FLAG OF HUNGARY: HISTORY AND MEANING - CULTURE VOCABULARY

The flag of Hungary is the representative national flag of this member nation of the European Union. The symbol is made up of three horizontal stripes; the upper band is red, the central white and the lower green. The current flag's ratio is 1: 2 and its origin dates back centuries.

The history of the flags of Hungary is extremely rich, the first dating back to the period of the Principality of Hungary, between 895 and 1000. From the Kingdom of Hungary the cross was established as a symbol of the country, which incorporated the colors green and red in its aesthetics. However, these were included in the flag in the middle of the 19th century, with the new independence of the country after the Habsburg dynasty.

Flag of Hungary. (SKopp, via Wikimedia Commons).

The current version of the Hungarian flag was approved in 1957 and has not been modified since. This was, moreover, the first time that the symbol excluded any national coat of arms. For this reason, the flag remained unchanged after the fall of the communist regime.

The Hungarian constitution made the meaning of the flag's colors official: strength for red, fidelity for white, and hope for green.

History of the flag

The history of the flags of Hungary is as old as the history of the Hungarian state itself. From about the year 895 the first pavilions that really represented the first modern state, the Principality of Hungary, began to be hoisted. The symbols varied enormously over time, depending on each ruling political regime.

Principality of Hungary

The Carolingian Empire had fallen and different tribes were constituted, half a century later, as the Principality of Hungary. What was at first a state of nomadic tribes, soon became a constituted kingdom that abandoned paganism to enter the Christian orbit.

The first flag of this principality, established in 895, was completely red. On its right side it had three triangular points.

Flag of the Principality of Hungary. (895-1000) and the Kingdom of Hungary (1000-1038). (Oppashi, from Wikimedia Commons).

Kingdom of Hungary

Quickly, in the year 972, the house of Árpad took control of Hungary and made the country officially Christian. In the year 1000, Prince Estefan I was crowned King of Hungary, officially giving birth to the Kingdom of Hungary.

Before the Christianization of the kingdom, the cross was the symbol chosen to represent it. In this case, a white cross was chosen on the same existing red background. Currently it is known as Cruz de San Estefan.

However, the shape of the flag changed, and it remained for several centuries. From that moment on, it only occupied a rectangle near the shaft and an elongated triangle at the top.

Royal Standard of Hungary (1046-1172). (By Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

King Bélaa III

By the 12th century, the Hungarian flag received a modification, during the reign of Bélaa III. Another transversal line, longer and of the same color, was added to the cross. Since then, this symbol was established and remains on the current shield of the country.

Royal Standard of Hungary (1172-1196). (By Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

Later, in the 13th century, the royal flag incorporated a new element, which is still valid today. It is the mountain with three green peaks at the bottom of the cross.

Royal standard of Hungary (13th century). (By Oppashi, from Wikimedia Commons).

Arpad dynasty

The House of Árpad controlled the Kingdom of Hungary from the beginning. The country's monarchs belonged to this dynasty, although it was not until the 13th century that they adopted their own symbols. These consisted of a succession of horizontal red and white stripes.

Hungarian royal banner of the Árpád dynasty. (13th century). (By Sir Iain, via Wikimedia Commons).

House of Anjou-Sicily

The kings of the house of Árpad, after centuries of rule, weakened and finally fell in 1301. After a troubled period, in 1308 Charles I was crowned King of Hungary, in what became the first monarch belonging to the House of Anjou-Sicily, although he was a descendant of the Arpad dynasty.

For this reason, the arms of the House of Anjou-Sicilia were incorporated into the pavilion. These included golden lily flowers on a blue background.

Royal standard of Hungary of the Anjou-Sicily dynasty (1301-1382). (By Sir Iain, via Wikimedia Commons).

Flags of the kings Sigismund and Vladislaus I

A Luxembourgish king assumed the Hungarian throne in 1382. The arrival of Sigismund implied many changes for the country, including the flag.

