Weekly Flag Challenge: Discussion & Entries
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I would like to thank everyone who voted, as well as the other entrants and the organisers, for helping to bring life back to the Weekly Flag Challenge in the best way.
I could not put it any better - my sentiments exactly.
@UrbanNight - Congratulations. I'm quite happy for you to come up with the next challenge. I'm going to be away on a family holiday in 10 days time anyway.
Whenever I vote in these challenges I tend to choose the flag that gets the lowest votes (although it is the one I like the best), but I can normally call the one that would actually win.
I voted for entry #3 as I personally liked it the best of the four, and all four were good entries, but I thought entry #4 would be the winner overall.
How do you do? I haven't dabbled in flag design in forever, but I figured I'd give it a quick go.
If Courland could do it, why not Lithuania? I don't have much of a writeup for it, but I'd imagine a small West Indies empire, possibly with a slice of South America (Lithuanian Guianas?) trying to go at it on its own after a conquest or partition of the motherland. May or may not feature exile princelings.
Royal Lithuanian West Indian Company
If Courland could do it, why not Lithuania? I don't have much of a writeup for it, but I'd imagine a small West Indies empire, possibly with a slice of South America (Lithuanian Guianas?) trying to go at it on its own after a conquest or partition of the motherland. May or may not feature exile princelings.
Overseas Territory of Zange
"I stand here in Zanzibar Square where at sunset today the flag of the Overseas Territory of Zange will be lowered for the last time.
In its place will rise the flag of the Republic of Swahili, marking the accession of this former colony as a full member of the Union of Meheran."
"I stand here in Zanzibar Square where at sunset today the flag of the Overseas Territory of Zange will be lowered for the last time.
In its place will rise the flag of the Republic of Swahili, marking the accession of this former colony as a full member of the Union of Meheran."
The Republic of Wildekuste (flag of Bavarian Suriname)
The Republic of Wildekuste was formed in the late 1970s, with a very diverse history, represented in its flag: The nation began its existence as Dutch Guiana, but was eventually sold off to the Electorate of Bavaria by the beginning of the 1700s. From there, Bavarian Guiana (often called Wildekuste, after the archaic name of Guiana - the Wild Coast). Eventually being bordered by British Guyana and French Guinea, the nation had a fairly peaceful existence (though being occupied by the French during the Napoleonic Wars). Upon the absorption of Bavaria into the German Empire, the region officially became German Guiana (though serving as Bavaria-in-Exile for a couple years before that point). Due to Bavaria being a landlocked nation, it wasn't until the German integration of Bavaria that the colony received more plentiful colonization efforts. However, by then, the small amount of Bavarians that had settled in the region were assimilated into the Dutch and Native groups. This group of ethnic identities had created a national identity and a creole language (Dutchsurinen - with "Dutch" meaning Germanic, á la Pennsylvania Dutch). The country remained a colony of Germany until it successfully petitioned for autonomy in the 1950s, and then independence in 1973.
The flag shows a horizontal green line on the hoist side, representing the fertility of the land. The star in the hoist represents national unity and the shared future of all inhabitants of Wildekuste. The fly side of the flag displays six colors - orange, white, and blue (the flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), followed by black (the color of the Bavarian Palatinate), and then white and blue (the colors of Bavaria).
(Yes, I know of the genocide I committed on butterflies with this description.)
The Republic of Wildekuste was formed in the late 1970s, with a very diverse history, represented in its flag: The nation began its existence as Dutch Guiana, but was eventually sold off to the Electorate of Bavaria by the beginning of the 1700s. From there, Bavarian Guiana (often called Wildekuste, after the archaic name of Guiana - the Wild Coast). Eventually being bordered by British Guyana and French Guinea, the nation had a fairly peaceful existence (though being occupied by the French during the Napoleonic Wars). Upon the absorption of Bavaria into the German Empire, the region officially became German Guiana (though serving as Bavaria-in-Exile for a couple years before that point). Due to Bavaria being a landlocked nation, it wasn't until the German integration of Bavaria that the colony received more plentiful colonization efforts. However, by then, the small amount of Bavarians that had settled in the region were assimilated into the Dutch and Native groups. This group of ethnic identities had created a national identity and a creole language (Dutchsurinen - with "Dutch" meaning Germanic, á la Pennsylvania Dutch). The country remained a colony of Germany until it successfully petitioned for autonomy in the 1950s, and then independence in 1973.
