Where did the colors of red and yellow originate in the flag of Spain?
The flag of Spain (Spanish: Bandera de España), as it is defined in the Spanish Constitution of 1978, consists of three horizontal stripes: red, yellow and red, the yellow stripe being twice the size of each red stripe. Traditionally, the middle stripe was defined by the more archaic term of gualda, and hence the popular name rojigualda (red-weld). The origin of the current flag of Spain is the Naval Ensign of 1785,[1] Pabellón de la Marina de Guerra under Charles III of Spain. Throughout the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, the color scheme of the flag remained intact, with the exception of the Second Republic period (1931-1939), being the only changes centered on the coat of arms Sources: http://en.wikipedia.
The red and golden-yellow colors of Spain´s flag were first used as long ago as the late 1700s by the King of Spain as he tried to easily differentiate his ships from those of other countries. They were the original colors found within the coat-of-arms of both the Castile and Aragon regions of the country, the regions first united by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. There is a legend that holds that the colors of the flag of Spain are derived from the bullfight arena, the red respresenting the blood shed and the yellow the sand of the arena! However, this is just a legend and not based on historical facts!
