Flag of the United States of the Ionian Islands facts for kids
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| Adopted | 1815 |
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| Design | A red bordered-Blue Ensign with a gold Lion of Saint Mark holding a Bible and seven bundled arrows |
The Flag of the United States of the Ionian Islands was an important symbol used from 1815 to 1864. It was a special type of flag called a Blue Ensign. This flag had a red border and showed the old coat of arms of the Septinsular Republic.
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History of the Ionian Islands Flag
The United States of the Ionian Islands was a group of islands that became a special territory in 1815. This happened after the Treaty of Paris and the Congress of Vienna. The islands were set up as a "protectorate" under the United Kingdom. This meant Britain protected them but didn't fully own them.
The treaty said the new country's flag would be like the old Septinsular Republic's flag. This flag showed a Lion of Saint Mark holding a Bible on a blue background. To show that Britain was their protector, the flag also had a Union Jack (the British flag) in its top left corner.
How the Flag Was Used at Sea
Ships from the Ionian Islands often sailed in the Black Sea and the eastern Mediterranean. Sometimes, Greek ships would fly the Ionian Islands flag. They did this to pretend they were protected by the powerful British Empire. This practice is called using a flag of convenience.
The British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Percy Smythe, 6th Viscount Strangford, was not happy about this. He wrote that the Ionian flag was important and should not be used just for convenience.
Ionian Ships During the Crimean War
During the Crimean War, ships flying the Ionian Islands flag faced a unique situation. It was thought they couldn't trade with Russia, like British ships. However, a court decision in 1855 changed this.
The court found that Queen Victoria had made separate agreements with other countries for the Ionian Islands. This meant the islands were not automatically included when Britain declared war. So, the Ionian Islands were not officially at war with the Russian Empire.
This meant Ionian ships could trade with Russia during the war. British ships, however, could not. The court also said that Ionian ships were not British. Their citizens were not British subjects because the islands were a protectorate, not a colony. So, while they could trade, they didn't get all the rights and protection of the United Kingdom.
When the Flag Was No Longer Used
In 1864, the United Kingdom gave the United States of the Ionian Islands to the Kingdom of Greece. This was part of the Treaty of London. It was a friendly gesture after Prince Alfred decided not to become the King of Greece. Many Greeks had wanted him to be their king.
Once the Ionian Islands became part of Greece, their special flag was no longer official. It was replaced by the flag of Greece.
