Flag of the Second Spanish Republic
Encyclopedia
The Flag of the Second Spanish Republic, also known as , was the official flag of Spain
between 1931 and 1939 and the flag of the Spanish Republican government in Exile
until 1977.
.
This same flag had been previously displayed by certain Republican groups as an alternative to the red-and-yellow flag that was identified with the Bourbon monarchy in Spain. As a result of this previous use, the young republic proclaimed in 1931 eagerly adopted this symbol.
The Republican flag was officially adopted on April 27 and formally presented to the army of the nation on May 6 with the following words: "The national uprising against tyranny, victorious since April 14, has hoisted a flag that is invested by means of the feelings of the people with the double representation of the hope of freedom and of its irreversible triumph."
The Republican flag was formed by three horizontal bands of the same width, red, yellow and murrey
. The National Flag
would have the Spanish Republican coat of arms
at the center (quarterly of Castile, Leon, Aragon and Navarre, Enté en point for Granada, stamped by a mural crown
between the two Pillars of Hercules
). This coat of arms originated in 1868 and had been used then by the Provisional Government and later by the First Spanish Republic
. The civil ensign
or merchant flag would be a simple tricolor without the coat of arms.
There was also a military version of the flag with different, almost square, dimensions.
The flag of the Second Spanish Republic was also used by the Spanish Maquis
between the end of the Spanish Civil War
and the early 1960s. A version of this flag was used in the 1970s by the radical anti-Francoist
group FRAP.
Presently the Republican flag is used by a few, largely marginal, political groups, like the Communist Party of Spain (Reconstituted)
.
, .
The purpose of the third color was to represent Castile and León
, the proverbial "Pendón Morado" ancient armorial banner of Castile in the flag's colours, while the existing red and yellow represented the territories of the former Crown of Aragon
. These three colors symbolized a new era for Spain in which no part of Spain was excluded and every Spaniard would be represented.
Since the restoration of the monarchy
in the last quarter of the 20th century there are authors that openly contradict former Spanish historians by proclaiming that the Castilian "Pendón Morado" never existed, that it was actually red. The controversy is part of a probable attempt to demonstrate that the colors of the flag of the Second Spanish Republic are wrong. Still, sound historical documents prove that murrey-colored banners were formerly used in Castile & Leon.
Since it is an unusual color for a flag, in practice the morado color of the lower band could be Violet
, Purple
(Purpure
) or even Lilac
, according to the available materials and dyes in each location.
Flag of Spain
The flag of Spain , as it is defined in the Spanish Constitution of 1978, consists of three horizontal stripes: red, yellow and red, the yellow stripe being twice the size of each red stripe...
between 1931 and 1939 and the flag of the Spanish Republican government in Exile
Spanish Republican government in Exile
The Spanish Republican government in exile was a continuation of the government of the Second Spanish Republic, which was established in exile after the victory of Francisco Franco's forces in the Spanish Civil War in April 1939...
until 1977.
History
It began to be used on April 27, 1931, thirteen days after municipal elections results led to the abolition of the monarchy and the proclamation of the Second Spanish RepublicSecond Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
.
This same flag had been previously displayed by certain Republican groups as an alternative to the red-and-yellow flag that was identified with the Bourbon monarchy in Spain. As a result of this previous use, the young republic proclaimed in 1931 eagerly adopted this symbol.
The Republican flag was officially adopted on April 27 and formally presented to the army of the nation on May 6 with the following words: "The national uprising against tyranny, victorious since April 14, has hoisted a flag that is invested by means of the feelings of the people with the double representation of the hope of freedom and of its irreversible triumph."
The Republican flag was formed by three horizontal bands of the same width, red, yellow and murrey
Murrey
In heraldry, murrey is a "stain", an occasionally used tincture.According to dictionaries, murrey is the colour of mulberries, somewhere between gules and purpure , almost maroon; but examples registered in Canada and Scotland show it as a reddish brown.The Flag of the Second Spanish Republic was...
. The National Flag
National flag
A national flag is a flag that symbolizes a country. The flag is flown by the government, but usually can also be flown by citizens of the country.Both public and private buildings such as schools and courthouses may fly the national flag...
would have the Spanish Republican coat of arms
Coat of arms of the Second Spanish Republic
The Coat of arms of the Second Spanish Republic was the emblem of the Second Spanish Republic, the democratic government that existed in Spain between April 14, 1931, when King Alfonso XIII left the country, and April 1, 1939, when the last of the Republican forces surrendered to rebel Francoist...
at the center (quarterly of Castile, Leon, Aragon and Navarre, Enté en point for Granada, stamped by a mural crown
Mural crown
-Usage in ancient times:In Hellenistic culture, a mural crown identified the goddess Tyche, the embodiment of the fortune of a city, familiar to Romans as Fortuna...
between the two Pillars of Hercules
Pillars of Hercules
The Pillars of Hercules was the phrase that was applied in Antiquity to the promontories that flank the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar. The northern Pillar is the Rock of Gibraltar in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar...
