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Page created: 2nd October 1998 Last updated: 21st December 2011	This page is under construction! Links and images might be missing! Data presented on this page may be entirely incorrect!
The FAME is a site devoted to the systematic and scientific study of flags and coats of arms. Such symbols often bear strong political and other messages. Inclusion of those symbols here does not mean that the author supports or approves of the ideas they may stand for.	This site is harvested for the NSK digital archives.

Serbia, Prinicipate 1835 - 1882

Knjaževina Srbija

• Principate of Serbia, 1835
• Principate of Serbia, 1835 – 1882
• Principate of Serbia, State and Merchant Ensign, 1838 - 1878
• Principate of Serbia, proposal 1838
• Principate of Serbia, State and Merchant Ensign, 1838 - 1878, errorneous representations
• Principate of Serbia, State and Merchant Ensign, 1878 - 1882

Thanks to Tomislav Todorović for the updates provided for this page. His images are based on drawings by Ivan Sarajčić and Mario Fabretto. The sources for this page:
Solovjev, Aleksandar: Istorija srpskog grba. Istorija srpskog grba i drugi heraldički radovi, Pravni fakultet Univerziteta u Beogradu: Dosije; Beograd, 2000. ISBN 86-80763-90-X
Acović, Dragomir: Heraldika i Srbi, Zavod za udľbenike; Belgrade, 2008. ISBN 978-86-17-15093-6
Solovjev, Aleksandar: Slovenske trobojke. Istorija srpskog grba i drugi heraldički radovi, Pravni fakultet Univerziteta u Beogradu: Dosije; Beograd, 2000. ISBN 86-80763-90-X
Samardľić, Dragana: Vojne zastave Srba do 1918., Vojni muzej; Beograd, 1983.
Rodoslovne tablice i grbovi srpskih dinastija i vlastele, Nova knjiga, Beograd, 1987.

• Serbia

Principate of Serbia, 1835

9:10~

The constitution known as Sretenjski ustav of 1835 adopted the coat of arms and the flag. Flag was red-white-blue (blue was determined with a particularly archaic expression that is sometimes misunderstood for black or brown) horizontal tricolour with coat of arms in the middle. The coat of arms adopted is based on Byzantine emblems, set in a shield shape surrounded by wreath of olive and oak. The constitution was not approved by the Porta (Sultans government), and by the pressure of Austria, Russia and Turkey it was retreated in March 1935. Soon afterwards, the Porta approved the modern Serb tricolour.

Principate of Serbia, 1835 – 1882

2:3~

The use of Serbian tricolour of red-blue-white was allowed in 1835 by sultan Mahmud II. This flag was based on Russian imperial colours (white-blue-red, itself influenced by the Dutch red-white-blue flag). It is adopted as the national flag of Serbs and used since, with variations of central symbol in different times. In this form used for all purposes until 1838, since used only as the civil flag, the other purposes were provided with its variants.

Principate of Serbia, State and Merchant Ensign, 1838 - 1878

2:3

The flag with the coat of arms in the centre of the blue stripe and four white six-pointed stars in the hoist of the red stripe was approved by Sultan in December 1838, when the new consitituion was approved (therefore named the "Turkish Constitution"), although with a separate act. The stars stand for the vasal status of Serbia, and four of them designate it being the fourth vasal state in Europe, after Wallachia, Moldavia and Samos (Montenegro was not counted since its status was not regulated until 1859, when the international comission determined its borders, i.e. until 1878 when it was recognized as independent at teh Berlin Congress.) Neither the 1838 nor the 1869 contitution determines the flag, so the Sultans act remained the single legal act regarding the issue.

Principate of Serbia, proposal 1838

2:3~

During the negotiations on the new flag, the representatives of the High Porta proposed a flag with the coat of arms (shield only) on the blue stripe and three crescents and stars, as in the Turkish flag, in the red stripe, while the Serbian representatives proposed the flag with the coat of arms only. The compromise was reacged with the arms and four stars as shown above.

Principate of Serbia, State and Merchant Ensign, 1838 - 1878, errorneous representations

(1) 2:3

(2) 2:3

Some sources like Deppermann, ca. 1848, report flags for Serbia: red-white-black (or maroon) with a coat of arms in the centre an four white stars in the canton (2 + 2). These images are errorneous representations of the actual flags - using misinterpretation of the 1835 unusual name for the blue stripe, and the errorenous representations of the coat of arms with the blue mantle. The blue mantle (as explained by Siebmacher), should indicate the vasal status of Serbia.

Principate of Serbia, State and Merchant Ensign, 1878 - 1882

2:3

After the Berlin Congress, the stars, as vasal symbols, were removed from the flag and such flag remained in use until Serbia was proclaimed the Kingdom.

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Flags of the World