Flag Of Italy | Britannica

Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos flag of Italy Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics Images Contents CITE verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/topic/flag-of-Italy Feedback External Websites Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

• Presidency of the Republica - Italian Tricolour Flag
• Maps of India - Flag of Italy
• CRW Flags - Flag of Italy

flag of Italy Ask Anything Homework Help Written by Whitney Smith Former Director, Flag Research Center, Winchester, Massachusetts. Author of Flags and Arms Across the World and others. Whitney Smith Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors History Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything

A rich history of flags and coats of arms has existed in Italy since at least the 1200s, but the lack of national unification meant that there was no recognized flag representing all Italian-populated areas. The nationalism inspired by the French Revolution led to the formation of political and military groups throughout Italy dedicated to replacing the old autocratic regimes with new governments, but the seeds were also sown for a unified Italian state. The original green-white-red tricolour was presented to the National Guard of the Transpadane Republic (in Lombardy) on October 9, 1796. The colours were supposedly based on those found in the uniforms of the urban militia of Milan. The nearby Cispadane Republic chose the same colours in a horizontal layout—the first authentic Italian national flag, adopted on February 25, 1797. The Cisalpine Republic chose the vertical positioning on May 11, 1798, and thereafter that flag was considered by all Italian nationalists as the true flag of their homeland. Its success was guaranteed by the decree of March 23, 1848, signed by King Charles Albert of Sardinia, ordering Italian troops to carry the tricolour in their battles against the Austrian army. A month later the flag replaced the former national flag of Sardinia, and revolutionaries throughout the Italian peninsula likewise rallied to the green-white-red.

Italy was finally united in 1870. At that time its green-white-red tricolour bore a shield and cross (and, when used for official purposes, a royal crown) representing the ruling house of Savoy. After June 19, 1946, those symbols were removed from the tricolour following a referendum that ended the monarchy and established the Italian Republic.

Whitney Smith