# Esquarre (heraldry)

Esquarre (Fr., alternately escarre, esquierre; as Anglo-Norman alternately esquarie, esquire, esquierre, esquerre) is a name for both a heraldic ordinary and a set of related mobile charges. As an ordinary, the Esquarre is defined as a charge that borders a quarter (Fr. franc quartier, or a singular quarter as charge) on its two interior edges abutting the field. The Esquarre isolates the quarter from the rest of the field. De Galway suggested that the Esquarre is employed when both quarter and field are the same tincture. The shape of the ordinary is likened to a carpenter's square, a tool formed of two arms joined perpendicularly. When the two arms are of unequal length, the term potence (Fr.) is also used, a term likening the form of this variant to a joined post and crossbeam, or gallows/scaffold.

## Esquarre as mobile charge

The source of the term, a builders square, informs its use when referring to a mobile charge. The term is an archaic form of the modern French équerre—the ‘square’ as implement used to measure or set right angles. These are the tools employed by masons and carpenters, woodworkers, architects and engineers, surveyors, students, etc. They take the form of either (voided) triangles or two arms joined perpendicularly. As a mobile charge, esquarre refers frequently to the figurative representations of these tools, as well as abstract versions (see #Gallery). Another term favored by some authors for the Esquarre is the gama grec (Fr.), from the Greek letter gamma. This gives rise to another heraldic use: gama grec is applied to figurative representations of these implements, and in turn escarre is used to denote representations of the Greek letter gamma.

## Gallery
### Coats of arms and emblems
#### As ordinary

* Arms of Hanéfy of Flandres

#### As mobile charge
##### Figurative

* Masonic Square and Compass

### On flags
#### As Ordinary

Many contemporary flags approximate the classical or strict definition of the Ordinary, using a 'fillet esquarre' to border cantons and quarters, separating them from other charges as well as the field.
* Flag of the former Soviet Union (second, 1923–1924)
* Flag of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (1918–1925)
* Flag of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic (1919–1929)
* Flag of the Turkestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1918-1924)
* Civil Ensign of Saudi Arabia (hoist is at right)
* Former flag of the Canadian Army (1968–1998)
* Ensign of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
* Flag of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands
* Civil Ensign of Ghana
* Civil Ensign of Malaysia
* Flag of the Namibian Police Force
* Air Force Ensign of South Africa (1994–2003)
* Former flag of the State of Mississippi, USA (1894–2020, various hues)
* Naval Ensign of the former SFR Yugoslavia (1949–1993)
* Former flag of Juneau, Alaska (until 1970)
* Flag of Hœdic, Brittany, France
* Naval Ensign of South Africa (1959–1981)
* Flag of the State Council of Heraldry, Georgia
* Flag of the Société française de vexillologie
* Idrottsföreningen Kamraterna Flag (Sweden)
* Flag of Portland, Oregon
* Flag of Lyle, Minnesota, USA
* Flag of the Yucatec Maya people

#### As Mobile Charge
##### Abstract

* Flag of Lelystad, Flevoland, Netherlands

##### Figurative

* Banner of the Bucharest Cooperative Society, 1882
* Flag of a Transylvanian Masons' Guild, 1852
* Masonic Flag, France
* Flag of Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A. (upper right quadrant of emblem)

##### As letter

* Flag of the Silver Legion of America
See also the Flag of Lelystad, Flevoland, Netherlands (above)

#### Charges in esquarre

* Naval Ensign of Bolivia