Flag Challenge Nº54 Voting

FLAG CHALLENGE Nº54 The Inconceivable Union

The unthinkable has happened. The two great rivals of *insert region/continent* have united under a single government in this time of hardship. Their citizens are now citizens of a superstate (perhaps an exaggeration depending on your choice) that no one had thought possible. Despite the bad blood of many, many years (even perhaps centuries), the move is supported across the board as a recognition of the great warming in relations between their nations in recent years.

There is no specific POD for this, so long as the nations that happen to be great rivals actually were/are great rivals in OTL. E.g. England/UK and France, Venice and Genoa, Iran and Iraq, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan ( ) etc.

Design a flag for this "Inconceivable Union", brought about by the realisation that without said Union, their nations would fall, be it to war, disease, famine or otherwise.

Flag 1

The Federation of Islamic Republics

A series of revolutions leads to the establishment of Islamic Republics in Chad and Sudan. The new governments have much warmer relations and eventually agree to form a new federal republic. Darfur becomes its own republic within the union.

Flag 2

Federation of the Holy Land

Under threat of an alien invasion, Israel and Palestine must put away their differences to protect the Holy Land!

Flag 3

The United and Sovereign States of Terra (1954-1981)

Under threat from the growing powers of Oceania and European Union, the United States and the USSR decided to merge. The new USST lasted until the Great Partition, in which the tyrannical Oceanian state invaded the American part and conquered it. European Union did the same with Russia. It then proclaimed itself to be Eurasia. Eastasia, a strong Oriental power that has recently conquered Asia, took Hawaii.

Flag 4

The Eastern Union

After the, rather short, European War collapsed following a widespread, and lasting, Christmas Truce that lead to a series of radical revolutions radiating outward from the western theater (almost) all of Europe was united into the socialist European Federation, forcing the the remaining great powers, Turkey and Russia, although traditionally opponents, into an alliance of convince which, over the ensuing four decade-long interbellum, steadily evolved into the Eastern Union;

Flag 5

Atlantic Kingdoms - Reino del Atlántico

Once enemies. Today one nation.

Flag 6

The Federal Republic of Carolia (Karlsland/Charlesetat)

Under the threat of the Autocratic states, the Germans and French need to work together during the 19th century... The Federal Republic of Carolia (Karlsland/Charlesetat) was founded.

Flag 7

Indo-Pakistani Empire

The first step in the Great Reassembly of the Hindi-Urdu empire that once spanned from Burma to Somalia (a distorted view of the British Raj "Indian Empire") was the reunion of India and Pakistan to overcome their differences for power.

Flag 8

Royal Standard of the House of Plantagenet and Capet-Flanders

Current Head: Charles IV "the Bold" (1521 - )
Domains: Kingdom of England (inc. Princedom of Wales), Kingdom of France, Kingdom of Flanders-Hainaut, Kingdom of Scotland, Kingdoms of Ireland and Kingdom of Jerusalem.
Claims: The Latin Empire, Isles of Sicily-Malta and Kingdom of Cyprus

• The Royal Standard:

The Flag bears the official state flag, the double St. George cross, a leftover from the crusades (red representing England and the Plantagenet rule, white the French and Capet rule), laid over a deep blue background.
Embossed upon the flag is the Royal arms as such: the Central shield quartered, the first bearing the 3 crowned lions passant gardant (for England); the second bearing the coat of arms of the Capet-Flanders dynasty (quartered itself; the first bearing the coat of Baldwin IX, the gold crosses of the Latin empire with black lion on a golden half cross, the second and fourth, the 3 fleur de lis of the Capet house (France), and the third the Jerusalem cross on red field (Jeruselam)): the third bearing lion rampant within a double tressure (for Scotland); and the fourth quartered as the second (the first and thrid bearing the badges of the kingdoms of Ireland (Harp for Leinster and Eagle with a armored arm carrying a sword for Connacht), whilst the second and fourth bear the badge of the Lord of Ireland (the current king of the Plantagenet and Capet-Flanders dynasty ), three golden crowns on a light blue field). Surrounding this shield is a ermine coated blue, locked garter (showing unity between the nations, borne on the shield), held up by two supporters: the red dragon of Cadwaladr, symbolsing both Wales and the Celtic heritage of the nations, and the mythical Yale, collared by a golden crown with chain, moving down and connecting to motto compartment, bearing (in gold on blue) the motto: DIEU ET MON DROIT ("God and my right"), whilst the Union Crown, a stylized French based jeweled crown (with a red cap and pearled arches, topped by a blue crossed orb bearing the fleur de lis) surmounts atop the garter.

