The flags, in addition to representing different countries or institutions, have behind them a history and specific meanings that link them to each of the elements that make them up. A good example of this is found in the Flag of France, a flag that, although today is perfectly recognizable by everyone, hides a history that has led to it having the tricolor configuration that we know.
In fact, during the modern history of France, the flag of this country changed its configuration and colors on several occasions, always coinciding with the Political changes that took place from the monarchy of the Old Regime to the current configuration. If you want to know the meaning of the flag of France keep reading a HOW, we will tell you!
General data of the flag of France
The flag of France is the national flag recognized by the government and by the French nation. It is made up of three colors (blue White and red) that are distributed in three vertical stripes arranged from left to right in a rectangular flag, leaving the blue and red colors at the ends and reserving the white space for the center of the flag. All stripes are the same thickness and length.
This flag was adopted for the first time on February 15, 1794 and, after several changes to the national flag, it was decided to recover it with some modifications with respect to the original. The current flag, with the proportions and colors that are maintained today, dates from May 17, 1853.
Origin and meaning of the flag of France
Before the French Revolution (1789), the national color of France was white, which was associated with the monarchy and absolutist power. However, in the revolutionary climate, different elements associated with political symbolism began to be used and, in this context, it was where the idea of the tricolor flag French used today.
During the period of the Revolution, the government of the city of Paris ordered that, those citizens who were armed, had the obligation to be duly identified with the colors of the flag of the city. The flag of the city of Paris was a square flag, made up of two vertical stripes, one blue and the other red. For this reason, these colors became the ones that armed citizens had to wear.
However, after the town rebelled on July 14, 1789 and took the Bastille prison and after the corresponding negotiations, the determination was made to unite these colors (red and blue), associated with the village already citizens, with the white color of the monarchy, since, at that time, the monarchy was still reigning.
Consequently, the first concept of the tricolor flag of France emerged. This flag unified the blue and red colors of the city of Paris with the white of the monarchy, implying that this flag was an expression of the union of the people and the monarchy. In fact, later on, it was the king himself Louis XVI who placed these colors on his hat, an act he performed in front of the people, a clear sign that he accepted the new approaches that defended that sovereignty came from the people and not directly from God. However, this was not enough for the Revolution to cease and, later on, the French people ended up overthrowing the monarchy and establishing the First French Republic.
The Restoration of 1814
Although with the overthrow of the monarchy the French flag remained as the tricolor, this did not last long. In fact, when the monarchy was restored in France in 1814, so did the old emblem of monarchical power, that is, the white flag that had been used by the monarchy before the tricolor.
However, when the Revolution of 1830, which led France again to overthrow the monarchy and establish a new republican system, the white flag was also eliminated, which led to the recovery of the tricolor flag that had been used since 1789.
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