The flag shows a horizontal green line on the hoist side, representing the fertility of the land. The star in the hoist represents national unity and the shared future of all inhabitants of Wildekuste. The fly side of the flag displays six colors - orange, white, and blue (the flag of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), followed by black (the color of the Bavarian Palatinate), and then white and blue (the colors of Bavaria).
(Yes, I know of the genocide I committed on butterflies with this description.)
Repubblica d'Egitto
The sudden, and unexplainable death of Francesco Sforza in early 1447 would cause the cascade of events leading to the creation of the Union of Three Republics.
After the Fillipo Viscounti, Duke of Milan, died without a male heir in 1447, fighting broke out to restore the Ambrosian Republic. The lack of Sforza influence on the establishment of the republic allowed the Guelphs to sue for peace with Venice. While others attempted to stop the peace, no one was able to maneuver themselves position to affect the outcome. In 1471. With increasing pressure from France the Ambrosian Republic and the Venetian Republic signed a Charter of Alliance to stand against France. Two years later, the Republic of Genoa would sign a similar agreement with both Ambrosia and Venice, forming L'Unione delle Tre Repubbliche (Union of Three Republics, U3R).
The Charter appeared to deter France so well that the three republics began to coordinate merchant endeavors. As time went on these merchant house began to intermarry. Strengthening the three republics’ ties to each other. It was in 1492, the same year Columbus discovered the New World, was when Three Republican forces, and the Teutonic Knights, retook Constantinople from the Ottoman’s.
As Spain and Portugal became wealthy with trade from the New World, the Three Republics felt bottled into the Mediterranean. Seeking an outlet they invaded Egypt in 1515, removing the Mamelukes and the Burji Dynasty. Not wanting to be pinned between the Three Republics on both sides of the eastern Mediterranean the Ottomans attacked Egypt in 1517. Interestingly, the Three Republic’s invasion of Egypt, a reaction to Spanish and Portuguese expansion in the New World, gained the Three Republics the support of France in their war against the Ottomans. At first the war was going good for Sultan Selim I, but with the assistances of the French, the Three Republics troops were able to defeat the Ottoman troops in 1520. This had repercussions in the region. The Persians were never fully conquered by the Ottomans and the Balkans became a battle ground as conquered territories rose up against the Ottomans.
Egypt would be set up as a colony in the tradition of Venice and Genoa, but on a much grander scale. People across the Three Republics were encouraged to emigrate to Egypt. At first not many did so, but after the expansion of the town of Porto Suwas (Suez) and the increase of trade to India and the Far-east many commoners came to look on Egypt as a land of opportunity. One of those opportunities was the rebuilding of the canal from Cairo to the Red Sea first created by Caliph al-Mansur in 767CE, rebuilt briefly by Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah in 1000CE, and now at the suggestion of the Venetian delegates of the Three Republics. At first the canal was rebuilt after a five year span, unfortunately erosion and sand storms would fill in portions of the canal, requiring massive removal of the debris.
The massive upkeep of the canal brought the Three Republics into needing more labor. Thus, the Three Republics entered into the Atlantic Slave trade. At first, purchasing slaves from the Portuguese and the Spanish, the Three Republics would eventually begin to purchase slaves from the Somalis who had been enslaving the Bantus for some time. It was not just the canal that needed the labor. Many citizens of the Three Republics used them on the sugar cane plantations along the Nile River, various island possessions in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as well as Three Republic Sumadra (OTL Sumatra)
It is quite amazing that the Three Republics were able to hold onto Egypt as a colony for as long as they did. Policies put in place would eventually give the descendant of these slaves their freedom if they converted to the Catholic Church, which many did. Eventually the number of people of European ancestry, as well as the descendants of the Catholic converted slaves would split the colony between Christian and Muslim lines. The Coptic Christians and Jews in the colony would at first both attempt to stay out of the growing tension in the colony, but eventually they would side with the Catholic Christians of the colony. In 1764, a civil war would breakout, influenced by the Safavid Empire, as well as tensions in Europe as the Austrian Empire threatened the U3R and other nations. As war in Europe broke out, the deciding factor in who would control the Egyptian colony ended up being from the French colony of Acre. Fearing the loss of its own colonies the French sent troops from Acre to Egypt to assist the Three Republics. The Muslim troops and rebels, led by the still powerful Mamluks, would be crushed by the pincer move of French and U3R troops.
