regiments in a single army.

During the Napoleonic Wars, the armies of France and Russia, had the imperial French cockade or the larger cockade of St. George pinned on the front of their shakos.

The Second German Empire (1870–1918) used two cockades on each army headgear: one (black-white-red) for the empire; the other for one of the monarchies the empire was composed of, which had used their own colors long before. The only exceptions were the Kingdoms of Bavaria and Württemberg, having preserved the right to keep their own armed forces which were not integrated in the Imperial Army. Their only cockades were either white-blue-white (Bavaria) or black-red-black (Württemberg).

The Weimar Republic (1919–1933) removed these, as they might promote separatism which would lead to the dissolution of the German nation-state into regional countries again. When the Nazis came to power, they rejected the democratic German colours of black-red-gold used by the Weimar Republic. Nazis reintroduced the imperial colours (in German: die kaiserlichen Farben or Reichsfarben) of black on the outside, white next, and a red center. The Nazi government used black-white-red on all army caps. These colours represented the biggest and the smallest countries of the Reich: large Prussia (black and white) and the tiny Hanseatic League city states of Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck (white and red).

France began the first Air Service in 1909 and soon picked the traditional French cockade as the first national emblem, now usually termed a roundel, on military aircraft. During World War I, other countries adopted national cockades and used these coloured emblems as roundels on their military aircraft. These designs often bear an additional central device or emblem to further identify national aircraft, those from the French navy bearing a black anchor within the French cockade.

Hungarian revolutionaries wore cockades during the Hungarian revolution of 1848 and during the 1956 revolution. Because of this, Hungarians traditionally wear cockades on 15 March.

Confederate States

Echoing their use when Americans rebelled against Britain, cockades – usually made with blue ribbons and worn on clothing or hats – were widespread tokens of Southern support for secession preceding the American Civil War of 1861–1865.

List of national cockades

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Кокарда-лоцманов-Финляндии.png" caption="Russia]], 1913."] ::

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/2june2006_274.jpg" caption="[[Carabinieri]] in full uniform at the [[military parade]] of the ''[[Festa della Repubblica]]'' of 2 June 2006. On their hat, under the coat of arms, is the [[cockade of Italy]]."] ::

Below is a list of national cockades (colors listed from center to ring):

