Page 202 - Beholding Liberty!

ΙΙ.2.1
Decree of the Executive for the definition of the shape, colour and symbols of the national ensigns (Corinth, 15 March 1822)
Archives of the Greek Regeneration, vol. 1, no 322 [p. 322] Library of the Hellenic Parliament
IN THE COURSE OF THE TURKISH OCCUPATION, every time that a local revo- lutionary movement manifested itself, yet another improvised flag (Turk. bayrak) was raised, identifier of the military units of each captain. With the out- break of the Struggle for Independence the need for a national flag became quickly a common belief. In article 104 of the Provisional Constitution of Greece it was defined that the sole national flag will bear the cross and its colours will be blue and white. It was deemed that it was in the interest of the Re- volted not to adopt the symbols of the Society of Friends (as for example the sacred band with the sixteen columns, the cross with olive branches, the
flags on spears with the letters Η ΕΑ (Ή ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΙΑ/ EITHER FREEDOM) Η ΘΣ (Ή ΘΑΝΑΤΟΣ/OR DEATH) et al.), so as to convey the message to the European courts that this was a national-liberating struggle, not a revolutionary movement.
On 15 March 1822, the Executive determined the details of the above decision, establishing one flag for the land forces, and two differentiated ensigns for the marine forces, the merchant fleet flag and the war navy flag. In 1828, by a decree of Ioan- nis Kapodistrias on 30 July, the two marine flags merged, with the navy one prevailing, in recognition of the participation of the merchant ships in the Struggle as warships.
202 BEHOLDING LIBERTY!