Flag 9

Righteous People's' Union

The Muslim Bortherhood had prevailed in Egypt in 1970 which was not only a victory for them but also for sunni islamists in other countries as the Brotherhood seeked to export its brand of revolution. Slowly at first, governments were toppled to be replaced with ones that folowed sunni fundamentalism principles. Within a decade, the middle east and northern africa were unified under the banner of the Caliphate, a power that rivaled the other 2 players of the Cold War.

The only countries in the region which still managed to resist were the Islamic Republic of Iran, the center of the shia heresy, and Israel, home of the hated Jews. Both countries fought on their own a low level war against the Caliphate but faced with a potential onslaught, Iran and Israel were forced to make a common front and joined together as the Righteous People's' Union.

About the Design:
The white field of the flag shows the purity of purpose of the union.

The bands represent the 2 nations begining separatly but then merging as one

The emblem in the middle combine the blue sword of David (defence of the jewish faith) and the red sword of Ali (defence of the shia faith)

Flag 10

The Eurasian Nation
It is the year 1984 and the Socialist Republic of the Eurasian Nation is celebrating 45 years of resisting the despicable Anglo-Americans and their successor, Oceania.

Forty-five years since the "Western" Allies attacked the Third Reich and the Soviet Union for splitting apart the weak and oppressive Polish republic.

Thirty years since Germany and the Soviet Union annihilated each other with nuclear weapons as the Anglo-Americans sat on the sidelines and laughed, before they too were destroyed.

Twenty-five years since the workers of Eurasia arose under the banner of The Marshal, uniting the continent under two undeniable truths: the primacy of the working class and the superiority of the Eurasian race. All Eurasians are equal, but they are more equal than others.

The struggle continues against the enslaved, inferior masses of Oceania and their Eastasian allies. This is a struggle the Eurasian people must not turn away from, for Eurasia is the destined master of mankind.

Flag 11

The Triple Monarchy

During the British Regency and the reigns of the kings George IV and later William, their younger brother Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge officiated as Viceroy of Hanover (1816–37), representing the King usually living in England. When Adolphus's nephew, King Victor, son of his late elder brother Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Strathearn, succeeded to the British Throne on June 20th, 1837, the 123-year personal union of the crowns of Great Britain was tested when certain people in the British government began to push for full union with Hanover. One thing blocking a full union was that Hanover followed Salic law, which requires succession by exclusively male inheritance. If King Victor had no male heir, or that male heir did not continue the line with their own male heir, then Hanover would not recognize the monarchy. The Second Acts of Union was signed on June 15th, 1846.

During the Austro-Prussian War (1867), Great Britain gave support to Prussia. While the Prussians were close to winning the war, or at least felt they were, and was grateful for the support that Britain gave to her, Bismark was becoming suspicious of their intentions. King Victor of the United Kingdom of Great Britain was known to have his hand in all parts of the government and was a fierce imperialist with expansion in his eyes. In order to forestall intervention by France or Russia, Bismarck pushed King William I to make peace with the Austrians rapidly, rather than continue the war in hopes of further gains. The Austrians accepted mediation from France's Napoleon III. The Peace of Prague on November 23, 1867 resulted in the dissolution of the German Confederation, Prussian annexation of many of Austria’s former allies, and the permanent exclusion of Austria from German affairs. This left Prussia free to form the North German Confederation the next year, incorporating all the German states north of the Main River. Prussia chose not to seek Austrian territory for itself, and this made it possible for Prussia and Austria to ally in the future, since Austria was threatened more by Italian and Pan-Slavic irredentism than by Prussia. The war left Prussia dominant in Germany, and German nationalism would compel the remaining independent states to ally with Prussia in the Franco-Prussian War in 1870, and then to accede to the crowning of King Wilhelm as German Emperor.

