So this right here is the Flag of France.
So this right here is the Flag of France.

If there was a flag contest for the number of other flags
If there was a flag contest for the number of other flags

inspired or just ripped off of it,
inspired or just ripped off of it,

then this thing would be in definite first place.
then this thing would be in definite first place.

Just look at all these other attempts.
Just look at all these other attempts.

Some are cool, and others just kind of look
Some are cool, and others just kind of look

like knockoff brand versions of mountain lightning.
like knockoff brand versions of mountain lightning.

You can't even tell the difference between half
You can't even tell the difference between half

of these other flags.
of these other flags.

But France, you recognize because it's the original--
But France, you recognize because it's the original--

and because maybe it's been all over your Facebook feed
and because maybe it's been all over your Facebook feed

in the last few months.
in the last few months.

So where did it come from, and why
So where did it come from, and why

do we instantly think of France when we see it,
do we instantly think of France when we see it,

and we don't instantly think of Chad when we see this
and we don't instantly think of Chad when we see this

or Romania when we see this.
or Romania when we see this.

Blue, white, and red are colors that
Blue, white, and red are colors that

are generally associated with republicanism or democracy.
are generally associated with republicanism or democracy.

The French flag wasn't the first that used them
The French flag wasn't the first that used them

and neither was the United States.
and neither was the United States.

Technically, the Dutch used this similar-ish flag
Technically, the Dutch used this similar-ish flag

starting in 1572 early on into a rebellion
starting in 1572 early on into a rebellion

against their Spanish overlords.
against their Spanish overlords.

The French flag looks like this when it's flipped on its side.
The French flag looks like this when it's flipped on its side.

But France isn't one for cheap knock offs,
But France isn't one for cheap knock offs,

and there's another reason to be had other
and there's another reason to be had other

than ripping off the Dutch.
than ripping off the Dutch.

When France exploded into revolution in 1789,
When France exploded into revolution in 1789,

the revolutionaries couldn't be seen using the same flag
the revolutionaries couldn't be seen using the same flag

as their royal oppressors.
as their royal oppressors.

The number one rule of rebellions, or revolutions,
The number one rule of rebellions, or revolutions,

is to not use a flag that looks similar to your enemies.
is to not use a flag that looks similar to your enemies.

Looking right at you, Confederate States of America.
Looking right at you, Confederate States of America.

So with that in mind, the flag of pre-revolutionary France
So with that in mind, the flag of pre-revolutionary France

looked like this.
looked like this.

The color of white that you see was very closely
The color of white that you see was very closely

linked with the monarchy in France,
linked with the monarchy in France,

dating back to Joan of Arc.
dating back to Joan of Arc.

This teenage freedom fighter, nicknamed the maid,
This teenage freedom fighter, nicknamed the maid,

charged into battle against the English
charged into battle against the English

with a white flag and a picture of Jesus blazoned on its side.
with a white flag and a picture of Jesus blazoned on its side.

Because everybody loves Joan of Arc as probably,
Because everybody loves Joan of Arc as probably,

probably the most bad ass teenage girl
probably the most bad ass teenage girl

of all time, the color of white began getting
of all time, the color of white began getting

used a lot more in France.
used a lot more in France.

French Protestants also really like white and used the color
French Protestants also really like white and used the color

to represent themselves a lot.
to represent themselves a lot.

And then this guy, Henry IV, became the king.
And then this guy, Henry IV, became the king.

He was a Protestant but converted to Catholicism
He was a Protestant but converted to Catholicism

and thought that white was a really good color
and thought that white was a really good color

to unite the two faiths inside the country.
to unite the two faiths inside the country.

And holy hell, did the French really dig white.
And holy hell, did the French really dig white.

Look at paintings of the French army before the revolution,
Look at paintings of the French army before the revolution,

and you see white everywhere.
and you see white everywhere.

The soldiers are even wore white uniforms.
The soldiers are even wore white uniforms.

Imagine how hard that must have been
Imagine how hard that must have been

to keep clean marching around.
to keep clean marching around.

But nope, sorry pal, still got to wear white,
But nope, sorry pal, still got to wear white,

even when it's raining and muddy outside, because it's awesome.
even when it's raining and muddy outside, because it's awesome.

There's a bunch of flags that were
There's a bunch of flags that were

used in France before the white takeover,
used in France before the white takeover,

like this one, and this one, and this one.
like this one, and this one, and this one.

But when the Bourbon family took power in 1589,
But when the Bourbon family took power in 1589,

after the previous Valois family,
after the previous Valois family,

they whitewashed the historic blue color
they whitewashed the historic blue color

associated with French flags and turned them into their white.
associated with French flags and turned them into their white.

Very unfortunately for the Bourbon family,
Very unfortunately for the Bourbon family,

however, they were still the kings of France in 1789
however, they were still the kings of France in 1789

when the revolution began.
when the revolution began.

The revolutionaries initially sought inspiration
The revolutionaries initially sought inspiration

for their symbols from the flag of Paris, a stripe of blue
for their symbols from the flag of Paris, a stripe of blue

and a stripe of red.
and a stripe of red.

But they couldn't just completely steal that idea
But they couldn't just completely steal that idea

and make the flag of Paris the flag
and make the flag of Paris the flag

of all of France, so the idea was
of all of France, so the idea was

born to place the historic white color, symbol of the monarchy,
born to place the historic white color, symbol of the monarchy,

into the middle being crushed by the two sides of Paris.
into the middle being crushed by the two sides of Paris.

This symbol placed the color of monarchy
This symbol placed the color of monarchy

into submission under the people.
into submission under the people.

But this familiar version wasn't the first edition
But this familiar version wasn't the first edition

of the French flag, this was.
of the French flag, this was.

