Red flag with month and country star. Turkey flag photo
The red color of the Turkish flag originates from Umar, the ruler of the Arab Caliphate and conqueror of Palestine, Egypt and Mesopotamia. In the XIV century. red became the color of the Ottoman Empire. Crescent moon with star is a symbol of Islam.
It is noteworthy that initially the star was located inside the month, which is incorrect from the point of view of astronomy (the star in this case was covered by the invisible part of the Moon), therefore at the beginning of the 20th century, according to the requirements of astronomers, it was moved outside the month. Although at present the flag contains some astronomical discrepancy - the “crescent” does not represent the phase of the Moon (which we can observe from the Earth every month), but the eclipse of the Moon by an unknown object (in size and position of the orbit - not the Earth) of a round shape (which is unnatural for asteroids). In a word, such a Moon is impossible to observe from Earth now and was impossible to observe for thousands of years earlier.
Some sources indicate that the crescent, considered a traditional symbol of Islam, appeared on Turkish flags in the mid-15th century. after the victorious battle of Kosovo, others clarify that it was borrowed from the emblem of Constantinople (now Istanbul) taken in the city, others recall that the image of a crescent with the star of Jupiter was considered the horoscope of Sultan Osman (ruled in the late 13th - early 14th centuries) , was the family emblem of his dynasty.
True, stars appeared on Turkish flags only at the beginning of the 19th century, when they were seven- and eight-pointed. The five-pointed star appeared in the city. For a long time, the sacred green color of the Prophet Muhammad prevailed on Turkish flags; only in the city did Sultan Selim III order the red color to be legalized.
By the time of its collapse in the city, the Ottoman Empire had a flag on the red cloth of which the sacred image of a white crescent and a five-pointed star was repeated three times. The flag of the Turkish Republic is installed in the city, which still exists today. On May 29, it was officially approved in a ratio of 3:2.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, the coat of arms of Turkey featured, against the background of military trophies, a shield with a golden month in a green field. The shield was crowned with the Sultan's turban. Decades have passed, Turkey has become a secular republican state, and the sultans are a thing of the past in this country. Nowadays, both the coat of arms and the flag of this power have the same design - a golden crescent with a star on a red field.
There are many legends about the origin of these symbols. One of them is associated with the distant year 339 BC. e., when the troops of Philip of Macedon, the father of the famous commander Alexander, surrounded the city of Byzantium, as Istanbul was called in ancient times. The siege was long and bloody, the inhabitants desperately resisted, many people died in the struggle for freedom. Then the enemy decided to dig under the impregnable fortress at night. But suddenly, from behind the heavy clouds, a moon shone and a star next to it, repeatedly reflected in the pools of blood near the city walls. The watchmen on the towers noticed the enemy and raised the alarm. Philip's soldiers retreated with heavy losses, and the city was saved. In memory of this event and as a symbol of freedom from invaders, the crescent with a star became the emblem of Byzantium. Centuries later, in 1453, the hordes of the Turkish Sultan captured the city, and then the entire Eastern Roman Empire. The emblem was transferred to the banner of the winners, and since then the crescent with a star has been emblazoned on the Turkish flag.
Flag of the Ottoman Empires
And hello again, dear ones! Last time () we finished with the stylistics of the moon and stars in Muslim states, and today we will start with them. There are 2 other countries whose flags display the above symbols and whose flags are sometimes confused - Algeria and Pakistan. To be fair, there are two more countries that have similar symbols - Mauritania and the Maldives, but their banners are difficult to confuse with all the others. Therefore, let's start with Algeria.
The flag of the Algerian People's Democratic Republic was adopted on July 3, 1962, immediately after receiving a positive result in the popular referendum on Independence from France. The referendum was preceded by a bloody 8-year war with the Metropolis.
