History of the Italian Flag: 1797, Risorgimento, Kingdom & Republic
Follow the Tricolore from the Cispadane Republic through the Risorgimento and Kingdom of Italy to the plain green-white-red flag of the modern Republic.
Where did the Italian tricolour come from?
The Italian tricolour emerged in the revolutionary climate of the 1790s. French-inspired republics and Italian military formations began using three-band flags, turning banners from dynastic symbols into emblems of political communities and national aspirations.
The Lombard Legion used white, red and green: white and red were rooted in Milan’s civic heraldry, while green was associated with the uniforms of the Milanese Civic Guard.
January 7, 1797: the birth of the Tricolore
At Reggio Emilia on January 7, 1797, the Cispadane Republic adopted green, white and red as its universal standard and cockade colors after a proposal by Giuseppe Compagnoni. The Presidency of the Republic treats this as the birth of the Italian national tricolour.
The Tricolore during the Risorgimento
After the Napoleonic period, the tricolour was suppressed during the Restoration but survived as a symbol of liberty and national unity. It appeared in the revolts of 1831, Mazzinian movements and the revolutions of 1848.
On March 23, 1848, Charles Albert ordered that the House of Savoy shield be placed on the Italian tricolour for his troops during the First War of Independence.
The flag of the Kingdom of Italy
When the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed on March 17, 1861, the green-white-red tricolour with the Savoy shield continued by custom. Because there was no comprehensive national-flag law for decades, variants appeared. In 1925, the monarchy finally standardized national and state versions.
How the republican flag was created
After the monarchy ended in 1946, the Savoy shield was removed. A decree of June 19, 1946 established the plain tricolour provisionally. The Constituent Assembly confirmed the design on March 24, 1947, and Article 12 of the Constitution made it the flag of the Republic.
Italian flag history FAQ
When was the Italian flag first created?
January 7, 1797 is treated as the birth date of the Italian national tricolour.
Who proposed the 1797 flag?
Giuseppe Compagnoni proposed making the Cispadane green-white-red standard universal.
Why did the Kingdom of Italy flag have a shield?
The House of Savoy shield represented the ruling dynasty and was placed on the tricolour during the Risorgimento.
When was the shield removed?
In 1946, after Italy became a republic.
Presidency of the Italian Republic — The Tricolore
Italian Senate — Article 12