::data[format=table title=""] | Country and date | Description | Image | |---|---|---| | Albania | red-black-red | [[File:National Cockade of Albania.svg|30px]] | | Antigua and Barbuda | black-gold-blue-white-red | [[File:National cockade of Antigua and Barbuda.svg|frameless|30x30px]] | | Argentina | sky blue-white-sky blue | [[File:National Cockade of Argentina.svg|30px]] | | Armenia | orange-blue-red | [[File:National Cockade of Armenia.svg|30px]] | | Austrian Empire before 1918 | black-gold | [[File:National Cockade of Austria (until 1918).svg|30px]] | | Austria since 1918 | red-white-red | [[File:National Cockade of Austria.svg|30px]] | | Azerbaijan | green-red-light blue | [[File:National Cockade of Azerbaijan.svg|30px]] | | Bangladesh | gold-red-green | [[File: Cockade of Bangladesh.png|30px]] | | Belgium | black-yellow-red | [[File:National Cockade of Belgium.svg|30px]] | | [[File:State flag of Bolivia (1825-1826).svg|22px]] Bolivia (1825–1826) | green-red-green (with a white 5 pointed star in the center) | [[File:National Cockade of Bolivia (1825-1826).svg|30px]] | | [[File:Flag of Alto Peru (1828-1829).svg|22px]] Bolivia (1826–1851) | green-red-yellow | [[File:National Cockade of Bolivia (1826-1851).svg|30px]] | | Bolivia | green-yellow-red | [[File:National Cockade of Bolivia.svg|30px]] | | Brazil | blue-yellow-green | [[File:National Cockade of Brazil.svg|30px]] | | Bulgaria | red-green-white | [[File:National Cockade of Bulgaria.svg|30px]] | | Chile | blue-white-red (with a white 5 pointed star in the blue portion) | [[File:National Cockade of Chile.svg|30px]] | | Colombia | yellow-blue-red | [[File:National Cockade of Colombia.svg|30px]] | | Croatia | red-white-blue | [[File:National Cockade of Croatia.svg|30px]] | | Denmark (early 19th century) | black | | | Denmark | red-white-red | [[File:National Cockade of Denmark.svg|30px]] | | Ecuador | red-blue-yellow | [[File:National Cockade of Ecuador.svg|30px]] | | Egypt (1922–1953) | green-white-green | [[File:National Cockade of Egypt (1922-1953).svg|30px]] | | Egypt | black-white-red | [[File:National Cockade of Egypt.svg|30px]] | | Estonia | white-black-blue | [[File:National Cockade of Estonia.svg|30px]] | | Ethiopia (until 1936) | green-yellow-red | [[File:National Cockade of Ethiopia (until 1936).svg|30px]] | | Ethiopia | red-yellow-green | [[File:National Cockade of Ethiopia.svg|30px]] | | Finland | white-blue-white | [[File:National Cockade of Finland.svg|30px]] | | France (1794–1814, 1815 and current since 1830) | blue-white-red | [[File:National Cockade of France.svg|30px]] | | France (before 1794, 1814–1815 and 1815–1830) | white | | | Gabon | green-yellow-light blue | [[File:National Cockade of Gabon.svg|30px]] | | Georgia (1990–2004) | black-white-wine red | [[File:National Cockade of Georgia (until 2004).svg|30px]] | | German Confederation (1848–1871) | gold-red-black | | | German Empire (1871–1918) Weimar Germany (1918–1933) Nazi Germany (1933–1945) | red-white-black | [[File:National Cockade of Germany (1871-1945).svg|30px]] | | East Germany (1956–1959) | black-red-gold | [[File:National Cockade of Germany.svg|30px]] | | Germany | black-red-gold | [[File:National Cockade of Germany.svg|30px]] | | Ghana | green-yellow-red | [[File:National Cockade of Ghana.svg|30px]] | | Greece (1822) | white-blue-white | [[File:National Emblem of Greece (1822).svg|30px]] | | Greece (1833) | blue-white | [[File:Cockade of Greece (1833).svg|30px]] | | Greece | blue-white | [[File:National Cockade of Greece.svg|30px]] | | Hungary | green-white-red | [[File:Hungary cockade.svg|30px]] | | Iceland | blue-white-red-white-blue | [[File:National Cockade of Iceland.svg|30px]] | | India | green-white-saffron | [[File:National Cockade of India.svg|30px]] | | Iran | red-white-green | [[File:National Cockade of Iran.svg|30px]] | | Ireland (until 1922) | green or sky blue | [[File:National Cockade of Ireland (until 1922).svg|30px]] | | Ireland (since 1922) | green-white-orange | [[File:National Cockade of Ireland.svg|30px]] | | Italy (1861–1948) | savoy blue | [[File:Italy 2 Cockade Blu Savoia.svg|30px]] | | Italy (since 1948) | green-white-red | [[File:National Cockade of Italy and Hungary.svg|30px]] | | Japan | red-white | [[File:National Cockade of Japan.svg|30px]] | | Kenya | green-white-red-white-black | [[File:National Cockade of Kenya.svg|30px]] | | Latvia | carmine-white-carmine | [[File:National Cockade of Latvia.svg|30px]] | | Lithuania | red-green-yellow | [[File:National Cockade of Lithuania.svg|30px]] | | Mexico | green-white-red | [[File:National Cockade of Mexico.svg|30px]] | | Monaco | white-red-white | [[File:National Cockade of Monaco.svg|30px]] | | Moravia | red-white-blue | [[File:Cockade of Moravia, the historical land of