Spain is a unique country located in Southwestern Europe, it has an extremely large and long history throughout the centuries, like every country it has a flag, in this blog post you will learn more about the flag of Spain and its history.

Let's get started: The flag of Spain has more than 175 years of history and is one of the country's most recognizable and representative national symbols. Certainly on October 12, the celebration of the national holiday or the Day of Spanish Heritage, it will be the main character, as it is waved in the streets on the occasion of various events, especially the military parade presided over by King Felipe VI, as supreme commander of the armed forces.




But what is the origin of the current flag of Spain? This went from a naval ensign to a commercial ensign to later represent the entire country and all the institutions of the state. It all started during the reign of Charles III (1759 - 1788) when the monarch wanted to make a flag visible in sea battles, so he ordered his Minister of the Navy, Antonio Valdes and Fernandez Bazan, to draw up the best sketches.

This year marks 181 years since the first recognition of the Spanish flag with the royal decree of 1843 signed by Isabella II. This regulation transformed the bicolor flag of Spain with a shield in the center into what we know today as the Spanish flag. Although it has been with us for 180 years, many do not know its history. In fact, according to a survey by Project 1785, 55% of Spaniards do not know the origin of Spain's flag.

The history of the Spanish flag is connected with the reign of Charles III. The king raised the need to create a national sign that would stand out well in the seas. Until then, the Spanish flag was white, with the Bourbon coat of arms.

The problem was that other kingdoms of the same era, such as Parma, Naples, France, Tuscany, or Sicily, in addition to Great Britain, also used a white background. This made it almost impossible to distinguish allied ships from enemy ships from a distance, for which reason Charles III commissioned his Minister of the Navy, Antonio Valdés y Fernández Bazan, to create a new flag for naval use. Valdes calls a design contest and chooses the twelve sketches he likes best. He then presented them to Charles III to choose the final design. And here, in 1785, the history of the Spanish flag began.

Here is the flag itself on a white background, which are quite confused with the other flags of England, France...:



The color red was chosen because it was a must-have color at the time, because it is a very easy paint to make; while the yellow color is chosen for sea visibility. Likewise, the horizontal stripes are made to be seen at a glance while floating. Currently, the colors of the flag have several possible meanings. Some say that the red represents the blood spilled by the Spanish to defend their nation, and the yellow represents the gold and wealth of the empire. Others attribute different meanings such as courage, generosity, fire, or sunlight.


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

Here is the flag already changed from Charles III:


The current shield

This design was not imposed as the national flag until the reign of Isabel II in 1843 (Isabella's ascension to the Spanish throne was made possible after her father succeeded in persuading the Cortes to repeal the Salic Law that had been introduced in Spain by the Bourbons in the 18th century and to restore the force of the older Spanish law which permitted the crown to be inherited by women.). and in the following decades, it has undergone several modifications depending on the political and dynastic changes: from the First and Second Republics, through the dictatorship of Franco or a transition to democracy that culminates to this day with the reign of Felipe VI. The current shield is composed of four quarters with the symbols of the ancient peninsular kingdoms: Castile (castle), León (expanded lion), Aragon (four lines), and Navarre (chains).

In the center is a coat of arms with the coat of arms of the House of Bourbon (three lilies). At the bottom is a pomegranate that represents the kingdom of Granada. And at the top, there is a royal crown, which symbolizes the constitutional monarchy. Felipe VI restored the purple color for the lion, the original design.

Not all flags in the world have names, so the Spanish one has another feature to add to its history. This proper name, rojigualda, is a word formed from the union of roja and guard, which is the color yellow. This name became popular in the 19th century when the flag began to be used as a national symbol.