The composition was now divided into barracks. Two of them preserved the symbols of the Árpad dynasty, with red and white stripes. The other two incorporated an eagle and a white lion on a red background.

Royal standard of Hungary during the reign of Sigismund. (1387-1437). (By Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

Sigismund's death triggered a succession conflict in the Hungarian crown. Different dynastic groups disputed the throne, but finally reached a consensus to appoint the young Vladislaus III of Poland, the current king in that country, as the monarch of Hungary.

The reign of the Pole, who also became Vladislaus I of Hungary, was short-lived, as he was assassinated in a confrontation against the Ottomans at the young age of 20. His flag had a change, because the lion was replaced by another eagle.

Royal standard of Hungary during the reign of Vladislaus I. (1440-1444). (By Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

King Matías Corvino

The elective monarchy in Hungary continued with the election of Matías Corvino in 1458. He was the first king who did not belong to a previously existing monarchical dynasty. The monarch was known for his military triumphs and also for his scientific and artistic knowledge.

The pavilion chosen by Matías Corvino implied a return to symbols used by other monarchs. The barracks were maintained, of which two were from the red and white stripes of the house of Árpad.

Another recovered the Hungarian cross and the remainder returned to incorporate the lion. A black crow on a blue background was incorporated in the central part in a fifth quarter, circular in shape, with a blue background.

Royal standard of Hungary during the reign of Matthias I. (1458-1490). (By Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

King Vladislaus II

The strength of the Hungarian monarchy began to wane. Vladislao II was elected King of Hungary. His government modified the flag, recovering only four barracks. Two had red and white stripes, while the other two showed the Hungarian cross.

Royal banner of Hungary during the reign of Vladislaus II. (1490-1516). (By Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

King Louis II

Louis II was the last formal king of the Kingdom of Hungary. The monarch was assassinated in a battle against the Ottomans in 1826. The country was divided into three after his death, and two monarchs were proclaimed.

His banner was the last used before the takeover of the territory by the House of Habsburgs. Some symbols of the reign of Matías Corvino were recovered.

In this case, the four banners featured the Hungarian cross, the white lion, the white and red stripes, and three golden lion heads on a blue background. In the central part, the fifth barracks showed the white eagle.

Royal standard of Hungary during the reign of Louis II. (1516-1526). (By Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

Hungary Division

After the death of King Louis II, Hungary was divided into three. The wars against the Ottomans finally took the Buddha in 1541. The division of the country continued until the end of the 17th century.

In the north-west a Kingdom of Hungary remained, now annexed by the Habsburgs. To the east, the Principality of Transylvania was established, under Ottoman sovereignty, which was later conquered by the Habsburgs. The Ottomans settled in the central part, in the Pashalik of Buda.

In 1686, Buda was reconquered, and by 1717 there was the last Ottoman threat. As of this century, the Kingdom of Hungary dominated by the Habsburgs returned to have a flag, corresponding to the reigning dynasty. This one did not resemble previous Hungarian symbols. It consisted of a rectangle with two horizontal stripes: one black and one yellow.

Flag of the Habsburg dynasty. (18th-1848 century) (1849-1867). (Sir Iain, earlier version by ThrashedParanoid and Peregrine981.ThrashedParanoid, via Wikimedia Commons).

Hungarian Revolution of 1848

After the Napoleonic wars, a revolutionary movement began to take shape in Hungary. The Diet was convened in the country and began a reform process. Many of the leaders of these reforms were imprisoned by the Habsburgs, which prevented many liberal laws from going through.

In 1848 there were demonstrations in the cities of Pest and Buda that demanded 12 points from the government. Among them were the freedom of the press and especially the independence of a Hungarian government, which had its own army and the constitution of a secular state. The imperial governor relented and appointed the revolutionary Lajos Batthyány as prime minister.

Quickly the conflicts with the House of Habsburg began. The monarchists had the support of Serbian, Croatian and Romanian peasants. Finally, in April 1849 the government broke with the monarchy and formed the Hungarian State. This government only lasted four months and Prime Minister Lajos Batthyány was executed.

Symbols during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848

It is in this brief period of Hungarian history that the tricolor flag that is still in force today officially emerged. The colors were first used at the coronation of Matthias II of Habsburg in 1608.

In 1764, the Royal Order of Saint Stephen was created, the highest distinction issued by the Habsburgs in Hungary. This was made of red and green colors.

The Hungarian politician and Jacobin philosopher Ignác Martinovics was the first to propose the tricolor flag in 1794. However, it did not arrive until 1848. The revolutionaries, in the first place, used a square white pavilion surrounded by red and green triangles and with the Hungarian shield in the central part.

Revolutionary banner in Hungary (1848). (Qorilla, Madboy74, Oppashi, via Wikimedia Commons).

When Lajos Batthyány assumed power on April 21, 1848, the Kingdom of Hungary adopted the tricolor of red, white and green. This included the royal shield in the central part.

Flag of the Kingdom of Hungary. (1848-1849) (1867-1869). (Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

In April 1849, the brief fall of the monarchy implied the establishment of the Hungarian State. This new country kept the tricolor flag, but without the national emblem.

Hungarian State Flag. (1849). (Denelson83, via Wikimedia Commons).

Motivations and consequences of the adoption of the tricolor

Hungary was mired in a revolution that sought to end external domination and that fought against absolutism. Its maximum reference was the French Revolution, and that is why the tricolor was adopted, emulating the French. The colors had been present in different shields of the country and this was the first time the flag was taken.

The new Hungarian flag tried to replace the symbols of the Habsburgs, colored yellow and black, as they were considered foreign. The flag identified the revolutionary troops and the army created in the country.

When the revolution failed in 1849, the aurinegra flag of the Habsburgs was retaken. This would remain in force until 1867.

Birth of Austria-Hungary

The failure of the 1848 Revolution did not mean the end of discontent in Hungary. Finally, the Habsburgs were forced to negotiate with the Hungarians and the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 was signed, in which the dual monarchy of Austria-Hungary was formed. This maintained two governments with two parliaments, but with a single monarch.

The old Hungarian constitution came into effect again and the Austrian Emperor, Franz Joseph I, was also crowned King of Hungary. The monarch remained on the throne for 68 years, making it the third longest in Europe.

Changes to the coat of arms of the Hungarian flag

The tricolor Hungarian flag was retaken from 1867. In 1869 it underwent its first change, specifically in the shape of the shield. This was located as a curved line at the bottom. The crown reduced its size, limiting only part of the shield.

Flag of the Kingdom of Hungary. (1869-1874). (Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

In 1874 a flag with a shield very similar to that of 1848, ratified in 1867, was taken up again. This recovered the straight line at the bottom and enlarged the crown until it bordered the entire upper limit of the shield. In addition, in the barracks, the cross was enlarged and the stripes were reduced to eight, beginning now with white and ending with red.

Flag of the Kingdom of Hungary. (1874-1896). (Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

The shape of the shield at the bottom became a semicircle from 1896. In addition, the crown was reduced again.

Flag of the Kingdom of Hungary. (1896-1915). (Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

In 1915, during the First World War, the shield narrowed a bit. Also, the cross bars became thicker.

Flag of the Kingdom of Hungary. (1915-1918), (1919-1946). (User: Zscout370, color correction: User: R-41, current version: Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

Symbols of the Austro-Hungarian Empire

Parallel to the national symbols of the Kingdom of Hungary, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had a flag from its creation until its dissolution. This consisted of the union of the flags of both countries, divided into two vertical sections.

The Austrian flag, with three stripes of red, white and red, was located on the left, with its shield in the central part. The Hungarian did the same on the right side.

Flag of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. (1867-1918). (Vectorization: Sgt_bilko, change name by User: Actarux for use in same templates, from Wikimedia Commons).

Hungarian People's Republic

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife in Sarajevo in 1914 was the beginning of the end of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

This attack was the casus belli of the First World War, when Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia and Russia responded. Together with the German Empire and the Ottoman Empire they formed a force called the Central Powers.

After four years of war, in 1918 the Austro-Hungarians signed an armistice with the Allied powers. The Austro-Hungarian Empire had lost the First World War along with all the Central Powers, which quickly led to its dissolution.

The Chrysanthemum Revolution in October 1918 forced King Charles to appoint the leader of the Social Democratic Party, Mihály Károlyi, as Prime Minister. The popular yearning for a republic made the national council recognized as the only sovereign institution.

After a negotiation with the government, King Charles declared that he would respect the form of government chosen by the Hungarians. This led to the proclamation of the People's Republic of Hungary on November 16.

The flag of the People's Republic of Hungary presented an important change in the shield. This involved the removal of the monarchical crown.

Flag of the People's Republic of Hungary. (1918-1919). (Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

Hungarian Soviet Republic

The establishment of the republic and the attempt at democracy failed to overcome the national crisis. Before that, the Social Democratic Party and the Communist Party founded the Hungarian Soviet Republic. The government was led by the communist Béla Kun. The Governing Council administered power on behalf of the working class.

The failure of this republic was absolute. The leaders did not obtain support from the peasantry, and the country's crisis did not see a solution either. Also, the war-winning powers did not support this model.

The Hungarian Soviet Republic lasted just over four months, dissolved after the Romanian invasion. The symbol of this country consisted, simply, of a red cloth. Its shape was rectangular.

Hungarian Soviet Republic. (1919). (User: R-41, from Wikimedia Commons).

Kingdom of Hungary with Miklós Horthy

The fall of the Soviet Republic was produced, in large part, by the advent of forces led by the former Austro-Hungarian admiral Miklós Horthy.

This involved a brief reestablishment of the Hungarian People's Republic and its flag, until in 1920 after elections, Horthy proclaimed himself regent of the re-established Kingdom of Hungary.

Horthy regained relations with European neighbors and signed the Treaty of Trianon, whereby the country lost 71% of its territory and 66% of its population, in addition to its only port.

Horthy's reign had to face overthrow attempts by the pretender to the throne Carlos IV, in addition to a major migratory crisis due to the loss of territory.

Horthy's tenure as regent was characterized by the passing of numerous anti-Semitic laws, in addition to the advent of fascist politicians.

That resulted in Hungary's inclusion in the Axis Powers in World War II, after Nazi Germany allowed them to regain lost territory in Trianon. The flag used in this period was the same as that of the Kingdom of Hungary between 1815 and 1918.

Hungarian Republic

World War II devastated Hungary. The active participation of the Horthy regime in the conflict meant that it subsequently attempted to negotiate with the Allies. Hitler's Nazi Germany invaded Hungary to secure its support, although it finally removed it in 1944.

In February 1945 the city of Budapest declared its surrender to the Allies, and the country began to be in the orbit of the Soviet Union. During the occupation, elections were held in November 1945, in which the conservative Independent Smallholders Party won with 57% of the vote.

The Soviets prevented the winning party from taking over the government. The Soviet commander in Hungary, Marshal Voroshilov, formed a government with some Hungarian communists.

Eventually, a president and prime minister of the Smallholder Party were appointed. Ferenc Nagy became Prime Minister of the Hungarian Republic.

However, the deputy prime minister was a communist. These were gaining spaces until in 1947 they won widely in elections. The rest of the parties had to adapt to the communist regime or go into exile. Finally, the few remaining Social Democrats and the Communists formed the Hungarian Workers' Party as the only one.

Flag of the Hungarian Republic

This brief state kept a flag with a shield different from the previous ones. The shape became curved, typical of an armor shield. The design of the cross and the crown on the mountain became thicker. Its validity, in this case, was only during the Hungarian Republic.

Flag of the Hungarian Republic. (1946-1949) and the Hungarian People's Republic (1956-1957). (Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

Second Hungarian People's Republic

In the 1949 elections, the only party was the Hungarian Workers' Party. In that year the Constitution of 1949 was approved, which was based on the Soviet one. Thus was born the Hungarian People's Republic. This country was initially led by Mátyás Rákosi, a Stalinist court, who established an iron fist dictatorship.

The flag that the Rákosi regime used was the same Hungarian tricolor, but incorporating a new shield. This corresponded with traditional socialist heraldry, forming a circle with ears of wheat against a sky with rays of sun.

At the top, a red five-pointed star presided. In the center a dowel and a hammer intersected. At the bottom, a ribbon with the three stripes of the flag was added.

Flag of the Hungarian People's Republic. (1949-1956). (Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

Hungarian Revolution of 1956

The Rákosi regime was markedly Stalinist in orientation. The death of the Soviet dictator also led to the de-Stalinization process in Hungary. Imre Nagy became prime minister, vowing to open the market and pluralize politics. This generated the discontent of Rákosi, who replaced him.

Demonstrations began in Budapest in October 1956. In an attempt to quell the protests, Nagy returned to the head of government, promising elections and Hungary's withdrawal from the Eastern Bloc.

The conflict became extremely violent, between the Soviet forces and the Hungarian resistance. In November, the Soviets sent 150,000 soldiers and Nagy was tried, charged and executed. The revolution was quelled in a short time.

The flag used by the revolutionaries consisted of the same tricolor, but with a circle in the center. The objective was to suppress the Soviet shield of Rákosi, leaving a hole in that space.

Flag of the Hungarian Revolution. (1956). (Thommy, from Wikimedia Commons).

Two flag changes

The end of the revolution at the hands of Soviet troops implied profound changes in Hungary. Rákosi was deposed and exiled in the Soviet Union. The dictator was never able to return to Hungary. The Soviets imposed János Kádár as the new prime minister and leader of the new single party: the Hungarian Socialist Workers' Party.

Kádár imposed a system that was later called goulash communism. This system was more open with the free market and maintained relative respect for human rights, always within the framework of a closed one-party dictatorship. Kádár ruled until 1988, when he resigned.

In the first place, between 1956 and 1957, the country took up the flag of the Hungarian People's Republic of 1946, with its particular form of shield. Later, in 1957, the Kádár regime chose to remove any shield from the flag, leaving a simple tricolor.

This flag has remained in force, even after the fall of communism, with the Revolution of 1989. In 1990, the national flag was ratified by the Republic of Hungary.

Meaning of the flag

Historically, different monarchical origins have been obtained on the colors of the flag, and that has generated several meanings. Its presence was raised for the first time in the Christian shield, in which a white cross was imposed on a green mountain and a red background. This Christian symbol remains.

In addition, historically it has been understood that the color white represents the rivers of the country. Green, on the other hand, would represent the mountains while red would be identified with the blood shed in many battles. However, the flag took on a new meaning.

The Fundamental Law of Hungary of 2011, the country's constitution, established in its article I paragraph 2 the meaning of the colors of the flag. These were strength for red, fidelity for white, and hope for green.

References

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Halasz, I. and Schweitzer, G. (2011). National and State Symbols in the Hungarian Legal System. Legal Compass. 1-4. Recovered from jog.tk.mta.hu.
Hoensch, J., and Traynor, K. (1988). A history of modern Hungary 1867-1986. Harlow, Essex: Longman. Recovered from books.google.com.
Kafkadesk. (September 14, 2018). Where does the Hungarian flag come from? Kafkadesk. Recovered from kafkadesk.org.
Office of the President of the Republic. (sf). The Flag of Hungary. Office of the President of the Republic. Recovered from keh.hu.
Smith, W. (2011). Flag of Hungary. Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. Recovered from britannica.com.
Sugar, P. (1994). A history of Hungary. Indiana University Press. Recovered from books.google.com.
The Fundamental Law of Hungary. (2011). Website of the Hungarian Government. Recovered from kormany.hu.

FLAG OF HUNGARY: HISTORY AND MEANING - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2024