Algeria flag
The design of the flag has a collective image. On the one hand, the Dei (rulers) of Algeria have used the white star and month since the 16th century as the autonomy of the Ottoman Porte. At the same time, the design of the moon was somewhat different from the Turkish and Tunisian ones, since the edges of the moon were somewhat elongated, and the star was located inside the month. On the one hand, this is Muslim symbolism. The emblem denotes divine protection, growth, rebirth and, together with the star enclosed within the crescent, paradise. On the other hand, the Berbers, who in ancient times lived in Algeria, considered one of their main deities Ayur, the deity of the moon, whose sign was the crescent.
national hero emir Abd al-Qadir
The white and red stripes of the flag were apparently taken from the standard of the hero of the Algerian people, Emir Abd al-Qadir, famous for his courage, but at the same time for his kindness and tolerance on religious issues. According to modern interpretations, the colors of the flag symbolize Islam (green), purity (white) and freedom (red).
Flag of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in August 1947 immediately after the declaration of Independence from the British Empire. The first design of the flag was by Amir Eddin Hidwai, based on the banner of the All India Muslim League, which was introduced in 1906, which (the league is meant) in turn developed its banner based on the pennants of the Delhi Sultanate and the green banners of the Mughal Empire.
flag of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
The aspect ratio of the Pakistani flag is 2:3. The flag is a rectangular panel of dark green color. There is a wide white stripe along the base of the flag. On the green background of the panel there is a white pattern depicting a crescent and a star with five rays. The green color of the banner means the Muslims of the country; the white stripe means other faiths. The crescent moon symbolizes Muslim adherence to the lunar calendar, and the five-pointed star symbolizes the five pillars of Islam (Testimony of faith (or shahada), prayer (or salat), donation (or zyakat), fasting (or saum) and pilgrimage (or hajj). White color scheme The star and crescent also symbolizes the purity of the inhabitants (Pakistan literally means “land of the pure”), as well as development, enlightenment and progress.
one of the leaders of the All India Muslim League, lawyer Said Amir Ali
Next we will look at the flags of 4 states in South and Central America, which are different, but in some cases they can be confused. I'm talking about the banners of Argentina, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras.
The flag of the Argentine Republic has remained unchanged since 1812. General and poet Manuel Belgrano is considered its creator, and June 20 (the day of his death) was declared a public holiday in Argentina - “Flag Day”. To tell the truth, Argentines have 2 flags - the official ceremonial and the festive. We can observe a similar picture in Poland.
Manuel Belgrano
The official ceremonial one differs from the festive one by the image of a stylized yellow sun in the middle of a white stripe, which symbolizes Inti, the Incan Sun God and at the same time the May Revolution of 1810, which became a harbinger of Argentina's independence from the Spaniards. Therefore, this sign is often called the “May sun”. The official version of the flag must always be raised higher than the celebratory version, but in all other respects both versions of the national flag are considered valid.
official ceremonial banner of the Argentine Republic
There are several meanings for the colors of the flag. According to the main one, white represents the clouds and snow of the Andes, and light blue represents the sky. According to another, the blue color symbolizes the La Plata River, and the white color symbolizes silver (the name “Argentina” comes from the Latin name for silver, argentum). The third meaning is the color of the clothes of the country's patron saint - the Blessed Virgin.
La Plata River
The flag of Honduras was designed by the first president of the republic, José Maria Medina, and approved on January 9, 1866. Between the 2 stripes, which the Hondurans themselves call the color of “coastal turquoise,” there is a white stripe with 5 five-pointed stars. These stars represent 5 states (Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Los Altos), which as provinces were part of the state called the United Provinces of Central America from 1823 to 1840.
The blue stripes symbolize the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean that surround Honduras, as well as the sky, the ideals of brotherly love and the courage of the people. The white stripe symbolizes the goals of patriotism, purity, honesty, faith, obedience and goodness.
Flag of Honduras
The national flag of the Republic of El Salvador (translated from Spanish as Savior) was adopted on May 17, 1912 and, like the Honduran flag, is based on the flag of the United Provinces of Central America. The flag's stripes are blue, not turquoise or light blue (like Honduras and Argentina, respectively), and the country's coat of arms is located in the center of the flag. The building triangle (according to other versions, Masonic) symbolizes equality; its corners represent the three branches of government: legislative, executive and judicial. Volcanoes represent the five nations of Central America, bordered by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The triangle contains symbols of freedom (Phrygian cap), ideals of the people (golden rays) and peace (rainbow). The motto "Dios, Union, Libertad" reflects faith in God, family harmony and the independence of the people. The 14 clusters of leaves represent the number of departments in El Salvador.
