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The Danes have one of the
oldest national flags in use today; popular Danish history recalls
that the Danish flag, called the Dannebrog (meaning cloth of the
Danes), fell from heaven on the 15th of June 1219 during a military
conflict in Estonia.
Tradition relates that in a battle
between the Christian Danes and pagan Estonians, which the Danish army
appeared to be losing, Danish bishops prayed to God for victory. As a
sign of favour from God the Dannebrog fell to earth, the Danish army
rallied behind it and eventually triumphed over the Estonians.
However, there is no historical
proof that this turn of events actually occurred, with the first mention of the Dannebrog appearing in Danish writings
from the second half of the 14th century.
The more likely explanation is
that the flag evolved from the war ensign of the Holy Roman Empire.
Although the basic design
of the Danish flag goes back centuries, its specific dimensions
weren't officially laid down until the mid-19th century.
The design in use today dates from the 1st of May 1893. |
