Spanning the French and Spanish border, the Basque Country is home to about three million people, most of whom live on the Spanish side. Historically, since the ousting of Islamic rule in the 15th century, the area has been strongly Latin-rite Catholic, peppered with a few Occitan pilgrim settlers on their way to and from Santiago de Compostela. The area was relatively autonomous until the realignment of power following the French Revolution (1789â€"1799) and the Carlist Wars (1833-1876). The struggle has continued since then to regain independence. Ikurriña just means 'flag' in the Basque language - people there tend to use the Spanish bandera when talking about flags of other nations.
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 declared the ikurrina illegal, and it was completely forbidden and declared as a separatist symbol. During the 2nd World War, there was a Basque brigade in the French free army, and the ikurrina of the brigade was decorated ( because of the battle of Point de Grave, near Bordeaux). After the last Spanish dictatorship, and with the approval of the Basque autonomy, the ikurrina was declared again by law as the official Basque flag.
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 (year 867), there was a battle between the Basques and the Spaniards in a place called Padura. This battle was on St. Andrew's day. The stones of the place were stained with blood and since that day, that place has been called Arrigorriaga (Place of red stones).
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 declared the ikurrina illegal, and it was completely forbidden and declared as a separatist symbol. During the 2nd World War, there was a Basque brigade in the French free army, and the ikurrina of the brigade was decorated ( because of the battle of Point de Grave, near Bordeaux). After the last Spanish dictatorship, and with the approval of the Basque autonomy, the ikurrina was declared again by law as the official Basque flag.
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 (year 867), there was a battle between the Basques and the Spaniards in a place called Padura. This battle was on St. Andrew's day. The stones of the place were stained with blood and since that day, that place has been called Arrigorriaga (Place of red stones).
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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