It stayed that way for four years,
It stayed that way for four years,

from 1790 until 1794, when this fashionista
from 1790 until 1794, when this fashionista

had the idea of switching the blue and white colors.
had the idea of switching the blue and white colors.

He painted all of this stuff, though,
He painted all of this stuff, though,

so maybe he was on to something.
so maybe he was on to something.

Anyway, from 1794 on, this flag was the official flag
Anyway, from 1794 on, this flag was the official flag

of the French Republic, and Napoleon liked it just as much,
of the French Republic, and Napoleon liked it just as much,

so he kept it around after he took over.
so he kept it around after he took over.

Napoleon just marauding around Europe,
Napoleon just marauding around Europe,

spreading the flag's design into the places he conquered,
spreading the flag's design into the places he conquered,

like here, here, here, here, here, here, here,
like here, here, here, here, here, here, here,

here, and here.
here, and here.

People didn't really like Napoleon's marauding, though,
People didn't really like Napoleon's marauding, though,

or his spread of three color flag designs,
or his spread of three color flag designs,

so everybody relevant in the world
so everybody relevant in the world

basically ganged up on him and kicked him out of France
basically ganged up on him and kicked him out of France

in 1814.
in 1814.

After they did that, they thought
After they did that, they thought

that the best idea possible for France,
that the best idea possible for France,

after 26 years of chaotic revolution,
after 26 years of chaotic revolution,

was to bring back these guys, the Bourbons.
was to bring back these guys, the Bourbons.

And with them came back the old white flag
And with them came back the old white flag

that we all know and love.
that we all know and love.

Except people in France didn't like that.
Except people in France didn't like that.

And Napoleon really didn't like that.
And Napoleon really didn't like that.

So he escaped from his time out chair,
So he escaped from his time out chair,

riled up the French people, and became the emperor again.
riled up the French people, and became the emperor again.

The Bourbons ran away with their flag
The Bourbons ran away with their flag

after just a few months being kings again.
after just a few months being kings again.

The tricolor became the national flag again,
The tricolor became the national flag again,

and the French were happy.
and the French were happy.

But everybody ganged up on Napoleon again, and beat him
But everybody ganged up on Napoleon again, and beat him

down pretty quickly, this time sending him
down pretty quickly, this time sending him

to a really far away island in the middle of nowhere,
to a really far away island in the middle of nowhere,

right here.
right here.

Thinking that they were safe from that shenanigans the word
Thinking that they were safe from that shenanigans the word

Bourbons came back to France again in 1815 and, once again,
Bourbons came back to France again in 1815 and, once again,

forced the white flag on the people of France.
forced the white flag on the people of France.

This was a Bourbon restoration flag.
This was a Bourbon restoration flag.

Yep, it's a plain and simple white flag.
Yep, it's a plain and simple white flag.

For 15 years until 1830, France was literally
For 15 years until 1830, France was literally

known around the world as that country whose flag
known around the world as that country whose flag

is a plain white rectangle.
is a plain white rectangle.

But that nonsense changed after the July revolution
But that nonsense changed after the July revolution

in 1830, when the most down-to-earth sounding guy,
in 1830, when the most down-to-earth sounding guy,

Louis-Philippe, the citizen king,
Louis-Philippe, the citizen king,

took power and restored the tricolor.
took power and restored the tricolor.

Ever since that date in 1830, the tricolor
Ever since that date in 1830, the tricolor

has remained the flag of France, although it wasn't always
has remained the flag of France, although it wasn't always

so certain.
so certain.

In 1848, socialist revolutionaries
In 1848, socialist revolutionaries

demanded that the flag be changed to a plain red flag,
demanded that the flag be changed to a plain red flag,

but that failed when this bad ass Frenchman said to them,
but that failed when this bad ass Frenchman said to them,

the tricolor has toured the world with a republic
the tricolor has toured the world with a republic

and the empire with your freedoms and your glory,
and the empire with your freedoms and your glory,

and the red flag was that around the Champ de Mars
and the red flag was that around the Champ de Mars

dragged in the people's blood.
dragged in the people's blood.

And then, after the last Bonaparte Emperor, Napoleon
And then, after the last Bonaparte Emperor, Napoleon

III, was overthrown in 1870, a royalist majority
III, was overthrown in 1870, a royalist majority

was elected to the National Assembly of the newly found
was elected to the National Assembly of the newly found

French third republic.
French third republic.

The assembly offered the throne to this dude,
The assembly offered the throne to this dude,

named Henri, Comte de Chambord.
named Henri, Comte de Chambord.

He was a pretender, with a legitimate claim to the throne,
He was a pretender, with a legitimate claim to the throne,

and he really could have been he wanted to.
and he really could have been he wanted to.

But he absolutely insisted that he would only
But he absolutely insisted that he would only

accept the throne if the tricolor was
accept the throne if the tricolor was

replaced with a Bourbon white flag again.
replaced with a Bourbon white flag again.

Considering that to be pretty ridiculous,
Considering that to be pretty ridiculous,

since France had already changed lives six times in the last 80
since France had already changed lives six times in the last 80

years, and because the people clearly love the tricolor more,
years, and because the people clearly love the tricolor more,

the assembly told him to get lost.
the assembly told him to get lost.

Since Henry was adamant about it and wouldn't dropped the issue,
Since Henry was adamant about it and wouldn't dropped the issue,

he never got to be king, and the tricolor
he never got to be king, and the tricolor

has remained intact ever since.
has remained intact ever since.

Thanks for watching and don't forget to subscribe or like
Thanks for watching and don't forget to subscribe or like

if you have not already done.
if you have not already done.

This was Real Life Lore.
This was Real Life Lore.