Flag of France

Name	Tricolore
Use	National flag.
Proportion	2:3
Adopted	15 February 1794
Design	A vertical tricolour of blue, white, and red.
Use	National ensign.
Proportion	2:3
Adopted	17 May 1853
Design	As above, but with bars in proportion 30:33:37. (See French ensigns.)

The national flag of France (known in French as drapeau tricolore, drapeau bleu-blanc-rouge, drapeau français, rarely, le tricolore and, in military parlance, les couleurs) is a tricolour featuring three vertical bands coloured blue (hoist side), white, and red. Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... This is an incomplete list of names used for specific flags, either as officially designated titles or traditional nicknames. ... The design and description of flags typically uses specialised flag terminology with precise and technical meanings, and is hence a form of jargon. ... The Dannebrog, national flag of Denmark, is the oldest state flag still in use. ... It has been suggested that the section intro from the article Civil flag be merged into this article or section. ... Image File history File links FIAV_111000. ... is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1794 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... French tricolour flag A tricolour is a flag or banner having three colours, usually in approximately equal size (horizontally or vertically) and lacking additional symbols. ... The term blue may refer to any of a number of similar colours. ... This article is about the color. ... For other uses, see Red (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Civil_and_Naval_Ensign_of_France. ... The design and description of flags typically uses specialised flag terminology with precise and technical meanings, and is hence a form of jargon. ... A National Ensign is a flag flown at the stern of a ship, primarily for the identification of the nationality of the vessel. ... Ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... is the 137th day of the year (138th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... The current French ensign, with proportions different from those of the French flag. ... The Dannebrog, national flag of Denmark, is the oldest state flag still in use. ... French tricolour flag A tricolour is a flag or banner having three colours, usually in approximately equal size (horizontally or vertically) and lacking additional symbols. ...

It is known to English speakers as the French tricolour or the tricolore. The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

[edit] Design

French tricolour flag

De-facto flag of royal France prior to 1789 and from 1814-30

The flag of Île-de-France sometimes used for French colonies

Early depicition of the tricolour in the hands of a sans-culotte during the French Revolution.

The colours adopted by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, which replaced a darker version of the flag, are mirrored version of Image:Tricolore flagpole. ... mirrored version of Image:Tricolore flagpole. ... Image File history File links Pavillon_royal_de_France. ... Image File history File links Pavillon_royal_de_France. ... Image File history File links ÃŽle-de-France_flag. ... Image File history File links ÃŽle-de-France_flag. ... Download high resolution version (602x822, 69 KB)A painting of a typical sans-culotte by Louis-Léopold Boilly (1761-1845). ... Download high resolution version (602x822, 69 KB)A painting of a typical sans-culotte by Louis-Léopold Boilly (1761-1845). ... A portrait of a typical sans-culotte by Louis-Léopold Boilly Observers used the term sans-culottes (French for without knee-breeches), originally during the early years of the French Revolution to refer to the ill-clad and ill-equipped volunteers of the Revolutionary army, and later generally to... Valéry Marie René Giscard dEstaing (born 2 February 1926) is a French center-right politician who was President of the French Republic from 1974 until 1981. ...

Currently the flag is 55% longer than its width (i.e. in the proportion 2:3) and, except in the navy, has stripes of equal width. Initially, the three stripes of the flag were not equally wide, being in the proportions 30 (blue), 33 (white) and 37 (red). The theory behind this was that if they were equal then the white stripe, being brighter, would appear disproportionately wider to the human eye. Under Napoleon I, the proportions were changed to make the stripes' width equal, but by a regulation dated 17 May 1853, the navy went back to using the 30:33:37 proportions, which it continues to use. For the record label, see Pantone Music. ... It has been suggested that process color be merged into this article or section. ... The French Navy, officially called the National Navy (French: Marine Nationale) is the maritime arm of the French military. ... Napoléon I, Emperor of the French (born Napoleone di Buonaparte, changed his name to Napoléon Bonaparte)[1] (15 August 1769; Ajaccio, Corsica – 5 May 1821; Saint Helena) was a general during the French Revolution, the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from... is the 137th day of the year (138th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1853 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

[edit] History

The French national flag, the tricolore, consists of three vertical bands of equal width, displaying the national colours of France: blue, white and red. The blue band is nearest the flag-staff, the white in the middle, and the red on the outside. The flag-staff is surmounted by a fer-de-lance (lancehead) and on all military flags appears the motto: République Française: Honneur et Patrie (French Republic: Honour and Country).

During the early Middle Ages, the oriflamme, the flag of Saint-Denis, was used - red, with two, three or five spikes. Originally, it was the personal flag of Charlemagne, given to him by the Pope in the ninth century. Over the time, it became the royal banner under the Carolingians and the Capetians. It was stored in Saint-Denis abbey, where it was taken when war broke out. French kings went forth into battle preceded either by Saint Martin’s red cape, which was supposed to protect the monarch, or by the red banner of Saint Denis. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... The Oriflamme was the sacred banner of the Abbey of St. ... Saint Denis, also known as Denise, Dionysius, or Dennis is a Christian saint, bishop of Paris, martyr, and a patron saint of France. ... Charlemagne and Pippin the Hunchback. ... (8th century - 9th century - 10th century - other centuries) Events Beowulf might have been written down in this century, though it could also have been in the 8th century Viking attacks on Europe begin Oseberg ship burial The Magyars arrive in what is now Hungary, forcing the Serbs and Bulgars south... Also see: France in the Middle Ages. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with House of Capet. ...

