Star and Crescent - Middle Ages

Middle Ages

The use of the crescent symbol on Muslim flags is first seen by Europe during the Crusades. Flags showing crescents appear in depictions of flags from the 14th century, in the Libro de Conoscimiento and the Catalan Atlas.

In these early examples, the crescent mostly pointed upward. 14th-century Muslim flags with an upward-pointing crescent in a monocolour field included the flags of Gabes, Tlemcen (Tilimsi), Damas and Lucania, Cairo, Mahdia, Tunis and Buda. Evidence of crescent use is also found in the 14th century blue ensign of Nubia/Dongola and yellow ensign of Mamluks of Egypt. Flags with crescents facing the fly are attested from the 17th century.

Before the 14th century, the star next to the crescent does not seem to have been associated with Islam, and appears in Christian iconography.