Kingdom of Spain, 1843

In 1759 Charles III became King of Spain, and the Spanish East Indies and warships flew a white flag with the sovereign’s arms. As this flag was similar to those of other nations, he ordered designs drawn up that would be distinct from a great distance. The flag chosen as war ensign in 1785 was a red-yellow-red triband, with the yellow band twice as wide as the red ones. It is the direct ancestor of the current Spanish flag and became the National flag in 1843, featuring the coat of arms of Castile and Leon, surmounted with a crown. This flag also flew in Cuba, until independence.