The blue stripes represent the 2 oceans and the white stripe represents the world.
El Salvador flag
The same can be said about the flag of the Republic of Nicaragua - it was also based on the banner of the United Provinces of Central America. Adopted on September 4, 1908 and differs from the Salvadoran one in a slightly lighter shade of blue stripes and coat of arms. The triangle is a symbol of equality. The five volcanoes represent the five countries of Central America, bordered by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The Phrygian cup represents freedom; the rainbow symbolizes peace.
This flag is closest in meaning to the latter flag of the United Provinces of Central America. It turns out that the flags of El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras were created on the basis of the banner of the United Provinces of Central America, which in turn was adopted as a basis, guided by the Argentinean one. Hence the similarity.
Nicaragua banner
Let's go further and talk about countries whose flags contain pan-Arab colors and whose banners are similar. Four colors are considered pan-Arab: red, black, white and green. All of them, in one proportion or another and in various combinations, are present in the flags of most countries of the Arab East. As a general rule, each of the above colors represents a specific dynasty or era: black is the color of the flag of the Prophet Muhammad, white is the symbol of the Umayyads, green is the sign of the Fatimids, and red is the color of the Kharijites and Al-Andalusia.
map of the Umayyad Caliphate at its height
But this is the general rule. And individually, each country has its own explanations for the meaning of color. Of all the states with flags of pan-Arab colors, 4 are really similar. These are Egypt-Yemen-Iraq and Syria. All of them are tricolors with horizontal stripes. There is a red stripe at the top, then white, and finally black.
Let's start, perhaps, with the banner of the Yemeni Republic. After the unification of the Yemen Arab Republic and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen in the early 90s, the single country began to use the tricolor flag I indicated above.
Yemen flag
Next we will touch on the banner of the Syrian Arab Republic. Adopted March 30, 1980 (repeatedly). Previously, this flag was the so-called United Arab Republic (abbreviated UAR), a unitary state that included Syria and Egypt and existed from February 1958 to September 1971. 2 green stars represent Syria and Egypt as the two countries that are closest in spirit and are true partners.
soldier defending Syrian borders
The flag of the Arab Republic of Egypt differs from the Syrian one in having a golden eagle placed in the center of the flag. The banner in this variation was adopted on October 5, 1984. In addition to the above-mentioned pan-Arab meaning of colors in Egypt, it is believed that red symbolizes the fight against the colonial regime, white symbolizes the “bloodless” revolution of 1952, and black symbolizes the end of the oppression of the British colonial regime. The golden bird in the center is the so-called “Eagle of Saladdin”, the totemic sign of the most famous sultan of the Middle Ages - Salah ad-Din, a Kurd by origin, but the ruler of Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Hijaz and Yemen.
Egyptian banner
Well, the last one will be a description of the flag of long-suffering Iraq, the design of which has been changed six times over the past 60 years.
At the moment, the country, approved on January 22, 2008, has on the middle white stripe the inscription in green in Arabic “God is great” (Allah Akbar). There were attempts (primarily among the Kurds) to replace this flag with another, but they were unsuccessful
modern flag of Iraq
The next pair of flags, which for some reason are often confused, are the flags of Bahrain and Kuwait.
The current flag of the Kingdom of Bahrain was approved on February 17, 2002. The flag is a red panel with a white vertical stripe at the hoist, bounded by a zigzag on the right side. Proportion 3:5.
The color is taken from the standard of one of the Khajiit Mohammedan movements, which once had great influence in the region. The white stripe on the flag appeared in the mid-19th century as a sign of peace between the local tribes that formed the state and the British, who had interests in the region.
flag of the Kingdom of Bahrain
In 1933, the strip underwent some changes - its edge became zigzag. Finally, in 2002, the flag received its final design, reducing the number of triangles on the zigzag edge of the white stripe to 5. This number is deeply symbolic and represents the five pillars of Islam. There is an alternative version of the flag, but it is not very popular. The white stripe represents the country's Sunni rulers (and Sunnis are a minority in the country, just 25%), the zigzags represent the royal crown, and the red color represents the country's Shiite majority.
