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Portugal Flag - Portuguese Republic
SKU: PRT35P
The flag of the Portuguese Republic is green and red, divided vertically into green at the hoist and red at the fly or 3:2. A coat of arms consisting of an armillary sphere charged with the traditional Portuguese shield is centred on the division. The Portuguese shield or escudo has appeared in all but the first Portuguese flag. It is one of the world's oldest national symbols dating back to the rein of Alfonso I, the first King of Portugal. Legend states that on July 26, 1139, King Alfonso was praying just prior to the Battle of Ourique for the safety of his Portuguese subjects, when Christ appeared to him on the Cross.. After winning the battle, the King in gratitude incorporated symbols of the Christ's five wounds into the design. News of the vision was interpreted by some as real and by others as a ploy to seek Papal approval of the Portuguese monarch. Others believe the five points are in fact five Moorish Kings killed in the battle.
Early versions of the shield held nine castles as symbols of the 1249 victories over nine Moorish Castles in the name of King Alfonso, III. Castles were also the official symbol of the Kingdom of Algarve, which was the last conquest made by Portugal prior to the drawing of its permanent borders. King John II would later reduce the number of castles to seven. An armillary sphere replaced the royal crown in 1910 following a coupe d'etat whereby King Manuel II was deposed. The sphere was a symbol of the Portuguese Colonial Empire worldwide. It had been used in the Arms of King Manuel I who had ruled from 1495-1521. Manuel I,the fortunate king had ruled at the peak of Portuguese power and world influence. The sphere was added to the Escudo by King John VI who ruled from 1816 to 1826 to commemorate his declaration of the Kingdom of Brazil under the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and Algarve. When Brazil subsequently gained its independence during his rein, it was decided to quickly remove the sphere upon the King's death.
The flag's colour red is often believed to be the blood shed in battles both against the Moors during the 12th - 15th century and during the Estado Novo under António de Oliveira Salazar between 1933 and 1974. Green is believed to be the green fields where the battles were fought together with the hope they offered. Others believed the red to represented the sun rising and setting over the Portuguese navy during the age of exploration. The green would then symbolize the oceans sailed by the great Portuguese navigators. The current flag of Portugal first appeared during the the republican revolution on October 5, 1911 and was officially adopted on June 30, 1911.
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