). This coat of arms originated in 1868 and had been used then by the Provisional Government and later by the First Spanish Republic
First Spanish Republic
The First Spanish Republic was the political regime that existed in Spain between the parliamentary proclamation on 11 February 1873 and 29 December 1874 when General Arsenio Martínez-Campos's pronunciamento marked the beginning of the Bourbon Restoration in Spain...
. The civil ensign
Civil ensign
The civil ensign is the national flag flown by civil ships to denote nationality...
or merchant flag would be a simple tricolor without the coat of arms.
There was also a military version of the flag with different, almost square, dimensions.
The flag of the Second Spanish Republic was also used by the Spanish Maquis
Spanish Maquis
The Spanish Maquis were Spanish guerrillas exiled in France after the Spanish Civil War who continued to fight against the Franco regime until the early 1960s, carrying out sabotage, robberies , occupations of the Spanish Embassy in France and assassinations of Francoists, as well as contributing...
between the end of the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
and the early 1960s. A version of this flag was used in the 1970s by the radical anti-Francoist
Spanish State
Francoist Spain refers to a period of Spanish history between 1936 and 1975 when Spain was under the authoritarian dictatorship of Francisco Franco....
group FRAP.
Presently the Republican flag is used by a few, largely marginal, political groups, like the Communist Party of Spain (Reconstituted)
Communist Party of Spain (Reconstituted)
The Partido Comunista de España , PCE is a Spanish clandestine communist party that broke out from the Communist Party of Spain ....
.
Colors
The flag had three colors, red, yellow and murreyMurrey
In heraldry, murrey is a "stain", an occasionally used tincture.According to dictionaries, murrey is the colour of mulberries, somewhere between gules and purpure , almost maroon; but examples registered in Canada and Scotland show it as a reddish brown.The Flag of the Second Spanish Republic was...
, .
The purpose of the third color was to represent Castile and León
Castile and León
Castile and León is an autonomous community in north-western Spain. It was so constituted in 1983 and it comprises the historical regions of León and Old Castile...
, the proverbial "Pendón Morado" ancient armorial banner of Castile in the flag's colours, while the existing red and yellow represented the territories of the former Crown of Aragon
Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon Corona d'Aragón Corona d'Aragó Corona Aragonum controlling a large portion of the present-day eastern Spain and southeastern France, as well as some of the major islands and mainland possessions stretching across the Mediterranean as far as Greece...
. These three colors symbolized a new era for Spain in which no part of Spain was excluded and every Spaniard would be represented.
Since the restoration of the monarchy
Spanish transition to democracy
The Spanish transition to democracy was the era when Spain moved from the dictatorship of Francisco Franco to a liberal democratic state. The transition is usually said to have begun with Franco’s death on 20 November 1975, while its completion has been variously said to be marked by the Spanish...
in the last quarter of the 20th century there are authors that openly contradict former Spanish historians by proclaiming that the Castilian "Pendón Morado" never existed, that it was actually red. The controversy is part of a probable attempt to demonstrate that the colors of the flag of the Second Spanish Republic are wrong. Still, sound historical documents prove that murrey-colored banners were formerly used in Castile & Leon.
Since it is an unusual color for a flag, in practice the morado color of the lower band could be Violet
Violet (color)
As the name of a color, violet is synonymous with a bluish purple, when the word "purple" is used in the common English language sense of any color between blue and red, not including either blue or red...
, Purple
Purple
Purple is a range of hues of color occurring between red and blue, and is classified as a secondary color as the colors are required to create the shade....
(Purpure
Purpure
In heraldry, purpure is a tincture, more or less the equivalent of the colour "purple", and is one of the five main or most usually used colours...
) or even Lilac
Lilac (color)
Lilac is a color that is a pale tone of violet that is a representation of the average color of most lilac flowers. It might also be described as light purple. The colors of some lilac flowers may be equivalent to the colors shown below as pale lilac, rich lilac, or deep lilac...
, according to the available materials and dyes in each location.
See also
- Flag of SpainFlag of SpainThe flag of Spain , as it is defined in the Spanish Constitution of 1978, consists of three horizontal stripes: red, yellow and red, the yellow stripe being twice the size of each red stripe...
- Coat of arms of the Second Spanish RepublicCoat of arms of the Second Spanish RepublicThe Coat of arms of the Second Spanish Republic was the emblem of the Second Spanish Republic, the democratic government that existed in Spain between April 14, 1931, when King Alfonso XIII left the country, and April 1, 1939, when the last of the Republican forces surrendered to rebel Francoist...
- Second Spanish RepublicSecond Spanish RepublicThe Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
- Himno de Riego