Today Repubblica d'Egitto is part of the U3R Commonwealth and is a stable nation with strong ties to France and their neighbor to the south, the Ethiopian Republic.
Flag: The flag is similar to that of the Union of Three Republics. It consists of the cross of Saint Ambrose set within the cross of St George. Rather than the plaque, with the winged lion of St Mark, in the canton, the Republic of Egypt flag has a roundel with a lions face placed at the center of the crosses. The lion represents both St Mark as well as the symbol of the Mamluks and Muslims in the country.
(Just like Bennett, I killed butterflies. But I used a shotgun, chainsaw, bulldover, and a woodchipper)
The sudden, and unexplainable death of Francesco Sforza in early 1447 would cause the cascade of events leading to the creation of the Union of Three Republics.
After the Fillipo Viscounti, Duke of Milan, died without a male heir in 1447, fighting broke out to restore the Ambrosian Republic. The lack of Sforza influence on the establishment of the republic allowed the Guelphs to sue for peace with Venice. While others attempted to stop the peace, no one was able to maneuver themselves position to affect the outcome. In 1471. With increasing pressure from France the Ambrosian Republic and the Venetian Republic signed a Charter of Alliance to stand against France. Two years later, the Republic of Genoa would sign a similar agreement with both Ambrosia and Venice, forming L'Unione delle Tre Repubbliche (Union of Three Republics, U3R).
The Charter appeared to deter France so well that the three republics began to coordinate merchant endeavors. As time went on these merchant house began to intermarry. Strengthening the three republics’ ties to each other. It was in 1492, the same year Columbus discovered the New World, was when Three Republican forces, and the Teutonic Knights, retook Constantinople from the Ottoman’s.
As Spain and Portugal became wealthy with trade from the New World, the Three Republics felt bottled into the Mediterranean. Seeking an outlet they invaded Egypt in 1515, removing the Mamelukes and the Burji Dynasty. Not wanting to be pinned between the Three Republics on both sides of the eastern Mediterranean the Ottomans attacked Egypt in 1517. Interestingly, the Three Republic’s invasion of Egypt, a reaction to Spanish and Portuguese expansion in the New World, gained the Three Republics the support of France in their war against the Ottomans. At first the war was going good for Sultan Selim I, but with the assistances of the French, the Three Republics troops were able to defeat the Ottoman troops in 1520. This had repercussions in the region. The Persians were never fully conquered by the Ottomans and the Balkans became a battle ground as conquered territories rose up against the Ottomans.
Egypt would be set up as a colony in the tradition of Venice and Genoa, but on a much grander scale. People across the Three Republics were encouraged to emigrate to Egypt. At first not many did so, but after the expansion of the town of Porto Suwas (Suez) and the increase of trade to India and the Far-east many commoners came to look on Egypt as a land of opportunity. One of those opportunities was the rebuilding of the canal from Cairo to the Red Sea first created by Caliph al-Mansur in 767CE, rebuilt briefly by Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah in 1000CE, and now at the suggestion of the Venetian delegates of the Three Republics. At first the canal was rebuilt after a five year span, unfortunately erosion and sand storms would fill in portions of the canal, requiring massive removal of the debris.
The massive upkeep of the canal brought the Three Republics into needing more labor. Thus, the Three Republics entered into the Atlantic Slave trade. At first, purchasing slaves from the Portuguese and the Spanish, the Three Republics would eventually begin to purchase slaves from the Somalis who had been enslaving the Bantus for some time. It was not just the canal that needed the labor. Many citizens of the Three Republics used them on the sugar cane plantations along the Nile River, various island possessions in both the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as well as Three Republic Sumadra (OTL Sumatra)
It is quite amazing that the Three Republics were able to hold onto Egypt as a colony for as long as they did. Policies put in place would eventually give the descendant of these slaves their freedom if they converted to the Catholic Church, which many did. Eventually the number of people of European ancestry, as well as the descendants of the Catholic converted slaves would split the colony between Christian and Muslim lines. The Coptic Christians and Jews in the colony would at first both attempt to stay out of the growing tension in the colony, but eventually they would side with the Catholic Christians of the colony. In 1764, a civil war would breakout, influenced by the Safavid Empire, as well as tensions in Europe as the Austrian Empire threatened the U3R and other nations. As war in Europe broke out, the deciding factor in who would control the Egyptian colony ended up being from the French colony of Acre. Fearing the loss of its own colonies the French sent troops from Acre to Egypt to assist the Three Republics. The Muslim troops and rebels, led by the still powerful Mamluks, would be crushed by the pincer move of French and U3R troops.
