Flag of Belgium
Encyclopedia
The national flag of Belgium
contains three equal vertical bands of black
(hoist side), yellow
, and red
. The colours were taken from the colours of the Duchy of Brabant
, and the vertical design may be based on the flag of France
.
The national flag has the unusual proportions of 13:15, but is rarely seen. A flag in a 2:3 or similar ratio is used in most cases, even by most government bodies. The unusual proportions of 13:15 are of unknown origin.
, the present-day territory of Belgium (except the County of Flanders
) became part of Lotharingia
, which had a flag of two horizontal red stripes separated by a white stripe. The territory then passed into Spanish hands, and after the coronation of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
yellow and red, the colours of Spain, were added. From the 16th century to the end of the 18th century, the colours of what is now Belgium were red, white and yellow. Occasionally the red cross of Burgundy
was placed on the white section of the flag.
During the period of Austrian rule, a number of different flags were tried, until the Austrian Emperor imposed the Austrian flag
. The population of Brussels
was opposed to this, and following the example of France, red, yellow and black cockade
s began to appear; those being the colours of Brabant
. The colours thus correspond to the red lion of Hainaut
, Limburg
and Luxembourg, the yellow lion of Brabant
, and the black lion of Flanders
and Namur
.
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On August 26, 1830, the day after the rioting at the Brussels Opera
, and the start of the Belgian Revolution
the flag of France
was flown from the city hall of Brussels
. This was hastily replaced by a tricolour of red, yellow and black horizontal stripes made at a nearby fabric store, similar to the one used during the Brabantian Revolution. As a result, article 193 of the Constitution of Belgium
describes the colours of the Belgian Nation as Red, Yellow and Black instead of the order used in the above official flag.
On January 23, 1831, the stripes were changed from horizontal to vertical, and October 12 saw the flag attain its modern form, with the black placed at the hoist side of the flag. It is suggested that the change was to more clearly distinguish the flag of Belgium from the flag of the Netherlands
, which also has three horizontal stripes, especially important during naval battles. Some think the change to vertical was a gesture of sympathy with the French, again clearly separating them from the Dutch.
, which is a somewhat similar black-red-gold tricolour.
The 2:3 flag is also technically the civil ensign
, the correct flag for use by civilians at sea.
, on a white field
, with a black crown above crossed cannons at the top and a black anchor at the bottom. It was created in 1950, shortly after the Belgian Navy
was re-established, having been a section of the British Royal Navy
during World War II
, and it is reminiscent of the white ensign
or the Royal Navy.
There is also an official Belgian naval jack, which is the same as the national flag, except in a 1:1 ratio, making it square.
, and features his monogram
, an 'A' above the numeral 'II' in the four corners. The designs of royal standards of past monarchs have been similar.
Notably, the flag of Belgium flown on the Royal Palace of Brussels and the Royal Palace of Laeken is in none of the proportions above. It has the irregular 4:3 ratio, making it taller than it is wide. The stripes remain vertical. These proportions are explained as an aesthetic consideration, as the palaces are large, and the flags are thus viewed from far below, which makes them look more normal due to foreshortening.
The flags are flown above the palaces when the king is in Belgium, not necessarily just in one of the palaces. The flags are not flown if the king is on a state visit to another country or on vacation outside of Belgium, There have been exceptions to this rule, but in general presence or absence of the flag is a reasonably reliable indicator of whether or not the king is in the country.
The order of precedence is:
If there is a visiting head of state
, that country's flag may be set second in precedence, all other flags dropping a rank.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
contains three equal vertical bands of black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
(hoist side), yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
, and red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
. The colours were taken from the colours of the Duchy of Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
, and the vertical design may be based on the flag of France
Flag of France
The national flag of France is a tricolour featuring three vertical bands coloured royal blue , white, and red...
.
The national flag has the unusual proportions of 13:15, but is rarely seen. A flag in a 2:3 or similar ratio is used in most cases, even by most government bodies. The unusual proportions of 13:15 are of unknown origin.
Previous flags
After the death of CharlemagneCharlemagne
Charlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800...
, the present-day territory of Belgium (except the County of Flanders
County of Flanders
The County of Flanders was one of the territories constituting the Low Countries. The county existed from 862 to 1795. It was one of the original secular fiefs of France and for centuries was one of the most affluent regions in Europe....
) became part of Lotharingia
Lotharingia
Lotharingia was a region in northwest Europe, comprising the Low Countries, the western Rhineland, the lands today on the border between France and Germany, and what is now western Switzerland. It was born of the tripartite division in 855, of the kingdom of Middle Francia, itself formed of the...
