The Republic of France

The Tricolore

The Tricolore is the national flag of France, and first appeared during the French Revolution. It is believed that the colours of red, white and blue are taken from the colours for Pairs (red and blue), and white as the colour of the Bourbon Dynasty. The stripes where arranged into vertical stripes, in equal measure. This style has since become common for many flags around the world. Such as Italy, and Ireland.

The colours are also usually associated as well with the three ideals of the French Revolution, freedom, equality, and brotherhood. Another possibility seems to be that the colours and design where taken from the Dutch flag, re-arranged, and the ideals attached later.

In 1794, the flag was officially adopted by the Convention. Another set of attributes for the flags colours, is that red stands for the nobility, white for the clergy, and blue for the bourgeoisie. This is the set of attributes that is currently being taught in French schools.

Upon the death of Napoleon, the Tricolore was consigned to history (temporarily) by the restoration of the Bourbon Dynasty. They brought back the original pure white flag of the Bourbon household. However, after the July revolution in 1830, and the enthronement of Louis-Phillipe (the “Citizen-King”) saw the Tricolore restored as the national flag.

The Tricolore remained as the national flag during the Second Republic, as well as the Second Empire. Following the overthrow of Napoleon III, the voters of France elected a Royalist majority to the National Assembly of the Third Republic. This parliament then moved to offer the throne the Bourbon pretender, Henri, comt de Chambord. However, he insisted that he would only take the throne if the white flag of the Bourbons was re-instated as the flag of France. However, by then, the Tricolore had become a hugely cherished national symbol, and there was no way that this would be possible.

During the Second World War, with the partitioning of France by the Nazis into occupied France, and Vichy France, it was decided that the flag could not be replaced. However, it was defaced with a Fasces, surrounded by stars in place on the central white stripe. The French Free Forces also used a defaced flag, with a red Cross of Lorraine.

The constitutions of 1946, and 1958 both affirmed the Tricolore as the national flag of France.