FLAGS

     The history of the Spanish flag

The history of the Spanish flag dates back to the reign of Carlos III. The king raised the need to create a national insignia that would stand out well on the seas. Until then the Spanish flag was white. and on it was placed the shield of the Bourbons.

For this reason, Carlos III commissioned his Minister of the Navy, Antonio Valdés and Fernández Bazán, to create a new flag for naval use. Valdés called a design contest and chose the twelve sketches that he liked the most. Later, they were presented to Carlos III to select the final design. And here, in 1785, the history of the Spanish flag begins.

King Carlos III chose two designs; one for the navy and one for the merchant. In both he chose red and yellow because they were two colors that could be perfectly distinguished in the sea. The first was based on two red stripes and one yellow, as we know the Spanish flag today. The second, by three yellow stripes and two red ones.

To finish the history of the Spanish flag and find it as we know it today, we have to wait until 1981. In that year it was decided to keep the colors of the stripes and a shield similar to that of the Second Republic was chosen, but with a crown instead of castle at the top, adding the emblem of the Bourbons in the center.

The Spanish Constitution establishes in its article 4.1 that "the Flag of Spain is made up of three horizontal stripes, red, yellow and red, the yellow being twice as wide as each of the red ones."

Did you know the history of the Spanish flag? What do you think? Let us know in the comments!