Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1915-06-17
STORIES OF FLAGS
Origins of Some of the Emblems
of European Nations.
THE TRICOLOR OF BELGIUM.

II Was Originally the Standard of the
Duchy of Brabant-CompIsx CoIors
of Austria and the Flags of Germany,
France, England and Russia.
Prior to the Franco-Prussian war Of
1870 the German empire was little
more than group of scattered states.
When they combined into single en-
pire, however, traces of all their flags
were combined in the resultant stand
ard
To be sure the colors Of Prussia
black and white-and the Prussian
eagle enter very largely into it, but it
must be remembered that this country
became at that time the head and
ruler of all the others. Besides the
smaller states, there were also the
flags of East and West Prussia to be
included. That of West Prussia was
black, white, black~-three stripes OF
equal diameter, running the length OF
the flag That of East Prussia con-
sisted of two such stripes, the upper
black and the lower white. The
| JAIN VI INC nav NNhohoeS
of three horizontal stripes, the upper
black, the middle white and the lower
red The much priced iron cross dat
ing back to the end of the twelfth CEN
tury) is in the center. This red stripe
appears In the final war ensign of the
empire, in which the tricolor (black,
white, red) appears In the upper quar-
ter, with the iron cross upon 1t, while
the remaining three-quarters are white,
with the royal arms in the center. A
black cross divides the whole flag into
quarters.
The flag Of Austria is very COM
pick affair. To begin with, the various
Austrian provinces have their own
flags. Bohemia is red-white, Tyrol is
white-red, Dalmatia is blue-yellow, Ga
licia is blue-red, Croatia is red-white-
blue and Istria is yellow-white-bl blue.
Then again, Austria Hungary being q
dual monarchy, both Austria and Hun
gary must be separately represented
and fully-on the flag. Fortunately,
this combination was rendered more
easy by the fact that portions Of the
days of both countries were already
the same. Thus, the Austrian flag was
whitered. the Hungarian was red
white-green. Compromise was effect
ed by dividing the lowest horizontal
stripe in two. and leaving half red
while the remainder was green. The
arms of both countries also appear on
the flag. This was decided upon March
q, 1869.
| The imperial standard of the car Of
all the Russias is of brilliant yellow,
In the center of which is a large dou-
Bile headed black eagle. This flag dates
from the year 1872, when Ivan the
Great married Sophia, niece Of Con-
stantine Palaeologus. and thence as
sumed the arms of the Greek empire.
| On the breast of the eagle is an es-
cutcheon bearing on its red field in Sill
yer the figure of St. George Staying
the dragon, the whole being surround
| ed by the collar of the Order Of St.
Andrew. On the displayed wings Of
the eagle are other shields bearing
| the arms of Kiev, Novgorod, Yladt-
mir, Kasan, etc. The Russian union
| Jack is very similar to that of Eng
land, save that the principal crossbars
are blue instead of red. This Is the
well known Russian war flag. The
cross is that of st. Andrew, the patron
saint of Russia.
The well known tricolor of France
is made up of three stripes-blue,
white and red-running not the length,
but the width of the flag. 1t dates
from the era of the French revolution
and came into existence in 1850. 1t
has been the national flag since, with
but slight variations. In 1904 the tri-
color was also made the jack of the
French navy.
The union jack Of Great Britain Is
composed of the three crosses of St
George st. Patrick and st. Andrew.
That Of the first was broad red cross,
dividing the white flag into four white
squares; the white cross Of st. An
drew on a blue background, ran from
corner to corner diagonally. while the
red cross of st. Patrick rafdn the same
direction If the union jack be exam
ined it will be found to be composed
of these three crosses, as stated. The
uuS Wuo iOOlt vi tuO
union in that year Of Great Britain
England, Scotland and Waes) and
Ireland.
The flag of Belgium is composed of
tricolor-black, yellow and red-run-
ming up and downfall is. the width
and not the length of the flag. The
royal standard has the arms placed in
the center of the yellow strip. This
was adopted as the national flag In
1881, being originally the colors of tho
duchy Of Brabant.
From 1477 until 1906 Belgium be-
longed to Austria, but on the latter
date 1t fell into the hands Of Spain.
In 1705 and for some years following
1t was held by France, and in 1914
was handed over to the Prince Of
Orange but in 1880 the Belglans rose
n eo met tho Ho11o nd arc nd acfo hIfahad