List of Spanish flags explained

This is a list of Spanish flags, with illustrations.

National flags

FlagDateUseDescription
1981–presentNational Flag with coat of arms, State flag, State ensign, and War ensignNational flag with coat of arms
1843–1931
1939–present
Civil ensign for use in merchant ships
1 January 1928 to present
Civil flag and ensignThe flag of Spain consists of three horizontal stripes: red, yellow and red, the yellow strip being twice as wide as each red stripe.
1939–presentNaval jackA squared flag divided into four squares representing the four Kingdoms of Spain with navies in the Middle Ages: Castile (represented by a castle, top left), Leon (represented by a heraldic lion, top right), Aragon (represented by four pallets, bottom left), and Navarre (represented by an orle of chains, bottom right)
1982–presentHigh Civil Authorities' flagA square flag of Spain with the Spanish coat of arms on the center
1977–presentYacht ensignThe flag of Spain with a blue plain Royal Crown in the center
1977–presentCustoms Service ensignThe flag of Spain with two crowned "H"

Royal standards

FlagDateUseDescription
2014–presentStandard of the King of SpainA crimson square with the Coat of arms of the King in the center.
A version of the flag with gold fringing is known as the guidon and serves as the command sign or positional flag for military use.
2015–presentStandard of the Princess of AsturiasA light blue square with the Coat of arms of the Princess in the center.
A version of the flag with gold fringing is known as the guidon and serves as the command sign or positional flag for military use.
1975/
1977–present
(Legal regulation)
[1]
Standard of King Juan CarlosA dark blue square with the Coat of arms of King Juan Carlos in the center.
A version of the flag with gold fringing is known as the guidon and serves as the command sign or positional flag for military use.

Regional flags

See main article: Flags of the autonomous communities of Spain.

FlagDateUseDescription
Flag of Andalusia (the Arbonaida)Three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white and green, there is an Andalucian coat of arms in center of the white band.
Nine equal horizontal stripes of yellow (top, double width) and red, there is an Aragon coat of arms in left the red and yellow bands, the coat of arms featured a gold crown have four green small diamonds and three red small disk, the shield means four corner, first corner means (yellow field with a red cross in upper tree), second corner means (violet field with white cross in hoist-side left corner, third corner means (red St. George and St. Andrew cross have four corners have four man heads) and fourth corner means (nine equal vertical bands of yellow (top, double width) and red).
Blue field with the Victory Cross in center, hanging from the horizontal axis on either side of the cross are an upper-case Greek letter Alpha (Α) on the left and a lower-case Omega (ω) on the right.
Flag of the Balearic IslandsNine equal horizontal stripes of yellow (top, double width), and red, and a Balearic castle in purple hoist-side upper left corner.
Flag of the Basque Country (the Ikurriña)The red ground symbolizes Biscayan people (the race); the green saltire represents the Oak of Guernica, a symbol of the old Basque laws, or Fueros; and the white cross over them as a symbol of Basque Catholic devotion.
Flag of the Canary IslandsThree equal vertical bands of white (top), blue, and yellow, there is a Canary Island coat of arms in center the blue band, the coat of arms featured the word motto "OCEANO" in silver ribbon in upper, royal crown in middle and two dogs are holding the shield in lower, the shield have seven hillocks.
Flag of CantabriaTwo horizontal stripes of equal width, white on the top and red on the bottom, and the region's coat of arms in its centre. The first field of the coat of arms represents the conquest of Seville by Cantabrian marines in 1248 (with the ship breaking the chains that blocked the way through the river Guadalquivir), while the second field honors the pre-Roman Cantabri people showing geometric ornaments typically found on Cantabrian stelae.[2]
Flag of Castilla-La Mancha
Flag of Castile and LeónTwo Lions from the Kingdom of León and two castles from Kingdom of Castille.
Flag of Catalonia (the Senyera)
Flag of Ceuta
Flag of Extremadura
Flag of Galicia
Flag of La Rioja
Flag of MadridA crimson red field representing Castille, with seven five-pointed stars in silver (placed four and three in the centre) representing the administrative areas of the region.[3]
Flag of Melilla
Flag of Murcia
Flag of NavarreAgainst a red background, the coat of arms of Navarre, which consists of a pattern of golden chains, with eight of them linked with an emerald in the center (based on the banner of the Ancient Kingdom of Navarre)
Flag of the Valencian Community (the Reial Senyera)A derivation of the traditional Senyera of the Crown of Aragon, it is composed of four red bars on a yellow background, crowned with a blue strip party per pale next to the hoist.

Provincial flags

See main article: List of provincial flags of Spain. The provinces of A Coruña, Alicante, Castellón, Valencia and Zamora do not have a flag.

Islands

Canary Islands

Historical flags

Kingdom of Castile

FlagDateUseDescription
1175-1214Royal Standard of the Kingdom of Castile
1214-1230Royal Standard of the Kingdom of Castile

Kingdom of León

FlagDateUseDescription
1105-1157Royal Flag of Alfonso VII of León and Castile
1157-1284Royal Flag of The Kingdom of León
1284-1833Royal flag of the Kingdom of León

Kingdom of Galicia

FlagDateUseDescription
circa. 1282Flag of the Kingdom of Galicia
16th centuryFlag of the Kingdom of Galicia

Granada

FlagDateUseDescription
1230-1492Flag of The Emirate of Granada
1492-1833Flag of The Kingdom of Granada

Kingdom of Majorca

FlagDateUseDescription
1269-1312Flag of the Kingdom of Majorca
1312-1715Flag of the Kingdom of Majorca

