Flag of Russia
The flag of Russia is composed of three colors -white, blue and red. These tricolors are each divided horizontally into three equal, rectangular regions over the area of the flag, with white occupying the top one-third of the flag, blue the center and red at the bottom.
Symbolism
Although several theories on the symbolism of the Russian flag exist from past times, none of these reasons have been accepted as officially correct. Some of the depictions given for each color are:
- White: Peace, innocence
- Blue: Faith, loyalty
- Red: Energy, power, or the blood which was given to the Motherland or Autocracy
Another interesting theory on the basis of the colors used is – Saint George wearing white (silver) armor, riding a white horse, wearing a blue cape and holding a blue shield, on a red field.
Popular Beliefs and History
According to popular myth, the origin of the Russian flag relates to the time of Tsar Peter the Great's visit to the Netherlands in 1699. The Tsar had gone there to learn about shipbuilding. During the period of his visit, he realized the need for Russia to have a flag for its navy too. Thus, he based Russia's flag on the flag of the Netherlands, making it a tricolor with three equal horizontal fields, but he chose Russian colors for it (the flag of the Netherlands at that time was orange, white and blue, with no red). The new colors came from the coat of arms of the Duchy of Moscow, which depict Saint George wearing white armor, riding a white horse, wearing a blue cape and holding a blue shield, on red field, as mentioned above. However, this story, although widespread, is believed to be a myth by many.
This flag was officially recognized as the country's flag in 1799.
When other eastern European countries began their fight for freedom from foreign control during the 19th century, they also adopted these three colors in honor of Russia. As a result, the colors of red, blue, and white are known as the Pan-Slavic colors.
