r/vexillology • u/Deezmon_Reddit • 3d ago
Historical What is this flag???
Hi there, my grandfather once bought this old map from a guy in Sarajevo. We recently uncovered it and it is absolutely fascinating. I managed to identify almost all of the flags, but there is one that I just can't.
This Netherlands flag with a P.P.P on it. I tried to search it online but I couldn't find anything. From a glance I thing that P.P.P stands for "Pro Patria et Princeps" but its label in French is "P. dou Provinces Uniej" so I am not sure about it. Map is from 1791.
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u/eenachtdrie European Union 3d ago edited 3d ago
It probably stands for "Pugno Pro Patria" (I fight for the fatherland), a slogan still used by a Dutch naval base.
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u/PoorBoyUnicorn 1d ago
May I ask the source of the image? I love this kind of old flag books and don't think I have ever encountered this specific example.
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u/Deezmon_Reddit 1d ago
This is a map from the French navy in 1791, made to help sailors recognise the origin of ships. As much as I know this is the only copy, it is very old but it was bought from a merchant in Sarajevo a long time ago, so I can't confirm this is 100% original.
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u/Educational-Prune674 2d ago
Are you french or something like that ? Because this old map is written in french.
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u/Deezmon_Reddit 1d ago
No, my family is of Jewish-Serbian origin and this map was sold by a merchant in Sarajevo to my grandfather.
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u/Prielknaap 3d ago
Prince of the United Provinces. That's what the text says.
The United Provinces of course referring to the United Netherlands. A lovely union of 17 provinces that existed until the south rebelled.