“Strong in our friendship tried by fire, long may our crimson flag inspire – shining in glory for all men to see.” This is the final chapter of the Russian flag, 1917-1991.

Episode 9, Part I: The Russian Flag: Tsars and the Third Rome

Aug 22nd, 2021 1h 7m

Part I of II. How did the backwater Duchy of Moscow rise to become one of the largest land empires in history and claim the legacy of the Byzantine Empire? This is the surprising true story of the white, blue, and red imperial tricolor flag of

Episode 8: The Albanian Flag: Skanderbeg’s Revenge

Mar 6th, 2021 1h 17m

The history of the Albanian flag is a story of invasion and rebellion, conversion and conquest. We also explore the extraordinary life of the flag's designer, Skanderbeg: the warlord who led the Albanians against the Ottoman Empire under the do

Episode 7, Part II: The German Flag: The Fall & Rise of the Bundesflagge

Nov 22nd, 2020 1h 54m

Part II of II. “From black night, through red blood, towards the golden sun.” This is the final chapter of the history of the German flag, 1871-1990.

Episode 7, Part I: The German Flag: The Fall & Rise of the Bundesflagge

Aug 16th, 2020 58m 6s

Part I of II. Empires and petty kingdoms. Death camps and democracies. Fascism and forgiveness – and Germany’s clash between imperialism, tyranny, and freedom. This is the story of the black, red, and gold tricolor of the Federal Republic of Ge

Bonus

Trailer: The German Flag: The Fall & Rise of the Bundesflagge

Aug 4th, 2020 1m 23s

**Trailer for our brand-new two-part series on The German Flag: The Fall & Rise of the Bundesflagge. Part I coming soon!

Episode 6: The Spanish Flag: Four Kingdoms of the Rojigualda

Jun 20th, 2020 1h 3m

A Moorish caliphate becomes a Christian empire. And a once fascist state adopts a flourishing – if disunited – democracy. This is the story of the violent, bloody, and beautiful history of the red-and-gold flag of the Kingdom of Spain.

Episode 5: The Nordic Cross: Vikings, Crusades, and Conquests

Apr 23rd, 2020 56m 28s

Why did the Vikings of Scandinavia swap the raven flag of Oden for the cross of those they conquered? This is the tale of the blood-red flag of Dannebrog – and the centuries-long battle for the souls of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and all of Europ

Episode 4: The Flag of Wales: King Arthur’s Dragon

Mar 30th, 2020 37m 59s

Where does the Y Ddraig Goch – the red dragon of Wales – come from? History only tells us half the story. We have to dive into the ancient Celtic legends of Uther Pendragon, King Arthur, and Merlin to discover the truth about the red dragon’s r

Episode 3: The Flag of Hawaii: America’s Last Kingdom

Mar 10th, 2020 39m 51s

Is the Hawaiian state flag a symbol of annexation and occupation? Or is it one of reconciliation? This is the story of the Hawaiian flag, the last remnant of a once-proud kingdom sitting on the western shores of the American empire.

Episode 2: The French Flag: The Tricolour

Feb 17th, 2020 39m 12s

Fallen tyrants. New republics. And radical ideas like liberty, equality, and fraternity. This is the history of the Tricolour: the three-color revolutionary flag of republican France.

Episode 1: Why the Flag?

Feb 5th, 2020 23m 24s

Welcome to the first episode of Why the Flag? We ask, where does the flag come from – and how did this symbol take over our world? Plus, we discuss the Battle of Teutoburg Forest, and how three lost Roman flags spelled disaster for generations.