Flag of Urcea
 | |
| Use | National flag and ensign   |
|---|---|
| Proportion | 3:5 |
| Adopted | January 1, 1830 |
| Design | Saint Julius of the Caeline on a circle atop a red cross, surrounded by blue on a white field. |
The flag of the Apostolic Kingdom of Urcea, often referred to as the Urcean flag, is the national flag of the Apostolic Kingdom of Urcea. It consists of a deep red cross with a deep red circle with a depiction of Saint Julius of the Caeline in the center, surrounded by a lighter blue color on a white background. The three colors are the traditional colors of the three primary royal holds of Urcea, with the red representing the Archduchy of Urceopolis, the white representing the Grand Duchy of Harren, and the blue representing the Electorate of Canaery. The image of Saint Julius of the Caeline is the traditional arms of the Julian dynasty.
History
Prior to 1830, Urcea had no national flag. Reflecting its feudal roots, the banner of whichever crownland the King was in was used for official business, which could cause a great deal of confusion for the unfamiliar. Abroad, the arms of the Julian dynasty were used as a visual shorthand to refer to the lands they ruled. By the late 1700s, successive Apostolic Kings of Urcea had reduced the flags they used to just the three major holdings depending on the context. Naval flags and traders - as well as the King while he ruled in Urceopolis - would employ the red cross flag of the Archduchy of Urceopolis. While on campaign in Urcea itself or overseas, and typically while out on domestic business outside Urceopolis, the Royal party would use the white throne flag of the Grand Duchy of Harren. While on business relating to the Holy Levantine Empire, or while on campaign in Levantia outside of Urcea in conflicts such as the First and Second Caroline Wars, the King would use his banner as Elector of Canaery. Navies would typically fly the colors and arms of the Principality of Halfway and, beginning in 1660, the Kingdom of Crotona. Despite this streamlined system, regimental flags would continue to fly the banner of the local area, famously causing confusion during several battles of the Second Caroline War.
As part of an overall effort during the Reform Period to boost national pride and foment national unity, King Niall V formed a commission in 1826 under the Conshilía Purpháidhe to adopt a standardized national flag that would be used in civilian, maritime, and military applications. The commission sought prominent national artists and had them collaborate to create the new flag, making it the product of no one artist and thereby a product of the nation. These artists worked with instructions from the commission to design a flag "entirely recognizable based on...present flag use" and that it be "appropriate to the majesty of the Apostolic Kingdom". Combining the white background of Harren, the blue color of Canaery, the red cross of Urceopolis, and impaling it with a traditional depiction of Saint Julius of the Caeline derived from the traditional arms of the Julian dynasty, the ruling dynasty of Urcea since its inception. The modern design was presented to the King on October 4th, 1828, and the King was delighted with the design, decreeing that it would become the national flag effective 1830. Niall's son would also adopt the colors as part of his arms and the arms of the family. It has remained the flag of Urcea since, though there was a period during the Red Interregnum in which the Crown Regency considered changing the flag to deemphasize the centrality of a monarch.
Other Flags
A tricolor employing the same color scheme as the national flag, such as on the city flag of Urceopolis and the flag of the Conshilía Daoni, is also used in some contexts. Both the seal and the flag of the Daoni became the de facto flag and symbols of Urcea during the Crown Regency period. In most contexts this tricolor is merely a flag of artistic license using the recognizable national colors. However, the tricolor also has a strong political context by its association with socialism and the Urcean Republic, which did not use the so-called "Royal national flag" and instead employed the simple horizontal band tricolor flag, continuing the use of the Daoni flag from the Regency era. This flag continued to have strong political associations and was employed by the far-left generally - and the Republican Party specifically - to draw associations with the Republic.