The three colours first appeared together tied as ribbons, on the pontifical banner that Pope Leo III offered to Emperor Charlemagne in 796, the blue being the colour of the Church, the white that of virgins, and the red homage paid to Christian martyrs.

Later during the Middle Ages, these colours came to be associated with the reigning house of France. In 1328, the coat-of-arms of the House of Valois was blue with gold fleurs-de-lis bordered in red. From this time on, the kings of France were represented in vignettes and manuscripts wearing a red gown under a blue coat decorated with gold fleurs-de-lis. It should be noted that, in liturgical symbolism, gold is the equivalent of white. Many other examples could be given of the association of the three colours - blue, white and red - with the French kings and their households. The Valois Dynasty succeeded the Capetian Dynasty as rulers of France from 1328-1589. ...

After the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy following the defeat of Napoleon in 1815, the flag - with its revolutionary connotations - was replaced by the royal white standard with fleur-de-lis which had been in use before the Revolution. However, following the July Revolution of 1830, the new "Citizen-King," Louis-Philippe, restored the tricolour. Capital Paris Language(s) French Government Monarchy King  - 1814-1824 Louis XVIII  - 1824-1830 Charles X Legislature Parliament History  - Bourbon Restoration 1814  - July Revolution 21 January, 1830 Currency French Franc Following the ousting of Napoleon I of France in 1814, the Allies restored the Bourbon Dynasty to the French throne. ... For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). ... April 5-12: Mount Tambora explodes, changing climate. ... Fleurs-de-lys on the flag of Quebec The fleur-de-lis (also spelled fleur-de-lys; plural fleurs-de-lis or -lys) is used in heraldry, where it is particularly associated with the France monarchy (see King of France). ... // The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution, saw the overthrow of King Charles X, the last of the House of Bourbons, and the ascension of his cousin Louis-Philippe, the Duc dOrléans, who himself, after eighteen precarious years on the throne, would in turn... Liberty Leading the People by Eugène Delacroix commemorates the July Revolution 1830 (MDCCCXXX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Louis-Philippe of France (6 October 1773 – 26 August 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848 in what was known as the July Monarchy. ...

The tricolour remained the national flag under the Second Republic and Second Empire. Following the overthrow of Napoleon III, voters elected a royalist majority to the National Assembly of the new Third Republic. This parliament then offered the throne to the Bourbon pretender, Henri, comte de Chambord. However, he insisted that he would accept the throne on the condition that the tricolour be replaced by the white fleur-de-lis flag. As the tricolour had become a cherished national symbol, this proved impossible to accommodate. Plans to restore the monarchy were ultimately dropped, and France has remained a republic, with the tricolour flag, ever since. The French Second Republic (often simply Second Republic) was the republican regime of France from February 25, 1848 to December 2, 1852. ... Map of the French Second Empire Capital Paris Language(s) French Government Monarchy Emperor  - 1852-1870 Napoleon III Legislature Parliament  - Upper house Senate  - Lower house Corps législatif History  - French coup of 1851 December 2 1851  - Established 1852  - Disestablished September 4, 1870 Currency French Franc The Second French Empire or... Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte (April 20, 1808 - January 9, 1873) was the son of King Louis Bonaparte and Queen Hortense de Beauharnais; both monarchs of the French puppet state, the Kingdom of Holland. ... The French Third Republic, (in French, Troisième Republique, sometimes written as IIIème Republique) (1870/75-1940/46), was the governing body of France between the Second French Empire and the Fourth Republic. ... Also see:  Early Modern France The House of Bourbon is an important European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty. ... Henri Charles Ferdinand Marie Dieudonné dArtois, comte de Chambord (September 29, 1820 – August 24, 1883) technically reigned as Henry V, King of France and Navarre from August 2 to August 9, 1830. ...

[edit] See also

• French ensigns
• French colonial flags
• Marianne

The current French ensign, with proportions different from those of the French flag. ... Some of the colonies, protectorates and mandates of the French Colonial Empire used distinctive colonial flags. ... Marianne busts with features of Brigitte Bardot - Catherine Deneuve - Mireille Mathieu Marianne, a national emblem of France, is a personification of Liberty and Reason. ...

[edit] External links

• France at Flags of the World
• Cyber-flag (french site)

Screenshot of the Flags of the World website Official flag Flags of the World (or FOTW) is the Internets largest website devoted to vexillology, containing comprehensive information about all kinds of flags. ...

da Silva // Silva is the most common surname in Portugal and Brazil;[1] it is also widespread in regions of the former Portuguese Empire in Asia, including India and Sri Lanka. ...