As unifying symbols, flags appear in significant historical moments to represent the territorial claim of a country.
While most nations adopted their pennants on an apparent date, it’s not always the case. It’s challenging to know the promulgation of a historic flag.
Let’s dive into this post of 9/11 flag to learn about some of the oldest flags!
Contents
What Is The Historic Flag In The World?
Below are the seven oldest flags to discover!
Scotland Saltire
During a conflict waged in the Middle Ages, the Scottish flag first appeared around 832 AD.
The Scottish flag has an azure backdrop and is commonly known as St. Andrew’s Cross, the Saltire, and The Scotland Saltire.
Its striking and distinctive design features a plain blue background and a white saltire. According to legend, it symbolizes Saint Andrew.
In Scotland, on St. Andrew’s feast, people wear the St. Andrew’s Cross as an emblem on caps.
Scotland Saltire
Denmark
The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes the Danish flag as the oldest continually displayed national pennant.
The white Scandinavian cross design on the red backdrop, sometimes called the “Danish cloth” or “Dannebrog,” was formally established in 1307.
According to mythology, during the 1219 Lyndanisse Battle, the Danish tried to capture the pennant.
After their unsuccessful battle in Estonia, a pennant suddenly dropped from the heavens after the Danish prayed.
Valdemar II of Denmark, after this occurrence, managed to beat the Estonians.
Less than a century later, the flag was used for the first time in history.
Although many believe it to be authentic, no historic or empirical evidence exists for this mythology.
The white cross, a symbol of Christianity, was adopted by the Roman Empire to signify the provinces even though Denmark never became a member of it.
Other Nordic nations, including Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland, eventually adopted the cross pattern.
Austria
Austria’s pennant features three equally spaced horizontal red-white-red stripes.
The pattern is historically modeled on the Babenberg dynasty’s national emblem.
The flag’s initial color scheme was orange-white-blue. However, over time the orange-blue stripes changed to red.
According to mythology, Austria’s Duke Leopold V created the pennant due to his involvement in the Acre Siege.
He had engaged in terrible combat, and his white coat was entirely covered with blood.
The red-white-red color scheme was revealed when he took off his belt, which was startlingly white beneath.
He was so impressed by this uncommon occurrence that he decided to make Austria’s flag out of its colors and pattern.
Even while the development of the pennant of Austria appeared in 1105 until 1230, it was accepted formally.
Latvia
The Rhymed Chronicle of Livonia, a medieval documentary, made the first reference to the Latvian pennant in 1280.
According to the chronicle, Latvian tribes used a red pennant with white stripes.
According to a tradition, the tribe’s chieftain from Latvia, shrouded with a white cloth, was gravely wounded.
His blood soaked the two borders of the blanket, but the area where he was resting was still white.
The bloodied cloth served as a pennant for the subsequent combat.
The Latvian soldiers this time were victorious, the tradition claims, and they forced the opponents away.
Latvia
Albania
The red background of the Albanian flag features a black eagle with two heads in the center.
The Albanian pennant was first seen in November 1443, when George Kastrioti flew it above the castle of Kruje in disobedience to the government’s Turkish majesties.
The Byzantine Empire inspired the distinctive emblem with a double-headed eagle.
Albanian nationalists utilized this eagle emblem once more in the early 20th century.
It served as a representation of their effort to free their nation from Ottoman control.
The flag was formally adopted on November 28, 1912, the same day the Albanian Declaration of Independence was declared.
The Collection Of American Historic Flag
Throughout American history, a variety of flags might be displayed. A congressional statute didn’t formalize the American pennant design until 1912.
American soldiers battled under several pennants before the very first pennant regulation on June 14, 1777, all of which didn’t have legal authority.
The citizens can borrow the below-listed historic pennants, which are also on display.
New England
The pennant, commonly referred to as the Bunkerhill or Continental Flag, is a modification of the pennant flown by England in its colonial possessions.
This pennant features a crimson background with a white center with an image of the legendary Liberty Tree—a pine tree.
The Colonists flew it during the Combat of Bunkerhill in a well-known painting.
New England
Washington Cruisers
It bears the name of General George Washington, who, with his effort, prepared six sailing ships for battle in the autumn of 1775.
It also features a symbol of a Liberty Tree, which stands in the middle of this flag’s white backdrop.
Fort Moultrie
This flag bears the name of Colonel William Moultrie, who, on June 28, 1776, on South Carolina’s Sullivan Island, resisted an attack by the British.
The Sullivan Island fort was then given a new name in honor of its brave commander. The current state pennant of South Carolina is close to this version.
Bennington
The battle took place on August 16, 1777, at Bennington, and the flag, often called the Vermont banner, was employed.
Under the original pennant legislation, the canton’s Star placement might have been permissible.
Gadsden
Commodore Esek Hopkins flew this pennant as New Continental Fleet Commander in 1776.
It bears the name of Colonel Christopher Gadsden, who copied Hopkins’ flag and submitted it to Congress.
Betsy Ross
The grandson of Betsy Ross gave a paper at the Philadelphia Historical Society in 1870.
The authorized pennant and the Betsy Ross narrative were first presented in public at that time.
Congress officially ratified a country’s pennant on June 14, 1777.
Betsy Ross
In A Nutshell
This article has shown you a historic flag collection of America and other countries worldwide.
Each flag has a rich history that is highly interesting and worthwhile to learn about in this modern world.
Hopefully, this post will be helpful for you! If you know the other oldest pennant, leave a comment below to enrich our list. Thanks for reading!