, which had a flag of two horizontal red stripes separated by a white stripe. The territory then passed into Spanish hands, and after the coronation of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
yellow and red, the colours of Spain, were added. From the 16th century to the end of the 18th century, the colours of what is now Belgium were red, white and yellow. Occasionally the red cross of Burgundy
Cross of Burgundy Flag
The Cross of Burgundy flag was used by Spain 1506-1701 as a naval ensign, and up to 1843 as the land battle flag, and still appears on regimental colours, badges, shoulder patches and company guidons...
was placed on the white section of the flag.
During the period of Austrian rule, a number of different flags were tried, until the Austrian Emperor imposed the Austrian flag
Flag of Austria
The flag of Austria has three equal horizontal bands of red , white, and red.The Austrian triband is the second-oldest flag in use at least since 1230, after the Danish flag .- Origins :...
. The population of Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
was opposed to this, and following the example of France, red, yellow and black cockade
Cockade
A cockade is a knot of ribbons, or other circular- or oval-shaped symbol of distinctive colors which is usually worn on a hat.-Eighteenth century:...
s began to appear; those being the colours of Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
. The colours thus correspond to the red lion of Hainaut
County of Hainaut
The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault....
, Limburg
Duchy of Limburg
The Duchy of Limburg, situated in the Low Countries between the river Meuse and the city of Aachen, was a state of the Holy Roman Empire. Its territory is now divided between the Belgian provinces of Liège and Limburg , the Dutch province of Limburg , and a small part of North Rhine-Westphalia in...
and Luxembourg, the yellow lion of Brabant
Duchy of Brabant
The Duchy of Brabant was a historical region in the Low Countries. Its territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.The Flag of...
, and the black lion of Flanders
County of Flanders
The County of Flanders was one of the territories constituting the Low Countries. The county existed from 862 to 1795. It was one of the original secular fiefs of France and for centuries was one of the most affluent regions in Europe....
and Namur
Namur (province)
Namur is a province of Wallonia, one of the three regions of Belgium. It borders on the Walloon provinces of Hainaut, Walloon Brabant, Liège and Luxembourg in Belgium, and on France. Its capital is the city of Namur...
.
Independence and adoption of current flag
La Monnaie
Le Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie , or the Koninklijke Muntschouwburg is a theatre in Brussels, Belgium....
, and the start of the Belgian Revolution
Belgian Revolution
The Belgian Revolution was the conflict which led to the secession of the Southern provinces from the United Kingdom of the Netherlands and established an independent Kingdom of Belgium....
the flag of France
Flag of France
The national flag of France is a tricolour featuring three vertical bands coloured royal blue , white, and red...
was flown from the city hall of Brussels
Brussels Town Hall
The Town Hall of the City of Brussels is a Gothic building from the Middle Ages. It is located on the famous Grand Place in Brussels, Belgium....
. This was hastily replaced by a tricolour of red, yellow and black horizontal stripes made at a nearby fabric store, similar to the one used during the Brabantian Revolution. As a result, article 193 of the Constitution of Belgium
Constitution of Belgium
The Constitution of Belgium dates back to 1831. Since then Belgium has been a parliamentary monarchy that applies the principles of ministerial responsibility for the government policy and the Trias Politica. The Constitution established Belgium as a centralised unitary state...
describes the colours of the Belgian Nation as Red, Yellow and Black instead of the order used in the above official flag.
On January 23, 1831, the stripes were changed from horizontal to vertical, and October 12 saw the flag attain its modern form, with the black placed at the hoist side of the flag. It is suggested that the change was to more clearly distinguish the flag of Belgium from the flag of the Netherlands
Flag of the Netherlands
The flag of the Netherlands is a horizontal tricolour of red, white, and blue. Since 1937, the flag has officially been the national flag of the Netherlands and of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.-Description:...
, which also has three horizontal stripes, especially important during naval battles. Some think the change to vertical was a gesture of sympathy with the French, again clearly separating them from the Dutch.
Design and specifications
The official guide to protocol in Belgium states that the national flag measures 2.60 m tall for each 3 m wide, giving it a ratio of 13:15. Each of the stripes is one-third of the width of the flag. It is important to note that the yellow is in fact yellow and not the darker gold of the flag of GermanyFlag of Germany
The flag of Germany is a tricolour consisting of three equal horizontal bands displaying the national colours of Germany: black, red, and gold....