Today Repubblica d'Egitto is part of the U3R Commonwealth and is a stable nation with strong ties to France and their neighbor to the south, the Ethiopian Republic.
Flag: The flag is similar to that of the Union of Three Republics. It consists of the cross of Saint Ambrose set within the cross of St George. Rather than the plaque, with the winged lion of St Mark, in the canton, the Republic of Egypt flag has a roundel with a lions face placed at the center of the crosses. The lion represents both St Mark as well as the symbol of the Mamluks and Muslims in the country.
(Just like Bennett, I killed butterflies. But I used a shotgun, chainsaw, bulldover, and a woodchipper)
Vietnamese France
Marshal Yue Fei was not recalled by the Southern Song court during his fourth northern expedition against the Jurchen Jin dynasty, allowing him to destroy the Jin.
After the war, the Song, devastated and overextended, was forced to make concessions with the Khitans, Tatars, and Tanguts. A series of royal marriages were made, butterflying Chinggis Khan’s conquests.
Europe, being spared of Mongol invasion and Black Death, spent more time stagnating in the high middle age.
Trade flourished, and technological advancements in gunpowder, arquebus, and bastion forts paved the way for the next stage of prolonged fragmentation. Key secrets about firearms were smuggled by monks to Constantinople, helping to preserve the empire.
It was also when the Ly Dynasty of Vietnam benefited from the flourishing Maritime Silk Road. Dai Viet and Champa competed for scholars from Baghdad.
The restituted Song survived till the mid-14th century, when it split up into a northern dynasty ruled by the House of È (Yue Fei’s descendants) and several of southern kingdoms.
The stalemate on land forced the competing kingdoms to find another way out on the sea. One of the southern kings, Zhu Di of Wu, sent Zheng He, an Muslim immigrant from the Kingdom of Dali, into an expedition to the western ocean, sparking an age of discovery for the rival East Asian states.
China’s fragmentation helped Christianity to spread among the states. As people sort salvation in a chaotic world, and bowed under the crucifix of Maitreya, or Messiah. Christianity for the upper class were more Confucianized.
The religious streak affected other East Asian states as well. The Viets, for instance, were more acceptive to Catholicism.
Vietnam under Tran dynasty enjoyed an age of relative peace as China was fragmented. A peace that was broken by the invading Min (Fujianese) navy. Vietnam was forced to strengthen its navy, setting up a naval school as per the Wu and Min.
In a world where Asia kick started the age of discovery. The Japanese have taken Mexico, the Wu Egypt, Syria and Eastern Africa, the Min Nusantara and America, the Koreans Western America, the Vietnamese were forced to try their luck in Western European shores.
Part of Vietnam’s interest for France stemmed from its religion. With the aristocratic families of Trinh and Mac trying to compete over prestige, they each sent an expedition into France and kidnapped several famous scholars from the Universities of Paris and Orléans. The colonization and occupation of France only came later.
Vietnamese colonizers played a game of divide and conquer. During the fronde, it played the King Louis the XIV and the aristocrats against each other, before finally throwing their lot with the eh king.
When the Tay Son Dynasty finally united (TTL) Vietnam, an expedition was sent to France to finally subjugate the entire country. Ngyuen Luc’s army, armed with flintlocks, defeated the French King Louis XVI, still using arquebuses. Louis was made a puppet king by the Viets, and ruled till his death in 1860. A new flag was created, with the Vietnamese dragon and the French fleur de lis, symbolizing the new relations.
In 1954, with European countries slowly breaking away from Asian dominance, the French Republicans defeated the Vietnamese paratroopers in the Battle Dieppe, ending the Vietnamese reign in France.