Monarch of Bahrain Khalifa Ibn Salman al Khalifa
The flag of Dawlat Qatar, or otherwise the State of Qatar in its current state was adopted in 1971. It, like the Bahraini flag, has a white zigzag stripe at the pole, but there are several significant differences:
1) the main color of the flag is not red, but darker - it is red-burgundy (bearing, by the way, the name Qatar Red). This color represents the blood shed by the country’s patriots in the struggle for its independence.
2) the number of triangles on the zigzag edge of the white stripe is not 5, 9, since Qatar became the 9th Arab state of the Persian Gulf recognized by Great Britain as a result of the Anglo-Qatari Treaty of 1916.
3) Size and shape. The proportions of 11:28 make the Qatari flag the narrowest and narrowest of any country in the world.
Dawlata Qatar banner
Next we will compare the flags of Costa Rica and Thailand. These standards, in general, are completely different, but, nevertheless, for some reason they are often confused.
The 5-stripe flag of the Republic of Costa Rica first appeared in 1848, and the combination of white, red and blue was dedicated to the French Revolution. In 1964, a regulatory document was published supplementing the state flag with a coat of arms. At the moment, a version of the flag is used, both with and without a coat of arms. Stripe ratio: 1:1:2:1:1. The proportions of the flag are 3:5.
flag of costa rica
According to the interpretation of the country's authorities, the blue stripes of the flag mean a peaceful sky, the ideals of justice and perseverance in achieving goals, white - peace, wisdom and happiness, red - the blood shed by the country's patriots for its well-being. An alternative option is this: the white and blue colors of the flag symbolize the independence of the country, and the red symbolizes civilization
On the coat of arms, the seven stars represent the seven provinces of Costa Rica, and the volcanoes represent the country's geographic location between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The sun is an attribute of freedom, and ships symbolize trade.
Coat of arms of Costa Rica
The Kingdom of Thailand also has a 5-stripe flag, but its stripes are arranged differently. In the center is blue, and on the edges are red. The standard was established on September 28, 1917 and has its own name Tong Trairong, that is, the tricolor banner.
According to legend, the flag originally consisted of only white and red stripes, due to the fact that King Rama VI saw the flag hanging upside down, and so that this could not happen again, he created a flag that was symmetrical. However, in 1917 this banner was changed and the central stripe became red. According to the official version, there were 2 reasons for this. Firstly, the king was born on a Friday, and the color of this day for the Thais is officially blue, and they decided to please their monarch. And secondly, it is an expression of solidarity with the allies in the First World War (Great Britain, France, the USA and Russia), who had a combination of blue, white and red in their flags.
flag of the Kingdom of Thailand
There are also many versions of the color meanings of the flag. The main version is this: the colors red-white-blue symbolize the people-religion-king.
Each state has its own distinctive symbols established constitutionally or by special law. This is an anthem, a coat of arms and a flag, usually covered in legends and shrouded in stories. The symbols of the state are considered not just an existing formal system. It is a national treasure, including culture.
Symbols give the first idea of the state and what values it adheres to. In an Islamic country like Turkey, there is no such thing as a legally approved state emblem. However, instead of it, in many institutions you can see a semi-official emblem. It looks like a red oval with a vertically oriented crescent and star inside it. The Turkish flag also contains similar symbols. In addition, the official name of the state is written on the upper edge of the oval of the emblem. This symbolism - a star and a crescent - can also be seen on the foreign passports of Turkish citizens.
In 1925, the Ministry of Education of this country announced a competition for the best drawing for the national coat of arms. The winner was the project that depicted vertical stars and a crescent, and below was the silhouette of a wolf, personifying the “Turkic national symbol.” However, despite universal recognition, this version of the coat of arms, like all the others, did not acquire official status.
Meaning and history
The flag of Turkey is a white crescent with a red banner. This bright color of the fabric, according to some sources, came from the ruler Umar, who was the conqueror of Egypt, Palestine and Mesopotamia. Since the fourteenth century, red has symbolized and the Star and Crescent have always been considered to be what the Turkish Republic preaches. And this despite the fact that religion is legally separated from the state here, and the principle of freedom of religion applies.
