This item is an accessory for a toy minifigure, consisting of a historical military flag mounted on a small black flagpole with a base.
As you correctly noted, the original design of the flag is obscured by a watermark. However, based on the Chinese filename, “海陆军旗” (Hǎi lùjūn qí), which translates to “Marines” or “Naval Infantry Flag,” and the visible design, this accessory represents the Cross of Burgundy (Cruz de Borgoña). This was one of the most important military and naval flags of the Spanish Empire.
This banner was used by the Spanish military from the 16th century through the early 18th century and is most famously associated with the legendary Tercios—the professional infantry units that dominated the battlefields of Europe. As the filename suggests, these soldiers fought on both land and sea (“海陆军,” sea and land army), establishing and defending Spain’s global empire.
The full, unobscured design of this historical flag is:
- A ragged saltire, or diagonal cross, which is meant to look like two roughly-pruned tree branches tied together.
- This toy version places the golden cross on a blue field. While the most common historical version was on a white field, different colored backgrounds were used to distinguish various regiments.
The flag piece itself is a small, printed plastic tile. This accessory is perfect for historical dioramas of the Age of Exploration, the Thirty Years’ War, or for minifigures representing the Spanish Tercios.
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