Marshal Yue Fei was not recalled by the Southern Song court during his fourth northern expedition against the Jurchen Jin dynasty, allowing him to destroy the Jin.
After the war, the Song, devastated and overextended, was forced to make concessions with the Khitans, Tatars, and Tanguts. A series of royal marriages were made, butterflying Chinggis Khan’s conquests.
Europe, being spared of Mongol invasion and Black Death, spent more time stagnating in the high middle age.
Trade flourished, and technological advancements in gunpowder, arquebus, and bastion forts paved the way for the next stage of prolonged fragmentation. Key secrets about firearms were smuggled by monks to Constantinople, helping to preserve the empire.
It was also when the Ly Dynasty of Vietnam benefited from the flourishing Maritime Silk Road. Dai Viet and Champa competed for scholars from Baghdad.
The restituted Song survived till the mid-14th century, when it split up into a northern dynasty ruled by the House of È (Yue Fei’s descendants) and several of southern kingdoms.
The stalemate on land forced the competing kingdoms to find another way out on the sea. One of the southern kings, Zhu Di of Wu, sent Zheng He, an Muslim immigrant from the Kingdom of Dali, into an expedition to the western ocean, sparking an age of discovery for the rival East Asian states.
China’s fragmentation helped Christianity to spread among the states. As people sort salvation in a chaotic world, and bowed under the crucifix of Maitreya, or Messiah. Christianity for the upper class were more Confucianized.
The religious streak affected other East Asian states as well. The Viets, for instance, were more acceptive to Catholicism.
Vietnam under Tran dynasty enjoyed an age of relative peace as China was fragmented. A peace that was broken by the invading Min (Fujianese) navy. Vietnam was forced to strengthen its navy, setting up a naval school as per the Wu and Min.
In a world where Asia kick started the age of discovery. The Japanese have taken Mexico, the Wu Egypt, Syria and Eastern Africa, the Min Nusantara and America, the Koreans Western America, the Vietnamese were forced to try their luck in Western European shores.
Part of Vietnam’s interest for France stemmed from its religion. With the aristocratic families of Trinh and Mac trying to compete over prestige, they each sent an expedition into France and kidnapped several famous scholars from the Universities of Paris and Orléans. The colonization and occupation of France only came later.
Vietnamese colonizers played a game of divide and conquer. During the fronde, it played the King Louis the XIV and the aristocrats against each other, before finally throwing their lot with the eh king.
When the Tay Son Dynasty finally united (TTL) Vietnam, an expedition was sent to France to finally subjugate the entire country. Ngyuen Luc’s army, armed with flintlocks, defeated the French King Louis XVI, still using arquebuses. Louis was made a puppet king by the Viets, and ruled till his death in 1860. A new flag was created, with the Vietnamese dragon and the French fleur de lis, symbolizing the new relations.
In 1954, with European countries slowly breaking away from Asian dominance, the French Republicans defeated the Vietnamese paratroopers in the Battle Dieppe, ending the Vietnamese reign in France.
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And the submission period is now closed. Poll is here.
Unfortunately, @Rarayn, your flag has been disqualified for being hosted on an external site and not uploaded as an attachment to AH.com - a violation of Section 3 in the Weekly Flag Challenge Rules.
I must also apologise for failing to realise this and inform you until the time came for me to create the poll.
Unfortunately, @Rarayn, your flag has been disqualified for being hosted on an external site and not uploaded as an attachment to AH.com - a violation of Section 3 in the Weekly Flag Challenge Rules.
I must also apologise for failing to realise this and inform you until the time came for me to create the poll.
Oh well, I just made it to kill time in any case. Is that rule new or have I just been ignoring the flag challenge for so long I forgot? I only check a handful of threads these days and read even less, so either way I wouldn't be surprised. 
Yes, it changed in April this year. See posts 3990 to 3997 on page 200.
I see! Thanks for letting me know; I'll keep that in mind if I decide to participate again in the future.
I hope you do - the more the merrier. Sorry for not noticing at the time, or I'd have said.
@The Professor
Do you have any particular idea in mind?
I do have a couple of vague ones, but I don’t insist if you have better ones.
Do you have any particular idea in mind?
I do have a couple of vague ones, but I don’t insist if you have better ones.
Drawing a blank at the mo!
Go ahead and post, or PM me if you want to run a few queries past me.