Inconsistency
Interestingly, the star was originally located inside the month. At the same time, from the point of view of astronomers, this was the wrong decision, since the star in this case was covered by the moon, or rather by its invisible part. Therefore, from the beginning of the twentieth century, according to the requirements of astronomers, the Turkish flag, the pictures of which remained unchanged, was slightly adjusted. The star was nevertheless taken outside the crescent.
However, experts also find some inconsistency in this version, from an astronomical point of view. The crescent on the flag does not represent the one that a person can observe every month from Earth, but its eclipse by an incomprehensible round object.
Origin of the drawings
Some historians argue that the crescent, which has always been traditionally considered a symbol of Islam, appeared on the Turkish flag from the mid-fifteenth century immediately after the victorious battle of Kosovo. Others say that it was borrowed from the emblem of the captured Constantinople. Still others are confident that the image of the star of Jupiter with a crescent are signs of the horoscope of Sultan Uthman, who ruled in the late thirteenth - early fourteenth centuries. These symbols were considered the emblem of the dynasty of his reigning family.
There is another legend about their origin. It is associated with the distant fourth century BC, when the troops of the father of the famous Alexander the Great - commander Philip - besieged the ancient city of Byzantium, present-day Istanbul. The encirclement was long and bloody. Residents resisted desperately, many of them died in the struggle for their freedom. And then the enemy decided to dig under this impregnable fortress in the dead of night.
However, suddenly, from behind the black clouds, a moon and a star began to shine next to it. Their light was reflected many times in the pools of blood spilled under the city walls. The watchmen noticed the enemy from the towers and raised the alarm. Philip's soldiers had to retreat with heavy losses, and the city was liberated. And as a memory of this event, and at the same time as a symbol of freedom, the crescent with a star became the emblem of Byzantium. After a long time, already in 1453, the horde of the Turkish Sultan captured almost the entire Eastern Roman Empire. The emblem was transferred to the winner's banner, and since then the Turkish flag has been a red banner with a crescent and a star.
Blue flag
When planning a holiday by the sea, many are guided by the presence of the Blue Flag. Since 1987, this international award has been awarded annually to those equipped beaches whose water meets quality standards and is therefore safe for swimming. This nomination is managed by the Foundation for Environmental Education - FEE. More than sixty states participate in this program. Türkiye did not stand aside either. The Blue Flag last year brought it to third position among countries in which marine tourism is developed. 389 beaches, which is thirty-two more than the year before, are marked by FEE according to as many as twenty-nine criteria.
Additionally, Turkey ranks seventh in terms of the number of Blue Flags awarded to its marinas.
Türkiye, a country with a unique geographical location. Located partly in Europe and partly in Asia, it has served throughout its history as both a barrier and a bridge between these two continents. In turn, the culture and traditions of Turkey are a unique reflection of the influence of East and West on this country, and the state flag is a clear confirmation of this.
Flag description
The national flag of Turkey is a red rectangular banner with the former five-pointed star and white crescent. The composition is located closer to the left edge of the flag, with the star located to the right of the crescent. The ratio of the length and width of the canvas is 3:2, respectively.
Flag symbolism
The five-pointed star in the Muslim tradition symbolizes the 5 pillars of Islam:
- recognition of monotheism and the prophetic mission of Muhammad, or shahada, with which all prayers and events begin;
- namaz, or prayer, which a Muslim says five times a day;
- fasting in the month of Ramadan, established back in 624 by the Prophet Muhammad, and requiring believers to completely abstain from food during daylight hours for 29-30 days;
- pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina (Hajj), which every Muslim dreams of doing at least once in his life;
- zakat, or compulsory tax on the able-bodied population for the benefit of the poor and other needy.
The crescent, according to one version, means the use of the lunar calendar by Muslims. However, there are assumptions about it as a symbol of the heavenly protection of righteous Muslims.
Similar compositions of a star and crescent are presented on the flags of other countries whose territory once belonged to the Ottoman Empire: Algeria, Libya, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan and Tunisia.
If we talk about the color basis of the flag, then colors are generally deeply symbolic among Muslims. White for them represents spirituality, holiness and purity. He, like other light colors, is especially revered in Islam. Like other religions, Islam sees divinity and wisdom in this color. Red is considered the color of strength, courage and passion. Its richness and energy are so strong that rubies, beloved by Muslims, are even forbidden to be shown to children and animals.
