Spanish Cross of Burgundy

Flags and Banners of the Colonial Era in the Philippines

Bourbon Dynasty

This was the standard under which the Islas de San Lazaro were claimed in the name of the Spanish Crown by Ferdinand Magellan on March 16, 1521. It depicts the Cross of Burgundy �rst introduced into Spanish heraldry in the early part of the 16th century by Philip the Handsome of the Habsburg dynasty—when he married Juana of Castille, daughter of the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabela, who uni�ed the Kingdoms of Castille and Aragon, the precursor of Spain. Philip and Juana’s son would become King Carlos I of Spain and would sponsor the expedition of Magellan to the Orient. Years later, the islands would be renamed “Filipinas” in honor of King Carlos I’s son, the Crown Prince Felipe, later King Felipe II of Spain.

The Spanish line of the Habsburg dynasty died out with Carlos II of Spain, which precipitated the Wars of Spanish Succession between the French Bourbons and the Austrian Habsburgs. The Bourbons would later win international recognition as the legitimate successor dynasty to the Spanish Habsburgs, with Prince Philip of France coming to the throne as King Felipe V of Spain.

In 1761, soon after ascending to the throne, King Carlos III, grandson of Felipe V, modi�ed the royal Spanish arms, which in turn resulted in a revision of the state and war ensign of Spain.

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1761

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British Occupation (1762-1764)

Silang Revolt (1762-1763) In 1762, both Spain and France, ruled by branches of

the Bourbon dynasty, entered into an alliance to defeat Britain in the ongoing Seven Years’ War. This set into motion the Anglo-Spanish War, which resulted in, among others, the sacking of Manila and Cavite by an expedition from the British East India Company a year later.

The British East India Company occupation lasted 18 months, after which the Philippines was returned to Spain by virtue of the 1763 Treaty of Paris.

An ultimately unsuccessful one-year rebellion in northern Luzon was led by Diego Silang, who conspired with the British to overthrow Spanish rule in the tobacco-growing Ilocos provinces. His main objective was to establish an independent Ilocano nation.

Upon his assassination, Silang’s wife Gabriela took up arms to lead the rebellion; however, she, too, was unsuccessful against the Spaniards, who had recruited Kapampangan warriors from the surrounding provinces. Gabriela Silang was executed on September 10, 1763.

17621762

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1764

Spanish Tri-band

King Carlos III of Spain, recognizing the need to establish a distinct national standard and war ensign of Spain separate from the other Bourbon-controlled principalities such as France and Tuscany, organized a design competition in 1785. The result was a tri-band of red and yellow featuring the coat of arms, which would form the basis of the modern national �ag of Spain. From 1785 onwards this was the standard �own throughout the archipelagic realm of the Spanish Crown in the Asia-Paci�c, called the Indias Orientales Españoles (Spanish East Indies) – encompassing modern-day Philippines, Guam, Marianas, Micronesia, and Palau.

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Basi Revolt(September 16-28, 1807)

The Basi Revolt, waged in Piddig and other neighboring towns in Ilocos Norte, was named after Ilocano sugarcane wine, or basi. Under Pedro Mateo and Salarogo Ambaristo, the Ilocanos rose in revolt on September 16, 1807 against the Spanish government, who had prohibited the private manufacturing and selling of the product since 1786. The rebellion was eventually quelled by the Spaniards on September 28, 1807.

1873

1874

1807

Cavite Mutiny(January 20, 1872)

The Katipunan(July 7, 1892)

Early variations of the Katipunan �ag

Workers at Fort San Felipe, the Cavite arsenal, staged an unsuccessful revolt on January 20, 1872, leading to the arrest and execution of many prominent Filipinos. In the aftermath, Fr. Mariano Gomez, Fr. Jose Burgos, and Fr. Jacinto Zamora (collectively known as GomBurZa) were publicly executed as the alleged leaders of the mutiny.

1872

1892

1896

First Spanish Republic (1873-1874)

The short-lived republican government from 1873 to 1874 resulted in a modi�cation of the Spanish national �ag – it retained the 1785 tri-band design and coat of arms but discarded the crown. Following the dissolution of the �rst Spanish republic and the restoration of the monarchy, the 1785 national �ag design was reinstated.

The Katipunan was a revolutionary society founded in 1892, with the ultimate goal of achieving independence from Spain through armed struggle. Its ensigns and banners bear strong masonic in�uences such as the skull and crossbones, the Eye of Providence, and the use of triangular forms. It was more popularly known as the “KKK,” which stood for the “Kataas-taasang Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan.”

Bulacan 1896

Malibai, Pasay 1896

Concepcion, Manila 1894

Banners used by Katipuneros, either in Manila districts or Manila provinces

Katipunan Unit Banners

Gen. Pio del Pilar May 26, 1896 Gen. Llanera, Nueva Ecija

Sept. 2, 1896

Flag of the Magdiwang faction

in Cavite, used in August 1896

Personal �ag used by Andres Bonifacio on August 23, 1896

Katipunan unit commanders, 1896

Biak-na-BatoGovernment

1897

1898 1898

On May 31, 1897, General Emilio Aguinaldo established a republican government in Biak-na-Bato, San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan. Aguinaldo, along with several other revolutionaries, also drafted a provisional constitution for the Philippines, which came to be known as the Constitution of Biak-na-Bato.

The government was dissolved with the signing of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato on December 16, 1897, which stipulated that the revolutionaries would go into exile in Hong Kong and surrender their arms in exchange for �nancial indemnities and pardons from the Spanish government.

Philippine Independence(June 12, 1898)

On June 12, 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo formally proclaimed independence from Spain and was declared dictator. In the same ceremony, Aguinaldo unfurled the standard used by revolutionary forces since the Battle of Alapan two weeks prior – a blue and red swallowtail with a white triangle framing three stars and an anthropomorphic sun – which would serve as the basis for future �ags of the Philippines. It was also in the same ceremony that the national anthem was played for the �rst time.

Negrense Revolt (November 3-6, 1898)

Under the provisions of the 1898 Treaty of Paris, Spain surrendered Cuba and ceded the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico to the United States of America.

The banner used by southern Negros revolutionaries in their three-day uprising against the Spanish authorities, which resulted in the establishment of the Canton de Isla de Negros. This standard in particular, also inverted (with the red �eld up to show solidarity with other revolutionaries), was carried by Alipio E. Ykalina of Valladolid town, one of the leaders who joined General Juan Araneta in consolidating the revolutionary forces south of the capital city of Bacolod.

Cessation of Hostilities

With the cessation of hostilities and the formal acceptance of American sovereignty over the Philippines, the Philippine �ag was henceforth �own with the blue �eld up to signify peacetime.

Gen. Pio del Pilar 1897

Gen. Llanera Nueva Ecija 1897

Gen. Gregorio del Pilar

Sept. 3, 1897

Magdiwang �ag adopted by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo’s troops (Magdalo faction) and the Revolutionary Government at Biak-na-Bato.

Brought down on March 17, 1897.

Katipunan unit commanders, 1897

Surrender of Spain (December 10, 1898)

The Insular Government was established following the capture of President Emilio Aguinaldo and his forces. A succession of Governors-General were appointed to oversee the colony, with the �rst being William Howard Taft in 1901.

Insular Government

First PhilippineRepublic(January 23, 1899)

Red �eld up to indicate wartime

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Spanish Tri-band

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