CIRCA - ~1230 🇦🇹 - horizontal triband of 2 outer red stripes flanking a middle white stripe all of equal widths
HISTORY: Among Europe's oldest national symbols, with documented heraldic precedents from the early 13c, when the Babenberg
Duke Frederick II adopted a red-white-red banner to assert regional sovereignty.
Legend attributes the stripes to Duke Leopold V's bloody🩸surcoat @ the 1191 Siege of
Acre, where his belt preserved an unbloodied white stripe amid the red stains, (though more
likely it's derived simply from the Babenberg ⛨ coats of arms.)
[Legend & design are surprisingly similar to it's contemporary 13c Latvian flag🔍,
both of which pre-date similar 18c tribands of the like France🔍 or Italy🔍.]
Following Austro-Hungary dissolution in 1918, the triband was reinstated to evoke pre-Habsburg heritage.
[The state variant incorporates the federal ⛨ coat of arms; a 🜲 crowned heraldic eagle 𖤍 breaking free from chains ⛓️, with a gold hammer + sickle ☭
in it's claws, plus shield ⛉ (of Austria's red & white) - inherited from the countries former association with the Holy Roman Empire🔍]
VEXILLOLOGY:* No official meanings are assigned to the colors but in heraldic tradition;
The WHITE Stripe would signify purity, sincerity, or ☮︎ peace &...
The RED Stripes would denoted warrior 🩸 bloodshed, courage & sacrifices for the realm.