Flag names
As in other countries, in Turkey there are unofficial names for this state symbol. For example, the Turks poetically call their flag ay yildiz, which translated means “moon star”. Sometimes you can hear another name - al sancak. It is translated as “red banner”. In a word sancak Previously, military flags were designated, which necessarily had inscriptions, fringe and a staff.
History of the flag
It can be quite difficult to reveal the meaning of the color of the banner and the images on it, especially if the state symbol is no longer young. Such flags are often surrounded by many historical assumptions and legends. As for the Turkish flag, with it With There are a huge number of versions knitted, but none of them fully reveals its origin.
Historical facts
Although the star and crescent are considered Muslim symbols, in fact they appeared much earlier than the heyday of this religion. Among ancient civilizations in the Middle East, the crescent moon was especially revered. In Greek Byzantium, for example, it was a symbol of the moon goddess Diana, the patron saint of this city. When Emperor Constantine I recognized Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire, in 330 Byzantium was renamed Constantinople and placed under the protection of the Holy Virgin Mary, whose emblem was a star. Since then, the Romans have everywhere depicted these two symbols together.
The star and crescent became associated with Islam in the 15th century. Turkic nomads from Central Asia who professed this religion captured the Anatolian Peninsula and the Roman capital. The captured territories came into the possession of the Ottoman Empire, and Constantinople was renamed Istanbul. The Ottoman Turks adopted existing divine symbols and began to put the star and crescent on their banners in red.
Throughout its existence, the Ottoman Empire changed several flags, most of which featured a star and crescent. Mostly these banners were red or green. In 1793, Ottoman Sultan Selim III abolished all green banners and declared a red flag with a white crescent and an eight-pointed star to be the banner of the Turkish fleet. The five-pointed star became a five-pointed star in 1844.
In 1923, the Ottoman Empire was replaced by the Republic of Turkey, and in June 1936, a white crescent with a star on a red banner became the official flag of the new state. Thus, the national symbol of Turkey remained virtually unchanged for several centuries.
Legends
One of the legends associated with the Turkish flag says that during the Battle of Kosovo in 1448, during which the Ottoman Turks defeated the Hungarian troops, Sultan Murad II saw the reflection of the moon and stars in the pools of blood of fallen soldiers.
According to another legend, the very first Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Osman I, saw in a dream how a month appeared from the chest of the famous righteous Sheikh Edebali and landed on Osman’s chest. And then a tree grew in this place, the shadow of which covered the whole world, and the rivers flowing from it irrigated the land and provided water to people and animals. The Sheikh interpreted the Sultan's dream as granting him and his descendants the highest blessing to rule the world.
According to the third legend, when the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II and his troops conquered Constantinople in 1453, on the same night he saw a month in the sky and a bright star next to it. Then the ruler decided that a star with a crescent would be a good symbol for his vast Empire.
Use of the Turkish flag
The flag in Turkey can be found on the buildings of various government institutions: from schools to ministries. On the buildings of Parliament and other government bodies, educational institutions, consulates, airports, and military units, the national symbol of the country is constantly displayed.
On military uniforms, the flag is placed either on the right shoulder or on the chest of Turkish army personnel. It can also be depicted on a helmet. On the uniform of the gendarmerie, navy and air force, the banner is always sewn on the shoulder.
Turkey has many national holidays and observances during which the country's flags are flown. Every year on October 29, Türkiye celebrates Republic Day. On this day, the country’s banner and the portrait of the first President Ataturk can be found literally everywhere: on the TV screen and at street demonstrations.
The Turkish flag is undoubtedly flown at half-mast on November 10, the day of remembrance of Ataturk. Other dates when the banner is lowered are announced by the Prime Minister of the country.
Turkish law prohibits displaying a flag if it is torn, dirty or heavily crumpled; any damage to the national symbol and disrespectful attitude towards it in written and oral speech are also severely punished.
The Turkish flag may seem simple and uncomplicated to some, but behind this simplicity lies a long history and connection between the West and the East.