, which is a somewhat similar black-red-gold tricolour.
| Colour scheme | Black | Yellow | Red | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pantone Pantone Pantone Inc. is a corporation headquartered in Carlstadt, New Jersey, USA. The company is best known for its Pantone Matching System , a proprietary color space... |
Black | Yellow 115 | Red 32 | |||
| CMYK | 0-0-0-100 | 0-8.5-79-0 | 0-94-87-0 | |||
| RGB | 0-0-0 | 255-233-54 | 255-15-33 | |||
Variants
National flag and civil ensign
The "national" flag has the unusual proportions of 13:15, but is rarely seen. A flag in a 2:3 or similar ratio is used in most cases, even by most government bodies. The unusual proportions of 13:15 are of unknown origin. Most Belgians are unaware that the 13:15 version even exists.The 2:3 flag is also technically the civil ensign
Civil ensign
The civil ensign is the national flag flown by civil ships to denote nationality...
, the correct flag for use by civilians at sea.
Naval ensign and jack
The naval ensign of Belgium has the three national colours in a saltireSaltire
A saltire, or Saint Andrew's Cross, is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross or letter ex . Saint Andrew is said to have been martyred on such a cross....
, on a white field
Flag terminology
Flag terminology is a jargon used in vexillology, the study of flags, to describe precisely the parts, patterns, and other attributes of flags and their display.-Description of standard flag parts and terms:...
, with a black crown above crossed cannons at the top and a black anchor at the bottom. It was created in 1950, shortly after the Belgian Navy
Belgian Navy
The Marine Component of the Belgian Army, formerly the Belgian Naval Force, is the naval service of Belgium.-Early history:The Belgian Navy was created as the Marine Royale in 1831. This force has operated in various forms throughout Belgian history.When after the Belgian Revolution, the country...
was re-established, having been a section of the British Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and it is reminiscent of the white ensign
White Ensign
The White Ensign or St George's Ensign is an ensign flown on British Royal Navy ships and shore establishments. It consists of a red St George's Cross on a white field with the Union Flag in the upper canton....
or the Royal Navy.
There is also an official Belgian naval jack, which is the same as the national flag, except in a 1:1 ratio, making it square.
Royal standard and flags on the royal palaces
The royal standard of Belgium is the personal standard of the current king, Albert IIAlbert II of Belgium
Albert II is the current reigning King of the Belgians, a constitutional monarch. He is a member of the royal house "of Belgium"; formerly this house was named Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
, and features his monogram
Monogram
A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos. A series of uncombined initials is properly referred to as a...
, an 'A' above the numeral 'II' in the four corners. The designs of royal standards of past monarchs have been similar.
Notably, the flag of Belgium flown on the Royal Palace of Brussels and the Royal Palace of Laeken is in none of the proportions above. It has the irregular 4:3 ratio, making it taller than it is wide. The stripes remain vertical. These proportions are explained as an aesthetic consideration, as the palaces are large, and the flags are thus viewed from far below, which makes them look more normal due to foreshortening.
The flags are flown above the palaces when the king is in Belgium, not necessarily just in one of the palaces. The flags are not flown if the king is on a state visit to another country or on vacation outside of Belgium, There have been exceptions to this rule, but in general presence or absence of the flag is a reasonably reliable indicator of whether or not the king is in the country.
Protocol
As Belgium is a federal state, the flag of Belgium and the flags of the communities or regions in principle occupy the same rank. Nonetheless, when flags are raised and lowered or carried in a procession, the national flag takes precedence over all the others.The order of precedence is:
- The national flag of Belgium
- The flag of the community or region of Belgium
- The European flagEuropean flagThe flag of Europe consists of a circle of 12 golden stars on an azure background. It is the flag and emblem of the European Union and Council of Europe . It is also often used to indicate eurozone countries, and, more loosely, to represent the continent of Europe or the countries of Europe...
- The flags of the provinces of BelgiumProvinces of BelgiumBelgium is divided into three regions, two of them are subdivided into five provinces each.The division into provinces is fixed by Article 5 of the Belgian Constitution...
, in alphabetical order in the local language, if more than one is flown - The flag of the municipality
If there is a visiting head of state
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
, that country's flag may be set second in precedence, all other flags dropping a rank.
See also
- List of Belgian flags
- Flag of FlandersFlag of FlandersThe flag of Flanders, called the Vlaamse Leeuw or leeuwenvlag , is the flag of the Flemish Community and Flemish Region. The flag was officially adopted by the Raad voor de Nederlandse Cultuurgemeenschap in 1973, and later, in 1985, by its successor, the Flemish Parliament...
- Flag of WalloniaFlag of WalloniaThe Flag of Wallonia is called the bold rooster or Walloon Rooster . It is the emblem of Wallonia and of the French Community of Belgium. It features a red bold rooster, bold meaning its right leg is lifted and its mouth is closed, on a yellow background. Those colors come from the city of Liège...
- Flag of Brussels