In 1868, the Compromise* re-established the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Hungary, separate from and no longer subject to the Austrian Empire. Under the Compromise, the Cisleithanian (Austrian) and Transleithanian (Hungarian) regions of the state were governed by separate Parliaments and Prime Ministers. When Emperor Franz Joseph I died in 1916 of stomach cancer, the crown went to his son Prince Rudolf. Emperor Rudolf would only reign for two years before a mentally ill assassin would kill him, placing his heir, Prince Henry as the Emperor of Austria, Hungary, and Germany**. While there were many problems with Henry taking the throne, the continuing work on the Compromise between Austria and Hungary, would help pave the transition for the entry of Germany to the Triple Monarchy. The threat of the Russian Empire and the even greater threat of the ever expanding*** United Kingdom of Great Britain would be the most influential factor in the three states coming to terms as one nation.

Flag: The flag is designed to bear all three flags of Austria, Hungary, and Germany. While most flags were originally flown with out the three heraldic seals, the popularity of placing the Austrian seal in the center, had many seal the red colors of the flag forming a “Z”. ****



* The Compromise was signed in Venice, which in TTL was still help be Austria after the Austro-Prussian War. With the loss of Hanover as part of the Confederation, the butterflies increased Austria’s strength just enough to hold onto these areas.

** Prince Rudolf would wed Princess Charlotte of Prussia. In this TTL all of German Emperor Frederick III issues were female and by a strange twist of fate only Charlotte would have a male heir for the Crown of Germany out of the lot of them.

*** The Spanish-Britannic War brought the dominance of Britain further in the Caribbean as they gained Puerto Rico and Cuba became a protectorate. This of course brought the US into the situation, but British diplomacy won out and the Americans remained rectified to the situation.

**** The supposed Z made by the red pattern of the flag is the foundation for people of the Triple Monarchy for calling themselves Zeds.

Flag 12

The Sino-American Codominium

Flag 13

Union Flag of 1919

(After a series of Socialist Revolutions in Europe that followed the Great War of 1911-1917, the French Empire and the United Kingdom unite.)

Flag 14

The United Most Serene Republic of Venice and Genoa

La Serenissima Repubblica Unita de Venezia e Genoa

It is 1797. Napoleon has been temporarily been held from taking Venice by Venetian guerriglia. Seeking desperate assistance from the Italian Peninsula, the surrounded Venetian Republic turns to its greatest and most distrusted rival, the Republic of Genoa, with an offer of temporary unification. The Genovese are initially taken aback, but the recent victories of the upstart French Republic across the Italian North call for prompt and extreme measures. They agree.

The capital is to be split. The Judicial capital is to be located in Genoa, the Legislative in Venice and the Administrative will shift between the two cities every year. Despite the clear tones of unification, the city states remain equal members of a federation guided by the joint decisions of the Doges of Venice and Genoa.

In order to avoid any unnecessary disagreements, the flag of the new federal republic will not favour one city. Red is a common colour on both of their flags, while the coat of arms is a combination of the emblems have represented their republics for centuries.

Federal Republic of Germany and Israel

Germans feel really bad after WWII, many convert and form super close ties with Israel. Which leads to a federative republic sometime between 1970-1990.

Bumping to the top

bumping up again

Another close one.

And looks like that annoying pixellation I couldn't remove has cost me votes

The Professor said:

Another close one.

And looks like that annoying pixellation I couldn't remove has cost me votes

Click to expand...

The turnout has been exceptional; far more that I expected for a challenge born of pure laziness to think of something a little more fleshed out.

Although, in hindsight, that is probably why we have a large number of entries