The
Aristasian Solar Imperial Standard The
Aristasian Solar Imperial Standard Without giving too many secrets away, I think I can mention
the decision of certain officials in aethyric territories connected to Aristasia
Pura to recognise Tellurian and Virtual-Tellurian Aristasian groupings as quasi-colonies
(Allied and Adopted Territories giving Allegiance to the Imperial Crown, to
use the official term) of the Motherland and to support their expansion.
The Solar Standard, being the Imperial Flag flown by non-mainland territories,
thus becomes out natural primary Flag, and we are entitled to fly it by Imperial
Edict, rather than just "borrowing" it as we did the Fora.
Lady Aquila
There has been some confusion over the relationship between the Flag of the Empress and the Imperial Standard shown to the left of this text.
Both are taken to be the Flag of the Empire, but in practice the Imperial Flag is flown more commonly within the Westrenne Empire and the Imperial Standard is flown wherever Westrennes have carried the Light of Empire to other lands, whether these be islands beyond the sea or other planets or planes of being.
This distinction of usage is by no means universal. The Imperial Standard is certainly seen within the Westrenne mainland, and the Empress's flag is used overseas and over-aethyr. Sometimes both are seen together, and on Imperial State occasions they almost always are, together with the National flags of the Imperial Nations represented at the occasion, or all the National flags.
While the Empress's Flag is taken to represent the extension of the Solar-Imperial principle over all the empire (the Empire on one level being represented by the circle of the Fora), the Imperial Standard throws a greater emphasis on the universality of the Principle, and its expansion in all possible directions without boundaries. One interpretation of its symbolism (though a minor one) would take the solar disc at the centre to represent the mainland Empire and the eight rays to represent its expansion throughout the universe.
For this reason, it is considered that the Imperial Standard may be more appropriate to the Aristasian quasi-colony in Telluria than the Empress's Flag. Aristasia-in-Telluria is an attempt to establish a small bridgehead of the Empire upon a wholly different plane of being and among a schizomorphic people. We are therefore among the furthest-flung possible outposts of the Empire, and while the holy Fora shall always be recognised among us, the great Solar Standard should be considered our first and most public emblem.
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The origin of the Imperial Standard lies in the ancient flag of Caire, the Eastern empire from which the modern Western Empire is descended. This flag was a stylised sunburst in red (gules) upon gold (or). It represented, of course, the Solar nature of the Empress and of the Empire. The rays of the sun extend in the eight directions of space. Now the directions of space can be represented by a simple cross, as four, or by a six-spoked wheel as six (the for cardinal directions plus up and down), or as eight. The eight-spoked wheel is particularly associated with Sai Thamë, and therefore with the Golden Order, harmony, authority and rule, which concepts, as we have explained elsewhere, are closely related in Aristasian thought.This symbolism is clearly present in both the ancient and the modern flags.
The colours of the ancient Imperial Flag, red and gold, represent the heat and light of the sun respectively and also (which is closely related) the union of the Haiela, the priestly and intellectual estate with the Raihira, the noble, royal, and when necessary Vikhelic (martial) estate. Also, at a profounder level, the heat and light of the sun represent love and intellect respectively — the two paths to Divine realisation.
The Cairen Empire came to the fore during the ancient wars with the Outlander. Most previous forms of government had been more purely spiritual in nature, with the Raihira function being entirely subordinate. The Raihira function, of course remained subordinate (the revolt of the Raihira against the Haiela, which has been the cause of much of the degeneration of Telluria did not take place explicitly in Aristasia), though the increasing prominence of the Raihira function was a necessary part of the more materialised or consolidated nature of the later ages — and while the Cairen Empire is ancient to modern Aristasians, having come about more than 3,000 years ago, it still came about late in the Historical Cycle.
The Priestess-Queen, or Priestly-Empress had long been the ruler of most nations, but in Cairen times her Queenly function became at least as important as her priestly function. This change had in fact been taking place for some time, but the wars and the rise of Caire accelerated it considerably. At certain points there were two Queens or Empresses — the Golden Empress who reigned at home and carried out primarily spiritual functions and the Red Empress who went to war. Later, in some cases, the Red (or Blue) Princess became the secular ruler in peacetime, while the Golden (or White) Princess became the Spiritual ruler; but here we approach the time when many forms of government existed in the East and in the developing West, each claiming to be the true heir of the one True Empire.
However, whether the functions represented by the Golden Empress and the Red Empress were in fact performed by two separate anointed Rayins or were performed by the same person, their union is represented in the colours of the ancient Imperial Flag, which is still used — when Amazonia is regarded as a single nation — as the flag of Aristasia, as well (sometimes with variations) as that of various Estrenne states.
The modern Imperial Standard is clearly derived from the ancient one; the main difference being the substitution of a blue (azure) ground for the gold (or) one, though the device is still surrounded by its own gold ground (which, incidentally, is necessary in order to preserve the heraldic rule that a tincture may not be imposed on a tincture or a metal on a metal). This increases the element of Thamë in the Standard (blue being the colour of Sai Thamë) at the expense of the purely Spiritual element of Sai Raya, indicating an increasingly earthly orientation.
As has been explained in the essay on the Empress's Flag, another symbolism of the three primary colours, Yellow (or Gold), Red and Blue associates them with the three Gunas, Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas respectively. Thus the Westrenne Flag, which belongs to the latter part of the Age of Iron, acknowledges the admixture of the downward tendency of Tamas with the upward and outward tendencies of Sattwa and Rajas.
Yet, while the Imperial standard recognises the greater "consolidation" or "earthliness" of these latter days, it remains primarily and fundamentally a Solar symbol; an insignia of the holy Light that penetrates all darkness and sheds its radiance wherever it falls; a symbol of the far-radiating power of the great Mother-Sun, which spreads wider still and wider, enlightening worlds fallen into darkness.
As such it is the purest and most perfect emblem of Aristasia-in-Telluria and of her continued connexion with and obedience to the great Mother-Empire.
Rayati Raihiranya!
See also:
