Flag of Sardinia
Encyclopedia
The flag of Sardinia
, popularly known in Sardinia
also as the Four Moors flag (Italian: Bandiera dei Quattro Mori), is the traditional and officially recognized flag of the island, now an Autonomous Region of Italy
.
The flag consists of a St George's Cross
, with a maure
(moor's head) in each quarter.
of Sardinia
, popularly known also as the Four Moors flag, consists of a red cross on a white background, with a maure
(moor's cut head) in each quarter.
According to the Spanish tradition, the four moors
' symbol appeared first in the celebrations following the victory in the Battle of Alcoraz
by King Peter I of Aragon and Navarre
in 1096, where the four moors refer to the Arab defeat by his hand. The Sardinian tradition instead dates the origin of the symbol in 1017, as a banner given by Pope Benedict II to the Pisa
ns in order to help the Sardinians by the attacks from the Saracen
s led by Mujahid al-Amiri.
However, the first historically documented appearance of the emblem is dated 1281, as a seal used by the royal chancellorship of Peter III of Aragon
, and its first association with Sardinia came in the second half of the 14th century, as official symbol of the Kingdom inside the Confederation of the Aragon Crown. Since the 18th century, the flag was represented with the heads turned to the left and the bandages to hide the moors' eyes. The official recognition of the flag of Sardinia inside the Italian Republic came in 1952, thanks to a Presidential decree. A regional law approved in 1999 changed the flag, with the heads now turned to the right and the bandages encircling the forehead.
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, popularly known in Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
also as the Four Moors flag (Italian: Bandiera dei Quattro Mori), is the traditional and officially recognized flag of the island, now an Autonomous Region of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
The flag consists of a St George's Cross
St George's Cross
St George's Cross is a red cross on a white background used as a symbolic reference to Saint George. The red cross on white was associated with St George from medieval times....
, with a maure
Maure
A Maure, since the 11th century, is the symbol of an African head. The term has Phoenician and Greek origins; see Moors.- U Moru :The main symbol in the coat of arms in Corsica is U Moru, Corsican for "The Moor", originally a female Moor blindfolded and wearing a necklace made of beads...
(moor's head) in each quarter.
Flag of the Italian Autonomous Region of Sardinia
The flag of the Italian RegionRegions of Italy
The regions of Italy are the first-level administrative divisions of the state, constituting its first NUTS administrative level. There are twenty regions, of which five are constitutionally given a broader amount of autonomy granted by special statutes....
of Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
, popularly known also as the Four Moors flag, consists of a red cross on a white background, with a maure
Maure
A Maure, since the 11th century, is the symbol of an African head. The term has Phoenician and Greek origins; see Moors.- U Moru :The main symbol in the coat of arms in Corsica is U Moru, Corsican for "The Moor", originally a female Moor blindfolded and wearing a necklace made of beads...
(moor's cut head) in each quarter.
According to the Spanish tradition, the four moors
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
' symbol appeared first in the celebrations following the victory in the Battle of Alcoraz
Battle of Alcoraz
The Battle of Alcoraz took place in 1096 outside Huesca , pitting the besieging forces of Peter I of Aragon and Navarre against the relief forces of Al-Musta'in II of Zaragoza. The siege was begun some two years earlier by Peter's father, Sancho Ramírez, who had camped at the time in the Castle of...
by King Peter I of Aragon and Navarre
Peter I of Aragon and Navarre
Peter I was the King of Aragon and Navarre for a decade from 1094 until his death. He was the son and successor of Sancho V Ramírez by his first wife, Isabella of Urgell. He was named in honour of Saint Peter, because of his father's special devotion to the Holy See, to which he had made his...
in 1096, where the four moors refer to the Arab defeat by his hand. The Sardinian tradition instead dates the origin of the symbol in 1017, as a banner given by Pope Benedict II to the Pisa
Pisa
Pisa is a city in Tuscany, Central Italy, on the right bank of the mouth of the River Arno on the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa...
ns in order to help the Sardinians by the attacks from the Saracen
Saracen
Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
s led by Mujahid al-Amiri.
However, the first historically documented appearance of the emblem is dated 1281, as a seal used by the royal chancellorship of Peter III of Aragon
Peter III of Aragon
Peter the Great was the King of Aragon of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona from 1276 to his death. He conquered Sicily and became its king in 1282. He was one of the greatest of medieval Aragonese monarchs.-Youth and succession:Peter was the eldest son of James I of Aragon and his second wife...
, and its first association with Sardinia came in the second half of the 14th century, as official symbol of the Kingdom inside the Confederation of the Aragon Crown. Since the 18th century, the flag was represented with the heads turned to the left and the bandages to hide the moors' eyes. The official recognition of the flag of Sardinia inside the Italian Republic came in 1952, thanks to a Presidential decree. A regional law approved in 1999 changed the flag, with the heads now turned to the right and the bandages encircling the forehead.
Sources
- http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Italy_states2.htm#Sardina-Piedmont History of the flag and chronology