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Summary

Description
English: Flag of the Dutch province of Friesland
Nederlands: De Friese vlag en het wapen hebben een gemeenschappelijke herkomst. Al in de elfde eeuw was een vlag met "pompeblêdden" bekend. Dit kan men opmaken uit verzen uit het Gudrunlied. Omstreeks 1200 vertonen Scandinavische wapenschilden velden bestrooid met leliebladen of harten, vaak in combinatie met afbeeldingen van leeuwen.

Het getal 7 dat we tegenkomen in het aantal "pompeblêdden" van de vlag en het aantal blokjes in het wapen, symboliseren de 7 Friese zeelanden: zelfstandige landstreken langs de kust van Alkmaar tot de Weser, die samengingen in een verdedigingsverbond tegen de Noormannen.

De drie witte strepen staan voor de platteland streken : Oostergo, Westergo en Zevenwouden. De blauwe strepen voor de Friese rivieren. De zeven pompebladen staan voor de zeven oude Friese zeelanden, zoals die bestonden tussen de achtste en veertiende eeuw:

  • Frisia tussen Reker en Vlie (West-Friesland, ligt nu in Noord-Holland)
  • Frisia tussen Vlie en Middelzee (Westergo, het westelijk deel van Friesland)
  • Frisia tussen Middelzee en Lauwers (Oostergo, het oostelijke deel van Friesland)
  • Zevenwouden ( het zuidelijk deel van Friesland)
  • Frisia tussen Lauwers en Eems (Ommelanden, ligt nu in Groningen)
  • Frisia tussen Eems en Jade (Ostfriesland , ligt in Duitsland)
  • Frisia tussen Jade en Weser (ligt in Duitsland)

Uit vijftiende eeuwse wapenboeken blijkt dat omstreeks die tijd uit het wapen met de "pompeblêdden" en de leeuwen twee wapens zijn voortgekomen: het leeuwenwapen met de 7 tot blokjes omgevormde "pompeblêden", en het wapen met banen op een met "pompeblêden" gedamasceerd veld.

Dit laatste wapen wordt in de negentiende eeuw ook als vlag gangbaar. Op 9 juli 1957 wordt in de vergadering van de Staten van Friesland besloten een verzoek aan Hare Majesteit de Koningin te richten om deze vlag met "pompeblêden", als officiële vlag in het gebruik voor de provincie Fryslân te bevestigen.

Bij Koninklijk besluit dd. 21 april 1958, no. 12, is de provincie bevestigd in het gebruik van de vlag.

De vlag is niet auteursrechtelijk beschermd. Hij wordt door veel friese verenigingen en bedrijven in het logo gebruikt, en kon mede daardoor uitgroeien tot een krachtig symbool van de friese identiteit.
Date January 2, 2026
Source Own work, also published on the provincial website: Fryske Flagge - Provinsje Fryslân
Author P.H. Wagemakers and Joh. Koopmans
Permission
(Reusing this file)
Public domain This work has been released into the public domain by its author, Magna Frisia. This applies worldwide.

In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so:
Magna Frisia grants anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.

Other versions First version was created by GeeKaa, another version was made by AceT
It is easy to put a border around this flag image
:

[[File:Frisian flag.svg|border|96x176px]]

The Google translation to English from the above Dutch is as follows:

The Frisian flag and the coat of arms share a common origin. A flag featuring "pompeblêdden" (water lily leaves) was known as early as the eleventh century. This can be deduced from verses in the Gudrunlied. Around 1200, Scandinavian coats of arms display fields sprinkled with lily leaves or hearts, often in combination with images of lions.

The number 7, which we encounter in the number of "pompeblêdden" on the flag and the number of blocks in the coat of arms, symbolizes the 7 Frisian coastal lands: independent regions along the coast from Alkmaar to the Weser, which united in a defense alliance against the Vikings.

