Flag of Egypt – Colors, Meaning, History ??

The flag of Egypt symbolizes liberalism. The tricolored red, black, and white flag was first hoisted on February 15th, 1915. This was after Britain had formerly proclaimed Egypt as a Protectorate in a bid to disrupt Egypt’s ties to the Ottoman Empire. As a result, the flag of Egypt is not only the country’s proof of independence but also a symbol of the resilience of the Egyptians. The flag symbolizes the sovereignty of the Egyptians and their rich history. It acts as a reminder for what Egyptians can accomplish when they work together.

History of the Flag of Egypt

Egypt is a country with an extensive history. This is the country that is hailed as the birthplace of mathematics. The development of the first national flag was first determined by the Muhammad Ali Dynasty. During his rule, Egypt was united with Sudan. From 1899 to 1956, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan was overall under British dominion. The flag of England was hoisted in the territory with its tricolored red, white, and blue. However, Egypt at the time, was part of the Ottoman Empire. They had a flag with a green background. A white crescent was at the center of the flag with three white stars.

Egypt became part of the Ottoman Empire under Muhammad Ali. Although the country was a province of the Empire, they enjoyed a level of independence as a Khedivate. It’s been suggested that the green flag featuring a white crescent and three white stars symbolized the victory of Ali’s armies in Africa, Europe, and Asia. The flag also symbolized Ali’s sovereignty over Hejaz, Sudan, and Egypt. The flag was similar to that of the Ottoman Empire. Ali deliberately adopted an identical flag to that of the Ottoman Empire as he desired to depose the Ottoman dynasty and seize the throne of the Sultan himself. After Ottoman rule ended in 1914, Egypt retained its flag. British forces invaded the country in 1882, leading to a heightened nationalist resentment.

In 1919, a revolution broke out. Those who participated in the revolution hoisted a green flag with a white crescent and cross. This symbolized the unity between Christians and Muslims in the fight for independence. In 1922, Britain agreed to give Egypt its autonomy. However, Egypt’s independence would only be granted if the Sultan of Egypt Fuad I changed his title to King. The flag with the green background, white crescent, and three stars were officially adopted again after independence on 10th December 1923. The three stars represent three significant territories of the Kingdom which were Egypt, Sudan, and Nubia. The green represented the predominant religion, which was Islam. Other suggestions claim that the three stars were a symbol of the three dominant religions, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

After the revolution in 1952, the Free officers rejected the flag of the kingdom and replaced it with a new flag. This new one consisted of red, white, and black horizontal stripes with the emblem of the Revolution and the Eagle of Saladin at the center of the flag. There is a difference between the earlier version of the eagle from the one that was later adopted. This new flag was hoisted next to the national flag but never attained official status. The flag was still in use even after the abolishment of the Kingdom during the declaration of the Republic of Egypt on 18th July 1953.

The design of the liberation flag was reflected in the 1958 national flag of the United Arab Republic (UAR). In this version, the gold Eagle is replaced with two stars that symbolized the union between Egypt and Syria. In 1961, Syria withdrew from the UAR. Egypt continued to use the name the United Arab Republic until 1971, when the country was officially renamed the Arab Republic of Egypt. In 1972 when Egypt, Syria, and Libya formed the Federation of Arab Republics, the UAR flag was replaced by another flag. This new flag resembled the Arab Liberation flag. The stars were replaced by the Hawk of Quraish, which had been Syria’s coat of arms before UAR. The hawk of Quraish was also adopted as the Coat of Arms for the Federation. When the Federation of Arab republic was dissolved in 1977, Egypt retained the flag until October 4th, 1984. The hawk of Quraish was removed from the flag and the coat of arms. Furthermore, the shade of red in the banner was replaced with a darker shade of red. Finally, on 9th October 1984, five years after the dissolution of the Federation, the Egyptian Eagle of Saladin was officially placed at the center of the flag.

What is the meaning behind the colors of the Flag of Egypt?

Colors
The national flag of Egypt consists of three colors, red, white, and black. These colors represent the Egyptian Revolution, including the bloodlessness of the war and the end of oppression in the country. The Egyptian eagle at the center of the flag is the country’s national emblem. The colors represent the struggles that the Egyptians have experienced. The Free Officers who led the Revolution in 1952 assigned a specific symbolism to each color as follows:

Red stripe symbolizes the period before the revolution— a time when Egyptians struggled against a monarchy and British occupation.
White symbolizes the bloodless nature of the war itself.
Black signifies the end of oppression of the Egyptian people at the hands of foreign imperialism and monarchy.

Emblem
The Eagle of Saladin is located at the center of the flag. This emblem is a symbol of Arab nationalism. It symbolizes the strength, courage, and determination of the people. The gold coating symbolizes power. The emblem dates back to the first sultan of Egypt and Syria named Saladin. Saladin had a yellow flag adorned with an Eagle. The Eagle became a symbol of Egypt and Cairo when Saladin ruled the Egyptians.

Shape
The flag has a width to length ratio of 2:3. Each of the horizontal stripes has equal measurements. The emblem takes 17/20 of the height of the middle white line. However, there are no official dimensions for the symbol. As a result, you may notice the different sizes and color shades of the eagle.

Interesting Facts about the Flag of Egypt

The flag of Egypt is hoisted on all government buildings every Friday and during national holidays. It is also raised during opening sessions of the people’s assembly and any other occasion declared by the Minister of Interior.
During Revolution Day on July 23rd, every year, the flag is raised on borders, embassies, and other official buildings.
Abusing the flag is a criminal offense that is punishable by the law. Any violation is an abuse of the power of the nation.
All the Egyptian flags that have been used from the Ottoman Empire until now are displayed in one line in the country’s Military Museum.
The colors green, red, black, and white is Pan Arabian symbols. These colors were introduced by Sheriff Hussein from Mecca as the colors of the movement during World War I:
- Red symbolizes Omar, who was the second Calif,
- White symbolizes the Omajiades, which is a Calif dynasty that dates back to the fifth Caliph Moawija I.
- Green symbolizes the Fatimides
- Black symbolizes the Abbasids
- Red is the color of the Haschemides, an Arabian dynasty.