Does anyone know where flags originated from? I can understand the Stars & Stripes, Union Jack (ish) but like say with France, did a bunch of guys sit around a table thinking three bars would look nice in sya red, white & blue ( no offence to the Frenchies here) just curious.
Most European countries have killed off their royalty to a greater or lesser extent, so they have revolutionist flags (total generalisation here)
The French flag (red, white & blue also, an I think maybe not a coincidence) was created by the revolutionists, and aparently represents "liberty, fraternity and..." another ...ity that I've forgotten already.
The Belgian flag represents death (black) blood (red) and no one can tell me what the yellow is for - maybe jaundice after drinking too much?
Russan is, as a guess, the red blood of the workers with the scicle & hammer symbolising the agriculture & industry that is the backbone of the country.
I get he feeling that others will have a similar theme, or will represent the colours of the royal household or of patron saints.
But as for the revolutionist flags, yes they were invented by some guys sitting around in a smokey basement plotting political upheavel, but they will have had very similar logic and reason behind their choices as went into the stars & stripes.
Why am I telling you this? you've got the internet man, use it 😉
Originally posted by belgianfreakStrangely enough, "Flag History" was one of the easiest searches i think i`ve ever done. To the most part you`re right. 🙂
Most European countries have killed off their royalty to a greater or lesser extent, so they have revolutionist flags (total generalisation here)
The French flag (red, white & blue also, an I think maybe not a coincidence) was created by the revolutionists, and aparently represents "liberty, fraternity and..." another ...ity that I've forgotten al ...[text shortened]... to the stars & stripes.
Why am I telling you this? you've got the internet man, use it 😉
Originally posted by belgianfreakYou are behind the times if you think the Russian flag is red with a hammer and sickle! That was the Soviet flag.
Most European countries have killed off their royalty to a greater or lesser extent, so they have revolutionist flags (total generalisation here)
The French flag (red, white & blue also, an I think maybe not a coincidence) was created by the revolutionists, and aparently represents "liberty, fraternity and..." another ...ity that I've forgotten al ...[text shortened]... to the stars & stripes.
Why am I telling you this? you've got the internet man, use it 😉
Anyhow, you're right about the French.
I think the Union Jack originated as a naval flag as ships needed to be able to identify each other. Before that I guess kings and cheiftains had the same requirements when on the battlefield so each leader had a flag which often represented that country as well.
Oh and it's 'equality': liberte, egalite et fraternite.
Originally posted by Vargplace the english, irish and scottish flags ontop of eachother to get the union jack! 😉
You are behind the times if you think the Russian flag is red with a hammer and sickle! That was the Soviet flag.
Anyhow, you're right about the French.
I think the Union Jack originated as a naval flag as ships needed to be able to identify each other. Before that I guess kings and cheiftains had the same requirements when on the battlefield so each leade ...[text shortened]... represented that country as well.
Oh and it's 'equality': liberte, egalite et fraternite.
the scottish flag was some cloud formation in the sky that a pictish king saw before a battle. he claimed that if they won, that's be their flag...he won...
the N.irish flag represents the peace between catholics and protestants/replulicans and nationalists (kinda ironic when you see celtic fans waving it an swearing at rangers fan, innit?)
and the hungarian flag is something about the sky, water and land...i think...😛
Originally posted by belgianfreakWhere did you hear that the Belgian flag represents death and blood?That isn't true.The flag is based upon the 'weaponshield'(don't know how it's called in english) from a noble family in Brabant.They had a golden lion with red claws and teeth on a black background.In Belgium it is custom that flags based upon some kind of logo,have the background color at the post.So the flag is,starting at the flagpost,black(the background),yellow(the lion) and red(the claws and teeth).
Most European countries have killed off their royalty to a greater or lesser extent, so they have revolutionist flags (total generalisation here)
The French flag (red, white & blue also, an I think maybe not a coincidence) was created by the revolutionists, and aparently represents "liberty, fraternity and..." another ...ity that I've forgotten al ...[text shortened]... to the stars & stripes.
Why am I telling you this? you've got the internet man, use it 😉
And that is the true story of the Belgian flag. 🙂