Senyera
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Different flags of territories of the former Crown of Aragon are based upon the Senyera. Proportions 2:3 |
The
Senyera is a
vexillological symbol which consists of four red stripes on a golden background. It historically represented the
king of
Crown of Aragon and
Count of Barcelona; today it is the flag of the
Autonomous Community of
Catalonia, in
Spain. In addition, the current official
flags of
Aragon, the
Balearic Islands and the
Valencian Community, among many others, are based upon this symbol. In
Catalan,
senyera is also a
synonym of
bandera ('flag'), although by
antonomasy, the word normally refers to the Catalan flag in particular.
The Senyera is said to be one of the oldest flags of the world. According to a
14th century legend, the flag dates back from the
9th century; but it more likely derives from
11th century or
12th century pre-heraldic symbols. It derives from the Counts of Barcelona coat of arms: in this, the yellow and red bars are vertical; in the flag, horizontal. The dinasty coat of arms become the one for the lands ruled by the counts. So, it is present in the flags and shields of the territories that once were part of the
Crown of Aragon:
Catalonia,
Aragon,
Valencian Community,
Balearic Islands,
French Catalonia, and also in the coats of arms of
Andorra,
Sicily and other lands and towns.
The legend tells that the four red bars were drawn on
Wilfred I the Hairy's (
Count of Barcelona) golden shield by king
Charles the Bald's fingers drenched with blood from the Count's war wounds.
The plain version of this flag was mainly used since the early
20th century by
Catalan nationalists. Later, it has been used as official flag of the
Autonomous Community of Catalonia during the
Second Spanish Republic and since
Spanish transition to democracy. In its plain version, it is also used in the
French Département of
Pyrénées-Orientales, part of the
former territory of Catalonia. It is also used as the flag of
Provence, a distinct region with historic ties to Catalonia.
The
blazon of this standard version is
Or, four bars Gules.
There are a few variations in the official flags of other territories. For instance, in Aragon an extra
coat-of-arms, in Balearic Islands a
castle in the
canton, and in Valencia a blue fringe on the
hoist.
Image:Aragon_Flag.PNG|AragonImage:Flag_of_the_Balearic_Islands.svg|Balearic IslandsImage:Modern_flag_of_Barcelona.gif|Barcelona (between 1996-2004)Image:Flag of Barcelona.svg|Barcelona (modern flag, and also, in former times)Image:Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur_flag.svg|Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'AzurImage:Senyera valenciana preautonòmica.png|Valencian Community (former)Image:Flag of the Land of Valencia (official).svg|Valencia city and Valencian Community (today)Image:Estelada_blava.svg|Catalan Independentist blue estelada.*
Crown of Aragon*
History of Catalonia*
Estelada*
Flag of Spain*
*
Senyera History
