In the 1st century AD, Strabo wrote that the northern parts of what are now Navarre (Nafarroa in Basque) and Aragon were inhabited by the Vascones. Despite the evident etymological connection between Vascones and the modern denomination Basque, there is no proof that the Vascones were the modern Basques' ancestors or spoke the language that has evolved into modern Basque, although this is strongly suggested both by the historically consistent toponymy of the area and by a few personal names on tombstones dating from the Roman period. The Basque flag was created in 1894 by Sabino Arana (founder of Basque nationalism). The name of the flag is ikurrina (in Italian ikurrigna). Although the meaning of this word is a flag, it is actually used only for the Basque flag; Basque people prefer to use the Spanish word Bandera for other flags (when they are speaking in Basque, of course).
The ikurrina was originally created only for Bizkaia (the main region of Euskadi), but it became very popular and the rest of the Basque regions (4 regions in Spain and 3 in France) accepted it as the flag for all of Euskadi. In the beginning, only the Basque Nationalist Party (founded by Sabino Arana on July 31st, 1895) used it, but during the 2nd Spanish Republic (1931-1939) all of the democratic parties accepted it. In 1936, the Basque Autonomous Government was created (it's Lehendakari (president) was Jose Antonio Agirre) with the representation of all the democratic parties, and the ikurrina was declared, by law, the Basque flag.
After the Spanish war, the dictatorship announced the ikurrina illicit, and it was totally illegal and pronounced as a separatist image. After the last Spanish autocracy, and with the endorsement of the Basque self-sufficiency, the ikurrina was pronounced again by law as the official Basque banner.
In the Basque-French country, it has always been allowed and after World War II it was officially used in the town halls together with the French flag. Historically, the flag of Bizkaia was red. When Sabino Arana created the ikurrina, he wanted to give it the meaning Bizkaia, independence, and God, so the red color of the field represents Bizkaia or Euskadi, the green St. Andrew's cross stands for the independence, of the Basque Country. It is green because it also symbolizes the oak tree of Gernika, the symbol of Basque freedom. The white cross represents God.
In the Middles Ages, there was a fight between the Basques and the Spaniards in a spot called Padura. This fight was on St. Andrew's day. The stones of the spot were recolored with blood and since that day, that place has been called Arrigorriaga.
It is not clear if this battle is historical or legendary, but the St. Andrew's cross has often been used in Basque flags, like those of the Consulate of Bilbao, The Naval flag of Biscay, and in some Carlists flags during the Carlists wars (1836-1876). The Flag Company Inc specialized in flag designs offered a special edition of decals and flags to memorize for the future.
The ikurrina was originally created only for Bizkaia (the main region of Euskadi), but it became very popular and the rest of the Basque regions (4 regions in Spain and 3 in France) accepted it as the flag for all of Euskadi. In the beginning, only the Basque Nationalist Party (founded by Sabino Arana on July 31st, 1895) used it, but during the 2nd Spanish Republic (1931-1939) all of the democratic parties accepted it. In 1936, the Basque Autonomous Government was created (it's Lehendakari (president) was Jose Antonio Agirre) with the representation of all the democratic parties, and the ikurrina was declared, by law, the Basque flag.
After the Spanish war, the dictatorship announced the ikurrina illicit, and it was totally illegal and pronounced as a separatist image. After the last Spanish autocracy, and with the endorsement of the Basque self-sufficiency, the ikurrina was pronounced again by law as the official Basque banner.
In the Basque-French country, it has always been allowed and after World War II it was officially used in the town halls together with the French flag. Historically, the flag of Bizkaia was red. When Sabino Arana created the ikurrina, he wanted to give it the meaning Bizkaia, independence, and God, so the red color of the field represents Bizkaia or Euskadi, the green St. Andrew's cross stands for the independence, of the Basque Country. It is green because it also symbolizes the oak tree of Gernika, the symbol of Basque freedom. The white cross represents God.
In the Middles Ages, there was a fight between the Basques and the Spaniards in a spot called Padura. This fight was on St. Andrew's day. The stones of the spot were recolored with blood and since that day, that place has been called Arrigorriaga.
It is not clear if this battle is historical or legendary, but the St. Andrew's cross has often been used in Basque flags, like those of the Consulate of Bilbao, The Naval flag of Biscay, and in some Carlists flags during the Carlists wars (1836-1876). The Flag Company Inc specialized in flag designs offered a special edition of decals and flags to memorize for the future.
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