the Czech Republic, red-white-blue.svg|30px]] | | Netherlands | orange | [[File:National Cockade of the Netherlands.svg|30px]] | | Nigeria | green-white-green | [[File:National Cockade of Nigeria.svg|30px]] | | Norway | red-white-blue-white | [[File:National Cockade of Norway.svg|30px]] | | Pakistan | white-green-yellow | [[File:National Cockade of Pakistan.svg|30px]] | | Paraguay | blue-white-red | [[File:National Cockade of Paraguay.svg|30px]] | | Peru Peru | red-white-red | [[File:National Cockade of Peru.svg|30px]] | | Philippines Philippines (1898–1901) | red-blue-silver | [[File:Military Cockade of the Philippines (1898-1901).svg|30px]] | | Poland | red-white | [[File:National Cockade of Poland.svg|30px]] | | Portugal Portugal (until 1797) | green-white | [[File:National_Cockade_of_Portugal_(until_1797).svg|30px]] | | Portugal Portugal (1797–1820 and 1823–1830) | blue-red | [[File:National Cockade of Portugal (1797-1820).svg|30px]] | | Portugal Portugal (1821–1823 and 1830–1910) | blue-white | [[File:National Cockade of Portugal (1820-1910).svg|30px]] | | Portugal | green-red | [[File:National Cockade of Portugal.svg|30px]] | | Romania | blue-yellow-red | [[File:National Cockade of Romania.svg|30px]] | | Russia Russia (until 1917) | black-orange-black-orange-white | [[File:National Cockade of Russia (until 1917).svg|30px]] | | Russia | black-orange-black-orange | [[File:National Cockade of Russia.svg|30px]] | | San Marino | white-blue | [[File:National Cockade of San Marino.svg|30px]] | | Serbia | red-blue-white | [[File:National Cockade of Serbia.svg|30px]] | | Seychelles Seychelles (1978–1996) | green-white-red | [[File:Seychellois cockade.svg|30px]] | | Sierra Leone | light blue-white-green | [[File:National Cockade of Sierra Leone.svg|30px]] | | Slovenia | red-blue-white | [[File:National Cockade of Slovenia.svg|30px]] | | Spain (until 1843 and 1844–1871) | red | [[File:National Cockade of Spain (1843, 1844–1871).svg|30px]] | | Spain (1843–1844 and current since 1871) | red-yellow-red | [[File:National Cockade of Spain.svg|30px]] | | Sweden (military) | yellow | [[File:National Cockade of Sweden military.svg|30px]] | | Sweden (civilian) | blue-yellow | [[File:National Cockade of Sweden.svg|30px]] | | Thailand | red-white-blue-white-red | [[File:National Cockade of Thailand.svg|30px]] | | South Africa Transvaal | green-red-white-blue | [[File:National Cockade of Transvaal.svg|30px]] | | Turkey | red-white-red | [[File:National Cockade of Turkey.svg|30px]] | | Ukraine | light blue-yellow | [[File:National Cockade of Ukraine.svg|30px]] | | United Kingdom | white (Stuart dynasty), black (Hanoverian dynasty), red-white-blue | [[File:National Cockade of the United Kingdom.svg|30px]] | | United States (War of Independence) | black-white-black | [[File:Federalist Cockade.svg|30px]] | | United States (19th century) | blue with an eagle in the centre | [[File:National Cockade of the United States (19th Century).png|30px]] | | United States | white-blue-red | [[File:National Cockade of United States.svg|30px]] | | Uruguay Uruguay (1828–1916) | sky blue | [[File:National Cockade of Uruguay (1828-1916).svg|30px]] | | Uruguay Uruguay (civilian) | blue-white-blue-white-blue-white-blue-white | [[File:National Cockade of Uruguay (civilian).svg|30px]] | | Uruguay Uruguay (military) | blue-white-blue with a red diagonal line | [[File:Military Cockade of Uruguay.svg|30px]] | | Uruguay Uruguay (police) | red-white-blue | [[File:Cocar policia uruguai.svg|30px]] | | Venezuela | red-blue-yellow | [[File:National Cockade of Venezuela.svg|30px]] | | Yugoslavia | blue-white-red | [[File:National Cockade of Yugoslavia.svg|30px]] | ::

Component states of the German Empire (1871–1918)

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/54/Tafel_XVII_Kokarden.jpg" caption="Cockades of the German Empire"] ::

The German Empire had, besides the national cockade, also cockades for several of its states, seen in the following table: ::data[format=table title=""]

StateDescription
Anhaltgreen
Badenyellow-red-yellow
Bavariawhite-sky blue-white
Brunswickblue-yellow-blue
Hanseatic cities (Bremen, Hamburg, Lübeck)white with a red cross
Hessewhite-red-white-red-white
Lippeyellow-red-yellow
Mecklenburg-Schwerin and -Strelizred-yellow-blue
Oldenburgblue-red-blue
Prussiablack-white-black
Reuss-Gera and -Greizblack-red-yellow
Saxe-Altenburg, -Coburg and Gotha and -Meiningengreen-white-green
Saxe-Weimarblack-yellow-green
Saxonywhite-green-white
Schaumburg-Lippeblue-red-white
Schwarzburg-Rudolstadtblue-white-blue
Schwarzburg-Sonderhausenwhite-blue-white
Waldeckblack-red-yellow
Württembergblack-red-black
::

References

Sources

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cockadeshatsceremonial-clothingsymbols