The bicorne or bicorn (two-cornered) is an archaic form of hat associated with the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Much worn by European and American military and naval officers, it is most readily associated with Napoléon Bonaparte. The Americas are the lands of the Western hemisphere or New World, consisting of the Continents of North America and South America An army (from Latin Armata "act of arming" via Old French armée) in the broadest sense is the land-based Armed forces Napoleon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821 was a French military and political leader who had a significant impact on the History of Europe. In practice most generals and staff officers of the Napoleonic period wore bicornes, and it survived as a widely worn full-dress headdress until at least 1914.
Descended from the tricorne, the black-coloured bicorne originally had a rather broad brim, with the front and the rear halves turned up and pinned together, forming a semi-circular fan shape; there was usually a cockade in the national colours at the front. The tricorne (also tricorn, tri-cornered hat or three-cornered hat) is a style of Hat that was popular during the late 17th century A cockade is a knot of ribbons or other circular- or oval-shaped symbol of distinctive colors which is usually worn on a Hat. Later, the hat became more triangular in shape, its two ends became more pointed, and it was worn with the cockade at the right side. This kind of bicorne eventually became known in the English language as the cocked hat, although to this day it is still known in the French language as the bicorne. The cocked hat is a style of formal Headgear, or Hat, worn by certain civilian military and naval officials from the mid- 19th Century
Some forms of bicorne were designed to be folded flat, so that they could be conveniently tucked under the arm when not being worn. A bicorne of this style is also known as a chapeau-bras or chapeau-de-bras. " Chapeau " is a French term signifying a Hat or other covering for the head
The bicorne was widely worn until World War I as part of the full dress of officers of most of the world's navies. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All It survived to a more limited extent between the wars for wear by senior naval officers but has now almost disappeared in this context.
In addition to its military/naval uses, the bicorne was widely worn during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries by civilian officials in European monarchies and Japan, when required to wear uniforms on formal occasions. This practice generally ceased after World War I but British colonial governors in temperate climates and governors general in some countries of the Commonwealth (notably Australia, Canada and New Zealand) continued to wear bicornes with ceremonial dress until the second half of the twentieth century.
Current use
On formal occasions such as a prorogation speech, the Lord Chancellor of the United Kingdom wears a tricorne hat, but the other Lords Commissioners wear bicorne hats. A parliamentary session is a period of time where the Legislature in a Parliamentary government is sitting The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor is a senior and important functionary in the Government of the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The tricorne (also tricorn, tri-cornered hat or three-cornered hat) is a style of Hat that was popular during the late 17th century The Lords Commissioners are Privy Counsellors appointed by the Monarch of the United Kingdom to exercise on his or her behalf certain functions relating to
Members of the Académie française wear the habit vert (green habit) at the Académie's ceremonies. L'Académie française, or the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The habit includes a black jacket and a bicorne in the cocked-hat style, each embroidered in green.
Students at the Ecole Polytechnique wear a bicorne as part of their Grand Uniforme (GU). For other Écoles Polytechniques see École Polytechnique de Montréal and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne. Female students used to wear a tricorne hat but now also wear a bicorne. The tricorne (also tricorn, tri-cornered hat or three-cornered hat) is a style of Hat that was popular during the late 17th century
The uniform of the horsemen of the Spanish Riding School of Vienna includes a bicorne. The Spanish Riding School ( de: Spanische Hofreitschule, the "Spanish Court Riding-School" of Vienna, Austria, is a traditional riding
Diplomatic uniforms worn on such occasions as the presentation of credentials by ambassadors normally included bicornes worn with feathers and gold or silver braiding. An ambassador is the highest ranking Diplomat who represents their country Until World War II such uniforms were worn by even junior embassy staff but now survive only for ambassadors in a few long-established diplomatic services such as those of Britain, France, Belgium (see photo taken in 1994 of Ambassador Beyens with the Pope at http://www.klm-mra.be/klm-new/frans/pdf/vizier27/Cibles_27.pdf) and Spain. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Diplomatic service is the body of Diplomats and Foreign policy officers maintained by the Government of a Country to communicate with the governments
At the annual Trooping the Colour in London, British generals taking part in the ceremony wear the scarlet-and-blue full dress of their rank, which includes a bicorne. Trooping the Colour is a military ceremony performed by Regiments of the Commonwealth and the British Army. Certain officers of the Brigade of Guards who hold administrative positions such as that of quartermaster wear bicornes (described as cocked hats) in full dress instead of the usual bearskin. The Brigade of Guards (sometimes and less formally known as the Guards Brigade) is a historical elite unit of the British Army, which has existed sporadically since The cocked hat is a style of formal Headgear, or Hat, worn by certain civilian military and naval officials from the mid- 19th Century
See also
- List of hats and headgear
- Chapeau
- Tricorne
- Cocked hat
- 1813 cartoon showing men with collapsible bicornes tucked under their arms
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