Kingdom of Murcia

FlagDateUseDescription
12661st Standard of the Kingdom of Murcia
1266-13612nd Standard of the Kingdom of Murcia
13613rd Standard of the Kingdom of Murcia
1361-1575Final Standard of the Kingdom of Murcia

Kingdom of Navarre

FlagDateUseDescription
1194-1234Royal Flag of Sancho VII of Navarre
1212-1589Royal Standard of the Kings of Navarre
1589-1841Royal Standard of the Kings of Navarre

Crown of Castile

FlagDateUseDescription
1230-1406Royal Standard of the Crown of Castile
1406-1500Royal Standard of the Crown of Castile
1406-1500Royal Standard of the Crown of Castile (Square Shape)
1500-1715Royal Standard of the Crown of Castile

Crown of Aragon

FlagDateUseDescription
1162–1716Royal Standard of the Crown of Aragon
1238-1276The Pennon of the Conquest of Valencia.

Flags

See also: Flag of Spain

FlagDateUseDescription
1475–1504
Eventually until 1506
Flag of the infantry forces
1506–1842Cross of Burgundy flag, military flag, also used as flag of the Spanish Empire and its overseas territoriesA red saltire resembling two crossed, roughly-pruned (knotted) branches, on a white field
1506–1762Merchant marine's flag
1580–1701Naval Ensign
1701–1771Flag used in naval bases and coast defenses
1701–1785Naval ensign
1701–1760 Etiquette's Naval ensign
1760–1785Etiquette's Naval ensign
1808–1813Flag of Spain under Joseph Bonaparte (1808–1813)
1785–1927Merchant marine's flag (1785–1927)
1785–1873 / 1875–1931War ensign (1785–1843). State flag (1843–1873 and 1874–1931)
1873–1874Flag of the First Spanish Republic
1931–1939Flag of the Second Spanish Republic
1931–1939Civil flag and ensign of the Second Spanish Republic
1936–1938Flag of Spain (Nationalist faction)
1938–1945! rowspan=3 Flag of Spain (Spain under Franco's Rule until his death in 1975, and the transition back to democracy under the monarchy)! rowspan=3
1945–1977
1977–1981

Historical royal standards

See: Royal Standard of Spain

Royal banners of arms

FlagDateUseDescription
1475–1492
1492–1504
Banner of arms of the Catholic Monarchs
1518–1556
1580–1668Banner of arms of the House of Austria
(with the arms of Portugal)
1668–1700Banner of arms of the House of Austria
(from 1668)
1700–1761
1761–1868
1875–1931
Banner of arms of the House of Bourbon
1931Banner of arms of King Alfonso XIII

Royal standards (common use)

FlagDateUseDescription
1475–1492Common Royal Banner of the Catholic Monarchs
(Until 1492)
1475–1492Royal Standard or Royal Flag of the Catholic Monarchs
1492–1508Royal Standard or Royal Flag of the Catholic Monarchs
1556–1580
1668–1700
Royal Standard or Royal Flag of the House of Habsburg.
1580–1668Royal Standard or Royal Flag of the House of Habsburg.
(Inescutcheon of Portugal in the Royal arms)
1700–1761 Royal Standard or Royal Flag of the House of Bourbon. The banner includes the collar of the Spanish Order of the Golden Fleece and the blue ribbon of the Bourbon French Order of the Holy Spirit.
1761–1838Royal Standard or Royal Flag of the House of Bourbon.
1838–1868
1875–1931
Royal Standard or Royal Flag of the House of Bourbon.
1975/
1977–2014
(Legal regulation)
[4]
Royal Standard or Royal Flag of King Juan Carlos IStill in use as King Juan Carlos' personal ensign.
2014 - In use/
Royal Standard or Royal Flag of King Felipe VIStill in use as King Felipe's personal ensign.

Royal Guidons

See: Guidon (heraldic flag)

FlagDateUseDescription
c.1475–1508Castilian Guidon of the Catholic Monarch
c.1518–1556Castilian Guidon of Charles I
c.1580–1598Royal Guidon of Philip II
c.1920–1931Royal Guidon of Alfonso XIII.

Standards of heads of state

FlagDateUseDescription
1931–1936Presidential standard of Niceto Alcala Zamora
1936–1939Presidential standard of Manuel Azaña
1940–1975Standard of Francisco Franco.

Members of the royal family

FlagDateUseDescription
1893–1931Standard or Flag of Spanish InfantesA purple swallowtail flag with the royal arms in the center.
1971–1975 Standard of Juan Carlos, Prince of SpainA dark blue square with the Coat of arms of Juan Carlos as Prince in the center.
2001–2014 Standard of Felipe, Prince of AsturiasA light blue square with the Coat of arms of the Prince in the center.

See also

References

  1. http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2014/06/21/pdfs/BOE-A-2014-6525.pdf Royal Decree 527/2014 an amendment to Title I of Spanish Royal Decree 1511/1977 Flags, standards, guindons and insignia regulation.
  2. http://parlamento-cantabria.es/institucional/comunidad/simbolos.htm Symbols of Cantabria
  3. http://www.madrid.org/wleg/servlet/Servidor?opcion=VerHtml&nmnorma=2&cdestado=P Law 2/1983, of 23 december of the Community of Madrid
  4. http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2014/06/21/pdfs/BOE-A-2014-6525.pdf Royal Decree 527/2014 an amendment to Title I of Spanish Royal Decree 1511/1977 Flags, standards, guindons and insignia regulation.

Sources