Prince's Flag

The Prinsenvlag ( Prince's Flag ) was the historical flag of the Netherlands, as it was originally worn by the Orangemen in the Eighty Years' War ( 1568-1648 ). The colors are based on the colors of the livery of Prince William of Orange -Nassau and are orange, white and blue. The Orange is the color of the House of Orange. The current national flag of the Netherlands is based on the Prinsenvlag, but is red-white- blue.

History

Perhaps the first Prinsenvlag was carried by the Sea Beggars as they took in 1572 Den Briel by the Spaniards. 1587 ordered the Zeeland Admiralty Flag for their warships. As a flag of the uprising, it was then taken over by the Republic of the United Netherlands. Later became red from the orange, what there are different theories. For example, the aversion to the House of Orange in a part of the Dutch have played a role - with red instead of orange they could be different from the Orange supporters.

During the French occupation in 1800, as the Orangemen had left the Netherlands to Red sat through almost final. On his return in 1813, the Sovereign Prince of the Netherlands decided soon as King William I of the Netherlands, an Orange, red for

Since the 1930s, the followers of the right-wing extremist Nationaal - Socialistische Beweging used the Prinsenvlag with her orange. Among other things, therefore, signed Queen Wilhelmina in 1937 a decree of the Red-White- Blue stipulated as the national flag.

Use

Nowadays Prinsenvlag is often associated with right-wing, nationalist movements and actually use it gladly. In addition, we expect in the Prinsenvlag to panniederländische movements who want to unite the Netherlands with Flanders.

In May 2011, the two Prinsenvlaggen attracted attention, which could be seen at PVV offices in the government district ( Binnenhof ). A deputy of the right-wing populist party, Wim Kortenoeven, she had hung in his window. Only after months they were removed after a newspaper had reported it. Kortenoeven wanted the flag to be understood as a symbol for the Gouden eeuw -called era in the 17th century.

From the Prinsenvlag apart Orange is a very popular and widely used color in the Dutch national consciousness. For holidays that have to do with the royal house, hanging on the flag often an orange pennant.

South Africa

The Prinsenvlag was also the basis for the former flag of South Africa, which was adopted in 1928. It shows on the white surface, the flags of Great Britain and the Boer Republics formerly free Orange Free State and Transvaal. In 1994 she was replaced by the current.