The three white stripes represent the rural regions: Oostergo, Westergo, and Zevenwouden. The blue stripes represent the Frisian rivers. The seven water lily leaves represent the seven old Frisian maritime lands, as they existed between the eighth and fourteenth centuries:

  • Frisia between Reker and Vlie (West Frisia, now located in North Holland)
  • Frisia between Vlie and Middelzee (Westergo, the western part of Friesland)
  • Frisia between Middelzee and Lauwers (Oostergo, the eastern part of Friesland)
  • Zevenwouden (the southern part of Friesland)
  • Frisia between Lauwers and Ems (Ommelanden, now located in Groningen)
  • Frisia between Ems and Jade (Ostfriesland, located in Germany)
  • Frisia between Jade and Weser (located in Germany)

Fifteenth-century armorials show that around that time, two coats of arms emerged from the coat of arms with the "water lily leaves" and the lions: the lion coat of arms with the 7 "water lily leaves" transformed into blocks, and the coat of arms with stripes on a with "pompeblêden" damask field.

This latter coat of arms also became common as a flag in the nineteenth century. On July 9, 1957, it was decided during the meeting of the States of Friesland to submit a request to Her Majesty the Queen to confirm this flag with "pompeblêden" as the official flag for use by the province of Fryslân.

By Royal Decree dated April 21, 1958, no. 12, the province was confirmed in the use of the flag.

The flag is not protected by copyright. It is used in the logos of many Frisian associations and companies, and partly as a result of this, it was able to grow into a powerful symbol of Frisian identity.

Licensing

Public domain
This image depicts a flag of a Dutch municipality or province. These flags are registered with the Hoge Raad van Adel. Usage of the flag is often restricted by municipal rules and laws. In view of Dutch legislation, this image is regarded as being in the public domain, as are reproductions of this flag.

Deutsch | English | français | italiano | Nederlands | sicilianu | +/−

This file has been identified as being free of known restrictions under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights.

Captions

Frisian flag (of the Dutch province of Friesland/Frisia)

Items portrayed in this file

depicts

image/svg+xml

896 byte

6cdaede02dc02a904b2eb184eeee22cf3b9e0215

File history

Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time.

(newest | oldest) View (newer 10 | ) (10 | 20 | 50 | 100 | 250 | 500)
Date/TimeThumbnailDimensionsUserComment
current19:54, 28 May 2026Thumbnail for version as of 19:54, 28 May 2026512 × 354 (3 KB)Magna FrisiaSome fixes to come as close as possible to the official spec on paper, this is the exact same vector version the province uses since this year. I am the author of the file and have released it in the public domain.
21:14, 8 July 2022Thumbnail for version as of 21:14, 8 July 2022910 × 630 (896 bytes)AceTReverted to version as of 19:43, 5 October 2014 (UTC) See discussion
13:59, 3 March 2019Thumbnail for version as of 13:59, 3 March 2019910 × 630 (920 bytes)SiBr4More accurate construction of the "notch" of the pompeblêd
19:43, 5 October 2014Thumbnail for version as of 19:43, 5 October 2014910 × 630 (896 bytes)SiBr4Keeping the code
09:04, 5 October 2014Thumbnail for version as of 09:04, 5 October 2014910 × 630 (3 KB)ArchmedusColor correction conform http://www.fryslan.nl/676/friese-vlag,-logo,-wapen-en-volkslied/files/%5B16%5Dkleurcodes%20provincie%20fryslan.pdf
16:58, 10 September 2013Thumbnail for version as of 16:58, 10 September 2013910 × 630 (896 bytes)SiBr4Reduced SVG code with mostly exact numbers
15:07, 16 August 2013Thumbnail for version as of 15:07, 16 August 20131,300 × 900 (1 KB)AceTthis one is the right one (new one shows old one!?)
08:09, 15 August 2013Thumbnail for version as of 08:09, 15 August 20131,300 × 900 (1 KB)AceTCorrection #2 (the old file is still showing?)
08:01, 15 August 2013Thumbnail for version as of 08:01, 15 August 20131,300 × 900 (1 KB)AceTCorrection (dimensions were not set correctly)
07:57, 15 August 2013Thumbnail for version as of 07:57, 15 August 2013512 × 512 (1 KB)AceTComplete rebuild of the flag after extensive research (check [http://www.echtefriesevlag.nl/])
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