CIRCA - 1835 🇷🇸 - horizontal tricolor of red (top,) blue (middle) & white (bottom) equal stripes with coat of arms centered on the hoist side
HISTORY: Despite Serbia's national status frequently changing it's flag has been surprisingly consistent, with evidence of the
red & blue🔍 dating back to the 13c, and dual-headed ☬ eagle coat of arms ⛨ used even earlier by the Grand Prince ~1166–96,
(with elements dating to the 11c, purposely drawn from Byzantine🔍, from whom Serbia had just gained independence)
The 1st uprisings against the Ottomans, c.1804 revived the red & blue, with the oldest Serb tricolor of
pan-Slavic🔍 red-white-blue flown in 1835 revolts (inspired by Russia🔍, preeminent Slavic power.) At
the time, the CoA ⛨ was centered, (and one version had the white stripe in the middle.)
Over the centuries the flag evolved variations of emblems vs. plain (vs. a single red ★ star under
communism, as Yugoslavia,) with ⛨ CoA moving hoist-side in 2004, (when the country was still united with Montenegro)
Influenced partly by the revolutionary French tricolore🔍., the design understandably resembles the flags of neighboring Croatia🔍, Slovenia🔍
& Slovakia🔍 as well as that of Luxembourg🔍 & the Netherlands🔍, but the last two similarity weren't intentional.
VEXILLOLOGY:* Embodying Serbian unity, resilience & ancient aspirations to imperial status;
The Red Stripe evokes blood 🩸 shed for independence
The BLUE Stripe signifies freedom & vigilance
The White Stripe represents purity & the national spirit
The Coat of Arms' WHITE DUAL-HEADED ☬ EAGLE, symbolizes authority over / connection between spiritual & temporal domains;
The Dual-Heads ☬; one facing east 🔍, the other west, also signifies vigilance in multiple directions, like Byzantine, ruling over eastern & western realms, (in Serbia's case it might more accurately reflect surrounding Balkan🔍 treats more than wide spread national influence)
The RED ⛊ SHIELD with WHITE SERBIAN CROSS & 4 FIRESTEELS (or OCILA;) is one of the national / traditional symbols of Serbian, signifying Christian Faith [used in heraldry since the 14c - From Byzantine tetragrammic cross, with 4 Cyrillic letters 'B'' (Б) for Byzantine motto "Basileus Basileon Basileuon Basileusin,"= "King of Kings Rules over Kings."- The Serbian version is often interpreted as Cyrillic "S," (С) for national motto: "Only Unity Saves the Serbs" (Samo sloga Srbina spasava)]
...all surmounted by JEWELED 👑 CROWN for Serbia's royal heritage, GOLD, traditionally = prosperity, sovereignty & divine sanction - the metal of kingship & heavenly light; underscoring a kings as God's vicar on earth, plus purity; from medieval alchemy linking gold to incorruptible perfection]